What are your top 3 favorite turntable companies (manufacturer) and why?

@mulveling 

 

3 table companies I like? Impossible lol. I also like my Clearaudio a lot, but they've made a lot of design missteps IMO, and their pricing (especially for parts, upgrades) sucks. 

What parts have you needed for a Clearaudio? Just curious. In nearly 15 years of Clearaudio ownership (Ovation/Innovation/Universal) I've only needed belts, and some bearing oil my dealer provided free.

As for upgrades, I got some pretty generous trade-in allowances on Clearaudio arms from Musical Surroundings in the past (Clarify -> Magnify -> Universal), the Clearaudio U.S. distributor.

dwette, I exaggerated it a little.

Why ? Because Brits understand PRAT and midrange. And Australian Contiuum and Dohmann, same designer, are, well, thought of as being among the very best.

@inna

I have a German turntable and tonearms (Clearaudio), Japanese cartridges (Lyra x 2, Dynavector), American phono-stage (Boulder), British electronics (Naim Audio top-of-line Classic series), Danish speakers (Dynaudio) and British subs (REL).

I know about PRaT and great midrange. My system has both. Brits are great at it (and you see I have Naim/REL) but they can't claim or dominate it on their own.

No, they don't, I suppose. But when I think turntables I always think British first.

Good for you, but most other audiophiles don't, or if they do I wait to hear from them.

And I think Australians might take umbrage at the notion they are naught but displaced Brits. Doehmann and Caliburn are very fine TTs, for sure, but neither makes a TT for the masses, and neither has a long history in the business.

Technics

SOTA

VPI

Thorens (mostly in honor of their past successes)

Linn (because otherwise I will be excoriated)

The above in no particular order.

Also now I think of it: Denon, Dual, AR, Kuzma, Basis, Yamaha, Pioneer.