Suspended vs. non suspended turntable

"The question of whether this transgresses the immaculate conception of an original designer is a matter for religion."

well put!

Posts like these are the very reason I read this forum. Excellent job, Dgarretson!

DCstep I only know what kind of sound I am after, but I don't know how to achieve it. I want something which is transparent, detailed and dynamic with good extension high and low. Dynamics are most important, because I enjoy a punchy sound. I do not need or want anything that sounds warm, mellow, etc. because my system already sounds warm and mellow. At the same time it should not be too etched or analytical. I listen to classical music and jazz, and I have been accumulating records without a turntable to play it on.

As for the budget - I forgot to mention that it has to include a record cleaning machine. I do not think that AUD$20k is that large a budget if it has to include all those things.

With respect to everyone, I am also wary of asking for equipment recommendations on internet forums because I will be inundated with suggestions with no idea how to evaluate them. I know that it's all good natured and helpful, but it can be confusing. I limit my questions to specific bite sized chunks that I can handle :) This thread has already told me that it does not matter if T/T's are suspended or not - it is the implementation that matters. Also, suspended designs or high mass designs may have an advantage if I have springy floorboards. This in itself is valuable information - at a stroke it eliminates a large number of turntables from contention.

Regards,

Keith

Keith,in all honesty I'd seek out a good dealer,who might be so inclined to give you a trial product.That is the ONLY way,other than conjecture,to evaluate something that might suit your tastes!
I am lucky to have a close friend who has an almost identical system as me.Fortunately(for me),he is obsessed with spending money on this hobby,so he is used as the proverbial guinea pig.-:)
You have a better shot with a "reliable dealer"!

Dear Keith: +++++ " I want something which is transparent, detailed and dynamic with good extension high and low....."+++++

IMHO, one way or the other, those characteristics are almost what every one of us are looking ( between others ) and IMHO that depend on the whole system performance and not on the TT alone.

+++++ " Dynamics are most important, because I enjoy a punchy sound..."+++++

This is one critical characteristic that make a huge difference between live music and reproduced music!!! and again that " punchy " sound depend on what it is on the recording and the whole system performance.

+++++ " do not need or want anything that sounds warm, mellow, etc. because my system already sounds warm and mellow. At the same time it should not be too etched or analytical. " +++++

do you like that " warm mellow " sound?, you don't say it, because if you don't like it there are some answers that will be different if you like it.

Regards and enjoy the music.
raul.