Which TT Music Hall 5.1 or Rega P1 or P2

A few years back, I sold my Rega P2 and picked up a MMF5. (Not the 5.1.) But I was never happy with the Music Hall, and ended up buying back the Rega, with upgraded wiring and counterweight. It's a matter of taste, of course. I listen to a lot of rock, and I never felt that the Music Hall played rock 'n' roll as well as the Rega. I've now got a P3, and have been thinking about moving to a Nottingham Interspace, but that's another story.

I concur with Hodu.
I've owned an MMF 5 Se and recently upgraded to a Scout. There was a clear difference with rock and even with just acoustic guitar and voice. The salesman for both tables referred to the MMF as "lazy" compared to the Scout and I think that is a fairly apt description.

Another former MMF-5 owner. Go with the P2! Kmulkey, I also went from the MMF-5 (though not SE) to the Scout and lazy is an accurate term in comparison to the Scout.

Sinister,
Yep...like hearing 20 year old recordings for the first time.

I hope you can forgive this interjection of a Japanese direct drive turntable in the thread, but the price range you mention is right in that ballpark, and it offers an interesting alternative, both operationally and sonically.

You can get a Technics SL1210 M5G from Amazon for $598.95. I actually got mine at a Guitar Center and negotiated down to $500. This model has the upgraded tonearm wire. I added KAB's fluid damper, bringing its total price to $650 and I really like it operationally and musically for every kind of music I throw at it, with great s/n, dynamics, slam, depth of image, and (when properly platformed) inner detail. I've lived with it for over a year and am far happier and more satisfied than I could have imagined when I brought it home.

You can also get a Denon DP500M at BrandToyz.com on sale for $561 (down from $700).

If there is one thing DD turntables are not, it is lazy! They are rhythmic and propulsive with great slam and drive. They are also extremely well built, precisely engineered, machined and assembled, and easy and smooth to use.

The Denon is designed for home use and has a lot of anti-vibration engineered into its physical design.