I've had my Systemdez IIX for about ten years now. In the past I've had all manner of turntables - Garrard 301 and 401, various Thorens, a Linn Lp12, a couple of direct drives... and a huge number of arms and cartridges - SME 3009 and 3012, Decca, Linn, Moth arms and Ortofon, Decca London, Audio Technica, Shure... And the best sounding combination I've found so far is the Systemdek with a Rega RB300 arm and a Sumiko Blue Point moving coil cartridge. But that combination only really works if the deck is set up accurately, on a solid wall mounted shelf. The Systemdek is VERY sensitive to vibration - either mechanical or airborne. Personally I prefer the original glass platter and lambswool mat and I reverted to that combination after trying a Lexan platter and various combinations of mat. I don't use a clamp (and nor should one be used with the glass platter). In my opinion the Sumiko Blue Point moving coil cartridge is the absolute budget buy of the millenium (both this and the last!). It has an output that is just about enough to drive a moving magnet phono stage but works best into the MC input on my NAD 1000 pre-amp. The Systemdek needs to be set up correctly - level, with the suspension accurately balanced and with a decent earth connected to the tag on the rear panel (in addition to the arm earthing). Removing the foam dampers from the suspension springs and applying small pieces of sound deadening felt to various points on the sub-chassis is often recommended but I've tried that and can hear no difference. I've also experimented with various mods to the RB300, again with very little audible difference (but considerable expense!!!). I think that Dunlop got it just about right in the first place and so for very little money you get a decent 'out of the box' turntable that can be tweaked and upgraded, and that comes very close to matching the performance of the Linn LP12 for a fraction of the cost.
