What turntable, $500 or less

Photodusty, well maybe I will go with the 1.3, and just upgrade to the denon catridge when I can. I don't want to skimp and save $200 if I can gain quite a bit better sound if I go with the 1.3 and denon catridge vs. the carbon and ortofon catridge. What phono pre amp do you recommend? Would you suggest a pro ject just to keep it all in the same family? If so, there looks like there is one for $199, and then a tube ond for $299. Im asking you because it seems likd you've done alot of research on this. Thanks!

For those of you who may like the new Project Carbon, you can by paying extra get the Acrlit platter to swap out the standard metal one and thus any issues with a MC cartridge would be eliminated. The Acrlit platter goes for around $130 U.S. though. But still keeps a high value turntable in a relatively lower price point.

There certainly are other options out there. But after my long search I landed at the 1.3.

I have the Cambridge 640p which sounds fine, but just came into a fantastic and rare Soundcraftsmen pre-amp that is incredible.

You certainly wont go wrong with the Cambridge or the Pro-Ject.

This is where this hobby can shake your brain and your cash :-) {and we are in the "budget" audiophile market :-)

Good Luck and listen to as many systems as you can.

db

Is the 1.3 s better turntable though? The carbon at $399 + $130 for the different platter brings the total to $530, which is $30 more than the 1.3. I like the looks of the carbon more and I like the idea of being able to upgrade as funds become available. I think I will want to use that denon catridge. I've heard good things about it. Also, which pro ject phono stage? The tube one or not? I like the idea of having a warmer sound, would the tubes be the way to go? Thanks again for everyones help on this. I feel totally lost about the whole turntable thing.

Ortofon offers a good upgrade path for its MM cartridges. I started with an affordable OM 10 Super, and later replaced the stylus with the OM 30 Super. A very big jump in sound quality was the result. IIRC, the 2M series offers similar upgrade paths. Start with the $100 2M Red, and I think you can upgrade styli up to the Black. IOW, the cartidge bodies on these models are the same, only the styli are different.