Getting started on vinly - new/used setup for 500

Brookland Audio is one of the most respected dealers here on 'Gon. In the course of business, they see plenty of things come and go every week- far more than any of us as individuals do. I have every confidence that their comments are both fair and reasonable and come from their extensive experience and knowledge. Their feedback rating of 990 positive and NO negatives speaks for itself.

For the record (no pun intended), I have absolutely no connection with Brooklyn Audio.

Regards
Jim

There's an ad for SOTA Moonbeams complete w/ arm, cart. and other accessories in Stereophile. The dealer is www.hmcaudio.com , and the price is $569. Looks like a decent enough deal, but i have no experience with it. From firsthand knowledge, I can say the P2 & 3 are a nice tables for the money.

You might be able to find an Ariston RD-11S at around 500 used. May times they had a Grace 707 or a Linn Basik tonearm put on them. They are similar to a Linn table and sound almost as good. They are a suspension table and need to be set up, but it is probably as good a table as you can get for that amount of money. Buy a new cartridge, they are often used up or damaged when they come with a used table.

There is an ad right now here on Agon that lists a Connoiseur BD102 turtable with arm for $145 obo. This is a good British entry level belt drive AC motor turntable. We used to sell them as the basic TT in our high end shop. Not as good as Rega, but better than anything under $250. They work very well with a Goldring cartridge and a "Platter Matter" or deadening mat helps too. Not well known, but good sound and low price.