Ideas for a complete analog set up 2500- 3500

It seems no one has mentioned Linn. I know it's not sexy but the newer modified tables are much less maintainence work, still sound good accoding to John Atkinson of Stereophile and you can likely find a fully modified Linn with Lingo and Ekos for a little over $2000. Just food for thought.

I cant be quiet about this. If you want good looks, go to circuit city and buy a goddamn sony with all the pretty lights. They even have remotes that let you set every band on the 400 band EQ that is built in. I understand that the model that still has a phono section had the budget increased to allow for 1.20 worth of guts behind the phono plugs.
OY VEY..... LP-12 is about as solid a table as you can get. With any of the Linn gear, you get about as close to what was put on the vinyl pie as is possible.
While I agree with the advice of a good record cleaner, I would listen through the dust that remained after a brushing in order to get the best arm/cart as possible.
My suggested system: LP-12 Val/pwr suppl. Rega arm and one of the billion carts out there.
Talk to David Wilson @ Accent on Music in Mt Kisco NY
(914)242-0747. You can get a used one and have him look the thing over for you. I have seen people pay big money for substandard tables when they could have bought a used Linn and had David go through it for the same $$$ and in the end had a MUCH better deck.

If you want pretty, take the money you saved and buy some art for your wall. :>)

gumbydammit,

By the way, I love your handle. My family are big fans of early Sat Night Live. Mine is from Ace Venture Pet Detective 2 when when Jim Carey is trying to speak the tribal language and says, "Bumblebeetuna".

Anyway, about the looks thing. As I said, I wouldn't substutue looks for performance but your comments assume the two things are mutually exclusive. For example Nottingham Spacedeck is a beautiful table and is long on performance also. I like the look of VPI in general and the Aries in particular. I am sure there are others.

I spend as more time looking at my equipment than listening and I really appeciate the art behind engineering and design. I will not apologize for this and don't think others should either. This is a legitimate part of the hobby for those who are visually driven.

Some people see beauty in elaborate designs and others see it in the simple straight foward approach. Like I think the new Hovland amp is state of the art and others would think it is guady. Some would think the Audio Research is rather bland and others would see the simple lines, traditional design, and almost retro look the best thing there is.

With that said, I like the look of Rega and Linn because they have a sort of retro feel with a simple straight forward approach but I prefer something more toward the Nottignham but I would seriously consider both.

However, I have heard that Linn's are hard to set up and difficult to maintain and I want something I can set up and forget about. I think the vynl itself represents enough of maintenance without adding more.

I don't want to skip the record cleaning and I don't think I will need to but if it came down to it and I was at the end of my budget I would take the table/arm/cartridge over the cleaner and plan for that purchase as soon after as possible.

by the way, I want new wall art also...:)

bbutna
cd

Zero set up issues brings one table to mind... A wall mounted Planar 3!
Pretty too. I know where there is a rare wall mount for one of these (made by rega) my buddy might be willing to part with.
But LP-12 horror stories are a bit "puffed" from what I have read. Once set up, they dont have to see the tech for years at a time.....carts need attention in between, but you cant get away from that regardless.
My Linn has not seen the wizard in 5+years and still is fine. Based on the listening time I have had since the last session with David, I would call it a bargain.

Pardon the sarcasm about the looks, but I am of the op. that sound is all that matters.
(But, you know.......I hear true canvas brings out vocals better than a print hehehe ;>)

Where are you? as in State?

Gumb...no thats Gumbydammit, not just Gumb,

Kansas city. Thanks for the ideas. Yes you represent one of the folk on one end of the specturm, or near the end, and I am definately left of center when it comes to looks but again, I won't compromise sound for looks, but I don't think a person needs to.

How far right are you anyway? I dealt with Mappleshade and bought some of the Omega Micro cable. Now there is someone committed to sound only. His cables build quality is appalling but I would stack them up against anything I have heard so far. I understand in his place he has all his cables suspended by string from the ceiling to try and ensure totally 0 dialectric. By the way, I would own them again. They aren't pretty but they sure are interesting.

Oh well, that is what makes this hobby fun, there is something for everyone and there is such a diversity in taste.

I am really leaning toward the Nottingham since I think I can get looks, simplicity, and performance.

I am very excited but need to keep control because it will be awhile before I can do anything. I am in the middle of buying some other gear so the waiting begins. But, my day will come and analog will be in my life! :)

Thanks again to everyone for your input it has been helpful.

cd