If you want keep the cost down, there is the Music Hall MMF 5 which sells for $500, including a pretty decent Goldring cartridge. Appearance is basic, but it's not ugly. For a little more (about $750) you can get a Rega P3 w. arm but no cartridge and it's available in a number of colors if that's your thing. At about $1200 Rega has the "25" with a good arm, again no cartridge. I've not heard one, but the VPI Scout @ +/- $1500 including arm has gotten good reviews and is apparently selling like hotcakes; looks good too. But if you really want to go for extraordinary looks and excellent performance, check out the Bluenote Bella Vista. It sells for about $1300 with no arm or cartridge, but can be bought for about $2000 with Bluenote's own arm and cartridge. More than worth a look.
Suggestions for my first turntable
Okay, many of you have read my previous post about how I finally got to hear a record player and was blown away by how much better it sounded. So I'm considering my first table (I'll definitely buy used).
I'm sort of torn as to what approach to take. Part of me wants to do what my friend's dad did, just go buy a $50 table at a swap meet and add a nice $200 cartridge to it. But that has its own risks, and also I'd like something reasonably low maintenance. I find myself drawn to tables that look nice, since it will have a prominent position on my top shelf. The Basis 1400 in particular looks sweet to me. I think I'll feel bad about spending so much for a table when I have no records, though. Can people comment on what quality level (including price point) they would recommend for someone breaking into analog. Knowing what you know, what would you buy for a friend getting into analog?
My system will consist of a Plinius 8200 mkII (integrated which includes MM and MC phono stages) and Joseph Audio RM22si signature speakers. Side-question, do I need to consider special interconnects for a turntable, or do all the same properties hold for, say, CD interconnects.
Thanks,
Matt.
I'm sort of torn as to what approach to take. Part of me wants to do what my friend's dad did, just go buy a $50 table at a swap meet and add a nice $200 cartridge to it. But that has its own risks, and also I'd like something reasonably low maintenance. I find myself drawn to tables that look nice, since it will have a prominent position on my top shelf. The Basis 1400 in particular looks sweet to me. I think I'll feel bad about spending so much for a table when I have no records, though. Can people comment on what quality level (including price point) they would recommend for someone breaking into analog. Knowing what you know, what would you buy for a friend getting into analog?
My system will consist of a Plinius 8200 mkII (integrated which includes MM and MC phono stages) and Joseph Audio RM22si signature speakers. Side-question, do I need to consider special interconnects for a turntable, or do all the same properties hold for, say, CD interconnects.
Thanks,
Matt.
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- 5 posts total
- 5 posts total