Cartridge-- M/M or M/C

Sorry, it was a Rega P9, not a 25. Oh, well, more power to the Creature!

Psychicanimal,
I guess I'll have to buy one eventually: after I had discovered how superior idler-wheel drives were to belt drives, my mind was opened to the possibility of the Technics, and I collect record players (rhythmic ones), but my idler-wheel drives are so good (I build the bodies myself for recreation, changing the design and materials each time) I know their abilities are far beyond the abilities of any preamp I will ever be able to afford! Nevertheless, the Technics has been on my shortlist for a long time.

But even a truly good belt-drive can draw an astonishing amount of information from the groove (as I discovered one day when I stuck a Classe DR-8 in my system). And while a lot of high-end belt-drives suck in the rhythm (musicality) area, it's not really a question of money: any of the ARs rock incredibly well, through simple application of an intelligent design philosophy: a low-mass subchassis, cast from thick aluminum and ribbed for resonance control, extremely well-designed springs which give it about the best isolation out there (truly), a light but well-machined platter and bearing assembly, and a low-torque motor to go with all that low mass. The result is incredible lightness of foot, good detail, excellent rhythm. It's just that people do not go to the trouble to match them up with quality tonearms. Of course, well-designed idler-wheels and direct-drives (though I have yet to actually test DDs) are superior overall (IMHO), but the AR - usually available used from $30 to $300, is right up there with the best when it comes to making music.

Anyone ever try a fluid-damped Technics tonearm with a zero-compliance Decca? Also, the Decca, like the Grados, has a tendency to pick up hum: do Grados do well on the Technics? Are we confusing Scott?

Scott has to learn from the pros--not the parrots.

No, I'm still with you. I have negotiated a price on a AR table. Still wondering if I should get it. Is it much or even better than my MMF 7 ?

Hmmm, difficult subject. The thing is this, there is the road to Audio Hell which is paved with detail and a soulless presentation of the music, and the road to Audio Nirvana which is paved with musical equipment. Emphasis on detail means an endless series of upgrades and a lot of dough; musicality means a fairly stable system and a lot of hours spent listening to your entire record collection, and not just Amanda McBroom. But we each get off in our own way. Your choice of tubes for amplification suggests you belong to the musical camp, but nothing is certain.

The AR is tremendously musical, and quite good at detail, depending on the quality of the arm you put on it. Detail is tricky too, as some 'tables and cartridges strip the music and emphasize some upper-frequency detail, while others present the whole enchilada, emphasizing nothing, and so appearing less detailed. The AR is one of these. Sam Tellig of Stereophile used one for years mounted both with a Rega tonearm and a SME 309. Now he uses a Rega 25.

Considering the money, which is pocket change relative to your budget, consider it a learning experience. You're a newbie, so I say experiment without spending a whole lotta cash. But I also know newbies want to be dazzled by detail and such, and I don't want to be blamed for any shortfall. Last night, I sat awestruck listening to my AR with outdated Mayware toneram mounted with a Decca, which I had taken the trouble to assemble due to this discussion! (I've just come back from some serious travel and everything is in boxes). The detail! The slam! The immediacy! But much of this is due to the Decca, which given a suitable tonearm will perform miracles due to its bizarre technology. I suggest the ubiquitous Rega in any of its incarnations for a tonearm, but listen to the stock AR arm first, with a new cartridge, as Jependleton has reported some bum Eroicas. Some people like to spend a lot of money, in which case there is a large variety of musical 'tables which will suit your budget. If you go the money route, read advice, but then seek out a physical specimen and listen. The soul, or soullessness, of a table will reveal itself by whether a smile does or does not appear on your face. May the Force be With You.