Best TT under $1k

Bpoletti

Did/are you running that AR ES1 turntable with the stock AR tomearm? I owned that table a long time ago with the stock arm and that table absolutely stunk with that arm. I also owned the Rega RP-6, completely stock and it ran all over that AR turntable. If your AR turntable beat the Rega, I would be almost certain you put a higher quality arm on it. AND probably one that cost more than the 'table itself. Let's compare apples to apples and go completely stock on both AR and Rega, and I will guarantee you the Rega will be better. My mileage on this won't vary, it is spot on.....

My opinions and observations...

The AR-ES was stock, including a stock arm.  The regas were beaten using both a Shure V15/IV and an Audioquest 404.  As I recall the AR-ES arm needed some blue damping material in the headshell for both carts and more mass for the 404.  The regas never came in.  

That's apples to apples.    

But let's compare a couple of stock rega tables to other stock tables at their price points....  

A stock Rega RP8 to a stock Clearaudio Performance, stock VPI Prime/3D arm or stock VPI Classic 3.  Does the RP8 belong anywhere but a DISTANT 4th place against these truly excellent tables?  

Stock RP6 to a stock Clearaudio Concept, stock VPI Classic or stock VPI Prime Scout.  RP6 in 4th place against these fine tables?    

I have moved on several times since the AR.  The AR-ES with that Shure V15/IV is on "long-term load" to a friend who loves it in his system for over 20 years.  I donated the 404 to another forum member in need of a cartridge.  

I do try to remember to open and close most of my comments with the statement "My opinion" or something similar.  

Sorry you have that kind of problem with the AR-ES arm. But as someone else criticized me for only using three regas to form my opinion, a single arm is not a very good sampling to form a final opinion. Maybe you had a particularly bad arm.   Maybe I was just lucky. Who knows.  

Like you said, your mileage won't vary.  Good for you.  Mine won't either.  That gives us the opportunity to agree to disagree since we are expressing OPINIONS.  

That's my opinion.

+1 for the GEM PolyTable.