Budget Turntable

Are you guys really serious about the Techniques? What have you compared it too? I had one and even my Dual CS5000, which I just gave it away, blew it away on every level.

Sufentanil, I appreciate the response. That 'J' arm is way heavy and the direct drive is soo noisey. The inner grove tracking makes bass soo bloated ad the highs ripped up my soundstage. I am tempted to try annother from posts for a 3'rd system but have reservations. Have you compared it to a rega p3 with rb300 arm?

A "J" arm is longer than a streight arm and, thus, has more mass, and, is heavier. The J arms have been abandandoned long ago - just like the "S" arms and direct drives (except in rare, recent cases (direct drive)-and it is done a bit different than in the Technics). The way the Technics is direct coupled to the motor causes noise, which was much higher than any rig I would ever recommend to someone. I have had and heard many Technics tables, modded and not, and, although when I got my first table back in the 70's, and thought it was great, as I listened to more and more tables, I realized that its limitiaions were just too great. The P3 is much, much more musical, quieter, wider and deeper soundstage and resolves low level details much better than the Technics. I'm trying to stick to that price point and know the P3 isn't the end all, either. My Dual CS5000, blew away the modded Technics (Dual is direct drive but had much lower platter noise). We compared a highly modded Technics to a Project table that cost a few hundred less last year, same cartridge/phonostage/system and it easilly beat the Technics. I absolutely loved my 1st Technics, and still do, but, sound wise, there is just much, much better for the price. It does hold a glamor place in hi fi history but, if you listen, it's just a pretty face with not much going on inside. Just my opinion, guys.

The Technics had the KAB PS1200 power supply, fluid damper, Isonoe footers, upgraded bottom plate, upgraded wiring (not cardas but the guy spent $200 for it), strobe dissabler and record clamp. It (to me) really sounded stringent, narrow sound stage, no depth. All vinyl had too much surface noise and I swear I could hear the drive rumble, and rumble... When I tapped the body of the table, you heared it through the speakers (stylus on record) way too loud. Cartridge was grado gold, and then Benz Micro Glider and then a shelter (can't remember which); used two phono stages - Bellari (sucked-hum, no low level retrievel) and my Innersound (which I find very dynamic, quiet and brings everything out of the grooves). We compared it to (with same cartridges/phone) Project Debut, Rega P3 and My modded TNT Jr. It was easilly bested by all rigs.