I am on a similar quest so will be watching this thread with interest.

I am also considering Dr. Feickert and Gold Note…

$5k table plus $3-5 k arm plus..isolation..plus a solid cart at $2k plus phono, are ya sure you are “ all in “ ?

what else is in your system ?

the good news, your local dealers that carry AMG and Brinkmann are likely to carry good sounding but more affordable tables, etc….

Jim

i see your other thread…now….. 

Planar 8 or 10.

At the very least you'll have something that can pass for a work of art.

$5K table ONLY, suggest you're prepared to invest in proper equipment.

That suggest you're gonna be $8-10K deep fully dressed.

Don't skimp on phono stage. $3-5K (used in that range will buy something very nice)will get  a proper model.

Whatever you end up with will be a waste with a budget "value" phono stage.

 

I have been incrementally building my vinyl rig and for me I'm there:                          Acoustic Signature Triple X -TA1000A 12" Tonearm, Hana Umami Red, Modwright PH9.0X with 1966 Siemens E188CC. I agree the synergy is important with whatever you get. Happy Hunting!

@tablejockey sounds like you are saying I can’t share by with the Hagerman Trumpet?

I'm salivating over the Pure Fidelity Harmony, definitely in your price range just not local

"sounds like you are saying I can’t share by with the Hagerman Trumpet?"

Absolutely not. It’s just considering what you will have invested in the complete table assembly. Your sports car with budget tires?

By all the positive reports by user and reviewers it’s a winner. Reality-it’s a $1K very good phono stage that can be bettered with all the choices you have. Listen to a setup with equipment in your desired price point. It won’t have a $1K phonostage for a reason.

The most phonostage you can afford to fully exploit the table's potential.

 

All I can say is I was somewhat disappointed with tt's in price range of $1k-$5k area, this including arm. Always had issues with at least one area of sound quality in this price area. I had various phono stage in price range of $500-nearly $3k and cartridges in range of $300- $2k to match with the tt's.

 

My reference for sound quality has long been really top flight analog setups, the best being many multiples of $10k. Not having owned this I rely on my aural memory. What I recall from those setups is extremely high resolving capabilities along with the ease and/or natural qualities analog is renowned for. My setups did pretty well with the natural qualities, resolving capabilities not really close.

 

My other reference has long been my digital setups which have usually exceeded my analog setups in resolving capabilities. I have issues accepting lower resolving capabilities from analog when my digital exceeds here, I easily get bored from lack of involvement when I'm aware of missing information. Missing info means far more than simply lacking detail.

 

IME, obtaining higher and/or highest resolving capabilities from vinyl is what differentiates the big buck setups from the lesser setups. But  then, what is acceptable in this domain depends on the individual, seems many get pleasure from less costly setups.

It is largely dependent on equipment isolation, power quality and room. I'd spend more on those three aspects and be happier with your current setup, then,  any going forward.

Saul, of the brands you mentioned Basis is handily the best. The 2200 is $8000 so it is not in your range. The Inspiration is one of my favorite tables but it is beyond my monetary comfort level. If the 2200 is beyond yours the closest match at a reasonable price would be the Sota Nova. All those other turntables you mentioned are not isolated by a suspension. They will not shield the cartridge from extraneous vibration ( sound) as well if at all. The Rega turntables offer the most for the money. The RP10 is as good as any of the other turntables. 

@mijostyn i thought the Clearaudio magnetic bearing was a kind of suspension. no?

the clearaudio needs an isolation base… imo….

... and resign yourself to acquiring and playing the one percent or less of all vinyl issued, those few discs that give your system a source equal to their demands.

😉

 

Hit up Kat at Upscale Audio. She's very knowledgeable and, if you buy the cartridge from them, they'll set everything up for you as well.

With that in mind, to narrow down the decision, I am want to restrict myself to things I can buy, hear and, if necessary, service locally.

Service locally meaning? Repairs? Or setup services? Just curious...

My Michell Gyro Dec is 30 years old and still going strong. Updated over the years with an Orbe platter and other mods, I know of at least two reviewers who use one in their systems - see my system pics. All the brands you mention are respected and you won't go far wrong with any of them. Seek your dealers advice and try to demo a few. Only you can tell which you prefer. Steve

With 5k and all in, like another poster indicated, it will not cover everything needed at that budget. You will need, as mentioned, a phono preamp, a tonearm, a cartridge, and let’s not forget a nice pair of phono cables. I would suggest at your 5k budget, a Music Hall mmf-7.3 or even the 9.3, $1600-$1800 and $2400-$2700 respectively, depending on whether you choose black or walnut finish. Both tables already come with cartridges (reflected in prices). The mmf 7.3 comes with a very nice 2m Bronze, the 9.3 a goldring Eroica lx. Pair either table with either the pro ject tube box ds2 $1000 or a Tavish the classic tubed preamp, or even a Tavish Adagio, $800 and $2190 respectively. Buy a nice pair of Atlas element Integra low capacitance phono cables to go with either. The 7.3 and the Tavish classic or pro-ject ds2 will leave you with money to invest in records, as I think you will find that in the long run, you will have spent more money on your collection than you have spent on the rig....otherwise, if you opt for the 9.3 and the Tavish Adagio, you will be right at the 5k mark. All products mentioned have received rave reviews at their respective price points.

Alternatively, go with an Avid Ingenium turntable and upgrade its mdf platter with the metal one. It will cost about the same as the mmf-9.3 walnut version mentioned above, about $2700. I own all but the 9.3 and Adagio. I can attest to the quality of these products. You are getting a lot for your money.

You could even grab the Technics sl1200GR or the G direct drive turntables, $1700 and $4000 respectively. The GR route will leave plenty of your budget for the cartridge (I’d recommend the Hana EL or EH @ $475) and a nice phono preamp, and still have some money left over for a starter collection of LP’s...

 

In all honesty, the Music Hall MMF-7.3 is a sleeper of a turntable. It responds to not only a better cartridge, but also what it rests on. It will also respond to platter mats, be it the ringmat or a stein music mat. Michael Fremer actually preferred the sound of the 7.3 to the 9.3. In taking a good look at the 7.3's construction, it is a very clever design. The 2m Bronze is a fantastic cartridge when paired with a tubed phono preamp. I also suspect it would pair nicely with the new ifi phono3, as despite being SS, it has a tubed flavoring. 

 

It is worthwhile considering the suggestions that digital might be the advantageous pursuit. My experiences of recent years has lifted all prejudices I had developed toward the use of CD from past experiences, there is a curiosity today to see how a streaming set up can compare. 

I can play a Vinyl LP and CD of the same recording in conjunction, and when switching channels detect immediately a change to the presentation, in some cases a slight volume adjustment is all that is required to create the impression of a very close similarity between the two.

If the selected source is allowed to play on for a short period, there is no desire to return to the other source, either have the capability to be attractive and desirable to be engaging with.  

From previous posts made by yourself, I gather your curiosity is the reverse of mine and the Digital is well established, and the Vinyl LP is the new desirable source to be pursued.

If the idea of being Wed to a Vinyl LP Replay is the unavoidable aspiration. 

Out of the Nine Brands made known and not made Models, that are available from the Local Dealership Network, how many have been demonstrated to yourself?

Out of the models that could be demonstrated, are there Models with quite obvious design differences such as Motor Drive, the overall Construction and the Materials selected for the assembly of the Platter Spindle Bearing and Housing?

Out of the models that could be demonstrated, are there Models with a Platter Spindle Bearing design, that have become recognised for their design and the value on offer of the method that is being employed on the model of TT?  ( The design for the bearing is one that is often overlooked by a buyer and is an area within the entirety of the construction of the TT that can impact on the performance, in certain cases the impact can be noticeably detracting). 

Out of the models that could be demonstrated, are there Models with a modern approach to the Construction of the Platter, such as a composite of materials in place of using a machined/cast metal only? 

Out of the models that could be demonstrated, are there models mounted in Plinths with a design that is using materials that are very well thought out and can damp and dissipate transferred energies more effectively and efficiently than other materials?   (There is quite a bit of research carried out about the properties of materials, even the most attractive and used regularly by the producers are not able to produce measured performances that would be considered attractive as a Plinth Material.  This is why some are producing composites, as the variety of materials properties are combined in the hope the sum of the parts will surpass the singular part as a material, again there is research that shows the measured properties of composites).

I am sure that within the Market Place a 5K Budget will be enough to be able to discover TT's with very well thought out designs.

It has already been suggested by yourself the Budget and Brands/Models, might be subject to change. Maybe a used model from a Dealer, such as Ex Demo or Trade In might also get an extended option onto the list within Budget.

It is important to get out and listen to a few TT's with different design intent for their production, discovering the realness of what is on offer, will only be discovered when creating experiences of the devices, any other methods where a demonstration is not participated in as a experience, will be a method relying on the fantasy and conjuring up a attraction, prior to spending on a purchase,

My experiences and choices made are underpinned with the receiving demonstrations as the method used as the minimum, it offers a confidence that the preparations prior to a purchase have been adequately considered and acted upon.

Worse case scenario if you stick close to 5K, the added time to make an allowance for receiving demonstrations, prior to purchasing can be a few months+. The added costs incurred to create opportunities to experience Brands and their Models of TT's might add $500 to the budget, especially if a accommodation is needed for a over night stay.

Drawing on my own assessment of my attempts to receive demonstrations of devices and encounter new experiences, the additional costs are negligible, as over the multiple years of receiving demonstrations, the learning acquired from the experiences encountered and the continued welcome to share with individuals much more educated and adept than myself, has been monies very well spent on the method used to acquire knowledge and education.

  

Get the TOTL $5K Technics and save the cost of a separate arm. It has an excellent arm with a titanium arm tube. Add a Hana SL mc cartridge ($750) and you're good to go!

In that price range I would suggest the Kuzma Stabi S is unbeatable. I am very surprised that no one has yet mentioned this gem of a turntable.

Kuzma Stabi Model TT's are the ones I have been quite impressed by for a period of time.

There is a openness from the manufacturer about the adopted methods for the production, and within this disclosure there is undoubtedly a use of modern design, modern materials in combination with the technology utilised by the Company.

The Bearing Housings also look to be a cutting edge design and are definitely using materials of the type that I have been adopting to be used in modernisation methods.

I am tempted to thoroughly investigate this Companies Models and receive a demonstration when the time is right.    

"They will not shield the cartridge from extraneous vibration ( sound) as well if at all.". 

@mijostyn 

There is more than one way of shielding from vibration.  I favour unsprung TTs, no added springs elsewhere (boing boing) - who says vibrations can't pass through springs?

Mass isolation is the best vibration insulator by far.  No moving parts.  Just a big slab of concrete, stone or marble that would take a ton of force to move it, not a small vibration.  My support is mainly marble and must have a total weight of 1200 pounds or more.  It also isolates phono amp, pre-amp, power supplies, CD and SACD players.

My isolation 

@saulh no it is not a suspension at all. The magnetic field is compressed by the weight of the platter until it is almost as stiff as a solid thrust mechanism not to mention that the platter is still located by a solid spindle. 

@clearthinker, vibrations can pass through springs but only below the resonance frequency of the suspension. Springs are mechanical low pass filters. The suspension on my Sota is set at 2 Hz with a very high Q so by 8 Hz everything is blocked. No mechanical vibration above 8 Hz gets to the sub chassis. Since the sub chassis is entirely enclosed by the plinth and dust cover much less airborne vibration gets to it. 

MASS DOES NOTHING TO ISOLATE A TURNTABLE FROM MECHANICAL VIBRATION. I will say this until I am blue in the face. It does help with airborne vibration but not mechanical vibration. This is the vibration that is passed on to the turntable through whatever it is sitting on. Some people have called it "room Rumble" as it occurs at very low frequencies right about where tonearm resonance hits which only serves to amplify the rumble. Foot fall problems are "room rumble" generated by walking. Room Rumble is generated by anything and everything that is going on in the environment from the cement truck running down the street to various house mechanicals turning themselves on and off. Mass does not protect you from this and in the minds of some (Rega) can make things worse. Sound waves travel through the ground just like through air. When they get severe enough you get an earthquake. There is a constant din going on in the background it is just below the level and frequency our own senses can detect but not the cartridge, it feels everything. That is what it is designed to do.

So, clearthinker, throw away your Kuzma Stabi XL DC AIR and get yourself a real turntable like a Sota, Basis, Avid or SME and enjoy listening to music without rumble. It will be an entirely new experience for you.

You have an excellent choice from the brands you have mentioned. But you really need to look at your overall budget for the turntable, arm and cartridge as you can expect to pay close to the price of the turntable itself for a really good arm and 50 percent of the price for a good cartridge - though you can economise somewhat on the latter. I agree that you should add Technics to your list if possible. The SL1200G is a very good baseline to compare against the other turntables you have mentioned.

@laoman @pindac Kuzna tables are wonderful! I've been using the Stabi S for a while and it's a great performer only thing is that it requires a solid, sturdy support. I've recently listened to the Stabi R which is in another league sound wise. Better focus and bass foundation to name 2 areas I hear where it betters the S. I'm saving up for this table myself. 

The Stabi R is great. However it is beyond the budget of the op. Stabi S is an excellent compromise.

"So, clearthinker, throw away your Kuzma Stabi XL DC AIR and get yourself a real turntable like a Sota, Basis, Avid or SME and enjoy listening to music without rumble. It will be an entirely new experience for you." This is such a funny comment; one can only assume the poster is attempting a new career as a comedian.

@mijostyn   I have had plenty of suspended turntables, for many years from the late 70s a Linn that I was forever having to re-tune so that the springs bounce evenly.  Then a Simon Yorke Zarathustra a massy design in which the springs were like car valve springs.  That worked better.  You may find it interesting that after that Simon stopped making suspended TTs, with the S7 that I used for a long time.  You may recall this was Michael Fremer's reference for some eight years before he moved out of my league into $six figures TTs.  I now run his S10, again solid, on which I hear no noise in an unmodulated groove.

You say vibration can pass through a heavy mass.  This is true but only for large vibrations.  Your example of an earthquake (caused by seismic movements, not by vibrations), is extreme.  Yes an earthquake may spoil your listening.  It may also bring your house down around you.

Small intensity vibrations of the type we are talking about do not pass through large masses.  To pass through such objects the soundwaves must move it = vibrate it. They cannot do that because they are not sufficiently intense = have the power.

I do not hear footfall seated as I am on a concrete slab covered with carpet.

But there is no need to create problems by having a suspended wooden floor in your listening room.

 

 

 frequency our own senses can detect but not the cartridge, it feels everything. That is what it is designed to do.

So, clearthinker, throw away your Kuzma Stabi XL DC AIR and get yourself a real turntable like a Sota, Basis, Avid or SME and enjoy listening to music without rumble. It will be an entirely new experience for you.

Your example of an earthquake (caused by seismic movements, not by vibrations), is extreme.  Yes an earthquake may spoil your listening.  It may also bring your house down around you.

 

 

@rsf507 Thank You for your Input, I am sure the OP will be very pleased with the information as well, I really hope the OP has a opportunity to receive a demonstration of the Brands Models. 

As for me, I am very sure footed in such matters, and when the time is right I will be receiving a demonstration of this Companies products, hopefully with ancillaries of my choice.

@clearthinker  As a Support Structure for my TT's,  I use Mass combined with suspension.

Granite and Steel Plate is my got to material to create Mass.                                    A variety of Materials and Devices are used to create the suspension element.

What has changed today for myself is my methods used for Plinth Materials.

I was at one point a person who was happy to have a Nine and a Half Stone (60Kg) Plinth.

Today that has changed, I am a user of compressed lighter in weight materials, of which I will end up with a Plinth Produced from Densified Wood.

My Material of choice is from the Brand Delignit and the Product is Panzerholz.

I am familiar with this material and have had demonstrations of TT's using it as a Plinth.

A friend who I assisted with sourcing a supply has recently produced a Plinth for their TT and Tonearm, which is the same as my own.

The reports returned are uplifting to say the least, the descriptions used about the noticeable positive improvements are very encouraging, the impact was so encouraging the individual has now allocated a spare piece of Panzerholz as a Sub Plinth, which is a method I have been demonstrating to very good effect at recent local HiFi Group meetings. 

For the OP, and the members with a curiosity or already in possession of the Kuzma Brand. The link is an alternative view of the Kuzma Brand from a trusted source I use, who has been presented on here in the past known as Juergen.

Juergen has a vast experience and is a individual that is a pleasure to read up on their experiences, taking a little onboard of his assessments is a worthwhile undertaking.  

The review is backed up by a suggestion that the revered Turntable designer Hideki Nishikawa who is also responsible for the Tech DAS Brand had been showing an interest and curiosity in the designs used for the Kuzma Models.

That in itself is good reason to have a curiosity about what the Kuzma Brand can create within a system.

It is always best to have access to a broader range of descriptions for any devices that are of interest and can come with a need to spend a fair sum of monies.

 

      

I went from a Clearaudio Concept with Hana EH to a Clearaudio Ovation with a Clearaudio Universal tonearm and Hana ML. Worlds different and astonishingly good. Could be my last table, possibly not. What made the upgrade even better was selling my Chinook (which blew away my Musical Surroundings Nova III) moving up to the Allnic H-3000. At the advice of others, the phono really does need to be upgraded. My Allnic is one of my favorites and possibly my last phono I'll need.

Spend the money now or you'll be continuing to spend it. Choice is yours. 

@pindac can I ask where are you located?

@saulh, I confess at the outset that I haven't read through this entire thread. However, as some have suggested, going "all in" on a TT set-up can mean many things. Focusing only on TT, arm & cart is, IMHO, rather myopic. There are definitely other necessary accoutrements for achieving the "best" sonic results possible in whatever budget target you set. Respectfully, I suggest adding a good record cleaning machine or system to your list of usual suspects, in addition to a good phono pre-amp. Clean records (i.e. not only clean-looking but actually clean, down to the grooves) are indispensable to achieving the best sonic fidelity with any good quality equipment you choose. If you want ease & convenience in the record cleaning department, have a look at the Degritter. If you don't mind a more labor-intensive approach, you can achieve the same or better results with a lash-up system at half the cost. Regardless, CLEAN records will be indispensable to great vinyl fidelity.  BTW:  even brand-new records should be cleaned before their first play. There will also be other things you'll need, as well (e.g. record camp or weight; stylus cleaner; LAST record preservative; etc.). Up for a little heavy reading and a hell of an education on the care & feeding of vinyl LP's? Check out "Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records" by Neil Antin on The Vinyl Press. Also, you might want to hang out at Analog Planet for a while and get to know Michael Fremer. All the Best!

But frankly, being on this forum is like drinking from an information firehose. I have learned a bunch and yet somehow, I am less convicted than before.

Functional truths are like that. They’re an opening into, a cascading expansion..ergo, ergo, ergo... - not a closure.

The journey is where it is at. Always has been, always will be. By the time you arrive, it is clear that the end point is meaningless, in itself.

@saulh

My local dealers stock, AMG, AVM, Basis, Clearaudio, Michell, Musichall, Pro-ject, Rega, VPI, so I am likely restricted to those brands. I am certain my view will change by the end of this thread.

By now I suspect you already know that there will be advocates for each mfg’s TT. Then others will pick one NOT on the list. Another will try to save you $$$ with a cheaper TT while another says you need to up the budget by a little and get this one.

IMO, the best thing to do is take what you have read and learned and apply that. Then, look at user and professional reviews. Look for the common traits that are listed among the different TT’s and pick one. Yes, there are lots of good info here. but too much can cause a lot of confusion. You have to get your own head in the game. Then choose, based on your reasoning skills. Good luck and enjoy the journey.

A important consideration is that a multiple of suggestions made are coming from experiences gathered over many many years.

In most cases valuable attributes from experiences are maintained whilst other lesser valued methods used will have been subject to be changed or no longer used.

Keeping it very Simple, I started out with a Felt Platter Mat, I still own a Felt Platter Mat from when I started out, as I do the TT it was supplied with.

The Felt Platter Mat has not been used for more than 20 Years as a minimum, the TT that had the Platter Mat supplied with it has not been the main used TT  for a similar period of time, but does get used occasionally to keep the ear attuned to this type of design and how it compares to the TT's in use today.

It is seen on forums that others recommend the use of a Felt Mat, I don't.

Others recommend the TT Model no longer in regular use, I do not.

My assessment is the the level of value I attach to the attributes of the Material and Device does not lend itself to my making a recommendation.

When the common lines of communication are being practiced, it is usual for  Individuals to communicate in a manner that are mainly looking to deliver the key points that they believe will be most valuable for the enquirer to consider.

Convictions on this type of information can be strong and extend on to there being a defending stance made when another challenge/confronts the statements made.

Do keep in mind listening to replays of recorded music is a past time, and is soely intended to be a enjoyed experience.

Equipment used to achieve a replay, well that's another complexity to be added and there is not much fun to be found, if one chooses to go trudging through the quagmire that the subject so successfully stirs up.

In the analogue section on this forum, there are the few contributors that are 'Pigs in Poo' and in their element when equipment is the Topic in discussion and the mud flinging starts.      

@clearthinker , no wonder. I owned two Linns over the years and they have to be the poorest suspended turntables made. Very unstable. The problem was they were a great sounding turntable for relatively reasonable money at the time. I got rid of my last one in 1981 and never looked back.

False clearthinker. There is loads of low frequency noise in the environment that is transmitted to the turntable. Don't believe me? With your turntable on, place the stylus down in the run out area and turn the volume all the way up. Keep an eye on your woofers. Have a friend or significant other turn on the washing machine and watch what happens. Have them walk around the room, jump up and down. You will hear your furnace light up and your AC compressor start up. You might even hear cars going up your street. A severe earthquake is just visible evidence of a wave traveling through the ground. The earth is quaking all the time at levels you can not feel, but your cartridge can and if you have a good system you will see it in the woofers. 

Currently, the way my Sota is set up if you do the same experiment, and I have, all I ever get is a little hiss from the phono stage and I have boosted subwoofers. With the high pass filter off my system will go right down to DC. I can hammer the side of the plinth and you can not hear a thing and I mean hard enough to dent the wood if I did not have a wooden block in the way. Try that with your table but you might want to turn the volume down first and be ready to catch the tonearm. Like the earth quake this is a severe example. People do not normally hit their tables with hammers but you will see in your woofers how plenty of noise you can't hear makes it's way into your system via the turntable and it does not matter how much the turntable weights, this is just lay intuition. 

Fine mijo.  If you play records while hammering the side of your plinth, so be it.

Overkill earthquakes, overkill hammering, washing machines, jumping up and down.  We are talking about small airborne soundwaves.

The effects of other activities taking place within a local environment are able to create a transfer of energy that can be detected in a home.

I live in a rural area with neighbours properties approx' 300' ft away from my house.

Neighbours in their homes are not a concern and the activities they are involved with outside of their homes are not a concern, where creating energy transfer to my home is concerned.

Others using HiFi set Ups can be effected by a neighbours activities.

My Home is approx' 60' ft in from a Road, which for a large proportion of a day has substantial agricultural vehicles using it, these are very capable to transfer energies in to the home and are regularly felt passing by, and not only heard. In the Spring /Summer the vehicles operate for a long day, during the autumn/winter the road usage is much less.

The Fighter Jet Base can make the property rattle when the after burners kick in and this is from a mile away.

None of these environmental impacts, concern me during my listening periods, as I am aware of most of the times these will be present and choose not to use the main system, when the impact can occur.

Background music replayed through a simplistic device, is used to supply musical encounters, when the conditions are not ideal, and the music being replayed is totally satisfying.

Choosing a time to listen is what many who enjoy their HiFi systems do daily, if a environment is local that can effect the quality of the replay, choosing periods when quiet is present will be very beneficial, if sitting down when listening, footfall will not impact too much either.

All said and done, a little thought applied to discovering methods that can be used to mount a TT, will also add to ones knowledge and methods learned of might be adopted.          

There is more than one way of shielding from vibration.  I favour unsprung TTs, no added springs elsewhere (boing boing) - who says vibrations can't pass through springs?

Hooke?

To do vinyl playback right, you are going to spend some money. Turntable, arm, cartridge (yes, I know there are advocates of relatively inexpensive "giant killers"), phono stage (ditto) and potentially, a rack or other platform on which the table sits. 

I cannot pretend to have heard all tables, arms or cartridge combinations, but there is usually work involved in getting vinyl right (which also includes cleaning and routine maintenance, as well as optimizing set up, etc.). 

I don't necessarily want to get into the Linn thing, since in some ways I think it is dated. Maybe the current incarnation, with all the latest upgrades, is still competitive, but at what price? 

When the state of the art is into the 6 figures, you gotta get a little more critical unless you simply don't care about money. I have a fancy table and another one that was a big time table circa 1973. I currently use both. 

The hard part here is evaluating before you buy. Lots of variables. I kind of evolved into where I am, and have no great urgency to change. But for the person entering or reentering, it is daunting. There are (or were, subject to "supply chain"), more tables, arms and cartridges than ever. 

The how to assemble something that sounds good, is enduring and works with the system in its entirety still seems to be voodoo. Folks hint at it by talking "synergy." 

Or just spending money. It is very hard to sort out the wheat from the chaff. And, I'm not claiming guru status in the quest to do so. Part of it is the sound you like- idler, direct drive, belt drive all sound different. Then, go deeper-how much, from what era and what cartridge? So many variables.

No single "right" answer. 

@whart I like yourself have evolved into where I am at present with a LP Repaly Source.

I started out as a first attempt to build a dedicated HiFi System with a Belt Drive Linn Deck.

Not too long after I went for the Idler Drive Deck and have had these in a few versions, with completely rebuilt Platter Bearing Assemblies, as the main TT's in use for many many years. 

Today I am using Vintage Japanese Direct Drive TT's, of which the main used model has a Platter Bearing Modification, and is to undergo a complete new design to be put into use.  My other DD TT's are all to have a bearing housing with modern materials used to redesign the bearing.

My experience is that there can be endless efforts made to improve on a TT, but any of these only really seem to show their true value, when the Platter Bearing is totally optimised to function. Modern materials used in place of the parts selected when the design was produced, offer a very satisfying alternative.

Having purpose produced parts made, that are much improved in tolerances, over the generic parts used by the manufacturer, offers a much improved assembly of the bearing housing.

Additionally removing sacrificial parts belonging to the bearing assembly, that 'may' have developed a excess wear and 'potentially' been subjected to an non ideal environment to function in for many years is not a bad idea to consider either.

My experiences with the Idler drives with rethought out platter bearing designs is indelible, when the benefits of such a practice is recollected.

The start of this method used with the DD TT's is producing a very similar experience as well. 

Hence, why the Kuzma TT's have caught my attention, the Platter Bearing produced for this Brand of TT, even though a different design to ones I have work carried out on, is produced using materials that I tend to consider to be utilised  when a bearing is to worked on for me.

 

Given your confusion, I would recommend you buy the best Rega with the best rega cart you can afford. This way there are no adjustments and tweaking you have to do and you can relax and listen to records. BTW, your statement that you want to buy something locally that you can see and hear before buying is probably the most intelligent thing I’ve read here in a long time. Problem with most of the Tt’s is that the arms can cost more than the table. I have a Basis and the arm was over 4K years ago. Probably up to 5k by now. 

These are all great tables mentioned here. The worst will sound better than the best with very minor set up differences. Learn to align your cartridge and make minor adjustments in VTA. No one can do this for you, they don't have your ears and sound preferences. Make sure your room is good. A very modest system in a good room will sound better than a mega buck system in a poor room. A good dealer can be of great help with initial setup, making sure your arm is installed correctly.  

@cleeds , always a pleasure. Having owned two Linns I can certify that the AR XA is more stable than the Linn. The Linn is not tricky to set up at all. You set it up just like any other turntable. You just have to put it in a bullet proof situation, a very stable platform. The problem is that there is no reasonable platform stable enough. I sold the first Linn in frustration but back then I did not know near as much as I do now. After several other turntables it became obvious that the Linn sounded better than other turntables of the day so I wound up getting another one. I sold #2 in 1980 or so when I got my first Sota. What a breath of fresh air. 

There are plenty of videos showing an earthquake wave traveling along the ground. Obviously seismology is not your subject. Earthquakes are not happening on a continuous basis but they are happening all the time. Most of them so mild you do not feel them. Really big earthquakes, above Richter 5 are fortunately not frequent. 

Many audiophiles tap around their turntables to determine the level of isolation. Michael Fremer does this occasionally. Is a hammer excessive? Not if you want a turntable that is totally immune to everything. You may not want this but I do and there may be a few other nut jobs out there like me who want it also. I mention it just to let people know it is possible. I can bump into my turntable, drop the dust cover, run into the cabinet, etc and not only will it not skip but you can not hear a twitter through the system with the volume maxed out. The result is a dead quiet turntable. Is this excessive? Given that the background noise on the record is magnitudes higher, it probably is.  It certainly is for you.

 

I know that individuals who attach materials to measuring devices to check for Damping and Dissipation properties, will usually use a hammer to tap a suspended material or drop a steel ball from a pre determined height on to the material under test.

Is it possible the hammer seen to be more scientific as used in the above methods.

When using the hammer as a instrument for striking and using it in conjunction with the stylus resting on the LP?, would this be considered the best method to detect audible sound being generated through vibration, especially when striking the local structures with a a steel material.

It would be good to know why the hammer is seen to be so important for the test in place of a knuckle wrap which is quite a common method.  

In my experience of trying different materials to tame resonance, I have become a big fan of springs. I've put much time and money into it.