Take a deep clean breath. Do it once for each decision point you mentioned. You have enough money for everything. You have enough time for them. And you don't need a needle, unless you mean for something to calm you. Needles went out with Prohibition. Your cartridge has a stylus. There is always a better cartridge, always a better phono stage and usually a better arm. So those decisions are not permanent. So get a table that gives you options. That way you have something satisfying now and you can have a leisurely series of aaahhhh upgrades over the next several years. My Linn is a 1978 and my Clear Audio is a 2003. And play those CDs while you draw out some possibilities.
Getting into analog is tough....
I have been thinking hard about getting into analog, but the more I research, the more it puts me off. First, I need a phono stage. Then, of course, I need the turntable. Then, I need a tonearm. Then a cartridge. Then a needle. Ok, now will it be MC or MM? How about the arm? Will I get a turntable without an arm? No, get a turntable with an arm because setting up an arm for a newbie can be a disaster, right?. How about the cartridge? Ok, my budget is $1500 for a phono stage and a turntable. But, a tone arm by itself might be more than the turntable and the stage. Oh, the cartridge might be more than everything, but which one? Who has a turntable I can listen to? What, almost no one I know has a turntable these days? What about the thing and the other thing and then there is this thing and that thing and cables and..........AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!
You know, my CD player doesn't sound that bad. In fact, CD players are easy. You just plug and plug and listen.
So, what was the reason I wanted to get into analog?
You know, my CD player doesn't sound that bad. In fact, CD players are easy. You just plug and plug and listen.
So, what was the reason I wanted to get into analog?