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Help buying first analog rig - Clearaudio Concept or Rega P6

I am in the process of purchasing my first major analog rig since I was teen back in the 80's. My system has been digital. I had a period of about 8 years where I did not do much with audio as we were moving and building a new home. Shortly after our home was built, but before the basement was finished and the alarm was installed, we had a break in. Among the many things other things taken, they took a box of my CD's, basically all my SACD's. So when I the basement was finished and got setup again it prompted me to get into streaming. I have a dedicated listening room which is pretty big 16 x 25 and 9' ceiling on a concrete slab (i know that helps with turntables) with laminate flooring and area rug. My System is pretty straight forward digital.
-Innuos Zen mkIII to stream and play my ripped CD's along with other hi-rez digital I have purchased and some DSD's
-Chord Qutest fed with a Shunyata Alpha USB from the Zen
-PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated
-Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII 
-Purist Audio Venustas Luminist Speaker and RCA  cables, Shunyata Venom NR V10 power cables

The only small stack of vinyl I own is what I had as a teen, 80's rock which I may listen to occasionally, but I plan on buying new vinyl. I listen to a lot of Jazz - Coltrane, Davis, etc, a lot of modern bluegrass mostly female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Hull, Alison Krauss.
The 2 tables that I seem to have gravitated towards are:
-Rega P6 with Hana EL 
-Clearaudio Concept wood with the black satisfy arm and either their Concept MC or Maestro V2 cartridge.

I know the Concept does not come with a dust cover, no big deal for me, I can always add one down the road.

Phono pre
-Sutherland KC Vibe
-MS Phenomena 2+

My budget was originally 3000 for the table/cart and pre, but I really like the concept wood ascetically, it would fit nicely in my rustic/industrial decor which has a lot of wood. I know its not about ascetics, but I am just not crazy about the look of Rega, but it does get great reviews. My rack is butcher block and iron pipe, so the table would sit on the top shelf next tot he PrimaLuna. I am the kind of person that does not mind tinkering and I understand the inconvenience of records vs digital, but I am looking for the natural, openness and beauty that vinyl brings to the system. What am I missing?
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Showing 1 response by audioguy85

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audioguy85
1,989 posts
 
If I were you, I’d grab the Music Hall mmf-7.3 with the pre-mounted Ortofon 2M Bronze. I’d get it in the more expensive walnut finish, rather than the gloss black. Cost is $1795. It is a real bargain in my opinion. Detached motor, thick acrylic platter, round belt profile, pro-ject 9cc carbon fiber tonearm, speed box built in, dual split plinth design, tip toe feet, threaded spindle & record clamp, felt mat, quality interconnects, great 2m cartridge already mounted and aligned, adjustable azimuth and VTA, and a very nice dust cover. It is hard to beat for what you get, and it is very well designed. A stereophile recommended component. Mike Fremer mentioned that he did not feel that the mmf-9 was worth the extra money, and that he thought that the mmf-7 had a warmer more forgiving sound. He also reviewed 9 cartridges, which included the 2m bronze. He liked the 2m bronze very much for its outstanding tracking and detail retrieval. The mmf-7.3 is the sweet spot in the Music Hall line up. The walnut version would fit right in with your surroundings.
https://musichallaudio.com/product/mmf-7-3-walnut-turntable/
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