Looking to get TT

Ron, the Schoolboys album is Jap RCA RLP-2127 with the butterscotch color RCA label. I bought it new in the very early 1980s from a Japanese record vendor YSL. It has the obi and all the inserts.

How about this one? A Japanese Steely Dan "Can't Buy a Thrill" mint with obi. I love that one.

About the part where you ask if you will have a good sounding TT for many years, if you are like most audiophiles, you will be upgrading in about six months to a year anyway. If you have not had a TT before, once you hear analog, you will be looking at higher end rigs. Any of the above mentioned rigs will get your feet wet, and are good quality items. I wouldn't worry too much about overall longevity of the product. I have never seen an audiophile own something long enough to wear it out yet.

I think the MMF 5 or 7 are good tables, and should surpass your digital rig - at least somewhat. I think they come pacakaged with a phono cartridge already installed, so they should be easy to get up and running. The Goldring cartridges that come with the tables are good cartridges of the MM type. The MMF tables tend to sound a little warm, and should be just what you are looking for, as far as the tonal qualities are concerned. I'd say it would be a good choice in your price range. I've heard some say that the 5 is good enough that spending more on the 7 might not be worth the extra dough.

I don't know about the Grado phono stage. I haven't used it. I have read about it, and the innovations in it may be quite good. At least it seems interesting.

Hard to go too far wrong with what you mentioned. Just remember that cartridges and tonearm cables take a little time to break in, so don't be too judgmental until after 30 hours or so, of play.

Francisco, because they just are (warm sounding). Tonal colorations would be my first guess. :^)

Well, I was away from this thread for awhile, and didn't realize my name was being mentioned.

First, I really have no desire to have a pissing contest at my house. My house is a genuine Appalachian log cabin, very small, and no typical amenities that I'm sure you all are accustomed to. I doubt any of you would be comfortable here, although the outhouse isn't too cold this time of year. I carry water in from the spring outside. You get the idea.

Second, I think that most of this is really a moot point. Whatever a person is happy with, is fine for them. The only part that is quesionable about this, is whether the ranting and raving from either side about the preferred type of turntable, is accurate information for others to go by. I certainly have my feelings which are well known to all of you. Many of us like to expound upon the virtues of whatever system we have. This is only natural. I do it all the time. I don't have any problem with others doing it. If it comes down to a shoot-out, may the best TT win. That's all I have to say.

PS - No shoot-out at my house.

Ron, I do have the first Captain Beyond album, and it's great. I have it on a mint Japanese pressing, and 2 original US 3D-cover copies. Also have a promo Sufficiently Breathless. They're both great.

I also love BOC, and have these:
Blue Oyster Cult - Japanese with Obi, mint
Secret Treaties - Japanese with obi, mint
Tyranny and Mutation - Japanese with obi, mint
Spectres - Japanese with obi, mint
Agents of Fortune - Japanese with obi, mint

Other highlights:
Also have the first 4 Led Zeppelin albums on Japanese with obi, mint.
Mountain - Climbing and Nantucket Sleighride - Japanese with obi, mint.
It's a Beautiful Day - 1st album - Japanese with Obi, mint
All the early Moody Blues on Japanese with Obi, mint
All the early Jeff Beck albums on Japanese with Obi, mint
All the Beatles albums and almost all the Kinks albums on Japanese with Obi, mint
All Supertramp albums on Japanese with Obi, mint
Most early Fleetwood Mac on Japanese with Obi, mint
All Doors albums on Japanese with Obi, mint
And a variety of other albums of the same.

I love those Japanese pressings.

Ron, I have the Kinks "Schoolboys in Disgrace" on Japanese also. I agree that it is my favorite Kinks album. Side 2 just knocks me out!

I don't have the DCC Aqualung.
I don't have any vertigo swirls either.

Guess I'd better start getting with the program!

It is refreshing to argue about records instead of gear for a change. How about let's us analog guys stick together. We are a smaller group than the digital brigade, so we have to represent ourselves in a way that will make people want to come aboard the "analog wagon". I like a good argument as well as the next guy, but between ourselves we should present a united "analog front" for the readers. Do you think that is a good idea?

No "script following" proposed by me.

For the record, I was not targeting 4yanx with my comments about "sticking together". I was referring to the other thread where there were some strong words exchanged about the comparison between the Nottinghams and the Aurora. I felt it was better if we didn't so strongly attack each other's tables. In retrospect, it would have been better if I had kept my mouth shut.