Suggestions on turntable to pair with Rogue RP-7 > Finale 300B SET monos > Heresy 3's


So I've been kind of an asshole when it comes to vinyl, thinking it is too much hassle and the like.  Lots of my friends have turntables but they have more patience than I do typically. I have a few terabytes of FLAC files and I'm perfectly happy running music into my system via a Benchmark DAC3 right now. This said, I was just gifted a decent record collection from my former boss, who passed away recently.  His final wife called (he was on his 3rd), and said he wanted me to have all his LP's.  I did not expect this, and I'm actually thinking of adding a turntable. The hardware is going to his daughter, so I don't get any options on that unless she says she doesn't want it. I don't really want to ask for more than I've been granted as I'm not THAT much of an asshole. 

I'm thinking of relocating my setup to another room in the house, but it doesn't mention anything about phono in the RP-7 manual.  I'm guessing I'll have to add a phono preamp, but have no experience with this so I'm hoping people have some good ideas to offer. I can probably swing a couple K towards all this, but I'm also willing to save for decent hardware. 

Thanks in advance.


irrenarzt

Showing 4 responses by roberjerman

Spending $5-6K is IMO an extravagant waste of money! Excellent and very enjoyable LP playback can be had for considerably less these days! See my post above! Advice I wish I had in the past! 
The Pioneer PLX1000/Denon103R is sonically competitive with any four-figure TT/cartridge combination! And if you'd like to spend a little more: Hana LE mc cartridge is $500. This would be a step up from the Denon 103R.
Why spend lots of money? When I wanted to add a NEW TT and cartridge to my collection of vintage TT's I chose the Pioneer PLX1000 ($700) and the Denon 103R mc cartridge ($300). For the cost of $1K this is an outstanding bargain! I already have several SUT's and preamps with phonostages, so no problem there. You of course will need a phonostage, particulary one with the gain (60db) capable of handling the low output of the typical mc cartridge. Which I recommend over any moving magnet/iron cartridge. Project and Bellari offer some fine affordable choices for phonostages!
Analog and digital playback are two completely different paradigms! People that say their digital system sounds so "analog-like" make me laugh! Nothing can be further from the truth! So don't be concerned with matching your digital playback. Just get a good affordable TT/cartridge/phonostage and enjoy LPs for what they are - an older technology that did the best it could for its time, now past!