Technics SP-10 MkII vs. Yamaha PX-3, PF1000

While I have never compared the three TTs, I have owned the Technics and heard and installed the Yamaha PF-1000. The Technics would be my choice but it is only a turntable and it's reproducing ability is very dependent on the arm and cartridge you use with it. The PX-3, while I have no experience with it, is a straight line tracking TT that may be difficult to maintain. If sold on the PX, I would try and find a PX-2 which was the more robust model.

The Technics is, by all opinion I have heard, a great DD TT. The cost of the TT and and a good arm to be associated with it would put it in an entirely different money class than a Yamaha PX-3 (or PX-2 for that matter).

There are several threads in the archives praising the PXs as good value for money. I would agree on the PX-2 vs PX-3 idea. The PX-2 is a fair bit heavier and came a couple of years earlier when they were trying to make the PX-1 affordable for more people. The PX-3 came a few years afterwards for the masses. I think they are both great value for money as they come with okay linear tonearms already and aren't much money all things considered. With a well-bought PX-2 and a Denon 103 one could be in sweet city for a lot less money than it would cost to buy something of similar quality new. The trick is either to find a well-maintained one or a cheap one where one is willing to work on it a bit.

Disclosure: I have a Yamaha PX-1 which is the papa of the PX-2 (which itself is the papa of the PX-3). I am very happy with it.

T bone, I got a beautifully kept PX-2 now. Thanks for the advice. In your experience, how good can the PX-1's performance get in terms of cartridge choices? Ever tried using the exotic ones, like the Koetsu on the PX-1? Thanks for the insight.

Glad you found a PX-2 (and hope you got it cheap).
re: carts... Nope. Have not experimented yet with "higher-end" carts as I am a) trying to get past a recent house move which was followed almost instantaneously by an extended business trip (still unpacking boxes), and b) concentrating on other things first (getting room to sound OK), and c) lazy.

That said, I have a high-end one waiting til I get my other table set up (and that is taking forever for other reasons). I guess it would make sense to have a crack using that one... I'll try and get back to you here...

FWIW... I have found that among the few carts I have tried, manipulating VTF and VTA have made substantial differences but i think that is cart-specific. I have tried a few tweaks to try and dampen the tonearm (not that I thought it needed it, I just tried it) did nothing but that may be more my lack of imagination than lack of potential result.