The best TT system for under 30K

Technics SP-10 mk III or SP-10R in a custom plinth with modern tonearms like Reed 12 inch and compatible cartridge of your choice. 

I think I paid less than $30k for all the gear on this image, purchased everything used step by step, market value can be more and retail is much more... Actually it’s much more than one person need (many speakers, turntables, tonearms, cartridges, cables, phono stages etc).

But when I see a person willing to spend $30k on one turntable alone, without knowing much about analog and being a victim of the high-end propaganda, I think it’s some sort of illness. Looking for a cartridges at $5000-8000 price tag as a started is definitely not right. Don’t let them rip you off. In fact you can buy so many cartridges, tonearms, turntables for $30k instead of one, so it's the only way to understand, there is not such things as "best" for everyone, you can only try and compare yourself. 

Miyajima is great cartridge and it’s not necessary to pay over $5k, some of the best Miyajima like Kansui (or even Madake) available for $2-3k with very low hrs of use. I have Miyajima Kansui (NOS).

As pointed out in another thread Miyajima is a trademark of Otono-Edison. In Japan those cartridges called Edison. The name Miyajima is for export sales only. 

@dover I care less about your opinion because you are an ex dealer of high-end gear, probably you are retired dealer, you said many times that you are an ex dealer. As you know, dealer’s margine is more than 30%, sometimes much more like 50%, so please do not tell me about prises, $30k for a turntable is insane, tell your wife if you think it’s normal. No, it’s not normal, especially when a buyer have zero experience and zero knowledge about turntables, tonearms and cartridges! Every week I read posts from rich people on audiogon, they know nothing about analog gear. It’s so weird that being an old dudes (most of the posters on a’gon are retired people) whey are discovering analog later than yourger generation. Their guide is only price tags and an opinions of some other unknown sick audiophiles.
But it’s not about musical enjoyment or a well balanced system, great and reasonable priced high-end gear everyone can buy elsewere, but NOT from the dealers! In fact dealers often know nothing about great produscts, their own experience is limited and their target is a profit and huge margine they got from the manufacturers of overpriced modern high-end gear. Reviewers support this business model. This is how it works nowadays, weird business model! Maybe your own experience is better, but you are retired dealer! When I ask simple questions to the younger dealers they can’t answer even about the basics, sales man like a dealer is not an audiophile or analog enthusiast, often it’s a businessman first. Higher price and higher margine is better for them, always, so this stupid propaganda claiming that more expensive gear is a better gear is 100% BS in my opinion! Normally high-end is expensive by default, but some high-end is simply overpriced to the highest level today (absolutely insane prices).


Used market is an opportunity for enthusiasts like myself or anyone else, if you don’t know how to use this opportunity then you only limit yourself, but who cares? 
When you are trying to tell bad things about ebay or some other auction platforms, where not rich people people are buying and selling their own good stuff, you only demonstare to other that you are a snob!

There is nothing wrong to sell or to buy privately from other enthusiasts (not from the dealers), no matter vintage records or audio gear. This is great for everyone, it’s an open market! You are trying to say the opposite and it’s crazy. If you want dealers to rip you off with a 10 times higher prices then go on, it’s up to you, but this is not a good advice to wise people like most of the “normal” people who also enjoin’ high-end, believe it or not.

  
I’ll tell you one thing: without an opportunity to buy from Japan or from a private enthusiasts worldwide you will never get a good prices for high-end gear unless you are a dealer with 30% - 50% discount from the new manufacturer looking for a dealer in specific region. But there are always better and cheaper stuff that you can’t get from the manufacturer as a dealer, cos there are discontinued classics, not available rare stuff, you know?

If you want to buy a brand new $30k turntable than can be outperformed by a $3k secondhand turntable (same about cartridges) then you know who you are. A wise people already made their choice.

@chakster - I think your taking shots at the high end through this new user's thread is a little misplaced. You seem to know old MM cartridges well based on what I've seen and that's a valuable contribution.

 The turntable this person bought is a good one based on my experience with it. Perhaps you should take your own advice, to the effect "that there is not such things as "best" for everyone, you can only try and compare yourself." The poster did get to hear the table and is buying the set up at what is apparently a good price. Don't begrudge him that.

I read the title of the topic and that's enough, $30k for turntable is insane even if "it's good based on your opinion". 

In my opinion there are many more turntables, cartridges and tonearms at better price and with better performance. 

And I don't understand why any person would like to buy 1 expensive cartridge based on other people opinions instead of trying 5 different cartridges at the same total price to make his own opinion about them. 

Anyway, this is just my opinion. 

P.S. Apart from the MM you have mentioned above, I own and use some of the best LOMC cartridges including Miyajima, Miyabi, Ikeda, FR, Dynavector, Shelter and others.  In my opinion a cartridge with $5000+ retail price is insane too (no cartridge can justice that price tag). 

This topic going crazy... Not pretending for "the best", but would like to share " my moderate priced system " (this is what i am using today).

Minor rearrangement at my Lab. Find the difference... AT-616 Pneumatic insulators from Audio-Technica are great under Tannoy System 15 mk2 monitors (not designed stands yet). Zu Audio Druid speakers moved backwards and connected as a separate solid state system now. Tannoy 15 inch is my main tube system. Hello from the low level knowledge amateur. Life is good (I think I paid less than $30k for everything step by step on used market).

gear in the lab:

Gold note ph-10 phono stage + SPU-10
JLTi mk4 phono stage
ZYX CPP-1 Phono Pre-Preamp
WLM Phonata Reference phono stage
47 Labs Phono Cube (current injection) phono stage

First Watt passive preamp
Pass Labs Aleph L (passive/active pream)
Fist Watt F2J current source power amp
Yamamoto A-08s 45 tube power amp with NOS tubes from the 1930s

2 x Luxman PD-444 direct drive turntables
Micro Seiki CU-180 copper mat
Sakura Systems Graphite Mat
FR-64s with B-60 + FR7fz cartridge
FR-64fx with N-60 without cartridge now :)
Lustre GST-801 + Miyabi MCA cartridge
Denon DA-401 with Pickering XSV/5000 MM

Custom racks (my own design).
Acoustic room treatment from Vicoustic (Portugal).

More great turntables, rare tonearms and cartridges in the vault.
Many original records from the 50s, 60’s, 70’s, early 80’s.

I would NEVER put a TV anywhere in the listening room even if someone will pay me for that!