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Which budget turntable will provide me the best service?

I recently aquired a sizable collection of albums, but do not have a turntable. I have found a shop that has a used MMF-2.1 and a Vestax BDT 2000 for sale at the same price (~$230. I can screen for sound, but being new to this realm of audio I don't know what type of screening checklist I should have in mind for auditioning a turntable for structural/mechanical integrity(?). Any thoughts? Any experience with these units?
skut

Showing 2 responses by psychicanimal

psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
Listen to the Psychic...modified Technics SL-1200MKII. It's the best turntable under $1000. Built like a tank, reliable, extremely long service life AND musical.

Mine has Phoenix Gold interconnects instead of originals; a Sumiko HS-MMT headshell w/silver Litz wires; a JA Michell record clamp; an old Disctracker by Discwasher headshell damper. It's sitting on a marble cutting board w/brass cones underneath. There is a silicone fluid tonearm damper you can buy from www.kabusa.com/ for $149. I'll buy it sometime in the future and rig it w/an Ortofon low output MC.

Don't believe the Voodoo crowd. It's NOT a DJ turntable. It was designed as a budget audiophile TT for those who could not afford the more expensive Technics DDs. It's a pretty much indestructible TT. That's why DJs love it. As for its musicality, I'm currently using a Grado Prestige Blue and it's not that far from my Cambridge D300SE CDP + Soundstream DAC-1 combo (I'm using Phoenix Gold digital cable). This morning I played a Linclon Mayorga direct to disc and was completely wowed at the performance. Once I buy the tonearm damper and the Ortofon MC cartridge it should outperform the digital rig.

Regards,
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
At last, an enlightened soul!

The electronics technician at work changed the cables for Phoenix Gold, I bought a Sumiko HS-MMT headshell with silver Litz wires and a JA Michell record clamp. The TT sits on a marble cutting board I got at a moving sale for $15. It is supported on four adjustable brass cones with brass bases. I am using a Grado Prestige Blue as an interim cartridge ($50) and the sound is clear and detailed. No feedback. My speakers are 92dB efficient JMlab Tantal 509s powered by a Proton 50W Dual Mono beast via a Biotronics preamp w/outboard transformer and a Tice A/V Solo. Decent, to say the least...Santa Claus should bring me an Ortofon MC.

My first TT was a 1700 (I was in high school). It's so rugged my parent's house got burglarized and when the alarm sounded off the SOBs ran with the TT and tried to throw it over the fence. The stylus and dust cover were busted but the TT kept on going...

Bookner, try getting the tonearm fluid damper from www.kabusa.com/ Also, Kevin is coming soon with an outboard transformer!
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