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Should I keep the Turntable or sell it?

I’ve been back and forth on this decision for about a month, and the more I learn, the harder this decision gets.

Backstory: I won the brand new Cambridge Audio Alva TT turntable in an online contest in mid-May, and while it sounds great, I decided to list it for sale a couple weeks ago. I’ve always wanted to try out a Rega P6 or P3 with a really nice cart, because I feel like I’m not getting enough out of my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. Prior to winning the Alva TT, I switched the Red Ortofon out for the Blue, and there was a great improvement in sound quality. But after comparing the Pro-Ject to the Alva TT and hearing what a $1700 turntable can sound like, I definitely am interested in exploring more high fidelity turntables. The issue is that I feel like I prefer the sound of tubes over solid state, and the Alva TT uses an integrated Alva Duo phono preamp for the RCA out, and their own DAC for the Bluetooth out if I want to go that route. I don’t have a ton of experience with tubes, and maybe it’s just the “cool factor” I actually like and I’m just having a placebo effect.

So I decided to list it for sale to try and get a Rega, because I heard so many great things about them. But over the last week or so, I’ve learned more about the Alva TT and how it uses Rega’s famous tonearm. I looked up the cart and it is listed at $500 separately, which is probably why it sounds better than the Pro-Ject w/ Ortofon Blue. I’ve also read on these boards about direct drive being better than belt, which the Alva has as well. It also has the added bonus of Bluetooth that go directly to my KEF LS50 Wireless, but I would most likely just use interconnects.

So I would love to get some advice from you all. I’ve gone back and forth about keeping the Alva or selling it, along with my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, and buying/trading for something like a Rega P3 or P6. If you had my first world problem, what would you do?
bignamehere
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Instead, I’m told anything other than direct drive is crap, which is just silly to state, considering the hundreds of high quality belt drive turntables the industry has produced.

Are you sure about high quality ? 

How would you like basically being told “don’t question me, I’m older, just buy the thing I told you.” Age doesn’t always bring wisdom, and often brings resistance to change.

True, i'm 43 and Direct Drive was invented before i was born, so the comment about age is not discriminating, simple fact. 

It may be hard to understand until you will try a Technics in real life, maybe in the shop? The quality of Technics is so obvious since the first contact, try it if you have a dealer in your area. This turntable build like a tank and it's completely different from the plastic toys like those cheap belt drives and many other modern direct drives. As you may heard the Technics disappeared from the turntable market for a long time and it's amazing that they made a return with absolutely outstanding products like SL1200GAE and SP10R, but they made more affordable models for everybody and SL1200GR is one of them you can't go wrong with. Not sure if you know the fact that Technics DD motor always was the most powerful DD in the world with the highest torque. And even $24k modern turntables like Kodo The Beat based on vintage Technics DD motor. 

All you need is to try it, i don't know anyone who will buy a cheap belt drive like Rega after trying Technics. But i know people who never ever tried Technics and such people simply don't understand what they are missing and what they are talking about (especially folks who mix it up with an old discontinued SL1200 mk2 - mk5 models). 

Watch this trailer 

If you want to spend years you can start with belt drives, but when you will be able to compare different turntables i doubt you will stay with cheap belt drives. I don't think a $20k Micro Seiki SX8000 belt drive is what you're looking for. So under $2k you can buy amazing vintage DD or new Technics DD. 
tatyana69
269 posts
 
I repeat my comment I made in another thread. I bought a Technics 1200G and was very disappointed. I put on it "supposedly" superior arm (triplanar) and cartridge (BenzLP). My Linn LP12 built by AudioOrigami was to my ears substantially  better in musicality and depth. Sold the Technics quite quickly. My second deck now is an Avid Acutus Dark at basic £10k which does not provide the extra quality above my superbly set up Linn that I might have expected. 
It is so much personal preference that your journey is laden with obstacles. What did I expect from change? Who knows! You have to hear things to be persuaded as "you don't know what an improvement is until you hear it! Always very difficult to describe.
I am 65 so have evolved over the years quite substantially. but strangely I have kept my LP12 (reincarnated by AudioOrigami) for nearly 50 years! Quite astonishing really
One recent thing I have been astonished by is the favourable effect of Entreq stuff - but that is another thread. The point is however that you just have to listen. A friendly dealer, who come across numerous products and who "knows your ears", does help to reduce such waste of time and money


cleeds
6,590 posts
 
rbstehno
As for direct drive, not a lot of your top turntable manufacturers use DD, they use belts. How do you use DD on a 50lb plinth? You don’t.
Sure you can. Back when I had a DP-80, it was mounted in a VPI two-arm base that had a very, very heavy plinth. In some respects, DDs are more suited to heavy plinths than BD.

I've long since given up on DD, though. I think the best belt drives are better (although I haven't heard some of the newest DDs, such as VPI's)  - but that's just personal preference. There is no "one-size-fits-all" in audio.
noromance's avatar
noromance
10,490 posts
 
@bignamehere I never mentioned age. I said "long-standing analog user..."
You are the one who used the term "fanboy"
On tubes and warmth. Yes they can bring a type of warmth. But it is not necessarily "coloration" as such. Compared to poorer solid state, good tube amps can impart or reproduce a more lifelike rendition of tonal color, space, timbre and such that can sound better. However warmth as a coloration can be true to both tube and solid state amplifiers.
On choice of turntable, I never meant to imply removing your freedom to choose of course. It was more an effort to save you the hassle of a cycle of disappointments and the purchase of sideways upgrades and wasting your time. Carry on!
bignamehere OP
56 posts
 
@noromance slow your roll, and read the pronouns. I wouldn’t have use to word “he” when talking to you (using the @ mention). You didn’t mention age, chakster did, but your certainly were condescending. Also, fanboy was in reference to Technics, not tubes. Again, I made multiple references to Technics and direct drive (not tubes) when talking about a fanboy and the “real” technology I should be using. You might need to start reading more critically before you post, because I’ve never said anything negative about any technology or preference. I just don’t like when ppl loyal to a single brand think that option is the ONLY choice I should consider in my price point, and even go on to say an entire technology (belt drive) is crap. This is what chakster did. You just happen to be the one trying to call me out for some reason for not putting full trust in a Technics fanboy. I’m critical of anyone stating there is only one way something should be done, and I believe everyone should be skeptical of an unwavering POV. Thanks for your contributions. The information about Technics was noted and appreciated, but comments like “This is bizarre” and “OP knows best” were rude and unnecessary. It seems many others were very capable of reading my OP and follow-up comments, and providing helpful advice without condescending remarks. I’d suggest you and chakster follow their example.

Good Day, sir. 🎩

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