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Need help: turntable market in the $1500-$2000 range is overwhelming

I’m looking for a new turntable. Had a Dual 1229 years ago but it broke and I got out of vinyl and all that. Got a crappy Audio-Technica around the holidays last year because I thought I’d digitize my records but I don’t feel like doing that anymore and it’s a fiddly turntable that doesn’t sound great. I’m giving myself $1500-$2000 to jump in with the expectation of buying something that’ll keep me happy for a few years.

Sorry, but no Technics tables please!!!! Black or silver. They all look like my crappy Audio-Technica and I’m going to be shallow and say looks matter and that I’m agnostic at best about direct drive. Yeah, I’m dumb.

So in the price range I’ve established I’ve looked at and found interesting offerings from:

—SOTA
—Rega
—Pro-Ject
—Music Hall
—Clearaudio
—Marantz

And what feels like a zillion others.

So how the hell do I choose in a market flooded with tables in my price range? 

Oh, and sure, tell me how stupid I am for not wanting a Technics like I keep seeing recommended on the forum, but I’m not going to buy one so please help me with another offering if you can!!!

And I’d prefer to buy new so I can work with a dealer or manufacturer if there are any issues.....
larshepping
lewm
12,467 posts
 
Depends very much on who did the refurbishing.  Can be very expensive.  On a budget, maybe it's best to start with an original unit and upgrade it according to that budget.
sladetroityer
4 posts
 
I’m no expert, but I’ve heard quite a few tables over my lifetime so Im recommending the Shinola Runwell. Im running a few Thorens currently, and I also have a Shinola Runwell, which is essentially a VPI. Only downfall is the built in Pre amp. Other than that it’s an awesome table. 
larshepping OP
34 posts
 
OP here.

I have no real argument against DD turntables, just that the most commonly recommended ones are Technics. I get now that AT copied Technics but there’s something about dropping $2k on a turntable that looks an awful lot like my old one that doesn’t jive with me. Maybe I need to get over that.

There’s definitely tons and tons of overlap in the belt-driven range at my price points. I guess that’s kind of why I’m frustrated because it’s hard to choose between, say, a Music Hall 7.3 and a Pro-Ject X2. Though as someone said, none of the ones I’ve mentioned will be bad or all that different from one another.....SOTA and VPI seem to stand out from the crowd, aesthetically at least. 

Used is interesting, but I feel like used turntables carry a significant risk of shipping damage which leaves buyers and sellers in a bad position. 
mrklas
441 posts
 
@OP  Shipping damage is a real risk. 

I appreciate Rega's lifetime guarantee for manufacturing defects for that specific reason.  Other manufacturers may have the same thing but that information and standing behind their product was the reason I bought the RP1.
philiptamarkin
29 posts
 
I purchased the Clearaudio Concept based on recommendations from this forum, and have been very happy with it. 
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