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Turntable sub $4k buy decisions too many.

Good day fellow enthusiasts.

I’m moving away (sold) from my VPI Prime 21/ Koetsu Black combo to down size as my Aurender A10 is doing 90% of the music duties in my place now. I’ve been looking at tables in the sub $4k range and wow so many choices.

I’ve eliminated the Project, Technics, Rega and Thorns tables in this price range for various reasons. mostly due to looks if I was totally honest and yes looks has its thing in my house, it will sit in a prominent spot in my living area (open loft). similarly no black box’s.

If i was honest i wasn’t happy with the VPI table-Koetsu black gold line combo it was a little lack luster and frankly the quality of the VPI was not what I expected, tonearm lift didn’t work smoothly and stuck constantly, tonearm was not vertically straight with no way to adjust with out shims (gimbaled arm maybe i missed something in the set up) motor chatter every time you start if you forget to help it move etc. anyway its sold moving on. and no I don’t want a less $ one.

I’ve looked at many and had slipped upward some in my original $3k price bracket.

Tables i know i have access to through my dealers and are considering:

Clear Audio concept dark wood with Satisfy tonearm v2 cart package.

Oracle Paris with their reworked project 9 arm, in red :-). i like the hidden suspension system. ITS RED.

Acoustic Solid, Classic Wood with Rega made 330 arm. Or no arm. Canadian distributor now for this 10 year old German company.

Acoustic Solid, 113 Bubinga. ok this is just beautiful if not slightly over my budget but does it do the part as well.

Sota cosmos, maybe sapphire but that’s in the stretch area.

I may stretch for a few if compelled.

Transrotor entry tables have been recommended, maybe

Kuzma

 

Who have I missed to look into? Why would you not go with any of the above? Why would you go for something else?

If i get no arm option who’s arms are people recommending now in the sub $2k range?

there’s really not much on the used market right now but that’s an option as well.

Associated equipment:

McIntosh C2700 preamp, I’ll be using the internal tube phono stage. It bested my Gold Note PH10

McIntosh 275 Tube amp

Spendor D9.2 Speakers. very detail speakers....

I have a VDH MC10 MC cart and Sound Smith MI cart now but the VDH need a rebuild. so I'm open to a new cart or package. 

 

Thanks for your input and have a fine day my friends.

 

Glen N

 

 

128x128glennewdick
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
1,984 posts
 

You may poo poo the suggestion, considering you have mentioned you rule out pro-ject, but the Music Hall MMF-7.3 in Walnut Is a very good looking table. It is way under your 4k budget and sounds terrific. It already comes with the Ortofon 2M Bronze mounted. In my opinion, competes with turntables up to the 4k mark. I don’t think spending twice the money will significantly improve upon the 7.3. It has everything really, good isolation, a good tonearm, electronic speed control, motor seperated from plinth, a great and proven cartridge, a great clamp with threaded spindle, even a very nice looking dust cover. I love mine and saved money to buy more records. The Walnut version looks way better than the dust magnet black version. Stereophile recommended component. Considering you are using digital 90 percent of the time, i cannot see a reason to spend 4k on a turntable. It also takes well to far more expensive cartridges as shown in the Stereophile review. Although I do disagree with the reviewer that the 2m Bronze is not up to the task with this table. I think the 2m Bronze sounds terrific.

twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 

Avid Diva II SP

mr_m
1,900 posts
 

Personally, I would go with the first recommendation. The refurbished Sota Sapphire. I have one and I believe you would be hard pressed to find something better in the Sota's price range. Best tt I ever owned.

glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick OP
1,500 posts
 

Thanks everyone,

I've made an error in my budget. I mistakenly put up Canadian budget prices  So in reality I'm sitting at somewhere around $3200us$ max. Like I said I can stretch a bit if necessary but the reason most of the tables your recommending are not already on my list is they are a big stretch.

- I have reached out to Sota already their refurbished Sapphires are $3200usd with out an arm. so that puts me well above $4000usd with a basic arm. I've not discounted it but its a little more then i originally wanted to re-spend on a table. 

- Have not looked at Avid thank you.

- i've looked at the MMF tables interesting in the wood finishes. 

- i sold my Garrard 301 set up for the VPI prime 21, the one you mentioned is $5500 Canadian FYI. 

reality is I'd like to keep it around $3000USD so many of the tables your recommending are well above that. My mistake for miss posting. 

dover
2,173 posts
 

@glennewdick 

Really you should have another look at a Rega P8 retail $4k readily available for about $3.5k including free freight - plug and play. Brand new, even with a MM Exact or Ania, very musical. Much better built than your old VPI. If you don't like the look get a Hermes or Louis Voutton silk scarf to throw over it when not in use.

Have a read of the review here -

There are also options to keep a Sota around $4k all up - Rega arms are fine, just fiddly to deal with VTA, but if you don't change your cartridge all the time, its a 1 off proposition.

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