Best turntable for the buck

Another to consider is a Dr Feickert Volare with Origin Live arm, $4K without cartridge.  It is smaller than a SOTA and requires an isolated platform.  It is dead quiet in operation (more quiet than the SOTA).

I've owned 2 SOTA's over the last 35 years, including my current Star III/SME V combination - bought new.  They are wonderful tables with a fantastic suspension, just not as quiet in my experience as some other very good units.

Pros and cons, as usual, in this price segment.

Ego not inflated a bit Tim and Brian, and thanks for the kind words :-)

I have decent gear on the digital, LP and RtR fronts, so for me anyway….assessment of relative strengths and weaknesses AND trying to address has a been a catalyst for competitive improvement across all 3. I do understand that the various formats do compete for $$$. Ultimately that was why i sold the SOTA as trying to maintain all the analog bits in two places, was too much.

@rvpiano what did you decide to do ?
best to all

Jim

Tomic601,

As much as I would love to improve my analog side, I don’t think I have the level of commitment and resources that it takes. I don’t even trust myself to install a cartridge, no less a tone arm. So I think I’ll pass on a new setup.

The interaction with Vinyl does not need to be lost entirely.

I am not with a System in use at present, my home is to be worked on and most possessions are readying themselves for a period of storage.

Through being member of a HiFI Group, I am regularly invited to experience in both Analogue and Digital Equipment demonstrations. Additionally there is on occasions new unfamiliar equipment made available for broadening the experiences being encountered.

I am happy to Purchase New Music Recordings to be used at the meetings, and if well received, leave them as loaned music for the group to use on their own systems, or used when I am absent from a meeting.

The interaction with the groups arranged events, has enables myself to encounter items of equipment, I would recommend to others, but also allow for my discovering equipment, I have now put onto a shortlist to be trialed on the home system when reinstated for regular use. These are curve ball moments, and were not anticipated to leave such strong positive impressions, to the point where an item might find itself a place on the rack.      

For the "money", the Music Hall mmf-7.3 cannot be beat. Just look at what you get for your money. Split plinth, seperate motor, electronic speed control, 9cc tonearm, azimuth and Vta adjustable, acrylic platter, round profile belt, quality phono cables, quality spin on/threaded record clamp, built in level, dust cover, tip toe feet, beautiful real walnut finish (optional), Ortofon 2nd from the top 2m Bronze cartridge. The price has increases recently, and is now generally a 2k turntable... I love mine. Pair this table/cartridge combo with a good tubed phono preamp and it sounds splendid. Not to mention, the turntable looks awesome, if that at all matters....