20 minutes left, anyone bidding?
Possibly Looking for a Turntable/Cartridge Under $1000
I'm getting back into audio and trying to decide if I want to include a turntable and cartridge too. While I have collection of about 300+ LPs and EPs, for the most part I'm a digital guy at heart. All of my vinyl is over 30 years old. Once I heard the dynamics of CDs I never went back to vinyl and only did tapes in the car.
Of course vinyl overall fell out of favor for a while, but has since made a come back. I never understood the attraction to vinyl given the dynamics and headroom available with digital music. However, in getting back into audio I had a thought, that maybe I didn't see the appeal of vinyl because I've never had anything thing more than an entry level turntable.
My current system for 2-channel is Martin Logan SL3s, a Hegel P20 preamp, and currently I'm using an amp based on the Purifi EVAL1 Stereo 1ET400A module, though the amp could change later if I can swing a Hegel H30a.
I know my budget of $1000 is not high end level, but it's a little better than entry level. Given my setup, would a turntable/cartridge in the $1000 ballpark give me anything more in terms of sonic refinement and dynamics over an entry level turntable?
Thanks in advance.
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- 39 posts total
@elliottbnewcombjr Im not in a position to bid for or buy anything just yet. I'm gathering information for the future. Thanks. |
Alright, this is probably going to trigger some audiophiles, but here it goes: the turntable doesn’t matter that much. I recently went full midlife crisis and “upgraded” to a Dr. Feickert Volare with a Kuzma tonearm and a Hana SH cart — the kind of setup that gets audiophiles hot under the platter. And guess what? Compared to my old Audio-Technica LP120 (with the same cartridge), the difference was… let’s just say, not “new Tesla vs. used Corolla” — more like “2025 Tesla vs. 2024 Tesla.” If I were buying today, with a budget of $1000, I’d look at the Fluance RT85 — great reviews, looks sharp, and it’s got that auto-lift at the end of a record so you’re not sprinting across the room like you’re disarming a bomb. Plus it comes with either the Ortofon 2M Blue or Nagaoka MP-110 cartridges, both of which punch way above their weight. Also, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO — the satin red wine color is pure sex appeal. And honestly, don’t sleep on pre-owned gear from TMRAudio.com — half the fun of this hobby is getting “gently used” equipment that was babied by someone who treated it better than their spouse. My advice: don’t lose sleep over the table. Pick one that looks sexy in your living room, then spend your money where it counts — on the cartridge and phono stage. Anything above $150 and you’re in the promised land. The AT VMN95ML? Killer value. And honestly, I did the side-by-side thing with pricier cartridges. The difference? Minimal. Like paying $100 for a bottle of wine instead of $30 — yeah, it’s different, but only if someone tells you it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love vinyl — the ritual, the tactile joy, the tiny crackle before the music kicks in. But let’s be real: unless your records are VG+ or mint, lossless streaming is going to sound cleaner. Vinyl is about romance, not accuracy. |
- 39 posts total