Was your first cartridge relatively expensive?

Okay, thanks to the advice that you guys gave, I think I am going to pursue this further. This might belong in another thread, but I've been looking at two analog rigs, one based around the VPI Scoutmaster w/Sig arm and other based on a Teres 160 w/Morch DP6. For some reason I couldn't find any comparisons on here, so I assume it might be a dangerous topic or something.

Anyhow, from what I've read, the Teres does seem to be the better table or at least the DP6 is the better arm. But I can basically get the Scoutmaster w/Sig arm, a Sumiko Blackbird, and a $800-1K phono stage for the same price as the Teres 160 w/Morch DP6. So the Teres rig would cost me almost $2K more. And even if I can afford the extra $2K, would I not get better performance by putting it into a better cart or phonostage? Any thoughts?

Howie, be cautious about what you read: from me or anyone else. We're all victims of what we've had the opportunity to hear (or not hear) and under what conditions. In my case, I've heard the Scoutmaster extensively and in a system that is very well set-up and that I know very well. I've never heard the Teres.

So, I can't offer an informed comparison of the sound of the two tables, all I can offer is a comparison of what I hear with the Scoutmaster with Shelter 510 or Denon 103 cartridges in Slipknot1's system versus what I hear in my own system with Walker Audio Proscenium turntable and Magic Diamond cartridge. I could easily live with the Scoutmaster: what it does well syncs very nicely with my listening priorities.
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The Scoutmaster is an excellent choice, just go listen to one for yourself and see if you really enjoy what you are hearing. If I could do it all over again (analog that is) I would just listen to a few systems in some local stores, bring a pile of my LPs and really not one of them should let you down unless the record is worn. If it does than the system isn't worth it period. Start your search again, eventually you'll hit audio nirvana. If it costs you a little more than save your bucks and don't skimp. On the flipside it may not cost you much at all.
A good shop should have plenty of tables to listen to. Start cheap, listen and then move up. Once you hear their "best" then go back and have another listen to the entry level player. You will then hear the differences.
Happy hunting.

gee, I dunno guys, I have to give a dissenting opinion here. My advice would be to get the cheapest stuff possible (used) within a given level of decency. No plastic TT, and an arm that at least allows VTA adjustment. For example I started with a Thorens TD165 for $100, stock arm, and a $40 Ortofon cartridge. Oh, and a $15 Radio Shack phono stage about the size of an Altoids box, battery powered.

Damn but that sounded good. Thick, if you take my meaning, compared to my $3000 digital player. Sure it wasn't perfect, but at the price point I didn't expect it to be.

Hence, I was not disappointed, I was intregued. Now, thousands of dollars and many upgrades down the road I am in hog heaven.

On the other hand, I know guys who plunked down serious ching on VPI Scouts, hot rodded arms, carts, and high buck preamps and they went, 'yeah, this is nice' but it didn't infect them like my $200 setup infected me.

Gadfly: to be fair I'm not sure whether analog is better than digital. These are two different modalities so comparing them is like comparing apples with pears. I think both have their strengths and weaknesses. It is also not very logical to strive for an "analog like sound" in digital or an "digital like sound" in analog. But this discussion belongs to another section (of the forum).