educate me

Just want to share my thoughts on the Clearaudio Emotion....Only buy this when you like fast, transparent, lean and mean sound. Overall, that's the sound you'll get with that table. If you're looking for more meat, look elsewhere.

I think I'm about to purchase a AR "The Turntable" with a Rega RB-250 and a OM-20 Super Cartridge. She's a beauty and has been gone over. Any last second thoughts before I take the plunge????

That's IMO a very nice sounding table. Try it out. Decide if you want to upgrade later rather than spend your $1000 and find out that it's not for you.

Its tough is all, I can get a NEW table for just a tad more, whew. wish I had a crystal ball :-) That Clearaudio that you like is only $200 more than the AR, as is the Music Hall 7.1

The better the cartridge, the better the overall sound. There is nothing in a stereo system that is an ultimate limiting factor. Every piece in the chain contributes. Even if you have Bose speakers, you will hear better sound from a better cartridge. The choice between a higher output over a lower output cartridge is determined by the ability of the phono stage to bring the level high enough for the system to perform to its abilities. There are some great high output cartridges that beat the pants over lower output cartridges, however, they cost more. Buy the best cartridge you can afford that works with your system. This advice is true for every component in your system. There are some components that perform better than others in their price range, and the fun is to select the best bang for the buck.