turntable madness

You should throw a used Rega Planar 2 on your short list, somewhere around $250 or so.

I can't tell you a particular model, but I can tell you that nearly all the Thorens turntables I've come across have been very good for the money. They are well built, reliable, and sound very good. My father has one to this day, which he has had for about 25 years, and it performs very well.

Also, see the thread on the Thorens turntable--someone just got one on e-bay.

What do you mean by inexpensive? IMHO, if you want the cheapest good turntable, get a Connoisseur(Sugden) BD2A. It will cost between $50-$150 plus cartridge. Next up the ladder is a Rega Planar 2. About $200-$300 plus cartridge. Another good table for about $300 is the Systemdek IIX. Above that is the Rega Planar 3. About $350-$650. All prices are for used, very good condition. A good cartridge for any of the above would be a lower priced Goldring. Under $100 new. You also may consider other tables such as Music Hall, Pro-Ject by Sumiko, etc. These are all manually operated turntables with belt drive. They will give you the best sound for low cost. If you have to spend less than $50, then probably a Dual belt drive would be the best bet. I personally would not go there. I believe that belt drive is the better drive system in most turntables with the exception of a few super-high priced models which will not concern you.