Opinions on bang for the buck on TT & tonearm

Curley, You are nowhere near the novice I thought you to be, based on the list of excellent turntables you have already owned. You might ask yourself why you were or are not satisfied with especially the top two or three on your list, the Basis, the TNT, and the Merrill. Did you sell them off, and do you now regret it, or are you just looking for something new and different? If the latter, and if the tt's on your list left you less than satisfied, you might try a different drive system from belt-drive. For the kind of money you are willing to spend, I would suggest you consider the direct-drive turntables from Brinkmann. There are several vintage direct-drives to think about as well, but you'd want one that is "done" and ready to use. Another option is a tricked out Lenco L75. But tonearm goes with cartridge, more than anything else, at the risk of repeating myself too often.

Thinking about a Feickert/Triangle/Oracle/Hanss

Townshend Rock 7 with Rega 303.

I was impressed with the Pear Audio Blue turntables I saw at the recent Newport Show. They remind me of the old Nottingham decks, but the distributor claimed that they have improved materials and better construction.

There is a new model, the Robin Hood, that is supposed to be available in July. I am waiting to see the reviews for this model. Judging by the pictures the new turntable looks great.

Bodotes, You wrote, "I was impressed with the Pear Audio Blue turntables I saw at the recent Newport Show. They remind me of the old Nottingham decks, but the distributor claimed that they have improved materials and better construction."

Do you mean to infer that the distributor admitted there IS a relationship between Nottingham Analog and Pear Audio? Is Notts out of business?