Opinions on bang for the buck on TT & tonearm

"Thinking about a Feickert/Triangle/Oracle/Hanss"
How about the Luxman PD171. This is what I plan to look at in this price range. The Feickert Woodpecker (table) is in your price range, but a good arm would take you over it. I have seen the Lux twice, but have yet to hear it. Bad timing at the Montreal show.... It's a gorgeous table IMO! It should soon be available in a new version that offers greater flexibility with tonearm choice. However, my dealer couldn't say enough good things about the current version w/the Jelco.

Here's the thing, we all hear different. As we age our ears change so one man's illusion of being there is another man's cd-like sound. It's really hard to spend $6K wisely unless you are willing to listen to all types of turntables to find out which "illusion of being there" is yours. If it was me, and I had that money to spend, I'd start with a Well Tempered Amadeus and an EMT TSD15 and really listen and see where you are. It's an incredibly neutral setup, titling to the warm side.. very tactile though so that translates to live. Easy to setup. At the same time maybe pick up a TD124 with a decent arm and compare the two using the EMT. If neither of those satisfy you try something that tilts to the more accurate side like a VPI or a Basis. It's a process. You'll convince yourself that anything you spend $6k on is great but you'll never know if it's the best for you unless you listen in your own system to multiple turntables.

Lewm, I don't actually know if Nottingham Analouge is still in business. I was assuming that Tom Fletcher's original firm went out of business after Tom passed away in 2011, but that may be incorrect. According to their website, Pear Audio Analouge says that they are building their Pear Audio Blue turntables based on Tom Fletcher's latest designs, and that Tom Fletcher had been designing turntables for Pear Audio Analogue founder Peter Mezek for some time before his death. More than that I do not know.

What I can reiterate is that I saw two of these tables at the show and was very impressed. I have previously owned two Nottingham turntables, and while I enjoyed them there were a few issues that drove me nuts. As far as I can tell without a formal demo, the Pear Audio Blue turntables have kept all the things I liked about the old Nottingham line and improved the things I was less happy with.

I am looking forward to seeing and listening to the new Robin Hood turntable. My local dealer tells me that he should have one to demo sometime this month.

Bodotes, I too was a satisfied Notts user, although I've since gone on to a tweaked Lenco and several vintage DD turntables. I thought my Hyperspace was excellent, however, very open and "big" sound. After asking my question here, I did go to the Pear Audio website, and they do leave the impression that for sure there is an affiliation with Notts, if not more of a takeover of Tom Fletcher's philosophy. What I don't see in the Pear Audio product line is anything comparable in scale and ambition to the Dais or the Anna Log, let alone even the Hyperspace, if platter massiveness is any criterion. Two things I would have changed regarding the Notts paradigm: (1) More powerful motor that can start the platter from rest with no manual assist, and (2) less compliant drive belt. And of course you need the motor controller to max out the performance of any Notts; I could not believe the improvement I heard with the use of a Walker Audio Controller.

Lewm, I don't know about the Dais or Anna Log. I never saw one of these decks. I have owned a Nottingham Horizon SE and later a 294, and from what I saw I would say the Pear Audio Blue turntables looked much better made. The fit and finish was certainly better then on my old tables. My bugaboo with the old Nott decks was with the damned Space tonearm. The new tonearms look like there has been substantial improvement.

If I had the bucks I would spring for the Kid Thomas deck with the regulated power controller and Comet 2 tonearm. But I don't. I am hopeful that the new Robin Hood will meet my requirements.