Turntables from 1-10: Personality 8.5 Beauty 12


This thread could be interesting for any components, but I write as I am thinking of adding a turntable to my system.

In the end, I might not use it very often, but I love the beauty of turntables, if only as a conversation piece for my missionary work with non audiophiles.

Obviously, I want it to sound very good too but I might get more pleasure per dollar per hour of usage with an unusually gorgeous turntable. I need to keep the budget to < $10,000 retail.

Could anyone recommend a particular VPI model? The HRX is obviously gorgeous, but I imagine the less expensive ones look great too and much of the same performance as their top of the line?

How about the Michell Gyrodec SE? Is it as gorgeous as it looks in pictures? Oracle?

Obviously the dowdy LP12 is out, as are the mdf Regas and others.....

Thanks for any ideas.
cwlondon
i'm a sucker for a beautiful 'vintage' turntable, and have several. i prefer the newer models that emulate the older ones. i do not really care for the 'veg-o-matic' cosmetic trends that many of todays designs have. mass for the sake of mass. the oracle paris is my favorite looker...
I recently added a Kuzma StabiS/StoigiS to my system and was shocked at how many people commented on it (favorably) at the company holiday party. It's quite eye-catching.
Hands down Oracle Delphi V. Design basically unchanged for mre than 25 years. Sounds great, easy to set up and compatible with many tonearms.
Dear Cwlondon: I think that you have to put on your list the Galibier ones: beautiful!!!! and very good performance.

Regards and enjoy the music.
raul.
If it's eye candy you want to talk here and nothing else it has to be a Teres, IMO. Very hard to beat the beauty of wood. However, I also get a great deal of visual satisfaction looking at my Gavia. I like the contrast of the black anodized aluminum and graphite platter surface with the polished aluminum arm boards. The mounted TriPlanar just adds to the same black on polished look. This arm also appeals to the mechanical side of my brain because of the engineering and machining that went into making it. The silver mylar belt is the icing on the cake. Not surprising that the race car I owned back in the 80's was painted all black laquer with polished aluminum wheels and air dams.