Need advice on what to look for in a turntable - budget $6K to $10K

mmporsche, you have many good options at this price-point, especially if you consider used decks. I have both a Brinkmann Oasis and Nantais Reference II and can recommend them both. The Oasis has a bit more focus and precision, but you absolutely must place it on a top-flight resonance platform to hear what it can do. I use a Minus-K. The Lenco has a bit more drive and authority at the expense of the nth-degree of the Brinkmann's precision in articulating instruments. (We're talking minor differences here.) And because of its mass (105 lb), the Lenco is less needful of a pricey resonance platform. Speed stability is a toss up, with both holding speed equally well, according to my KAB speedstrobe.

BTW, I see there's an Oasis listed at a good price. (No affiliation with the seller.)

Bill

If I may briefly hijack the thread with a couple of tangential questions for theothergreg: so you find the HA-3000 to match well with the Kiseki? I have the Allnic H-3000, too, and I’m on the brink of ordering an HA-3000. I’ve also been considering the Kiseki, but its unusual combination of high DCR (42 ohms) and nearly 0.5mV output would seem a challenging match for the Allnic’s step-ups. The head amp works well with it, though?

Bill

That's good to know. My main analog dealer tells me the Kiseki is his favorite--and he has like 30 cartridges in rotation, several costing twice as much. Might have to take the plunge!

Hi Stewart,

Your post prompted me to read Fremer’s glowing review in Stereophile. You’re right, the Proteus looks like a good match for SUTs. Either 30x or 40x would seem ideal, depending on the rest of the chain. The Allnic has 40x built-in and I have a Bob’s 30x already. Very interesting. I wonder how it stacks up against the Benz Ebony TR, which has similar specs and is designed for an SUT. But that’s a conversation for a separate thread. Thanks for the tip!

Bill

Hi Raul,

Yes, I agree, it seems few cartridges are designed specifically for SUTs these days (with the Benz Ebony TR a notable exception). So if one is bound, like I am with the Allnic phono, to using SUTs, all one can do is look for carts with DCR and output specs that don’t scream incompatibility. The Proteus seems to be one, on paper, that would work. The Purple Heart seems like it would not--but the proof is in the listening. Of course, adding the Allnic head amp, as theothergreg has done with his Purple Heart, eliminates the issue.

Bill