@luvrockin -
So, do the best you can with your budget. Simple as all that and it can be done.
My getting back into vinyl was frustrating. I wanted to cover all the TT bases, without wanting to spend tons of cash and knowing that I was only willing to get so deep into the minutiae that seems to go with current day vinyl playback at the higher end.
I started playing records 55 years ago (62 y.o. now), never did the jump to cassette tapes, and was a later converter to CDs, so I thought I knew something about the whole TT process. After 5 minutes back in, I was genuinely confused as to when it became all so complicated.
Your budget is at the low end of what you will need to spend to get vinyl playback at a sound quality level that you are accustomed to with other sources and will not wreck your records.
It's like buying a cheap guitar to see if you will like playing guitar ... you will learn and get the idea of what is involved, but the guitar may not sound good enough and the whole experience may not be satisfying enough to want to drop big money on a top Martin or Taylor guitar.
I got back in by first buying used vintage TTs (70s & 80s). It is so hit or miss, I would advise against it. The TTs may work fine at first, but they will need maintenance, and if you don't have a qualified repair person nearby, you are S**t Out Of Luck. I had a Denon DP 31 that was fine, until its motor died. Then there was a SONY PS X-7 whose speed controls went out of whack. This was getting expensive, so why not just buy new?
I went with a new Stanton ST 150. This is a DD motor, Technics 1200 look alike, that is part of a family of TTs commonly referred to as OEM TTs. The Pioneer 1000 arguably shares this lineage. These TTs are more than ok for the money, but they can have issues ... notably hum (even if you bypass the built in TT preamp), and tonearm looseness (needed for DJ scratching).
Well the hum got to me and after studying most TTs in my NEW, UPDATED price range ($1500 new without cartridge, old price range was $600 without cartridge) and only wanting a minimum of stress with set-up and maintenance, I went the following route.
I also wanted TT playback in both of my systems, so this would be a times 2 scenario.
BTW, this is just the route I went with and I am not saying to go this route. At the end of the day, all I wanted was relatively fuss free TT playback and maintenance that also sounded as good, if not better, than my CDs sounded. I invested in better than average CD players, so I always had good CD sound.
System #1
Pro-ject Classic (25th Anniversary) @ $1100 with cartridge
https://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Classic-Turntable-1
I liked the looks of this TT. It was being paired with a Prima Luna PL5 tube power amp and a Musical Fidelity CD PRE 24 preamp/ cd player. This pairing has been in place for 13 years. I needed a preamp. I had the Schiit Mani. It was ok, but just ok. I had much better luck with the:
Parasound Zphono @ $250
https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAZPHOUSB
After I was settled in with this for about a year, I also changed out speakers from Opera Platea to Zu Audio Dirty Weekend Omen.
Very pleased with all sources on this system. Even my wife says it is the best it has ever sounded. Go figure.
System #2
Technics SL-1200 GR @ $1700; Audio Technica VM 540 cartridge @ $250.
I wanted something in my system that would not need maintenance until I had long since departed from this good earth. This is a special TT. Can not find flaws with it. I have it paired with a Rega Brio amp and Omega Compact Alnico monitors. This is my single driver speaker system that I always seem to have around and sees a lot of use.
I am using an Audio Technica VM 540 cartridge with the Technics.
https://www.valueelectronics.com/Technics_SL-1200GAE.php
https://www.needledoctor.com/Audio-Technica-VM540ML-Phono-Cartridge?quantity=1
This whole journey started about 5 years ago. With the two turntables I purchased new, the merry go round stopped and I have not done any tweaking for a long while. I have also not felt the need to.
Rich
So, do the best you can with your budget. Simple as all that and it can be done.
My getting back into vinyl was frustrating. I wanted to cover all the TT bases, without wanting to spend tons of cash and knowing that I was only willing to get so deep into the minutiae that seems to go with current day vinyl playback at the higher end.
I started playing records 55 years ago (62 y.o. now), never did the jump to cassette tapes, and was a later converter to CDs, so I thought I knew something about the whole TT process. After 5 minutes back in, I was genuinely confused as to when it became all so complicated.
Your budget is at the low end of what you will need to spend to get vinyl playback at a sound quality level that you are accustomed to with other sources and will not wreck your records.
It's like buying a cheap guitar to see if you will like playing guitar ... you will learn and get the idea of what is involved, but the guitar may not sound good enough and the whole experience may not be satisfying enough to want to drop big money on a top Martin or Taylor guitar.
I got back in by first buying used vintage TTs (70s & 80s). It is so hit or miss, I would advise against it. The TTs may work fine at first, but they will need maintenance, and if you don't have a qualified repair person nearby, you are S**t Out Of Luck. I had a Denon DP 31 that was fine, until its motor died. Then there was a SONY PS X-7 whose speed controls went out of whack. This was getting expensive, so why not just buy new?
I went with a new Stanton ST 150. This is a DD motor, Technics 1200 look alike, that is part of a family of TTs commonly referred to as OEM TTs. The Pioneer 1000 arguably shares this lineage. These TTs are more than ok for the money, but they can have issues ... notably hum (even if you bypass the built in TT preamp), and tonearm looseness (needed for DJ scratching).
Well the hum got to me and after studying most TTs in my NEW, UPDATED price range ($1500 new without cartridge, old price range was $600 without cartridge) and only wanting a minimum of stress with set-up and maintenance, I went the following route.
I also wanted TT playback in both of my systems, so this would be a times 2 scenario.
BTW, this is just the route I went with and I am not saying to go this route. At the end of the day, all I wanted was relatively fuss free TT playback and maintenance that also sounded as good, if not better, than my CDs sounded. I invested in better than average CD players, so I always had good CD sound.
System #1
Pro-ject Classic (25th Anniversary) @ $1100 with cartridge
https://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Classic-Turntable-1
I liked the looks of this TT. It was being paired with a Prima Luna PL5 tube power amp and a Musical Fidelity CD PRE 24 preamp/ cd player. This pairing has been in place for 13 years. I needed a preamp. I had the Schiit Mani. It was ok, but just ok. I had much better luck with the:
Parasound Zphono @ $250
https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAZPHOUSB
After I was settled in with this for about a year, I also changed out speakers from Opera Platea to Zu Audio Dirty Weekend Omen.
Very pleased with all sources on this system. Even my wife says it is the best it has ever sounded. Go figure.
System #2
Technics SL-1200 GR @ $1700; Audio Technica VM 540 cartridge @ $250.
I wanted something in my system that would not need maintenance until I had long since departed from this good earth. This is a special TT. Can not find flaws with it. I have it paired with a Rega Brio amp and Omega Compact Alnico monitors. This is my single driver speaker system that I always seem to have around and sees a lot of use.
I am using an Audio Technica VM 540 cartridge with the Technics.
https://www.valueelectronics.com/Technics_SL-1200GAE.php
https://www.needledoctor.com/Audio-Technica-VM540ML-Phono-Cartridge?quantity=1
This whole journey started about 5 years ago. With the two turntables I purchased new, the merry go round stopped and I have not done any tweaking for a long while. I have also not felt the need to.
Rich