What's the cost of an entry level vinyl setup?

About $2000 minimum.

08-01-10: Oakleys
An don't forget for vinyl to wash and rinse and or repent.

Praise Jesus! Hallelujah!

Satan awaits those who don't wash repeat and/or repent!

I simply can't afford to start down that never ending path...
Mceljo (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

Then don't start with LPs, 'cause it's a never ending path that can be confirmed by reading the analog discussion threads.

Let's be brutally honest. $1000 may get one into vinyl with a rig that requires no apology, but I can't identify one contributor here who would stay with that rig for very long, and that's the real issue.

The OP doesn't want to get on an escalator to higher and higher expenditures, and there's absolutely no indication that anyone posting and reading Audiogon discussion threads has the fortitude or willpower to stay with a sub $1000 analog rig.

I would direct the OP to AudioCircle, where there is a higher ratio of members on a budget, and many of whom remain true to their budgets.

08-03-10: Clio09
Why would the OP necessarily get on an escalator to higher and higher expenditures?

A cursory search of the analog threads will reveal several reasons why: quest for better sound, quest for "fixing" a perceived deficiency, insecurity, general dissatisfaction..."keeping up with the Jonses"...the list goes on and on.

I think this is one case where the OP could assemble a nice budget sub-$1000 vinyl set-up and be happy with it.
Clio09 (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

Clio9, if he does, and if he stays with it for even six months, then he'll be the first in these threads to have done so as far as I can tell.

BTW, having owned a Technics SL-1200, I don't believe one can get a satisfying, long-term, "entry level" set-up based around this table (or a Rega P-3, or Music Hall MMf 7.1, or...) for less than $2K (including table, arm, cartridge, phono preamp, interconnects, platform/base, set-up tools, and cleaning supplies).

Sorry for being the persistent dissenter here, but sometimes folks deserve a reality check from those who have been down the road and discovered brambles among the roses.

I was interested in finding out if it was possible to do vinyl with a budget that was within reason compared to my existing system. It sounds like it could be.

Mceljo (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

I agree that it could be. The question in my mind is if you are the type of person that will be satisfied with what the $1000 buys, or if you are the type (like most here) that continue to upgrade.

That's the question I hope you will honestly answer before you start writing the checks.

Clio09, my comment regarding the Technics SL-1200, Rega P-3, MMF 7.1, and any other "budget" table one wants to include in the list was not intended to offer a judgment about the sound of the tables, or about whether an owner would find their sound satisfying.

My use of the word satisfying was probably poorly chosen, but my intention was to suggest that with an investment of $2K, one might be less likely to want to change one of the elements to something more expensive (more expensive cartridge, arm, table, interconnect, phono preamp, etc.).

Of course, whether one desires to upgrade is open to many factors with the most significant factor being the personality of the owner.