Basis Turntables: Worth it or Ripoff?

Not only do I agree completely with James, but I would add that lots of dollars are spent on bling, only, adding nothing to performance.  If that's what one wants, it's perfectly ok, but being aware of this factor is a good idea.

What a way to start a thread.  The answer to your question is no.

Basis is very good.
But to know how good it is you have to know why the other ones are so bad.
When you know nothing, it is like rolling a dice.

I have had Basis Gold Debut for 20+ years, never had any troubles, replaced motor once as upgrade about 10 years ago. Very stable and great sound! Are they worth the money? Definite yes.

I love my Basis 2001 with the original (1st) Vector arm. Sounds good to me, but then again, I have not heard any turntables in my system. Compared to my digital rig (Lampizator Big 7 and Aurender N10) it always sounds better when playing the same songs/recordings.