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Best bang for the buck turntable?

Ok I have been listening to cd's for a loooong time, its time to move up a notch and find a good turntable to go along my setup, have to admit that it will be expensive to upgrade all of my music collection from cd's to lp's but I've heard LP's and they sound way way better than cd's. I am still keeping my $3k cd player but now I want to add a nice turntable to my system. That will make my system complete. So here it goes, what turntable will be a good choice for a newbie or better yet the BEST bang for the buck turntable?

Music Hall? or other brand and if so, what are the going prices for a good new or used one?
chgolatin2
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Chgolatin2, when you write that you are selling all of your gear to purchase new tube gear and a turntable, does this mean you are also selling your digital front end? If so, what comprises your digital front end?
david12
1,398 posts
 
It rather depends where you live. The price of the $ makes importing very expensive for you colonials. Here in the UK, I would say Rega, Project/Origin Live are best value. I have no experience with many US decks, but have heard VPI and am very impressed, good sound and allows incremental upgrades as money allows
jlin
55 posts
 
If you're willing to DIY, a modified Lenco can sound very good - less than $1K but you'll have to build your own plinth. See the Building High End Tables cheap at Home Despot II thread elsewhere under Analog. The original thread reached well over 3000 posts before an Audiogon moderator deleted it by accident. Modded Lencos have beat a VPI TNT II, Linn LP12, Oracle, Technics SP10, etc. according to the owners of those decks.

If you're not a DIYer, another possibility which hasn't been mentioned, and if you have a Linn dealer to help with setup, is a used Linn LP12 with Ittok arm.
chgolatin2 OP
53 posts
 
Tvad, I recently sold everyting except my speakers upgraded to Jolida 1000RC and the JD 100 w/mod 2. Not getting rid of my cd's but I am looking to casually get into vinyl. they just sound sweeter to my ears even though I mostly have a very vast cd collection myself.

Thats why I stated that I dont want to spend an arm and a leg on a tt. Just looking to enhance my musical listening a bit
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I recently read a thread on Audioasylum that discusses a very intriguing table/arm combo.

Origin Live sells a mount for their OL1 tonearm (Rega RB250 tweaked and rewired) so the arm can be mounted on a Technics SL1200 table. The result is supposed to be quite impressive...according to an end user and a British reviewer.

A new Technics SL1200 runs about $500. The OL1 is $625, and mount is $35. Total cost = $1160. Of course, you can save a few bucks by buying a used SL1200.

Another option is the Incognito OEM Arm 1se, which is another rewired and tweaked version of the Rega RB250. The Incognito package is $529. So, total cost with the Origin Live Technics SL1200 mount and a SL1200 would be $1064.
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