Turntable recomendations

MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum

Help Support MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

kicks2

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
youngstown ny
I am in the market to purchase a turntable and would like to spend approximately $1000. I want a turntable which comes with a cartridge, dust cover and clamp. I have identified some tables such as Rega, Pro Ject, Music Hall and Marantz which is made by Clearaudio. The question is which one has the best sound and quality based on this forum’s members. Your opinions are welcome. Thanks
 
You've listed all the usual suspects; if you're looking at new (which for a turntable I advise), I think only the Regas and Pro-Jects are within your budget. Both have very good reps, so I encourage you to seek them both out and have a listen. If you can do it in your system, so much the better!
 
I am in the market to purchase a turntable and would like to spend approximately $1000. I want a turntable which comes with a cartridge, dust cover and clamp. I have identified some tables such as Rega, Pro Ject, Music Hall and Marantz which is made by Clearaudio. The question is which one has the best sound and quality based on this forum’s members. Your opinions are welcome. Thanks

'Smatter with SOTA?
 
I am in the market to purchase a turntable and would like to spend approximately $1000. I want a turntable which comes with a cartridge, dust cover and clamp. I have identified some tables such as Rega, Pro Ject, Music Hall and Marantz which is made by Clearaudio. The question is which one has the best sound and quality based on this forum’s members. Your opinions are welcome. Thanks

Used tables, especially modern ones, might be just what your looking for. You can get more table for your money than a new unit and reliability is usually quite good with used units. The people spending two to three thousand new on a TT/arm combo are very unlikely to abuse it. That said local sales are better due to no need to ship.
 
Used tables, especially modern ones, might be just what your looking for. You can get more table for your money than a new unit and reliability is usually quite good with used units. The people spending two to three thousand new on a TT/arm combo are very unlikely to abuse it. That said local sales are better due to no need to ship.


I concur with Robert , espescially with shipping TT, never, I mean never buy a used TT and have it shipped in anything but it's ORIGINAL packaging !

With respect to the new tables in your range, myself, I'm not a fan of the lesser priced Rega's (P-3 and below). The Cezk offerings from ProJect and Music Hall are better sub 1k tabes, again, IMO.

You may also want to look at the Technics 1200 mk IV (or whatever the latest variant is !), there is a bonifide 'Cult following' for this table. Tons of info over @ www.audiocircle.com

Of course if you're willing to save up a bit and stretch your budget myself and quite a few others on the forum (MiTT, SloGeezer to name a couple) are VPI fans.
 
Though I'm a Rega lover, that SOTA Comet is a nice table. It has adjustable VTA and a little bit bigger sound than a P3.

However the new P3-24 with the power supply and a Groovetracer subplatter upgrade is quite incredible, but now we are rocketing away from your original price point...

I found a very nice SOTA Sapphire locally without arm for $350. this was kind of a screaming deal, but you should be able to find one with some kind of arm for about 6-700 bucks. Add your favorite $400 cartridge and you have an awfully nice setup that will resolve a lot of music.

And the older SOTA's can be upgraded (motor and power supply) all the way to Nova status, with vacuum hold down should you get way into the vinyl thing, which is pretty comforting.

Stay away from a used Oracle! Lots of motor problems. Ask me about my Oracle motor issues someday... Beautiful table, great sound, rarely works. UGH.
 
I'm curious about this topic as well. i hope to be upgrading my old Denon in the next few months.

how does the rega P3 compare in construction quality to the Pro-ject Debut III? i know the P3 has a better arm but they look similar and the Pro-ject in person looks pretty cheaply made.

seems the scout for a few more bucks is the way to go.
 
how does the rega P3 compare in construction quality to the Pro-ject Debut III? i know the P3 has a better arm but they look similar and the Pro-ject in person looks pretty cheaply made..


Not really 'apples to apples' comparison, considering the P-3 is approx. three times the price. The Project Debut III compares to the P-1.

For comparing the P-3, I suggest you take a look @ the Music Hall MMf 5.1SE, same price, respectable construction, good looking but I will admitt I have zero knowledge as to it's sonic merits. FWIW, I did own the MMf 9.1 and thought it to be a very fine table for the $$ spent.
 
thanks!

i think that's what had me a little concerned about the P3. it's 3x the money but looks a lot like the Pro-ject Debut III. but you're right the P1 is a better comparison. but i have read good things about the P3.

i'll look into the Musical Hall as well.
 
Recently from e bay ( dealer in Scotland, not even run in) I purchased a project RPM 10 and it comes with the RPM tone arm. I have had a few turntables in my time including the MUCH OVER RATED Linn stuff. I like the Project. I am currently using an Audiotec ATOC9 cart, and I believe that this arm will take more expensive carts. The sound is quite good indeed.
There are some reviews for the RPM 10, and I believe that the Sumiko carts go very well with it.

System

http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7175
 
Last edited:
And what makes the LP-12 "Much overrated"....

Just curious. Not a Linn owner anymore, but after having
one for a while I can understand the lure. They've sold
about 200 thousand of them, so it's hard to believe all Linn
owners have been duped.

The Pro ject 9, 9.1 and 10 mate very well with the Sumiko
Blackbird.
 
And what makes the LP-12 "Much overrated"....

Just curious. Not a Linn owner anymore, but after having
one for a while I can understand the lure. They've sold
about 200 thousand of them, so it's hard to believe all Linn
owners have been duped.

The Pro ject 9, 9.1 and 10 mate very well with the Sumiko
Blackbird.


Why did you give your up ?
I had a LINN LP 12 with Ekos tonearm, I never liked it. I think it depends really on what you want, Linn trade in dynamics for imaging etc. From my observations they are always selling second hand, and I have noticed this from the early nineties. ( the hifi for sale sections in the journals and recently the internet) The Ekos arm is good. Ivor T is indeed one hell of a business man.
 
Last edited:
There are plenty of great 'tables being made in all price ranges, from the sublime, to the ridiculous. What flavor do you like?
 
Why did you give your up ?
I had a LINN LP 12 with Ekos tonearm, I never liked it. I think it depends really on what you want, Linn trade in dynamics for imaging etc. From my observations they are always selling second hand, and I have noticed this from the early nineties. ( the hifi for sale sections in the journals and recently the internet) The Ekos arm is good. Ivor T is indeed one hell of a business man.

As a long time LP12 owner I disagree. The Linn doesn't trade dynamics for imaging or anything else. Were you siting the Linn on the rack pictured in your system? If so than you didn't get the best from it. Linns demand placement on light stands as heavy racks defeat the suspension and rob the table of its dynamics, bass and PRaT.

Having sold more high-end tables than anyone else, Linns should be well represented on the used market. People get out of the hobby, die, get divorced, need the cash, etc. There are plenty of reasons to sell a TT that have nothing to do with the sonics.

I agree the Ekos is a good arm.
 
Though I don't have one any more, I'm still a fan. It was a great table.

I used to have mine on a Finite Elmente Pagode rack with a MoFi 3.5C
cart, and that baby imaged like crazy! Not the easiest to set up, but our
tech editor is a Linn Magician and he had mine dialed!

I hope to hear the new LP-12 one of these days..

A lot of people screw up their LP-12s. That's the guy to buy a used one from!, the person who's ****ed at it and will sell it for a song.

I know that's kind of evil, but.....
 
Last edited:
I have an old (1976) LP 12 upgraded over the years (lingo cirkus) and recently set up and retuned at my place by my trusty Linn trained but independent ML Hi Fi dealer. I have heard it against the new fully fledged Linn + Keel which delivers excellent increase in resolution. Bass bloom is much tempered but slight warm colouration a la Koetsu. remains enjoyable. Fascinating contrast to Clearaudio Master Solution which beat it hands down for clarity space speed rhythm and detail but not 100% convinced re emotional communication. Then I heard of Spires and moved there first as reported elsewhere!!
Back more on topic, a second hand Linn plus trusty setup assistance remains a good option. Just put on your ear muffs if the dealer enters Linnspeak and he has that glazed cerebral Linnplant look!!

Bruce
 
Just put on your ear muffs if the dealer enters Linnspeak and he has that glazed cerebral Linnplant look!!

Bruce
Reminds me - when shopping for a new turntable I once asked a Linn dealer the price of the LP12. His response was, "There is no such thing". I asked him what the hell he was talking about, and he went on to explain that Linn had changed every part since the LP12 came out, so there was no such thing as an LP12. Again I asked him the price of the TT as I was seriously shopping for one. Again I got the same BS from him. I bought a VPI instead.
 
Too much BS to handle, Bernard? Fair enough:)

I've not heard an LP12 for ages... but the old LP12/Ekos/Troika driving Isobariks via Linn LK amps was a classic. I can hear it now in my memory from years ago... So if any of you get the chance to buy that system configuration 2nd hand, you have my complete assurance that I would think it was great (and great value for money), whether you liked it
or not:D! It'd bring happiness to my ears, at least:)
 

Latest posts

Back
Top