Need a TT recommendation, less than $500

DaveHo
DaveHo Posts: 3,529
edited July 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
Alright, here's the story. I have less than 50 lp's from when I had a TT during the 80's & early 90's. Visited a couple mom & pop record stores the last few months which has re-kindle my interest in vinyl. Recently, I picked up a used TT off ClList, which turned out to be an exercise in frustration trying to get it set-up properly. It very much reminded me why I went with a no muss, no fuss p-mount setup back then. Soooo, I'm looking for a NEW TT, something I can unbox & go with. I'm sure this is blasphmey to the experienced vinyl addicts here, but, I have no interest in any set-up BS. As I said unbox & go. This TT will be more of a nostalgia & show my kids the "old" days kind of thing than a real passion. That said, I don't want some $100 USB TT piece of garbage. Who know, maybe this whim will go futher than I think. I have my eye on a Music Hall mmf 2.2. Can I do better?

-Dave
Post edited by DaveHo on
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Comments

  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2011
    Rega RP1, done.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • brgman
    brgman Posts: 2,859
    edited July 2011
    My Pro-Ject does a great job.
    Main Rig-Realistic AM/FM Record player 8 track boasting 4 WPC

    Backup Rig-2 CH-Rogue Audio Zeus w/Factory Special Dark Mods,Joule-Electra 300ME Platinum Preamp,OPPO-105 w/Modwright Tube Mod, Auralic Aries G2.1,Polk 2.3TL,3.1TL's,Dreadnought,RTA-15TL's,1C's All Fully Modded,2xRTA-12c's ,Benchmark DAC3 HGC,Synology NAS,VPI Scout w/Dynavector DV-20XH and Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamp,Sony PCM-R500 DAT,HHB-850 Pro CDR,Tascam CC-222SLMKII Cassette/CDR,MIT S3.3 Shotgun Cables,Shunyata Hyra-8,Shunyata and Triode Labs Power Cords

    I’M OFFENDED!!!!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2011
    Rega.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Rodeo0530
    Rodeo0530 Posts: 797
    edited July 2011
    I love my Pro-ject as well.


    Front - Polk Audio Monitor 70
    Center - Polk Audio CS2
    Rear - Polk Audio TSi 100
    Sub - Klipsch rw-10d
    AVR - Onkyo ht-rc180
    Main Amp- Parasound HCA-2003
    Surround Amp- Sonance Sonamp 260
    Tuner- Parasound tdq-1600
    Turntable- Pro-ject Debut III USB w/upgraded platter
    IPod dock - Pure i20
    TV - Panasonic Viera tc-p46g10
    Sony Playstation 3(250GB)
    Nintendo Wii
    Power Conditioner- Panamax 5100

    Not in use-
    Polk Audio Monitor 60
    Polk Audio PSW10
    Parasound p/sp-1000
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  • quadzilla
    quadzilla Posts: 1,543
    edited July 2011
    A music hall or pro-ject would be a good table. And if you buy it at a local shop or through needle dr., it will come all set up.
    Turntable: Empire 208
    Arm: Rega 300
    Cart: Shelter 501 III
    Phono Pre: Aural Thrills
    Digital: Pioneer DV-79ai
    Pre: Conrad Johnson ET3 SE
    Amp: Conrad Johnson Evolution 2000
    Cables: Cardas Neutral Reference
    Speakers: SDA 2.3TL, heavily modified
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2011
    I think in that bracket, Rega.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited July 2011
    rega.

    RT1
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited July 2011
    Rega and be done.
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  • decal
    decal Posts: 3,205
    edited July 2011
    I'm very happy with my Pro-Ject RPM1.3.
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited July 2011
    Keiko wrote: »
    Dave, not all will agree with me, but I absolutely love my Technics SL-1210M5G. Pair it with a nice cartridge and they offer a lot of bang for the buck. Currently, I'm using a Dynavector 10x5 with mine and have a Denon DL160 for backup.

    I tweaked mine a bit more with a Sumiko HS12 headshell, Herbies, Way Excellent Turntable Mat and one of Joe's clamps. It's a modest rig, but for what I have invested, I'm quite happy.

    +1 on the Technics 1200. I owned a ProJect 1.2 with Ortofon OM-30 cartride and while it sounded good, your not going to find a better built table for under $500 than a Technics 1200 (with possible exception of some vintage Thorens). I have done extensive mods on mine and it only gets better. I have heard many tables that were much more expensive than mine and my table hangs with any of them.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited July 2011
    Some options.

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RERP1

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MHMMF2%2E2

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=THTD158

    http://www.musicdirect.com/p-903-pro-ject-rm-13-gloss-black-turntable.aspx
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,529
    edited July 2011
    Thanks for all the feedback. After doing some more reading, I'm leaning toward the Pro-ject Debut III. What would I be giving up by going with this over the slightly more expensive Rega RP1? Keep in mind the last table I owned was a $100 Sony linear tracker from the 80's, so any of the options presented here would be an upgrade. The Pro-ject's lower price & excellent reviews have me swayed that direction.

    -Dave
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2011
    Either table is a winner.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited July 2011
    Spend another $80.00 and buy a Spin Clean too, or those old LPs may sound really nasty. This sucker really works!

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370198006284&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited July 2011
    Bag-o-**** chenpangpang reported.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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