[Poll] Best Turntables for Under $1600 (w/arm)? (pick 3)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Cyclone Ranger, Jun 12, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. russk

    russk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse NY
    I have an RP6, great table, super easy set up, consistent performer. That said I voted for the RP6, the PolyTable, and other. The other tables that would now be my first choices would be a Vinyl Nirvana Thornes with a Jelco Arm or the new Technics 1200GR.

    I bought my RP6 before I heard one of Vinyl Nirvana's tables and long before Technics brought the 1200 back. If however you need simple, plug and play, and a consistently great sounding table you can't go wrong with the RP6.
     
    ddarch likes this.
  2. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    It's just so much cooler-looking, isn't it? :cool:

    Of course, so many higher-end TTs don't even come with a dustcover anymore, for some idiotic reason.

    And if you want one you have to pay a couple or three hundred dollars. For a simple. plastic. box. Derp. :crazy:

    Fortunately, there's a plastics shop near my house that'll probably do one up for me custom for half that.

    But still... when exactly did dustcovers become luxury items??
    .
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2017
    H8SLKC and patient_ot like this.
  3. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Indeed. And now that the new Rega Planar 6 is probably only weeks away from releasing, those older RP6 'tables are starting to go on clearance.

    Case in point (as of this writing):

    Shop Music Equipment - Music Direct
    .
     
  4. BlackStrat_Fan

    BlackStrat_Fan That's like your opinion, man!

    Location:
    Woodland Hills, CA
    Um..wow! I am seriously about to pull the trigger on a NEW P3 without cartridge, but an RP6 without cartridge and with a PSU is the same price as the new P3 with cartridge. I may have to move on this.
     
  5. matteos

    matteos Stereotype

    Location:
    US
    Lenco L75 - Rebuild with a very heavy plinth and a new tonearm. Get some idler drive magic for less than $1600.

    It will however be a "project" - not something you pick up off the shelf and plug and play.
     
  6. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Hmm... five 'tables are dominating the vote...

    VPI Scout Jr.
    Rega RP6 (old one)
    Rega Planar 3 (2017)
    Clearaudio Concept
    GEM Dandy PolyTable


    On the flip side, the Pro-Ject selections are doing particularly badly.
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2017
  7. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Just to complicate matters... if the new Rega Planar 6 is lots better than the RP6 (in the same way that the new Planar 3 is apparently lots better than the old RP3), and Rega is aggressive enough to keep the price at the $1495 level or close... you could wind up being a bit regretful that you didn't wait and save your pennies for that one. The new Planar 6 could possibly be a category-killer, or at least it might bear seeing if it is.

    That said, some of the deals on RP6s are so good right now that the $$ downside of getting one and then selling it used later ain't much.

    .
     
  8. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
    muletrane and NOS300B like this.
  9. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
    NOS300B likes this.
  10. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    I haven't heard all the candidates so I'll refrain from voting. It does warm my heart to see so many turntables are in production.
     
    Cyclone Ranger likes this.
  11. Davey

    Davey NP: Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher ~ Inner Symphonies

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    A couple other ideas ...

    I think you can pick up a new Michell TecnoDec with Rega RB250 for just over $1600 in the US, less in the UK, so guess maybe it doesn't quite make the cut in some parts of the world, but it's been around forever, still seems a pretty good buy with a design dating back at least to the very cool looking glass-based Syncro ...

    [​IMG]

    And there are some industrial looking Chinese tables entering the market via ebay now too, such as this one marketed by FFYX as T4a Solid Aluminum Air Flotation Bearing Turntables ... there seems to be a whole range of tables around $1200-$1500, mostly marketed with levitation bearings or something similar ...

    [​IMG]



    And while it does retail for close to $2000, there are some pretty nice deals coming around on the unique looking Thorens TD 309 dropping it into this $1600 range, which has some innovative features in this price range, including a sprung subchassis and speed adjustment via both mechanical and electronic means, and fully adjustable tonearm for all alignment parameters ... the TD 206/209 below it in price (which I mentioned in another post above, the TD 206 is the "normal" design with rectangular plinth) inherits most of the features except the sprung chassis, and I've seen the price going below $1000 for new demo units ... I don't think these are selling very well and may not hold value ...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
    Shiver likes this.
  12. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    The new Thorens tables seem to be not very popular here in the U.S. Also not easy to move on the used market, so probably not holding value. A few months back a local guy couldn't even move one for 1/2 off retail.
     
  13. I'll stick with my AT120LP-USB(with various carts) and my Accutrac +6(with Shure M97xe), then spend the rest of the money on records. No sense spending more on a turntable than the people who make the records use.
     
  14. Davey

    Davey NP: Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher ~ Inner Symphonies

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Yea, I know, we talked about that back on the first page :)

    There's a black TD 206 dealer return on ebay right now open for bids, I imagine someone will probably get it for a pretty decent price, maybe well below $1000...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
    patient_ot likes this.
  15. dchang81

    dchang81 Forum Resident

    aren't they outsourced nowadays?
     
  16. Davey

    Davey NP: Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher ~ Inner Symphonies

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    At least the 206/209 series and above are all made in Germany. I'm not sure if that implies a Thorens factory or some other source, I think Thorens may just be the design company now, they do carry on the TP-series tonearms and other features from the past, and seem to have a strong family resemblance in the upper models, which go very high end now with their new line of classic suspended tables (below). Some of the less expensive models are very likely out-sourced, maybe even from Pro-Ject.


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
    patient_ot likes this.
  17. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA

    Sadly, no. The TecnoDec with arm costs $1995 in the US. Otherwise, it would've been eligible for the poll (and likely would've done well in it).

    Though as you mention, it is a screaming deal in the UK... more like $1300 w/arm, at current exchange rates...

    .
     
  18. Davey

    Davey NP: Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher ~ Inner Symphonies

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Well, like I said, it's available here for much cheaper than retail, just have to look around, $1400-$1600 with RB250 ... Michell Engineering TecnoDec Turntable w/RB250 Arm w/VTA/finger-nut/TecnoWeight | eBay ... but most of the tables are available at good discounts if you don't mind shopping for it. Technically speaking, you're right, it retails for above the poll limit, but just wanted people to know that deals are out there that bring some nice(r) tables into this range :)

    And since I'm kind of in the picture posting mood, and mentioned the Michell Syncro above in relation to the TecnoDec, I've been eyeing one on ebay recently, love the look of this table with all the glass, this one has no arm but I do have one that I would love to put on it, probably never happen, but ...



    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
  19. misterclean

    misterclean Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Not sure what the purpose of this thread is, considering that the vast majority of us have probably only heard one or two of the models that you've mentioned, if that.

    Or are you really asking which turntables we find to be the most aesthetically-pleasing? Or maybe even, which turntables do we 'think' would probably sound the best?
     
    kenbefound likes this.
  20. Davey

    Davey NP: Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher ~ Inner Symphonies

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Like most threads here, I think it's just for fun. That's how I think most here take it. It's fun to talk about turntables, even if you haven't heard them :)
     
  21. misterclean

    misterclean Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Trust me, I'm not trying to be a spoil-sport. I'm just sayin'. :)
     
  22. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    The purpose of this thread is to have ppl speculate about what the purpose of this thread is... ;)
    .
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
  23. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Well, I started to vote, but then I rememborized, that I have only been exposed to a few, and then only briefly. Gone are the days (in my area) that one can peruse audio gear locally.
    So, how can I vote on what is better?
    I could vote on what I perceive is better - but that was not what the thread title states.
    So, I don't vote...maybe I should to see how others voted?
    But, what would that mean?
     
  24. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock Thread Starter

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Music Hall 7.3 has joined the frontrunners.
    .
     
  25. ATSMUSIC

    ATSMUSIC Senior Member

    Location:
    MD, USA
    really enjoying this thread and i like the rules.
     
    Cyclone Ranger likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine