[Poll] Best $1000–Class Turntable(s)? (pick up to three)

please share how you know all this - how you know the u-turn doesn't sound as good or better - or did you do measurements
the sol I see in the video suffers severe lateral platter run out - like the wheel on a cartoon wagon - who is platter wobble competing with? - or that part of "entry"
I think maybe you are listening with your eyes - do you think this is possible?
- so you have heard - lived with both tables?
Michael

 

you lecture me - insult me - call me "combative" - "belligerent" - based on 100% speculation - based on nothing
maybe the lack of continuity with my posts to the conversation is due to things or forces of which you know - nothing
do you think that might be - possible?
Michael

 

Except maybe that other thread where you had a great many posts of yours deleted, and got a great many ppl mad at you by behaving like a royal horse's patoot. Sigh.

Oh noes... mysterious forces! Who knew?!?

Nah. You just have very rudimentary social skills. Work on it... this isn't How To Be An EdgeLord 101.

Out.
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When did I lecture or insult you? I commented on the content of your posts, which are combative and belligerent. No speculation, they are right here for anybody to read.

If you do not provide any continuity in your posts by quoting what you are referencing, how are we to know what the hell you are talking about? You still haven’t clarified what the “BS” in question is. You could have cleared this all up instead of taking the whole “I wasn’t talking to you/You don’t know me!” path. I genuinely want to know to what you were referring with your “getting twisted over BS” comment, but you haven’t put any of your subsequent posting energy into explaining.

 

Thorens TD206/209 should be in the poll, and the TD309. The Funk Gett! is also an interesting turntable.

 

You are overthinking this. The Sol just came out, there is no way I could have heard it yet. When I wrote they "aspire to be better" - that came directly from their description on their own website, and I do wish them success in that. If they can eventually compete with the bigger boys at only $799 - kudos to them.

As far as U-Turn, I don't need to go hear it - I wouldn't be interested to do so based on their specs alone - they are decidedly entry-level, whether you think so or not. Not saying they sound bad, but I already own one entry-level table, and wouldn't need another, from this point forward I go only up the hi-fi ladder.

 

All of those are too expensive for the poll.

And even if they suddenly weren’t, Thorens has two ‘tables in it already.
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In Europe, the TD203 is a 700 euro turntable and the 206/209 is 900 euro and the 309 is 1300 euro. The Funk Gett! is 600 euro.

As a comparison, the Mofi StudioDeck is a 1400 euro turntable.

 

Yes, but in the US, most of those Thorens (206, 209, 309) and Funk Firm ‘tables are $1500 to $2000 USD.

The Thorens 203, which you just brought up now, is $1100 MSRP (though currently heavily discounted below that), and is in the poll.

Meanwhile, the StudioDeck is $1200 here.
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Been extremely happy with mine it was a great upgrade over the 120

 

People are quick to dismiss the AT based on past tables or the misconception that it’s a hanpin( it is not). Take a closer look and you might be surprised. On the fly VTA, delrin platter, measured .04 wow and flutter, Take a look, give it a listen

 

Not bad, but the noise floor of only >60 dB is a big drag, plus the perennial suspect - the built-in phono are the two things that clip its wings on the way to "hi-fi".

 

The tone arm isn’t that cheap. I mean compared to high end yes but compared to others in its price range and even some above it’s actually a very well made arm. The composite that the plastic looking parts are made of is a glass reinforced polymer that is very strong. I’ve had one for 2 years and the heafshell hasn’t given me any problems. compared to your average Hanpin or Yahorng the arm is higher quality.
That said what I don’t get about uturn is that there is no aftermarket. Every part of the table is easy to replicate because it’s so simple. You think someone would try to make sub platter or Motor kit or something. Seems like an easy platform to modify.
I have really enjoyed mine so far. It has limitations but I feel you have to spend 600 ot maybe more to start getting better than a loaded orbit.

 

That's a really good point... Regas, for instance, have aftermarket mods to heck and back, but there's really nothing or almost nothing for the U-Turn.

Is it because it's an entry-level 'table, and third parties just assume that the acceptable price of any mods would be too low? Hmm.
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Part of that might be market penetration. Rega has been around for quite awhile, and they have multiple models which aftermarket parts could be applied to. Rega is fairly new, and while making a big splash I doubt they have nothing compared to Rega in terms of total number of units in the market place.

Maybe give it 5 more years and let UTurn come out with a couple distinct models and we'd see an aftermarket start to emerge. I do still hope UTurn comes out with another table that would be a step up from their current option. It might not make sense for them financially, but I'd be very curious to see what they could produce for under $1000.

 

I'm curious about the price ranges you list here. Not an argument; I don't know enough about turntables to presume I know better. But wouldn't you say a table like the Rega P2 is an honest step up from say a Debut carbon or a P1? In Canadian dollars, the jump from a P1 to P3 is about a grand, isn't the P2 a worthwhile stepping stone up the ladder?

 

If someone was dead on on the Rega P1 vs the P2, and had no turntabe, I would tell them the P2 is likely worth the money.
If someone owned a P1, I would tell them to pass on the P2 and save up longer for a more substantial jump.
That's just my opinion.

 

Hi, Noel. Be aware that the price gap between the P1 and P3 isn’t really almost a grand, as you can get the P3 w/out a cartridge for $1199 CAD, compared to $599 CAD for the P1 (which translates to about $900 and $450 USD, respectively).

Far as the lineup goes, yes, the P2 is better than the P1, but both are sorta kinda ‘lifestyle’ TTs... many ppl agree that the lineup doesn’t really start to ‘get good’ ‘til the P3.

Which isn’t to say that the P1 and P2 aren’t decent choices at their respective price points, especially at UK pricing (about $325 and $525 USD-equivalent, respectively). They have attractive, modern styling, for one thing.

BUT, sonically, ppl tend to think in terms of ‘steps up’. Are the P1 and even P2 a BIG step up from a good entry-level TT? Many ppl seem to say, “not so much”. But is the P3? Most would say yes, safe to say.

I agree with the other poster who says that if someone already had a P1, and wanted a big step up, don’t get the P2, save up for a P3 (or go used).
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Good to know about the Regas. I'm awaiting a P2, ordered it last week. The Debut carbon I have is showing it's weaknesses as I have been upgrading other parts of my system. Hope the P2 is a step up. I couldn't quite afford a P3 and had read some reviews that suggested the P2 is worthy of a better cartridge to become a rather nice rig.

 

Best of luck, hope it works out.

Report back on your impressions if you feel like.
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