Advice needed on sub $1000 setup

Thanks Vandermeulen. I assume you mean the Denon DL304? If so, at $700 it is even more out of my range (unless I find a good used deal).

Unless I can find a good used deal, it is looking more like a new DL-160 will be the starting point. A good review (and lots of good comments) on the DL-160 - http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/frr.pl?ranlg&1031089600&read&d7&zzlFerrari

I've been eying the VP130 preamp...though I found a Lehmann black cube at a great price - haven't heard back from the seller yet, but if it isn't sold I'm going to give it a try (for less $$$ than the Bellari).

I'm also waiting to hear back on a used P3, but I'm going to need a cartridge. The Denon DL-160 appears to be a popular budget cartridge - even more so than the DL-103 which seems surprising. Also looking at inexpensive offerings from Benz and Rega....suggestions?

No joy on evil bay - only a seller in the UK At $470 ish. Did find a general electronics store in Washington selling the 304 for $382 - but this guy sells everything from vacuums to security cams - doesn't make me comfortable that I'll really get what I ordered. Anyone dealt with these guys? http://www.garrett-smarthome.com/proddetail.php?prod=DL-304

Well, looks like a modified Rega P3 is coming my way. Haven't heard back on the pre yet and still need a cartridge...The 304 looks like a sweet cart, but probably out of my budget at the moment (I was out of work for 49 weeks! Just started back...)

Bmckenney - I hear you on the acoustic treatment and agree a little money here can greatly improve a system. I've done a little work in this area but should do more. The reason behind the vinyl rig is I have a decent LP collection that I seldom play. My table is a Yamaha P-520 (direct drive, auto) that I bought over 25 years ago when I was in college. The cartridge is some inexpensive AT that was purchased at the same time as the table and I'm using a junk $20 pre to send it into my B&K. A $1000 (or less) vinyl rig is going to be like night and day.

Thanks Knownothing. The P3 I'm getting is the older P3, not the P3-24, so I think that means the shell is a 2-point mount, not a 3 point like the new RB301 arm (mine is a RB300 arm). The new Rega carts appear to be designed for 3 point mount. Can anyone tell me if they will still work on a RB300 arm?

BTW - I heard back on the Lehmann pre - so it is down to picking a cartridge. Thus far I've spent $700 for a Rega P3 with a Deepgrove subplatter, custom hardwood plinth, and a spare motor, and a Lehmann black cube preamp. That leaves me about $300 for a cartridge.

Some of the candidates:
Rega Elys 2 (sold with the new P3-24, but will it work on the RB300 arm?)
Denon DL-160 (I've seen a few reports of happy users with the P2 and P3)
Denon DL-103 (haven't found any reports users with this on a RB300 arm yet)
Benz MC20EL2 (prior owner used a Benz Ace, more $$$ than I can spare right now. Saw a few good reports on the low end Benz)
others?

Bmckenney - looks like you advice on the DL103 was spot on - I found the cartridge data base - http://www.cartridgedb.com/ which has a cartridge resonance calculator. The 103 would require significant weight added to the arm to fall in the ideal range (which correlates nicely with reports I read of people placing a coin on the headshell of a RB300 to make the 103 come to life. no thanks).

Both the DL160 and the 10x fall in the idea range. Unfortunately the best price I've found for the 10x is $430 - a bit high for me at the moment. I'm tempted to try the DL160, but still hunting for a deal on the 10x....

Well, after reading tons of reviews I kept seeing people mention the DL-160 and how they liked it. I finally decided that at some point I was going to have to try a DL-160 even if I wound up settling on a much higher end cart (not that I have the money for that at the moment). Not seeing any deals on my target higher end carts I went ahead and ordered a new DL-160 along with some cleaning supplies from needle doc. Many thanks to everyone for your assistance. I'll report back in a few weeks and let you all know how it turns out.

Cheers,
Mark

The modified Rega P3 arrived yesterday. Custom hardwood plinth (massive), Deepgrove subplatter, RB300 arm...I plugged in the motor and discovered there was a pulsing sound from the motor (disconnected the belt to make sure it wasn't the platter). Bummer...haven't solved that one yet, but working on it.

Not having my cart or phono preamp yet I decided to give it a try using my over 25 year old well worn Signet TK1EA cart and the junk phono pre I picked up from Frys several years back. I really wasn't expecting much - even if the P3 was way better than my old Yamaha TT, I expected the results to be masked by the worn cheap cart and the lousy pre amp. More importantly I wanted to find out of the motor pulsing sound would be audible when playing music.

Much to my surprise - not only did the pulsing stay out of the audio path, but there was a noticeable improvement in clarity and detail over my old table. So much that even my wife noticed - commenting that there was much more depth to the music.

Can't wait to hear what it sounds like with the new cart and pre!

BTW - I have to add I had forgotten how much I enjoyed playing LPs compared to CDs. Music is fundamentally an analog experience - and placing the needle on the spinning vinyl disc (and watching it play) somehow completes the experience in a way that placing a CD into a digital machine (essentially a computer) can not.