A great place to buy a table is at Audio Elements in Pasadena. Shop owner Brian Berdan learned the art and science of arm/cartridge/turntable set-up and optimization from his Dad, the legendary Brooks Berdan (R.I.P.).
Any luck with the TT hunt? I'm a local in the Toluca Lake area. It could be the generational gap (just turned 31) between myself and other sound guys that's stood in the way of meeting folks more passionate about audio than I am.
I moved from the San Fernando Valley a couple years ago after spending much of my adult life there. Try Shelley's Audio in Woodland Hills. They're good people. I don't know if Upscale Audio still has an actual showroom, but they really aren't that far away from the Valley. I enjoyed going there. Audio Element is a quality place, too.
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