Best turntable under $4000

@lewm

your statements about the S&P 500 show how unsophisticated you are when it comes to money... 

so it wouldn't surprise me if you think stereo gear represents a sound long-term investment strategy... 

But like I said, if people have money to burn and want to spend it on expensive stereo gear - or any other bling that turns 'em on - well, OK.  And, if one wants to spend $4000 on a turntable, or a piece of wire for that matter, and they really do enjoy it that much more than a less expensive tt or wire, well I guess that's OK too (as long as they don't hypocritically btch about the evils of marketing or selfish capitalism itself, lol) if that's where their values reside... my own value system, and thus my own money, resides elsewhere...  but at this point I'm repeating myself.

But, just don't expect me to agree that one needs to spend $4000 on a turntable to get excellent sound.  And the last thing you want to do is try to convince me that stereo gear is some sort of "investment" in the financial sense.  

all that said, 

congratulations on your Kenwood.  I'm sure it's a very nice piece.  

@curtdr

I just can’t wrap my head around this. You come on this site where people have a passion for audio and music and exchange valuable information with each other. Since you claim to be a big time investor a site like this would be more to your  likin' ! Kapish?

Like Wood: At $4,500, I would research this DD model

I think Curt is a “money manager”, aka investment advisor, pimping for new clients.

@yogiboy

@lewm

I am not a "big time" investor, and I am not a money manager looking for new clients. I am a systematic and patient investor, using the power of compounding and time over decades to ultimately produce a reliable income that means security. But that process can be seriously damaged by unwise spending. And, in fact, I would advise against most money managers, because automatic investing in index funds is not only the best way to do it, but also quite simple IF one just takes the time to read a book or two...

And I do feel sad when I see people damaging their financial futures by throwing money at things that ultimately don’t matter to performance: especially young people who damage their futures by buying fancy blingy toys, like fancy new cars or unnecessarily expensive audio equipment to impress their so-called friends... but, hey, if one has money to burn and bling is a priority for whatever reason, then have at it, but I am not impressed. Bling is pretty to look at and toys are fun to handle, but aren’t people here more interested in music reproduction? (well, maybe not... some people here are more technophiles and blingophiles than musicphiles.)

What I AM is an audio enthusiast with a passion for music - ... for music ... - reproduced in a high-quality rich natural enjoyable way with livable components, but here’s my twist, as an antidote for the spend-crazy faction on this site: frugality. Frugality is being wise with money. My speciality in the audio world is excellent music production that can be, with care and knowledge, had for surprisingly little money through the careful selection of high-value products.

Many people on this site are enamored with bling or with impressing each other with how much money they spend on things that are ultimately trivial for the excellent reproduction of music. I am providing a contrarian view, a view carefully come to over four decades in the hobby, to that tendency. The throw-money-at-it tendency is a real disservice to anybody who, for example, might be new to the hobby or who might not actually realize, because maybe they never tried it, having been convinced by deluded audiofools who equate spending money with achieving excellent sound, that high-level audio can be had for surprisingly little money.

Some people on this site don’t want to hear any of that though...

It's been awhile since I've been on the Gon. Glad to see we still have knuckleheads posting that have no interest in HiFi or listening to good music but would rather grab a turntable off a garbage pile and spin a scratched Springsteen record. Wish Chaskster was still on to argue with everyone. I speak to him weekly btw, he's doing well if anyones interested. 

Regarding the OP's quest. I'm a direct drive lover. My 1200 GR get's fired up daily with vintage MM carts.  Luxman and Victor are ready to roll too. 

knollbrent

Glad to hear that Chakster is doing well, I miss him here as well. He passed on his knowledge and experience gave me good advice. Say hi for me.

Well there are some fine suggestions here, I doubt the Basis turntable /arm combo available on US Audiomart would be bested by any of them. Most of the ones suggested are not in the same league. Basis tables are a great combo of simple but very well thought out design combined w/ a very level of build quality & reliability. The Vector 4 arm on that table now sells for over$6000 & just about worth the asking price itself assuming good condition. It’s easy to set up w/ excellent detailed videos by the late founder & designer, AJ Conti & full support & parts ( other than a new belt , unlikely anything required) fully available as the company is fully operational. 
 

I recently installed a DS audio E1 on my 17 year old VPI Scout with a dramatic improvement in sound quality. As I used my phono preamp as trade-in it was a pretty economic upgrade. If you like your TT, that might be a way to gradually improve your analog.

Curt, what’s funny to me is that you think $4000 is an extravagant, irresponsible amount of money to spend on a TT and tonearm. Whereas I rank it as a sweet spot where you can get a lot of bang for the buck, and I rank your hypothetical $100 Sansui as either your joke on us or an indication of self delusion. Yes, we agree that there is such a thing as ridiculously expensive, but I’d put that threshold much higher. Your original post elicited so much ire I think mostly because most of us are old fogies who have earned our money and are comfortable enough financially that there is absolutely nothing sacrificed by spending $4000 on a turntable. I have investments in tax-free bonds and mutual funds, and I don’t even live off their earnings. I simply roll them over. I am fortunate in that I can do that and still buy a $4000 turntable, if I wanted to. But as I already own five turntables that are always up and running into two different systems, I am not in the market for another turntable. If you look at the system pages of many of the guys who comment here, you will find that many of us own very elaborate systems that are very well thought out and not extravagant by modern  criteria. In other words, you are preaching to the converted, but more than that you are preaching to those who do not want to be preached to. If all that matters to you is accumulating static wealth, then also, you came to the wrong place.

@lewm if you have the money to burn, have at it.  

as for Sansui being a joke, that's news to me... at least as vintage products, they are generally well-respected.  It certainly doesn't perform as a joke; as far as turntables are concerned it's still rock solid.  Now, if you'd say having spent $4000 on a vintage turntable of ANY sort is joke, well then there we can agree.

... and vintage stuff is fun and nice to handle and look at... but I've moved away from vintage, overall; I don't need the clutter any more... just have a couple last older items remaining.  

Indeed, turntables overall are a nostalgia trip, honestly.  Maybe that's why the "fogies" you describe like them!  I used to like 'em too, and still do I guess, sort of... and yes they do sound different (different) than most digital sources... noisier... and they are fun to use, I suppose...   

Hey, if $4000+ turntables turn you on, all is well, in the end; you are expressing your values.  However, nothing - and I mean nothing - that I've ever seen nor heard has convinced me that $4000+ for a turntable is necessary by any stretch to achieve fine audio.. other than a stretch of magical thinking.  At that pricepoint, sure they're pretty and cool and fun to show off "wow" and nice to handle, and sure they sound nice but not necessary.  At that point they are more like elaborate shiny toys, high performance yes for sure, and toys are fun, I get it.  But one can get high-performance tt toys for far less money.

I stand by my assertions.

Curt, goodbye. I apologize for engaging you.

Not only are we chatting to ourselves, OP hasn't had anything to say in quite a while.

Next, a year or so, the conversation will be revived by someone.

That happens often enough on the Sony camera site, I get a kick out of it.

still having fun looking

this is nice looking, anyone know if wood veneer or paper wrap that looks like wood?

I always prefer 'add your own arm', and I read it could fit a 12" arm (need to confirm)

To get started, to see if you are going to stay in the game, this looks like a good choice

https://audio-database.com/YAMAHA/player/yp-d7.html

I don’t understand why some people recommend Technics. At best, entry level. I think if it as a general consumer item. DJs love them. 
 

I have been using the VPI HW for 38 years. For the last 10, the MK IV with SAM. 

Ignorance is treatable, dogma. Do some homework.

This Mark Levenson 515 is new to me, asking $4,900.

An Automatic Quartz Locked Direct Drive Beauty, $3,000. free ship

Removable Headshell, YAY!

Denon, open box, quartz direct drive, auto-lift with 2 arm wands

I have suggested the Toshiba / Aurex SR-510 on this forum in the past and got a bit of grief for the suggestion being made.

I own this model along with other Japanese Vintage Models.

I am not a fan of the Base of the Bearing Housing, it will need a little extra thought and design put in place to enable the Bearing Modifications I like to see utilised put in place.

I have listened to one for a short period and have no concerns for the performance, it has shown another model that is well sought after to be wanting, and as a base model, has great potential. This is one I look forward to becoming a completed modification project, in my view, when complete, it will seriously hold its own against the most sought after standard versions, or even modified versions of DD TT's from the same era of production.

I learnt of this TT through a member of another forum, and one who is possibly the most experienced of Vintage through to Hi End Modern Vinyl Replay equipment that I know. Their assessment of it in use, claims it has a presentation that is closely related to Micro Seiki DD TT's.

The SR-510 proved to be worthy for them to set it up with a Tonearm and Cart' with a Value of approx' £6000. This is the type of investment the user thought was able to be added to the TT and not be wasteful.

I know this TT was used without too much TLC added to the old mechanics, and the impression in this condition was reported on as being very good. My investigation of the mechanics of this TT has shown that a lot can be achieved by doing a little, but the ideal upgrade is presented with a few hurdles to be gotten over.   

It is seriously worth a Punt. What is an absolute reassurance for the OP is that the experience of this TT will not set them back anywhere near the $4K being proposed as a spend limit.     

Music Hall Stealth $1,649

Sumiko Starling $1,799

$3,500 before tax.

Sound quality: priceless!

@cpdkee,

I own the Clearaudio Concept Wood and am having a great experience with it.  If you decide to go this route, I strongly recommend the Satisfy Carbon tonearm option.  Also, if the phono preamp built into your excellent Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III supports MC, you can also consider the Concept MC cartridge with boron cantilever and microline stylus.  It's a great $1K cartridge that is often included in a package for ~ $400.   Wishing you the best in your search.

Acoustic Solid is similar to Transrotor but less expensive. You can buy one without the tonearm if you wanted to upgrade. Thomas Schick seems to be a fan of EMT turntables. Rega is a pretty safe option. 

My friend Jim (met here) has this Auto Technics previously posted, absolutely loves it

that’s NOS, this one, JUST LISTED, is Open Box

Micro Seiko BL 91......excellent table.....

Cheers.....

Tempting, $2,500.

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https://audio-database.com/VICTOR/player/ql-y66f.html

An underrated turntable on the cheap,

So a Realistic Lab400, valued at $350 CAD, or a JVC QLY66F, for sale for even less might actually be "the best turntable for under $4000"?  That's rhetorical, because I don't think so.  If you guys want to turn this thread into a "guide to inexpensive vintage turntables currently for sale", you may as well go for it, because the OP seems to have left the building.

@lewm the best turntable under $4,000.00, I never made such a claim but this Realistic isn’t the first table in it’s class to be mentioned here. I read the original post but the conversation has been meandering from page one. The Technics is the best table under $4,000.00, seriously? As far as I can tell, you were never appointed the ‘Director’ of this thread. Everyone has a vote but no one has a veto.

lewm,

OP is and has been non-communicative. Never even answered simple questions early in the thread.

As I said, I always imagine other people following the threads with TT interest, but different budgets, objectives.

And, despite a $4,000. budget, many less costly TT's are very good choices for some.

Add that I'm retired, have the time and it's fun looking every day for new listings, finding TT's I never knew existed, ...

Also, I always hope other members might chime in on a model I find/post.

I'm off to see new listings, primarily USA and Canada which has a strong Audiophile community.

this would scare me when new, a real risk used, but, for unique features:

The Accutrac 4000 features a computerized control panel, a'seeing" cartridge with infra-red electro optics, a "hands-off" tone arm, electronically controlled direct drive motor, a cordless remote transmitter. LED indicator receiver and integrated circuitry to eliminate cumbersome mechanical parts. The Accutrac 4000 combines the latest breakthroughs in MOS computer circuitry and the latest advancements in direct drive technology to create the State-of -the-Art for direct drive turntables.

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my 2012 Volvo C70 hard top convertible mechanism was a bit concern. I wanted a convertible, a decent back seat, and room for a wheelchair in the trunk to take my mother hither and thither (she just turned 100!)

I took the risk, so far lucky.

I showed one of these in bad shape earlier, this one is in decent shape. Repeat: I set one up for my friend (also met here),they are surprisingly solid and sound darn good. Automatic or Manual.

A decent start for someone jumping in to vinyl.

It does need someone who can make adjustments, the manual is available and clear to follow if handy.

Mounting cartridges for these far easier than pivoted arms. 

Nakamichi Dragon TT, never knew it existed

@elliottbnewcombjr You Stated the following 

"As I said, I always imagine other people following the threads with TT interest, but different budgets, objectives".

"Add that I'm retired, have the time and it's fun looking every day for new listings, finding TT's I never knew existed".

In response to your first statement, I am 100% with you, there are thousands of individuals looking in that do not post, always best to think of how a content provided might be of use to the broader community.

As for the second statement, the Link should speak for itself.

Enjoy.

pindac, others

I can paste links to things I find, a photo and part of the listing show up

HOWEVER

When I click on them, nothing happens.

The ones that show just the page address, I can copy and paste the link, or click on the address, it takes me to the proper page.

What happens when you click the ones with photos????

btw,

The camera forum I have been on since 2012, we encourage personal stories, and the site lets you send private messages with phone numbers, addresses, I have several new friends I have met and take photo trips together.

oh, right click the image 'open in new window' works!

I knew Micro Seiki had the DDX-1000, most compact TT that fits 3 tonearms, saw one at VAS with Steve and Ray

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/micro-seiki/ddx-1000.shtml

just saw they had a DDX-1500, fits 4 tonearms (says 4 short arms)

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/micro-seiki/ddx-1500.shtml

Scuffs in Dust Covers,

if not bad, an idea how to solve them:

I spilled Goof Off on one of mine (idiot).

I took my dust cover to my auto body shop, just like old headlight lenses, they polished it, like new

Goofy and Elliot, OK, perhaps I should have put it another way:  Many of the turntables you guys have recommended either suck outright or are going to be problematic for any newbie, because old TTs (e.g., greater than 20 years) with high degrees of automaticity (e.g., autolift at the end of an LP) are going to need service, if not in the short run then very soon thereafter. So, for a true newbie, which neither of you are, purchase of complex vintage TTs is not advisable, no matter how quaint any particular one of them may be.  An initial bad experience with a troublesome TT might alienate someone from vinyl altogether. I guess that's what got under my skin. I meant no offense.

lewm

true, all these are not meant for newbies, that's for them to decide,

others have varying skills, perhaps like me, didn't know that model existed.

newbie, like my two nephews, this will get em started enough to decide if they are going to stick with Vinyl.

$228. best price I found, orders confirmed, shipping/tracking issued (could have been a come-on)

I just sent them 100 lps each.

@lewm The best advice I could give to a newbie is to buy a belt driven transcription  type turntable. But even that comment would be met with disapproval. I’d also try educating that person on the various types of tonearms and how adding an after market tonearm to a good table with a stable motor can potentially reward the listener with a better rig. I’d also recommend potential buyers to visit their local dealers to find out what type of tables they offer. I believe the point is to plant a seed in the mind of newbies so they developed a curiosity and eventually understand the advantages and disadvantages regarding various design choices in both new and vintage turntables. I honestly think the best way to help on these forums is just to mention all of those things I mentioned above as they come to mind. There’s no way we can help someone completely, they are going to have to think for themselves. If someone looks at an $800.00 direct drive table and think it’s going to beat the flagship VPI in a listening test, then they just lack the brain power to make pragmatic choices and should have an appointed legal guardian to take care of their finances.

It’s not worth further discussion.

unusual from McIntosh: Integrated TT with Preamp and Amp Built-In

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That "Accutrac 4000" turntable.

Wasn't that the turntable on "COLUMBO  THE BYE BYE SKY-HIGH IQ MURDER CASE"?

Great song in the closing credits.

The Mc is way cool.

cpdkee OP

22 posts

01-28-2023 at 07:00am 

Thank you everyone for the responses.  All the feed back helped me narrow my search. Looks like I am going blow my budget on just the table and arm then buy the cartridge seperately. Thank you all

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did you buy a TT?

for your viewing pleasure, a Micro-Seiki with 3 tonearms installed

custom round table included. 6,000 euros

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here, TT only, $1,900. No armboards included (not readily available)

. you could make your own easily enough

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and 2 arms,

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vintage knob