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Buying a new TT today

So I’m pretty hellbent on buying a new TT today! Or should I be?!?!? 
I started off kind of sour on vinyl several years back when I ignorantly bought a cheap TT that had a built in phono stage.... Talk about a disappointment! And a buzz kill for vinyl!
Anyway a year or so later I bought a Project Carbon Debut and it blew my mind!!!!  The step up in most aspects of the TT, carbon fiber tone arm/heavier plinth/much heavier platter/motor and remote position/better cartridge in a Ortofon m2red, along with the fact the it was now running through my Integrated’s Phono Stage was just such a leap in sound that I never expected, that now I’m looking for yet another leap like that again lol
Anyway, with pocket flush with cash and headed to two hi-fi shops I pause....
In my new price range, $2,000 or so, should I be looking for a new TT? Or a new cartridge for the TT I have ?
thoughts.
264win

Showing 1 response by cakyol

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 
About 80% of the time, the stylus profile makes a bigger difference than both the cartridge and the table itself at the price range you are considering. Try getting something like a shibata or line contact type of stylus to get the best out of vinyl.

Get a Technics SL1200 series DD TT which will serve you perfectly with many years and will not suffer belt drive issues which usually plague most belt drive TTs after about 2-3 years.

As for the cartridge, try a Nagaoka MP300/500 (about $500 on ebay) with a Schiit Mani phono preamp (about $120 new) and you will be more than satisfied.

No need to spend more on a slowly dying technology....

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