Choosing a turntable....


hi to everybody!! I´d like to buy a turntable and I don´t know which one to choose. I hope you can give me a hand:

1) acoustic signature mambo + sme IV
2) transrotor leonardo 25/25/60 + sme IV
3) clearaudio champion level 2 + sme IV
4) VPI Super Scoutmaster + JMW (I think this really kick ass)

What do you think? I´ve got a koetu black goldline cartridge. Thanks in advance!!!

Equipment:
consonance cyber 222 preamp
consonance m800se monoblocks
northstar design 192 combo
focal jmlab electra 907 speakers
JPS cables
vargtimmen

Showing 1 response by sdcampbell

You're assembling an excellent system, and your "short list" for turntable/tonearm combos include fine choices. I have no personal experience with the Transrotor, but you wouldn't be making a bad choice with any of them.

That said, I would personally choose the VPI Super Scoutmaster. While not inexpensive at $5500 or so, I think it represents exceptional value (cost vs. performance). It also offers at least one unique feature: the peripheral clamping ring which is perhaps the best clamping system available (with the possible exception of vacuum clamping, which is much more complex). Even Harry Pearson of TAS thinks highly of it, choosing it (and the VPI HR-X) for "Golden Ear" awards. The only "quibble" that some people might have is about the tonearm, but I think that Harry Weisfeld has done a great job of designing an integrated system of TT and tonearm that works very well together.