Just in general, a higher quality but used piece of gear of any type that can be purchased at a price similar to the NOS price of a lower quality item of the same type is a good buy. Is that sentence too complex? OK, buy the Emotion CMB, if the seller is a reputable Audiogon member with good feedback and the original shipping cartons. I am no longtime fan of Clearaudio, but it does seem that their latest generation tt's are well done. Maestro would be more comparable to the Ortofon 2M Black.
Clearaudio Concept or Emotion CMB?
I am looking to upgrade my Harman Kardon T55c turntable using an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge into something a bit more high-end. I was looking to spend between $1000 and $2000. It seems as though Clearaudio tables have been getting rave reviews, particularly the Concept model. However, I have also looked at a couple of used Emotion CMBs that have been listed on Audiogon, which appears to be a more high-end model according to the company's website. They also have the Maestro wooden cartridge. As a relative newbie to "entry-level" high-end, I would welcome any suggestions between the two models. Any other suggestions within this price range would be welcome as well.