Clearaudio Emotion CMB or JA Michell TecnoDec?

Congrats! The killer MM cart really seals those deals!

Congrats, Peter. The Emotion has tremendous bass, a smooth mid-range, and nice, extended highs. I think that the Maestro MM package is a terrific deal. Before hearing the Maestro, I didn't really believe that a sub-$2K complete TT system could have such dynamics and weight.

Thanks for the replies.

Based upon Cytocycle's first reply I went ahead and ordered the Emotion CMB Combo. Should be here early next week. My audio dealer gives me 6 months of full-trade in if I want to upgrade from there.

Can't wait to hear it! I'm hoping for a big upgrade from my Pro-Ject Xpression (first gen.) and Sumiko Blue Point No. 2.

Thanks again.

The stock Performance is a solid deal because it comes with a nice cartridge, but it cannot be upgraded either.

If you want something that has tremendous upgradeability, you need to get the Solution or the Champion model. The Solution is $3K without cartridge, while the Performance is $2.8K with the same MM as the Marantz.

Has the Champion model been discontinued?

Or instead you move up to the Clearaudio Performance Table combo..once again spend as much as you can on the initial table because upgrades are more expensive. Otherwise a Champion Series Clearaudio Table lets you do all sorts of upgrades.

A little retraction on the idea that the Marantz cannot be upgraded with CMB. Since Clearaudio offers a 30mm version of the CMB (for the Solution model), theoretically, the CMB should work also with the Marantz, but at $750, you have to decide for yourself if you want to try it.

I had the Emotion and replaced it with a Marantz TT-15S1 (made by Clearaudio). The Marantz is basically an upgraded Emotion --consider it an Emotion 2.0.

The CMB option is not available on the Marantz, but it is still better than the CMB Emotion (to my ears) because of the thicker plinth, platter, and better feet, not to mention better tonearm (direct-wire ebony wood) and ebony Virtuoso MM cartridge.

Basically, I would get the Marantz if I were you.

The CMB bearing is amazing and the Clearaudio cart makes that a really good deal. The TecnoDec is also an excellent table.

unfortunately both tables are not really upgradeable other than arms... and you could put a Technoarm on the Tecnodec, but you would be better off upgrading to Gyro..

If you want to upgrade the Clearaudio you need to move up to another Clearaudio table which can be upgraded.

Both tables you have chosen are excellent tables in their own right and are not low end tables, but they have already been maximized with tweaks. Buy one of them and then use the money to buy records or a good record cleaner...