jm, it is really a toss up from a performance perspective. I would go with the one you like the looks of best. I would make one comment and this is going to cause some consternation. In this price range you are better off staying with high output cartridges. They are a better value and signal to noise in the phono stage is not as critical. The Maestro V2 is excellent although the outboard cantilever makes many nervous. The Soundsmith Zephyr another excellent choice along with cartridges from Grado, Audio Technica and Goldring. You would have to spend considerably more on a moving coil cartridge and phonostage to equal the performance of these cartridges.
Help buying first analog rig - Clearaudio Concept or Rega P6
I am in the process of purchasing my first major analog rig since I was teen back in the 80's. My system has been digital. I had a period of about 8 years where I did not do much with audio as we were moving and building a new home. Shortly after our home was built, but before the basement was finished and the alarm was installed, we had a break in. Among the many things other things taken, they took a box of my CD's, basically all my SACD's. So when I the basement was finished and got setup again it prompted me to get into streaming. I have a dedicated listening room which is pretty big 16 x 25 and 9' ceiling on a concrete slab (i know that helps with turntables) with laminate flooring and area rug. My System is pretty straight forward digital.
-Innuos Zen mkIII to stream and play my ripped CD's along with other hi-rez digital I have purchased and some DSD's
-Chord Qutest fed with a Shunyata Alpha USB from the Zen
-PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated
-Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
-Purist Audio Venustas Luminist Speaker and RCA cables, Shunyata Venom NR V10 power cables
The only small stack of vinyl I own is what I had as a teen, 80's rock which I may listen to occasionally, but I plan on buying new vinyl. I listen to a lot of Jazz - Coltrane, Davis, etc, a lot of modern bluegrass mostly female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Hull, Alison Krauss.
The 2 tables that I seem to have gravitated towards are:
-Rega P6 with Hana EL
-Clearaudio Concept wood with the black satisfy arm and either their Concept MC or Maestro V2 cartridge.
I know the Concept does not come with a dust cover, no big deal for me, I can always add one down the road.
Phono pre
-Sutherland KC Vibe
-MS Phenomena 2+
My budget was originally 3000 for the table/cart and pre, but I really like the concept wood ascetically, it would fit nicely in my rustic/industrial decor which has a lot of wood. I know its not about ascetics, but I am just not crazy about the look of Rega, but it does get great reviews. My rack is butcher block and iron pipe, so the table would sit on the top shelf next tot he PrimaLuna. I am the kind of person that does not mind tinkering and I understand the inconvenience of records vs digital, but I am looking for the natural, openness and beauty that vinyl brings to the system. What am I missing?
-Innuos Zen mkIII to stream and play my ripped CD's along with other hi-rez digital I have purchased and some DSD's
-Chord Qutest fed with a Shunyata Alpha USB from the Zen
-PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated
-Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
-Purist Audio Venustas Luminist Speaker and RCA cables, Shunyata Venom NR V10 power cables
The only small stack of vinyl I own is what I had as a teen, 80's rock which I may listen to occasionally, but I plan on buying new vinyl. I listen to a lot of Jazz - Coltrane, Davis, etc, a lot of modern bluegrass mostly female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Hull, Alison Krauss.
The 2 tables that I seem to have gravitated towards are:
-Rega P6 with Hana EL
-Clearaudio Concept wood with the black satisfy arm and either their Concept MC or Maestro V2 cartridge.
I know the Concept does not come with a dust cover, no big deal for me, I can always add one down the road.
Phono pre
-Sutherland KC Vibe
-MS Phenomena 2+
My budget was originally 3000 for the table/cart and pre, but I really like the concept wood ascetically, it would fit nicely in my rustic/industrial decor which has a lot of wood. I know its not about ascetics, but I am just not crazy about the look of Rega, but it does get great reviews. My rack is butcher block and iron pipe, so the table would sit on the top shelf next tot he PrimaLuna. I am the kind of person that does not mind tinkering and I understand the inconvenience of records vs digital, but I am looking for the natural, openness and beauty that vinyl brings to the system. What am I missing?