how much should I spend to get a better turntable than my current turntable?

thank you @thecarpathian but I was hoping for more than $5

@thecarpathian

I don’t know how to say this. This is not fun for me. Wife is absolutely monitoring these expenses. It’s incredibly hard for me to make new purchases. And once I do, I have to listen to "you bought another XYZ, that looks and sounds just like the old one but it cost twice more!!!! etc." which is super painful. So as much I love math and humor (I have the biggest humor) I don’t get your point.

mmf was $449

I bought the Marantz for $150.

Any more questions?

@danmar123 

anything better than the current one

low

 MoFi = super expensive

@yogiboy are they gooood? (or at least good?)

@lohanimal

I like the Linn, Technics looks so techno, DJish

@audphile1 

I guess it comes down to the Fluance RT85 and te Rega P2, which one is a better value, and which one's looks I prefer. (Besides the other 4-5 options)

what about Fluance?

yes, I am drawn to those, Project and Fluance

@mgolpoor 

yes, this is helpful. I don't know if I should spend more on the turntable than on the rest (2500 is what I spent on the amp and speakers) as it may be diminishing returns then?

I am checking out the Rega P2! 

I don’t have a budget. I have credit cards, the way they work is that they make your budget look flexible. I would like to try ones that I can potentially return, if I am unhappy.

My CFO may approve $400.

Can I buy used?

I listen to mostly used albums.

My system is very modest, cost less than most people’s cable’s here.

MF A3.2 AMP

Dynaudio Evoke 20

above turntable

I do not like the technics look. I like most of the suggestions above. I am a big fan of Dual

@mgolpoor 

"Don't understand the question!!!"

Everyone else did.

@mgolpoor 

let me try again. I have a turntable. I would like the next best turntable, one that works better than this. I identified this: mmf-2.2 Theoretically, the next best turntable could be one that costs more than this, or one that is better independent of the costs. So I agree with you, I should have left out the "how much should I spend" part. It's confusing. I should have said,

what the cheapest turntable that's better than this low quality mmf-2.2?

I figured out the answer: a better turntable than what I have now is an mmf-2.2 THAT WORKS

haha

@lewm sounds logical, if I still had faith in the brand

@thecarpathian nice. (I am pissed)

@allenf1963 I am almost there, I just have click the place order button!

@allenf1963

sweet!

@audphile1 

I have to sell some gear to be able to buy the Fluance, I think that makes the most sense 

any idea where vintage Marantz sells the fastest?

I sold Marantz 2252b (i miss her soooo much already) and mmf-2.2. Ordered Fluance RT85.

I heard the tone arm of the Fluance is not great, will find out in 4 days!

@thecarpathian 

haha!

I sold my marantz for 5 times what I paid for it 10 years ago. 
I sold the mmf-2.2 for 1/5 of what I paid for it 8 years ago. 

NOT making it up!

Thank you!

I appreciate the humor ALL THE time.

I just don’t know if you know that selling used gear (when I got no leverage, and I depend on every penny, and everyone low-balls) can be painful

Other than that I think I projected and felt you were pushing my buttons with implying that the Marantz is a dollar-sale junk.

(I have other items in the garage that well, have a value or not)

@audphile1 

I AM NOT SENSITIVE JUST EASILY FREAKING OUT!!!!

:)

the Blue

It arrived (!) Fluance RT85

My first impressions:

I set it up as described. The antiskating is not working, neither the counterbalance. If I set it to the prescribed values, the needle just skips and runs. So that must be my learning curve, now I have more appreciation for mmf. I asked another family member to start from scratch, read the manual, set it up, same result.

Also, the adjustable feet don’t adjust. They just don’t turn.

So I will figure out the proper setup.

The next issue is the plastic cover and the black piano surface. The cover has scratches on it from my fingers. Permanent, visible scratches. I was so careful I didn’t breathe when I touched it.

The black surface looks like will have scratch marks on it if I just look at it too long. It seems very impractical for the benefit of well.... not looking that great. I mean it looks OK, but nothing spectacular. But now I understand that practical beats pretty. I don’t want to freak out every time I swap albums and something falls out from my shirt pocket.

Anyway, maybe it will grow on me. It looks like a decent and solid design aside from the tonearm (maybe I read too much about it) being/feeling somewhat mediocre.

If it sounds good, I will forget about these issues and adjust, we must please our gadgets :)

@audphile1 I did level it. That's the only thing I got right. 

If I am supposed to play records without the cover, why didn't they come up with an easier way to take it off?

It does slide but it shakes and moves the the body (slightly). I will shut up and listen now.

seriously grateful for the feedback to all of you! I do feel this would be a compromise in that it is a so-so upgrade to the music hall. It does sound slightly better but no magic, like my other components. Next stop Rega, it seems?

@rockrider got it! Yes, now it makes sense. A World of difference, thank you!

So I had to compare it, I am an audiophile on some level (nowhere near the level of the folks here) after all.

It’s not a fair comparison, I got a a Rega P3. Three times (3X) the price.

I can say I grew very comfortable and happy with the Fluance. It’s a much better value for $500 than the Rega for $1400, The differences are small.

Here is what’s going for the Rega:

It feels different. It feels expensive, high quality.. The Fluance does not feel cheap but borderline pasticky. I love the design, the arm, and the Fluance platter.

I can say that the Rega is NOT a better looking unit than the Fluance. (It has 2 flaws, the height of the plynth is "wrong", it should be taller or shorter and the fluance logo is lame. Hard to see, hard to read, just a bad logo.)

When I touch them, what first stands out is moving the Rega arm and dropping it. It feels simple, firm, flawless, and screams of precision engineering. If dropping the arm sells, the Rega builders know what they are doing.

Lastly the sound. Hands does the Rega is more detailed, crisp, a bit brighter even. In a live recording, you can hear a lady cough in the back row.

It’s not a whole lot better because the Fluance sound IS great. It’s - if I had to quantify it - perhaps 10% better. But that 10% is pure and robust, net joy in my ear. It shows.

Now, is that worth almost a $1000 extra? It’s like falling in love, you don’t know what makes you happy until you know, until you stop looking.

@audphile1 thank you! Yes, I think the upgrades as well as the synergy (first time I using the word!) will afford me a lot of not so subtle improvements!

what about the pictures @sedond ?​​​​​​

it's a pain to add images here

@jrosemd 

I think they have a business model that works, financially, but it sucks if they did that to you

thanks @steveashe I am enjoying it a lot!