I have been on the hunt for the best turntable I can buy. Any suggestions?

@rhljazz 

IK,R?

You should have upgraded the stylus/cartridge for the SL10.  LP Gear has replacements.  SL10 owner here.
It is always funny when someone asks for advice hoping to confirm a decision that’s already been made.  

+100

  Technics SL-1200mk7 current production. 
 Or if funds are available the 1200G as mentioned.

 There is no better turntable available. 
  Had mine since the mid 80’s, always turns on, not one bump, always plays when needed for over 35 years.    Every couple years, remove platter, remove spindle , wipe down, fresh synthetic oil, put back together. 
   No belts, no worries. They are a lifetime component!
ive added some small tweaks from KAB. 

  

There is absolutely no Best Of anything! 

Yeah, it's either brilliant trolling or a gross misunderstanding of objectivity.

I have been on the hunt for the best turntable I can buy. Any suggestions?

Change the second "I" to "you" and the question stands alone. Leave out budget or ancillary information and it invokes a shade of solipsism.

This thread has to be one of the most bizarre collections of people on different pages I have ever seen. Yet I keep following for humor :).

If the B&O fails, U-Turn makes a nice unit that can be had with a cartridge and warranty for roughly $450. It’s quite nice. 

 I am on the hunt for a fantastic, buzz free, high fidelity turntable.

why is the SL 10 buzzing?
Never heard an SL 10 buzzing in my life .... maybe it needs an overhaul, 40 years of life are not few.

@atmasphere

One thing to keep in mind, high end audio is never about price. Its about intention. So it does not matter who made it or what price it sold for. It matters a lot **why** the manufacturer was making it!

true ralph, but we need to take into account the intent of the customer/buyer too...

i have heard mid fi systems sound excellent with proper setup (though it is admittedly rare) whereas many hi end systems sound poor hamstrung by setup/placement...  we all know folks who check the box, buy the prestige brands and consider it done...

that been said, if the high end intentioned buyer is knowledgeable, having more $ to execute the system sure helps!

@tomic601 my when my B&O came in, it had an MMC2 on it. I am kinda dreading replacing it when the time comes, but you gotta do what you gotta do. 

mid fi can be a gateway drug...

also, let’s be honest...look thru the listings....ultra high end is not the average for sale posting here..

@lewm I find your posting about the MMC1 interesting, i have a 3 on the TX, will ask Soundsmith about a body for it. I also have a Triplaner.....fun

always learning, always listening....

Yup. +1 Ralph.

This site is new to me but I expect the negativity seen here is more of a exception not the norm.

@tlwing55 This forum is really a high end audio forum. That's what you and @leemurray2007 are running into- a lot of the posters really are not getting why you're working with this stuff.

I've put together many budgets systems and enjoy seeing how good I can get them to sound. But I can tell you it can be challenging if you expect a budget system to image as well as a high end system, to have as much depth in the soundstage, and in particular trying to keep a budget system from being harsh and bright when you play the volume up. One common problem with budget phono sections is they can generate ticks and pops that sound for all the world as if they are on the surface of the LP!

You might find this site interesting:
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php
On it you will find people that are excited about what is loosely referred to in high end audio as 'mid fi'; and there is an extensive section regarding older audio mid fi gear in the solid state forum and also the tubes forum. I've been active on both. Of course they have a high end section too.


One thing to keep in mind, high end audio is never about price. Its about intention. So it does not matter who made it or what price it sold for. It matters a lot **why** the manufacturer was making it!  Years ago Radio Shack famously bought out a high end speaker company called Linaeum to they could use the tweeter technology on two budget priced speakers that Radio Shack sold. Those speakers got some good reviews in the high end audio press. Not perfect, but established that even Radio Shack could do it if they wanted.

@tlwing55 thanks man. Yeah I think there are just too many stuck up donkeys on this forum. 

Welll,if nothing else,you will have a lot of money left over to spend on alcohol and stay really drunk for the next year or two.You don’t need a decent table when your completely obliterated.At that point,probably will sound wonderful to ya.Good luck,afraid you may need it.John

Congrats on getting what you really wanted. I’m waiting for my HK 930 to arrive so I understand your level of excitement. This site is new to me but I expect the negativity seen here is more of a exception not the norm. When you drop the needle extend both middle fingers in the air and with closed eyes drink in the sounds. Again Congrats. 

@moto_man ,

That was the only high end store I knew of besides The Music Box in Wellesley.   I spent tens of thousands at Natural Sound in the late 70’s and early to mid 80’s. I refuse to trade there any longer though. Where do you trade now?

This whole thread reads like a huge "troll". Ask for the best, get plenty of proven choices with user opinions then go in the opposite direction.  I think you may have been played. Was this just a fun exercise?

"Best turntable I can buy"  Wow that covers a lot of ground and a lot of $.  If you truly want the best I would consider a Platine Verdier Granite.  Very hard to find, very expensive and you must beware of counterfits.  

Techniques have some excellent TT,s but the cartridge an arm can make or break any TT regardless of how many shekels you dole out for it. As for my tastebuds; Thorens TD 124 / SME 3009 S2 improved /Van Den Hul Frog Gold.

Do you mean Technics? They made absolutely fantastic high-end tonearms such as EPA-100 mk2 (with Boron-Titanium tube, Ruby Ball bearings and unique dynamic damping mechanism) which is very expensive and rare, definitely much better than SME and most of the modern high-end tonearms. 

@stereo5, off- topic, but wow, you brought back some memories.  I grew up in Framingham and Natural Sound was where I bought my first "real" stereo, back when I was in high school in '75, which I think was a Harmon/Kardon receiver and Electrovoice speakers and a Dual turntable.  At the time, they had some incredible sounding equipment that I remember sounded just like the band was in the room.  No idea what it was, other than Mark Levinson amp and preamp, but it is THE sound in my head that I keep chasing (unsuccessfully) to this day!

Does it strike anyone else but me that this is a very odd thread in terms of the tone?

@lewm I think folks misread or misconstrued the poorly worded OP. 

I have been on the hunt for the best turntable I can buy. Any suggestions?

It all depends on how much you are willing to pay....  What is your budget ?

You can buy these....: 
https://www.whathifi.com/us/features/10-worlds-most-expensive-turntables

or these:
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2018-editors-choice-awards-turntables-2000-5000

Does it strike anyone else but me that this is a very odd thread in terms of the tone? Anyway, I have not heard a Beogram  turntable in maybe 30 years, but never sell the B & O cartridges short. I am currently listening to a vintage B&O MMC1, mounted in a triplanar tonearm. Without a doubt this is one of the finest cartridges I have heard in my system regardless of cost. I acquired the MMC1 NOS about 6-7 years ago but have only had it mounted and in use for a few months. Fantastic cartridge that once formed the basis for Peter Ledermann’s business. Now I understand why.

Depends a LOT on your budget! Sota, Linn-Sondek, AR, VPI, or Pro-ject

didnt know you had that.

@leemurray2007,

Why would I want to try another Beogram turntable or any other when I have a fantastic Technics SL1200G turntable?

@stereo5 

keep telling yourself that.

Also, I think you should give B&O another shot. I am sure their 70s and 80s audio equipment will shoot up in price very soon. I actually found a B&O Beogram 9000 at a thrift store called D&J in orange, VA for only $150. Hooked it up, and it buzzed very loudly and skipped many sections.

The grounding issue was solved by just grounding it (forgot to)
and I did have to buy a new cartridge

after that, sounded very nice. Keep that in my living room stereo setup.
along with a pair of Bose 901(IV) speakers, and a Sansui 4000 stereo, and a nakamichi LX5 cassette deck

Even if I had that kind of money, why would I want to go back to school just to change a record and learn to use my new TT? It looks good but who are you going to trust to keep it clean?Ron

Technics SL1200 series..

@leemurray2007,

Then you obviously really don't get it.

@stereo5 

being on this forum longer than me doesn’t give you any street cred

Check out the Audio Advisors website.. They have just put up a truly excellent demo they had on display, not in use.  It is marked down from $25,000 to $14,000.  Tell Chris I sent you.  He won't know me my name, but tell him anyway:  Dan from Stuart, to whom he recommended Stereo Fixers in my old home town.

@leemurray2007
“I went ahead with the Beogram TX. I’ll post some pics and maybe a video to make all the negative people in this forum shut up.”

Very nice talk, especially from a new poster. If you feel this way, please don’t send me anymore PM’s.

sorry guys my phone is being repaired, and I had to use the chromebook camera. 

So thats why there are blurry shots and not-so-good audio.

Buy an old AR-xa and have it modded for $600-$700. You will be surprised how it brings out the best in any cartridge.

A few good suggestions here but unless your in the 3-5k range your nowhere near high end. VPI and Techniques have some excellent TT,s but the cartridge an arm can make or break any TT regardless of how many shekels you dole out for it. As for my tastebuds; Thorens TD 124 / SME 3009 S2 improved /Van Den Hul Frog Gold.

@leemurray2007 Looking forward to seeing it. You can post in Virtual Systems.

cant wait for you guys to see and hear this...

it is amazing.

the automatic tonearm and the platter is jut killer

great sound too

awesome colors

the beogram just came in. I will hook it up and send pics tomorrow.

A pal asked me for advice because he wanted to get serious about a new turntable. 
He was willing to go "up to 5k all in."  I put together a bunch of options with links and prices. He ended up buying a used Sony on Craigslist for "a few hundred."

:))

"half off retail... with what you save you can send your kids to yale"

@jjss49 -- He would only be saving $120,000.  That might cover 2 years at Yale....

When I 1st read this I was going to suggest checking with Fremer to see if his AirForce TT was sold yet. Anyone know?

OK folks, let’s shift gears and help him get the best sound out of his TX.
we can be a welcoming community if we desire.
to the OP SoundSmith is a good source for info on checking your table, etc...
enjoy the music, the journey.
jim