I want to move from Rega Planar 6 help me to pick a new turntable

Yes, you don't understand my posts because my bad explanation. Never mind and go a head with what you want. Sorry to disturb you.

R.

There is another option that local dealer is offering me

GOLD NOTE PIANOSA TURNTABLE WITH B-5.1 ARM 

What's your opinion on this one?

Get an EMT 938 from Dusch Studiotechnik. For Euro 4k you get a one of the best TT under $20k with inbuilt phonostage which in itself sounds like a serious $5k phono and the TSD-15 cartridge which is again a solid $3k cartridge. All this as a package for $5k only.

I'm all in for the VPI because of the adjustability of the arm and the upgrade path. The unipvot arm  takes some getting used to when handling, but the new VPIs all have gimballed arms, making that issue moot. I like my unipivot arm, and have no interest in swapping it out. But I understand those who feel differently. For certain , SQ is not the issue. 

My preferred stylus is Shibata and they don't make anything with this profile.

your assumption that what you hear is due to stylus profiles may be way off mark as there are many other variables at play. Excluding cartridges solely on the basis of stylus profile is a very simplistic approach which will deny you many excellent potential purchases.

Hey OP,  one turntable for you to consider that's within your price range is the Mofi UltraDeck.

I purchased it last year to replace my Pro-ject Classic, and it was a great upgrade.  It is dead quiet, smooth sounding, and tracks very well.  It's got VTA and azimuth adjustments that you're looking for.

I have not owned that many turntables so it's hard for me to say how it measures up against other tables, but I think this is a great table at its price range.   I paired it with a Hana ML.  It sounds great and I'm very happy with it.

At first I wasn't sure about its look.  It actually looks better in person and I really dig the all black look.

Anyway, good luck with your search.

I have the RP-8 and swapped to a Garrott Bros cartridge - tremendous sound!

I had a associate at a HI-FI shop tell me when moving up you have to go BIG in order to hear a real difference in sound, otherwise you are just making a lateral move. He then played different systems. I went from a Pro-ject rpm 5 to MMF 9.3 - huge difference in sound... so much quieter.  I love it. Next is the cartridge upgrade maybe

Hello Audiogon,

In the last 45 years I have had over 200 TT and for the last 25 years have loved my VPI"S All Three! I have ventured off to customs in the last few years such as UK Builder ARB Rega, Hungarian Builder, Stradivari, But the best TT for the Money is made by S.A.M. in Croatia! It is superior to Anything Under $4000. and up! Do your homework! Ivan is really easy to work with and talk to and it will far exceed ANYTHING in its price range PLUS! 

All the Best !

Just get a cartridge that doesn't require azimuth adjustments. You may want to consider a P8. Arm is fantastic (RB880).

Here is an update. I found a local dealer who stocked Technics SL-1200GR, I went there and got it to test drive at home. I was upfront, that I am looking for an upgrade from Planar 6 and may return Technics if I won't like it. They were ok with that.

So I brought it home. Here is just first impressions.

Set up. Much easier than anything I tried before. Literally it took me 5 mins on Technics to do what it took me at lest 15 on Rega on other tables I had before. Head shell helps a lot.

I put the same Dl-103 I had on Rega and I have not bothered to set up VTA or Azimuth. Literally put cartridge, adjusted overhang, verified that it lined up with protractor (by naked eyes no tools used) and that was it.

Then I went to listen few records. The setup was absolutely the same as with Rega.

I was a little bit unprepared to what I heard. I was expecting to carefully listening to all the details and look for some barely noticeable changes in sound. I was wrong. Big time.

Immediately I heard, much better low end. With Rega it was good, I could hear bass guitar, kick drum, etc. With Technics I hear them being played. Not just that there is bass guitar, but that it is being played, with all nuances. Attack, Release, transients. It was very apparent. 

Then I noticed more details. Especially on my beloved Dire Straits first album. As you may have heard Mark Knopfler plays with fingers instead of pick. And on Technics it was very clear. I am a guitar player myself and I know what to look for and indeed all that little dynamic nuances only possible when played with fingers were there.

I will continue to listen, but to be honest I am shocked. I was not expecting it to be that different.

I then ask my wife to listen to that table. She is no audiophile and to some extent a bit skeptical. But she immediately told me that it sounds better.

I don’t think a single one of your choices is better than what you have. Just because you can’t adjust azimuth and as far as VTA goes, between the adjustment of arm height and downforce, realistically cover enough range in that respect. By adding one thing(azimuth), you lose another (stiffness) in the process. And before someone chimes in that I’m wrong about this; yes I know about using microscopes to measure the exact cartridge cantilever rake and hyper extensive tools (borderline ridiculous) for exacting measurements that in the end may still not get you all the way there for reasons too numerous to get into here. From what I’m guessing from your table choices, you are not one of these Type One audio fanatics and there is nothing wrong with that (I’m borderline) who will spend endless hours wondering if this is as good as it can get, may I suggest an alternative route. How about finding some really good audio dealers that you can reasonably travel to who are passionate, and really understand what they sell and work with you to make you happy. I know that this is not always easy for some places but if you can, it might be a better alternative than buying blind on the opinion of others. Not to mention the ability to have a pro helping you out with support and not having to ship it somewhere hoping it gets returned, repaired, adjusted as you hoped. I myself try to do this in most of my purchases but I live in Chicago, a large metropolitan area. Kinda like the two people that I trust for my scotch choices (they are on the same page as me). It narrows down confusion because in the end there are simply too many choices and unless you like that becomes more of a hindrance.

I assume your Rega is on a wall shelf? I had a P8 and P10 on a stand  and if I coughed hard enough the record would skip. 

@mattmiller +1

Project and EAT are partners in that the owners are married.  If anything Jozefina makes her husbands turntables be a bit better.  Really, maybe the gap is closing, but not long ago there was no comparison, with EAT feing the FAR superior line.

I will also disagree about Mr Hall.  I too dealt with him regarding some EPOS Elans 6 or 7 or so years ago.  He made sure I got the matching stands quickly even when the retailer was out and had no clue as to when they'd be available.

Oh and congrats on wanting to move away from Rega.  It is like strava to the cycling world----  common.  Go for the less common---  EAt or SOTA would fit the bill.  And VPI somewhat.

I had the Rega Planar P6 with the Ania MC cartridge that never came to life creating an emotional connection for me in my system. I sold it and bought a VPI Scout with an Ortofon 2M Blue. Sounded okay but again, it never blossomed in my system. So I sold the VPI and bought a Mofi Studiodeck with their standard MM cartridge, and voila, the magic was there! I can’t explain why the least expensive of the three had the optimum synergy with my preamp and the rest of the system. I just know what I hear. The other two just sounded constrained by comparison. Lesson learned, it’s not necessarily a function of how much you spend. Sometimes less is more.

I have never heard a Rega that I liked. I think that similarly priced Project tables sounded better. I really havent liked the limited number of Rega cartridges that I have heard.

I told ya, at that price you can’t beat that Technics. Set it forget it and enjoy it!

OP, sounds like you made up your mind on the TT, congratulations.  Can't emphasize enough the importance of eventually upgrading your phono preamp.  After doing a lot of auditioning, I continue to be completely blown away by the PS Audio Stellar Phono Stage.  I don't know if $2500 is in your budget but it is an unbelievable deal compared to the competition.  I'm not saying there isn't better (there undoubtedly is) but nothing touches it anywhere near its price point. 

@rauliruegas said:

The Rega RP-10 could be your best choice. Is up to you. It's tonearm is an excellent one.

No doubt a fine piece of engineering and a radical concept - but considerably more than what the OP was considering spending. 

I have the 1200G (and had the 1200GR before that) and its a great sounding turntable with superb build. I looked at the P10, but was priced A$2.5K more than I payed for my new (Japan build) 1200G. No regrets choosing the Technics.

@rauliruegas +1

Kuzma Stabi S, or if you can afford it, Stabi R with a 9 inch 4 point arm.

This reminds me of the days of the old Technics SL1200mk2. So many people quick to discount it as simply a DJ turntable. The many years of minute improvements, all that money invested and reinvested to make something that held its own among more novel designs. They were great with almost any MM cart but a tonearm rewire and some careful tonearm damping and you can use it with pricier MC carts.

The new Technics stuff is noticeably smoother at the gimbal. Throw whatever MC cart you want on it out of the box. Look at the prices of the turntables the 1200GR is pit against in this review. Take ownership of one of the Japan-made decks and you will discover a quality and ’feel’ that magazine photos simply cannot convey. They are jewel-like, precision instruments.

Technics makes audiophile tables? Really? I had no idea.

I have had a VPI HW MK IV for 37 years. It still works.

Earlier this year I picked up a Technics 1200gae with Hana Umami and I am smitten. Certainly an improvement over my VPI Traveler. Technics is hard to beat at its asking price. 

@unreceivedogma

Really!