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One turntable with two arms, or two turntables with one each - which would you prefer?

Which would you prefer, if budget allowed: one turntable with two tonearms or two turntables with one each? What would your decision criteria be?

And the corollary: one phono preamp with multiple inputs or two phono preamps?

Assume a fixed budget, but for the purposes of this question, the budget is up to the responder. Admittedly for this type of setup, there will be a sizeable investment once all components of the chain are factored in.

I'm curious to hear how people would decide for themselves the answer to this question. Or maybe you've already made this decision - what do you like about your decision or what would you differently next time?

Cheers.

dullgrin

Showing 2 responses by ghdprentice

ghdprentice
6,467 posts
 

Absolutely without question one turntable with two arms. As you said at the same investment level. Turn table performance improves phenomenally with cost (assuming yo are doing your research). Two tts at half the price at almost any cost level are not going to sound as good.

And phonostages even more so! Until I reached the ~ $8K level every Phonostage hindered the output my turntable. It is really easy to get a TT that exceeds the capability of your phono stage.

 

I have been listening to turntables for well over fifty years. And began my pursuit (very inexpensively at first) of the high end over 40 years ago. I am sure I have owned nearly a dozen highly rated phono stages of all cost levels and until I bought my first Audio Research Phono stage 30 years ago, they were of different brands.

ghdprentice
6,467 posts
 

@lewm … “I think that makes me —- crazy”. 👍👍👍👍. I mean, it’s OK… most folks think the amount of money I put into my system is crazy… although… three or more hours of listening a day… and the enjoyment I get, seems well worth it. 
 

If having many TT and cartridges makes you happy.

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