Greenhorn
With your Skill Set, I can see the allure of the Vinly Front End,
the importance of the Mechanical Interfaces and the accuracy of the TT as a whole must really capture your thoughts and be very compatible with your thought processes used with your career.
Please don't take the following as a advice to your inquiry, it is a description of how I progressed in Working with Vinyl in my System.
The EE and Engineer I entrust my projects with TT's to, today has a history with TT's as a Source for almost 50 Years.
The Valve Amp' EE Designer / Builder I entrust my projects to, has today, over 40 Years experience as Designer / Builder.
The EE/ Engineers own Career. has been one where they were trained in Metal Machining and Electronics to the very highest of standards, and was a lead Engineer in projects that are very highly regarded.
Drawing on my own experience as a person who does not have the Skills referred to above.
My ( I slipped, a little advice follows )suggestion is to extend your investigation, and have a look into the Turntables that have got a popularity for having undergone various Modifications, where the works when done correctly have produced a TT that can be viewed as a competitor to a Modern TT.
My gut feeling is that this might be a undertaking that stimulates a interest, and a 'what if' curiosity.
I myself both in the past and remaining to date, are only owning and using TT's from the philosophy that there are improvements that can created with a Vintage TT.
For the record I have only ever sold one TT, I still own all my purchased TT's and Tonearms from across many years.
Even the unloved Belt Drive is still used periodically to keep my ear in to the Belt Drive Sound, it would sell quickly and could be sold on for a attractive Sum.
I moved on from a much enjoyed 'Up to Date' Modern Design Belt Drive TT in the 90's to a very basic Model Garrard 401, which is where the Investigations into 401 Modifications started.
My owned 401, ended up as a Non Standard Model, and remains in use today with another owner/friend, who is able to use a Wide Variety of TT's, the 401 is their preferrence.
The 401 is now worked on with further modifications whilst in New Ownership, and is now able to be used with a few different Plinths Designs and a Dedicated Stand lone Speed Control being in use from a recent report, the 401 is the 'go to' TT in this system.
I moved on from the Idler Drive Garrard 401 to Idler Drive Lenco GL 75's and this is a great place to learn a lot.
Many of the designs I have in my mind today come from learing obout the GL 75.
The Options to Modify these are vast and there is a lot of Overhaul and Complete Redesign Projects documented, that can be reviewed.
I have followed the Lenco for many years and still follow it.
I have met with many Lenco enthusiasts at events and have heard remarkable TT's as a result of works being done with them.
My 'go to' Idler Drive TT today is a PTP Solid 9 which is a GL 75 redesign.
My 'main choice' of TT today are Direct Drives, my 'go to' DD is a
SP10 MkII, that has been overhauled and Modified by the EE/Engineer referred to earlier, their skill set is second to none, their Long Term Passion for all things Vinyl combined with their long career has brought together a great marriage for Man and TT.
The SP10 MkII is their TT of choice, and the upgrade path for this TT, has been evolving and worked for on this Model for a very long period of time.
There are ongoing designs, that I have been encouraging, that are in the pipeline of being carried out, to further the Modifications to the TT.
I also have Denon DP-80's , Sony TTS 8000's ( Undergoing a Modification and Overhaul ) and Aurex SR-510's
The DP-80 and Sony TTS-8000 are very well known in the HiFi communities.
All the owned DD TT's are on a list to undergo a overhaul.
A search can find the Aurex at a very fair price and for the Money the TT is very nice as a Base Model, if one eventually ends up on the Overhaul/Modification Bench, who knows where it can go to in terms of performance.
The not so referred to DD TT, is the Aurex SR-510.
This DD TT only become a TT of Interest, as a result of report from a individual who I follow and who has auditioned and reported on a variety of TT equipment that as a 'Ball Part Figure' is in the Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars, GBP, euro's.
I have never at any time felt the need to disregard their assessments, the usual follow up correspondance to a report made on a wider used item, will commonly show others are in some form of agreement with the content of a report.
The assessment offered for the SR-510 was that when the Basic Model with an average Tonearm (I think the Aurex Supplied Arm) was used to carry out the Audition/Demonstration.
The SR-510 was reported on as presenting in a manner that was referred to, as being quite comparable to their owned Micro Seiki DD TT.
From recollection the Two TT's were separated by quite a large margin in purchse values.
I know the owned SR-510 used to produce the report, has remained in the individuals collection, it is still being used and is now adorned with a respected Brand 12" Tonearm and Cartridge.
The above is a 'Curve Ball' and does detract for the original inquiry, your informing on your career gained Skill Sets, has prompted
the content of this post and to suggest that a extended investigation of your options is considered.
What has not changed is the Budget Allocation for the Purchases.
My Experience is that Purchases in relation to depreciation and uplift are governed by the items purchased.
A Cartridge will lose value, a Cartridge being sold with a usage will be heavily reduced in value when compared against the retail price.
My Method I practice, is a calculation where a MC Purchased at £1500 and is successfully used for 1000 Hours is on average £1.50 per hour to use.
If the MC is sent off with 1000 hours of usage to a Third Party for a Overhaul at approx' £400.
If the returned MC is successfully used with 1000 hours of usage is achieved then the use of the Cartridge
becomes more attractive as the Hourly cost is approx' £00.95
I don't change Cartridge Models or Brands much so this method suits my own situation.
With a Second Overhaul, and 3000 hours of usage the Hourly cost could reduce to £00.75
Not all will agree with such a Method but 'Hey Ho' it is working great for myself, and I chose this as a Method after it being a recommendation from other satisfied customers.
A Tonearm can lose value, maintain its value, and in many cases uplift in value.
A New TT can plummet in Value even if bought discounted and New.
A carefully chosen 'used' TT can maintain its value.
A carefully chosen Vintage TT, purchased at a reasonable price, that is treated as part of the ownership, with a recognised method of Servicing or Third Party service being carried out to overhaul TT can at the least maintain the value, and in other cases uplift the TT in value.
My own experience and interaction with like minded Vinyl Enthusiasts, shows that in many cases, there have been many years that have passed, where working with the variety of permutations that can be created for a Vinyl Source and chain in a system are endured before a final place is arrived at.
I think it is fair to say, an Individual, when it comes to Vinyl, matures to their preferrences over time, a little bit like Wine / Whiskey the pallet is satisfied 'most' after the continuation of growing in experiences.
The first taste is the one that sets the Journey Off, during the Journey the attractors and detractors are sifted out.
The Journey has to commence somewhere ? to get to a destination that is the most wished for preferrence? ' is not usually discovered ' when the Journey is embarked, neither will it be usual for the preferrence to be found at the first excursion, even though excursions are often quite educational, and can prove to be very inspiring.
When it comes to Spending a Large Sum of Money.
There is a concern that can be expressed.
The concern being, is that if the funds are spent, and in the not too distant future the 'reality check' is that the preferred destination is still to be arrived at, and the end point is becoming clearer, as there are now devices identified that are seen to very beneficial.
There might not be too much left in the coffers to make the changes seen as being required, unless an item of equipment is sold off.
An item of equipment that is the wanted item to be sold.
Could be the item which is severly lessened in value by a depreciation.
If this becomes the case, options to make an
alternative acquisition
will potentially be limited and additional monies may have to be allocated to enable the purchase/purchases that are seen as the route to a much needed upgrade.
The other suggestion that a TT could be built using your Skill Set is another worthy consideration.
There are a variety of very stable materials available today at a very reasonable cost, that would be perfect as a Platter Spindle / Tonearm Mounting.
There are very High Quality Spindle/ Bearing Housing Assemblies available.
There are also extremely precise Motors available if the Belt Drive is he wanted Motor design.
With your career background, Selecting Parts and Producing a Design for the Interfaces might prove to be very cost effective and extremely stimulating.
