Sent Back the Pro-ject Turntable: What would be the best option in the $1800 range?

I'm a little surprised that no one mentions Clearaudio.  I'm guessing the majority dislike belt drive.  I bought a Champion Level Two with the Unify carbon fiber tonearm in 2002 and I still love it.  Currently using a Benz Micro Wood SL.  But this is beside the OP's point.  Clearaudio's entry level with their house mm or mc cartridges review very well.  What do you think?

It would be only fair to point out to kimt that all 3 cartridges on your list, Chakster, would be at least 30 or more years old at this point in time.  To find an NOS one would be serendipitous for sure, but also one would be taking a chance on the condition of the suspension of such a cartridge, which would be expected to have deteriorated, even if NOS. In fact, it's certain that any sample of any of those 3 cartridges will have "changed" sonically since the date of its manufacture. This change could be OK or more likely not OK.  While I share your admiration for those 3 cartridges, and I own them all, I suspect there are many modern cartridges, recently manufactured, and in the same price range, which would be less risky to invest in.  For examples: Nagaoka, Audio Technica, etc.

Just checked Music Directs price.
CLEARAUDIO - Concept Black Turntable with Concept Tonearm (MM Cartridge) Turntables Price $1,800.00
$1600 for the table and arm only.
They also have a 60 day return policy.

While I share your admiration for those 3 cartridges, and I own them all

You own them all ? You like them @lewm ?
Thousands people own them and use them too, and feedbacks all over the internet, except maybe SONY XL-50 (a very nice cartridge).

Would be nice to read your comment about SONY XL-50 MM is you have it.

Grace is probably the most popular, honestly i have never seen a bad sample of Grace, suspension always fine, i owned F-9E, F-9U, F-9F, various F14 models too and so on ... up to LEVEL II. As you know i like Grace and collect them. If you think the suspension is dried out a bit, then maybe a compliance is a bit lower now, but originally it is very high compliance. But i never seen a softened suspension on any Grace samples out of many samples. And you’re the one who use SoundSmith Grace, so there is a person who even produce NEW styli for Grace. Just look HERE> Brand new styli (not a retip of the old one) available from SoundSmith and he made them. One of the reason i can recommend Grace for a novice.

Personally i'm ready to buy as many original Grace styli as i can before they are gone. It was such a great company and they gave their customers so many options (so many different styli/cantilevers, we discussed it before). 

Old Pickering is also extremely popular cartridges, on another forum anyone can find a "fan club" of Pickering/Stanton where people share knowledge. Why i never seen any sample with bad suspension? I think the design is just right, so using them in 21st century is not a problem. About service: Expert Stylus & Cartridge Co in UK specialized in Stanton/Pickering repair, their stylus Paratrace is the closest to Stereohedron. Anyone can contact them by email ( info at expertstylus.co.uk ), my communication with them was very nice. I think our friend @nandric retipped some of his best LOMC with them.

There is no risk to invest in cartridges if you know where to buy them, or your formula can be applied to anything vintage (tubes, turntables, speakers). Why people buying vintage gear in 21st century ? Because in many cases it’s better and often cheaper. And it’s cool.

P.S. New MM cartridges like Nagaoka and AT are always in the shops, they can wait... nothing special

@chakster , Good timing ... 

Hey,

Do I need to get a Schiit Mani Phono Preamp for MC and MM Cartridges?

Buy it direct from Schiits. It will save you money direct from them in stead of Amazon. I did and it came nicely packed and safe.

https://www.schiit.com/products/mani

Klimt: If you live near the Chicago area I have a Schiit Mani in like new condition, I used it for 1 day until my JC3+ was delivered.you can have the Schiit Mani for $50.00 just come and pick it up.

How about the Music Hall 7.3 Music Hall - MMF-7.3 Turntable | Shop Music Direct or this Music Hall - MMF-9.3 Turntable | Shop Music Directboth of these are good belt drive in your price range. HiFi Heaven has a demo 9.3 for under $2,000.00

They are very bad belt drive for crazy price like $2000 and can’t compete with Technics GR Direct Drive that OP can buy for $1500 (amazing deal actually).

Schiit is a piece of sh.... t.
A proper phono stage required anyway sooner or later, SoundSmith can offer MM phono stages, JLTi is offering great MM/MC phono stages....

I highly recommend the Gem Dandy Polytable - designed and manufactured by turntable guru, George Merrill - see www.hifigem.com/polytable.html.  I have owned one and loved it, and now Ihave upgraded to George's Super12. George is great to deal with and he really knows what he is doing from a design standpoint. 

Sounds like the OP’s tastes and sensitivities might be more oriented to the sound of a table with a suspended sub-platter.

I’ve a personal preference for suspended sub-platter designs, personally. Finding that they seem to have the best noise floor and dynamic range, overall, as a type of design.

I second the Polytable (with Jelco 850) as an alternative to the GR.

Just found this on sale at Audio Advisors  Bryston BLP .5 Turntable With BTP1 Power Supply-Audio Advisor this should be in your price range.

This thread went crazy, i can only add this one to the list above. 

I have a Project Debut Carbon turntable with an Ortofon Bronze cartridge, love the cartridge, not to impressed with the table.  Doesn’t come close to matching the quality of my Ayon Orion amp and Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand SE speakers. But it will have to do, I’m done spending money on stereos and I’m losing my hearing anyway 😂

Another VPI fan picked up a used Scout Aries for under $1K. Still running fine 5 years on.

yes, and theres good deals on ebay too

Consider the Well Tempered Simplex MKII. Plays way above its price point.

+2 on the George Merrill PolyTable with the Jelco 850 arm.

I had a Project Xpression ll for a few years and found it fine, had a Grado Reference cart.
Recently bought a new Clearaudio with thier top MM cart. It is magniicent. Not sure of US prices but I paid NZ$2775 for table and NZ$1400 for the cart. I think that converts to about US$2000 and $1000.
But I am extremely happy with sound. Next upgrade will be speakers.

Have you look into Rega P6  I had Rega P3 myself  then I upgraded to Clearaudio Performance DC its a little out of your budget but the Clearaudio Concept is in  MusicDirect has a open box one with MM cartridge