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starting from just about scratch w/ $600 to spend

I'm just getting back into vinyl and currently have a old Technics TT, SL-1950, one corner proped up by CD's cause the foot is missing (I bought it for $15 at a tag sale) and a grado prestige red cartride with about 15 hrs on it.

I just bought a Bryston B60 int amp w/o the phono stage, so I def need to spend part of my money on that. My speakers are signet sl280ex.

So how much and what would you spend on TT/cart/phono pre. It looks like I can get entry level used MMF-5 or NAD 533 with cart for ~400, leaving $200 for phono stage. Are those $200 carts they come with really that much better than my grado?

Or should I buy a more stable vintage DD TT (with feet intact lol) for ~100, and spend the remaing $500 on cart and phono pre. ie, Are the cart and phono pre more important at the price points I'm looking at?

I can go a little over budget if it gets me considerable sound quality upgrade in return.

There seems to be quite a few budget phono pre's around, and I have no way of ABing them, so I could really use opinions on that.
sandman012

Showing 1 response by sandman012

sandman012 OP
50 posts
 
Do the Thorens require anymore tweaking/upkeep than a contemporary belt drive TT? Can any needle be fit to it?

There's a few on EBay.

My bad on the NAD table, used I've seen them used for $300. Haven't seen them new for $300. I just assume get a table w/o the cart, as my Grado Red (with little use) is at least just about as good as them.
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