The Best Turntable for $1300 or less

Yes there are giant killers out there for very little I have chosen some for ease of setup and sound,VPIHWP-19,VPI Scout, welltempered,sotas, early Goldmund studios without its 3b arm, Merril, Ariston, Regas, Music hall mmf-7,and so with many way under the $1300 And many including arms.

mmf-7 is nice . are you also considering used?

Ho Chin Electronics Co, LTD came up with a MMF9 knock off (with carbon fiber tonearm) for $375 USD.

See if you can find a used Rega 25...made on the 25th anniversary of Rega...and offering much of the upgraded features of their higher end turntables at a reasonable price. This table is also easy to set up, reliable and musical as all get out.

mmf...denon////lots of used goodies too

If used turntables enter the equation, the possibilities are near-endless.

In the new TT world, an interesting question would be, would you be better off with a $1300 TT (say, a Clearaudio Emotion or Funk Firm w/Rega 300 tonearm) or a Rega P3, Technics SL1200, or Goldring GR2 modded up to around $1200-1300?

I'm sure many of you know the mods for the Rega, one of which would be the speed regulator.

What about a KAB-Technics SL1200 ($475) with tonearm rewire ($169), viscous fluid tonearm damper ($150), voltage regulator ($250), and threaded clamp ($150)? This would come to $1194.

At $1300, I'd be awfully tempted to save up another $300 to get a VPI Scout or Clearaudio-sourced Marantz TT-15S1, at least based on the audio press raves.

This review of the Rega P5 impresses, as does the turntable.

http://www.stereophile.com/turntables/1204rega/

VPI Scout used for less than $1300.Consonance also makes a very nice table that comes with an RB-250 arm and is very affordable.I'm not sure of the model or price,but I heard it at Quest For Sound.

You can find a used Linn LP12 with Ittok arm used on Agon within your pricerange.

This review of the Rega P5 impresses, as does the turntable.

Only the gullible would be impressed. There are NO measurements, much less specifications. Very unprofessional.

Look at the so called 'technical specifications':

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Two-speed belt-drive turntables with AC synchronous motor, pivoted tonearm with one-piece, cast-aluminum armtube, and glass (Planar 5) or ceramic (Planar 7) record platter. Wow and flutter: unspecified. Speed accuracy: unspecified. Rumble: unspecified, but probably pretty low (Planar 5) and really low (Planar 7). RB700 tonearm: 222.8mm spindle-to-pivot distance, 240mm effective length, spring-actuated downforce, sliding-magnet antiskating system.

But, it's rubber band powered, so it must be good...

***

IMNSHO a used VPI Scout/JMW9 in the $1K range is IMPOSSIBLE to beat. I've owned VERY expensive TT setups and the basic Scout compares quite well. Improvements past this point are incremental and expensive. It works quite well for me. Put it on a good isolation platform (mine is homemade) and be happy.

jmoog
the word giant killer is a strange kind of word
what giant are you trying to kill?
music genre will have more impact than any other consideration.
a turntable arm combo that is great with rock music may not fare so well with classical or vice versa
other than that a used oracle delphi mk11 [dc motor]and graham 1.5 should just fit in that budget
i really regret parting with my old oracle
all the best
terry

I second a Linn Sondek Lp12 and if you can get a Ittok LVII arm to boot, that would be the whip.

Happy Listening!

Apples and oranges as always. Listen and choose. If you like clean sound and simple looks and ergonomics, go with the Rega P5 and figure in the outboard power supply as an eventual upgrade.