Tossing out a question about some 'tables...


Greetings all!

In my recently renewed quest to upgrade my source components, I have (re)started my turntable search. In this episode, our intrepid hunter is asking the collective their opinions about the following tables (assuming all are equipped with their std. tonearms and a cartridge TBD):

AR EB101
Thorens 318
Linn Axis

Said hunter knows there are other tables out there (and he isn't discounting them), the above models are currently available through various sources. So...fire away...

Thanks!

Greg
gregk27
Greetings again!

First off I want to thank everyone here at A'gon (again) for all the help I've received over the years (and recently -- got a great deal on a great CD player). I'm still looking for a 'table and have taken the above info to heart (meaning I'll obsess about it whenever possible and try to weasel a few extra bucks into the account). In the meantime, both of the following are listed here and was wondering about others' experiences with these models/setups:

Rega Planar 3/sme309 seriesiii/goldring1012GX

Linn Basik Turntable w/ tone arm (Basik +) and cartridge (new Grado Green)

thanks in advance!

Greg
Hi Greg

I bought a used Linn Axis here at Audiogon a couple of weeks ago. I could not be more happy with this table as a starter table after many years away from vinyl.

While I have not yet bought enough used vinyl to use it much, my opinion on what this table can do with a good record is very high and leaves me with no doubt that I made a fine choice.

That said, I have already found that like CD...poor recordings still sound poor. This was somewhat of a suprise to me all though it should not have been. I guess we all should know better than to beleave everything we read.

On the other hand, good vinyl does have the magic that we all read about and I will never be with-out vinyl again.

Dave
The AR EB 101 is a good table-2 different versions-one w/o arm board(tonearm attatched directly to suspension via round hole in plinth) and one with arm board like the es-1 which will give you more flex on tonearm switch if desired. Keep in mind turntables are an area where audio snobbery runs most rampant as many good tables like the AR are looked over for todays average like the regas IMO. The AR outperformed both my regas even with the great tonearm. Two TT's I can highly recommend for cheap that will get you no audio snob points are the B&O TX (especially with MMC2 cartridge)and the technics sl-10.