TurnTable Quest

You can do the GEM Dandy Polytable for anywhere from $1495 to around $2K depending on which tonearm you choose. It's Stereophile-rated as a Class B turntable; most Class Bs are at least triple the price of the GEM Dandy. 

It was also an Absolute Sound product of the year. Review here. Several other reviews out there if you Google for 'em.

I would say for now, since my listening room if far from reference, im gonna hunt around for a Garrard, since that route may require scrounging around flea markets......i understand i may not find one soon, but if i begin, i have a better chance and the time to do a nice rebuild.
My new room needed speaker driver repairs, amp mods, fabricated rolling acoustic barndoors, acoustic treatments, its own electrical service,  so.... Another rebuild would fall right inline.

I would have never gone in this direction if it werent for your quick replys and confident viewpoints !!!! I will post as soon as something happens, TY Very Much

I have not heard a restored AR, but I'm sure they're very good.

Helomech wrote

" Check out Dave's fully restored Thorens models at Vinyl Nirvana. These tables will walk all over many similarly priced new tables.

IMO, the $1500 range is where one can begin to find reference quality sound. At least 1k for the table and 500 for a nice cartridge. You'll get a lot of recommendations here for VPIs, but my experience has been that they're a bit overrated."

My friend who built my AR turntable is very good friends with Dave @ Vinyl Nirvana. In fact he does work for Dave. He is well known and respected for his work on AR turntables. His turntables are so well built that you would be hard pressed to find a turntable that cost more that  would outperform his turntables.

Check out Dave's fully restored Thorens models at Vinyl Nirvana. These tables will walk all over many similarly priced new tables.

The cartridge also makes a huge difference. 

I started this hobby on the budget end, which only ends up costing more in the long run. 

IMO, the $1500 range is where one can begin to find reference quality sound. At least 1k for the table and 500 for a nice cartridge. You'll get a lot of recommendations here for VPIs, but my experience has been that they're a bit overrated. 

I don't know where the $1,000 budget came from (not the OP?), but for about that you can Get a Thorens 240, a Sota Moonbeam III, or a Pro-Ject RPM 3, since you like decoupled motors. I don't think you will get a worthy VPI in that range.

One to keep an eye on for an outboard motor model would be the new Oracle Origine. I heard it will retail just under $2,000 in the USA. It was supposed to come out last Summer. Of course, for $2,000 you could almost buy a VPI Scout without a cartridge.

For $1,000 you can get an AR turntable, XA, XB, ES-1 just to name a few, and have everything underneath upgraded with better parts, you can choose whatever wood you desire, a Jelco SA-750 tonearm with a Denon DL-110 moving coil cartridge, and you will have bought your first AND last turntable.

A very good friend of mine who lives in NJ had built me three AR turntables. My last one he built for me is the XB, and this is my go-to turntable in my system today. I also have a Dual 1219 idler with a Shure M97xe cartridge, and a Denon DP-300F with an Ortofon 2M red cartridge.With his upgrades, the Technics 1200 tonearm wand, and the DL-110 cartridge is a combo that will be hard to beat.

If you are interested in going this route, contact me for more information.

DP-62L was awesome. Denon and Pioneer made some very good TT back in those days. Hard to beat in value for money today. Look for a refurbished unit. Personally I like those heavy plinth DD designs over belt or light weight acrylic or plastic plinth designs that subsequently became popular.

I just bought a Teac TN-550 for $900 and so far I'm fairly pleased.

It is an inexpensive turntable with a ceramic cartridge. Sold at Urban Outfittters, etc. Many models are portable players, including speakers. Not the quality you are looking for, and not good for your records due to high tracking force, crude stylus, etc.

I just mentioned it as a joke.

kgveteran

Ok, whats the deal with Crosley..... I gotta ask

They are pathetically cheap. See one here.
I think they may actually make some "better" turntables now, but I don't think any Agoner would be caught dead with one.

""...what brand new table with arm and cart, are a going trend, for a grand or lower."

That is a different question. Anything from Rega, Pro-Ject, VPI etc in that price range would be fine, with the exception of Crosley ;-).

Good luck with your turntable quest.""

Ok, whats the deal with Crosley..... I gotta ask

"...what brand new table with arm and cart, are a going trend, for a grand or lower."

That is a different question. Anything from Rega, Pro-Ject, VPI etc in that price range would be fine, with the exception of Crosley ;-).

Good luck with your turntable quest.

under 2k rega ,vpi or  next step up  classic then prime  .you can also score a dd like denon or technics for under a g .jmo

VPI HW-19 mk iv

I personally would recommend the VPI Scout or Prime depending on the budget, but I work with a dealer who sells a couple different brands (one is VPI), so he may be able to compare them for you.  This may give a better impression of how tables compare and contrast.  VPI is an unsuspended system while others are suspended.  The sound of a VPI is different than other tables, which may impact your choice.  A good option is to visit a dealer in your area who has them both to hear and play them for yourself, though it will certainly sound different in your home system.  A qualified and honest dealer has worked best in my experiences as the forums offer opinion all over the place.  Message me if you want to connect with my dealer if you don't already have one in you like in your area.   Best of Luck!

I thinks me better start attending some antique fair, theres always "that" audioguy there.  I always enjoi some audio banter with him, and buy a CD to keep that machine working......

Now, on the other hand, what brand new table with arm and cart, are a going trend, for a grand or lower. Im not opposed to separates, but i see this as a one time purchase, and a total package would also be nice, Ty.

I graduated from a VPI Signature Scout to a Garrard 401, DIY plinth (they came without a plinth when bought new, back in the day), Dynavector 501 arm, and Zu Denon 103R cart. The idler drive is an exceptionally good drive system, the 301 and 401 Garrards are hard to beat, IMHO.

The Dynavector arm is something I really enjoy, great sound, very precise feel, and much better to use than the VPI Unipivot, with its annoying wobble. As with every aspect in audio, there are many ways to get where you'd like to be. This worked for me.

Regards,
Dan

If I had only $1000 to spend on a turntable and didn't want to go DIY on an old idler (probably the best path to great sound for relatively little money) I would definitely be looking at buying secondhand. 

Clean and restore any parts needed and build a more solid and substantial plinth.  I have a fully restored Lenco that is the last table I will ever need.

kgveteran "I don't follow this, is the Garrard a retro table and guys are just replacing the old plinth with a more solid, and isolating platform ?"

Yes, see the link below to Loricraft

http://www.garrard501.com/

• "I have owned a lot of turntables including VPI, Basis, Rega, Thorens, Linn etc; and to me the classic Garrard 301 and 401 tables, restored with a high quality base sound better than any turntable I have owned.
  
  Unfortunately, $1,000 will only get you there if you make a great garage sale buy and build your own base."
  

 I dont follow this, is the Garrard a retro table and guys are just replacing the old plinth with a more solid, and isolating platform ?

Go on........

I have owned a lot of turntables including VPI, Basis, Rega, Thorens, Linn etc; and to me the classic Garrard 301 and 401 tables, restored with a high quality base sound better than any turntable I have owned.

Unfortunately, $1,000 will only get you there if you make a great garage sale buy and build your own base.

I think budget is a good place, seems money is always the bottom line, and $1K seems a good place to start........

I think the first think you should establish is a budget for a table/arm/cartridge. Sticker shock to some is entry level to others. 

No question that for $1,000 you can get an Excellent setup (Rega comes to mind). Have more $ to spend? While I'm not a person hat instinctively recommends VPI I heard an excellent sounding VPI Prime with a Grado cartridge last year

I second anything with a VPI logo, they will validate themselves.

• Save your money and get a Garrard 301 or 401
  

Go on........

Save your money and get a Garrard 301 or 401

inna

Anything without VPI logo..  My statement is just as valid as the previous poster's.

You're just being silly. For example, even the simplest VPI trounces a Crosley turntable. So while it's fine to be contrarian, it isn't of any help if the only point is to be disagreeable.

Anything without VPI logo..  My statement is just as valid as the previous poster's.

Anything with a VPI logo....