I owned a Performance TT a few years ago and contemplated this same move. I really like Clearaudio and thought an Ovation made sense, but what I really wanted was an SME. Luckily I found a dealer who had a NOS SME deck in their stock and wanted to make me a great deal.
The SME is light years ahead of the Performance. I am positively in love with the SME deck, even now, 6 years after buying it. It was a stretch for me to afford it, even with the deep discount I got, but it allowed me to no longer lust for something else.
I don't know what answer to give you, but the Ovation might be only a stepping stone towards your forever turntable. If you're a serious vinyl listener like me, you should look into the best possible TT you can afford. If it's the Ovation, go ahead and buy it and see how you feel. If it's only a small but noticeable improvement you probably should have gone with something higher. An Innovation might be a better choice. Anyway, I hope you find something you love.
The SME is light years ahead of the Performance. I am positively in love with the SME deck, even now, 6 years after buying it. It was a stretch for me to afford it, even with the deep discount I got, but it allowed me to no longer lust for something else.
I don't know what answer to give you, but the Ovation might be only a stepping stone towards your forever turntable. If you're a serious vinyl listener like me, you should look into the best possible TT you can afford. If it's the Ovation, go ahead and buy it and see how you feel. If it's only a small but noticeable improvement you probably should have gone with something higher. An Innovation might be a better choice. Anyway, I hope you find something you love.