What are your top 3 favorite turntable companies (manufacturer) and why?

The three turntable companies I like are VPI.

Had a Nomad that I ran a Soundsmith Zephyr on and was quite surprised how good it sounded.

Jumped to the Prime 21 with gimbal arm & I don’t think I’ll ever need another table.

While sound is what really matters, I like the looks of the Prime 21 vs others in the price range.

Excellent customer service & support.

American made.

I own a Linn. A great TT if it has the latest upgrades.  I have owned a Heybrook (the layman's Linn because I could not afford it at the time like many) and a Thorens.

If I had to change right now I would look at Kuzma or Pure Fidelity who offer great products for the price IMHO.

Above all I love my Townshend Elite Rock, so simple yet completely amazing

SOTA SS with ET air bearing arm (talk about rube goldberg)

Ariston RD 80 with mods.

These are the ones I've landed on the last years, but the townshend I've had since '84 and will never sell. I love turntables like cars, I'd like to have a nice warehouse full and all working with a person employed to maintain and dust them daily for my enjoyment.

@inna said: 

"Libraries and other places use Simon Yorke with SME arms for transfers.

Who is familiar with them ? And why would they use it with SME arms and not full SME set up, I wonder ?

Speaking of British."

Here’s a photo in a restoration suite from my visit to the Packard Campus, Culpeper, LOC:

Sota: very recent ownership experience. American, great company, suspended, speed control, platter, bearing, vacuum (regulated), integrated dust cover, looks (woodworker), upgradeability, American. Their higher end tables (Nova VII, Cosmos VII) I found to be great values relative to their performance. (Not familiar with their other models, though.)

VPI: ownership experience. American, solid build, fine performance, upgradeable, great line of tables at all price points. I enjoy talking to and listening with Harry and Matt at the shows...

Scheu:  ownership experience.  Relatively simple table, sounds great, nice looking.