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

1. Current model - Dr. Feickert Volare

2. Vintage - Thorens TD165

3. Best entry level audiophile - Rega P1

@slofut: I too have a special fondness for the Townshend Audio Elite Rock. If I could have only one table, it would be the one. With a Zeta arm mounted on it, and a London pickup tracing the LP groove, I get the sound I'm most satisfied with.

@inna

Are you talking about the UK manufacturer, C. J. Walker turntables?

l had a belt driven Walker CJ55 in the 80s with the wooden platter. Great value for money back then….less than £200 without arm. I believe it was their top model. The 58 came out later but l think it was a more budget design. The CJ55 was often partnered with a Linn Basik Plus, but the arm was considered to be a weak link for this deck. That claim alone tells you of the potential of that turntable.

£200 in the early 80s bought you a lot of quality middle of the road turntables…….obscenely high priced home produced turntables had yet to materialise in the UK marketplace.

mylogic, I am talking about Walker Audio high end turntables.

For anyone considering an AR table, look for one from the 1980's, the ES-1. The 60's model has a terrible tonearm, the ES-1 could be had with no arm or a Jelco-sourced (I belive) one.

I have had three AR's, starting with the original back in 1969. In the 80's I bought one and cut the arm "housing" off the floating subchassis, mounting a unipivot in it's place. It worked okay, but when AR introduced the ES-1 I got myself one (and mounted a Rega RB300 on it), and liked it even more.

I then discovered the VPI HW-19, and the AR was history.