Who LOVES their under $ 1000 table combination ?

Can you give more info on what the "Denon 1800" is? Drive type? Era? Any pix online you could find?

Meeeeeeeee! I looooooooooove my Technics SL 1210 M5G. I've tweaked it enough that it comes in just under $1K, but it's those tweaks that have made it so musically endearing.

Breakdown:
Turntable from Guitar Center: $500
Used Oracle Groove Isolator mat: $10
KAB fluid damper: $150
Parts Express threaded brass cones: $20
Ikea butcher block cutting board: $25
Vibrapods: $24
Sumiko headshell: $40
Denon DL-160 cartridge: $180

Tonally neutral, extended at both frequency extremes, fast, rhythmic, great transient slam, good midrange transparency. But most important of all, draws me deeply into the music. Music from extended playing sessions haunts my mind for days afterward, much like the experience after a live concert.

Now, I know there are a lot of much nicer, way more expensive rigs out there in this refined-taste, well-heeled crowd, and I've personally heard some tasty Rega, and knock-yer-sox-off Linn and SME rigs at the local high end stores, but my previous description accurately describes what this tweaked, mass-produced rig does for me on a daily basis. Of course YMMV.

4-02-08: Ferrari
About a year and a half ago, I purchased a Goldring GR 1.2 turntable from Audio Advisor for $299.95 delivered to my door. This table is nothing more or less than a Rega P 2 on a different plinth. Came with the Rega RB 250 tonearm and included a Goldring Electra phono cartridge. Only upgrade to this has been the Rega glass platter that I had from years gone by, as well as a Herbie mat from sometime ago.

So it's a real RB250, and therefore upgradeable via the Michell or Origin Live routes? Have you thought about getting the metal stub and denser counterweight for the tonearm--either the Michell or Origin Live?

I ask because a a friend bought one of these on my recommendation and I'd like to recommend cost-effective tweaks to this 'table as he gets the urge to extract more music from the grooves.

04-02-08: Ferrari
No the GR 1.2 is factory stock, with exeption of the glass platter and the Herbie mat.

Yes, I understand, but I wanted to verify that the GR1.2 tonearm is an RB250 and therefore a candidate for the tonearm upgrades offered by Origin Live, Michell, and others, so I can recommend that upgrade path to my newbie friend. Also, did the Herbie's mat noticeably improve things?

Think I will order the Pete Riggle counter weight for the arm. Have heard good things about that upgrade.

The only product Pete currently has on his website is his VTAF (vertical tracking angle on-the-fly) adapter for Rega-compatible tonearm, which is also enthusiastically reviewed. Of course, there are a zillion other aftermarket counterweights available.

The Origin Live and Michell counterweights lower the center of gravity, and the Michell weight arrangement functions as an outrigger besides. This no doubt helps settle down the otherwise twitchy behavior of a unipivot bearing. It's also what's behind the fishing weight tweak.

04-03-08: Ferrari
Yes the arm on the Goldring GR1.2 is a Rega RB 250, and will accept any and all upgrades for a Rega RB 250 arm. I spoke with Pete Riggle last night and indeed the counter weight is available, at $75.00 plus $6.00 for shipping.

That's great! All the other aftermarket counterweights are $100 more at least. I venture that Riggle's counterweight plus VTAF would bring great improvements for little more than just the counterweight from other vendors.

One more question for Ferrari:

The Michell and Origin Live counterweights include both the counterweight and a stainless steel stub to replace the plastic one on the stock RB250. Do you know if Riggle's counterweight includes a replacement stub to thread it on?