best "entry level" audiophile TT?

I still think a VPI HW-19 mark whatever is a great deal in the used market, built to last,ease of setup,price,large flexible arm board fitting almost any arm,and not that bad to look at.

There's probably not a "best." It's a matter of what compromises you're willing to have at the $400-700 (+ cartridge) price range.

A local store stopped carrying Music Hall TTs, citing motor reliability. Pro-Ject 'tables are also made in the same factory in the Czech Republic. They prefer the Rega P1, P2, and P3 in your price range for reliability and upgradability.

I myself am smitten by my Technics SL 1210 M5G. I got it for $500, the cost of a P2 and significantly less than a Sota Moonbeam, Pro-Ject RM-5, MMF-5, or Rega P3. Unlike the Rega, the rotation speed is dead-nuts accurate with better wow, flutter, and rumble figures. In spite of the "audiophile press" assertions to the contrary, it's a very quiet table and I can't hear any motor noise, even with headphones.

It's certainly an old school arm, but the S-curve breaks up resonances and the detachable headshell makes cart mounting and changing a breeze. You can also bypass one cartridge-to-tonearm "joint" by getting an Ortofon Concorde all-in-one cartridge/headshell from http://www.kabusa.com.

And you won't touch the Technics' SL 12x0 series' durability, smoothness of controls, and build quality for under $2K.

Most of all, I like the way it sounds. It has no trouble sounding better than my CD/SACD players, it's rhythmic and involving with lots of pace and slam combined with decent microdynamics (certainly better than CD) and inner detail.

Taking pains to get this 'table acoustically/vibrationally isolated pays off big sonic dividends.

Taking pains to get this 'table acoustically/vibrationally isolated pays off big sonic dividends.

I have three Dennensen air suspension platform pistons under a granite slab under my KAB modded 1200. The air suspension makes a HUGE sonic improvement.

Other tricks I use include Marigo dots on the tonearm gimbals and under cartridge body. This also wowed me.

The 1200 series is entry level in price, but the technology to price ratio is much higher thatn any of its competitors. The KAB mods take it to the $5K performance level with much less than that.

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Question about Dennensen platforms:

I have three Dennensen air suspension platform pistons

Do you have a link or any information about these isolation devices?

Music hall MMF-7 was what got me hooked again on the medium.