Which Turntable??

6-7 weeks turnaround for U turn...I would opt for the Ortofon cart if one is going that route...the AT lp120 another good option...

"03-07-15: Roscoe50
By high i meant price of the VPI..."

It's worth it.

I like pro-ject tables but I would avoid the USB models. The phono preamp is unreliable. Mine c***ed out shortly after the warranty expired and my dealer told me this is not unusual. If/when that happens, the table is useless unless you know someone who can modify the unit to bypass its pre-amp and allow it to be connected to the phono stage in your amp, receiver, etc.

Pioneer recently released a new DD turntable to fill the gap left by the
Technics SL12x0 line discontinued in 2010. The new one takes care of
weaknesses in the old design that should appeal to audiophiles:

1) Motor with about double the torque
2) Rubber (or synthetic) sleeve inside tonearm to dampen the ring
3) More inert top deck of zinc rather than very pingy aluminum
4) Constrained layer damping of the zinc and polymer layers of the top and
plinth for more inert chassis
5) Higher quality better isolating feet
5) RCA, ground, and IEC connectors in back to choose your own AC cord
and interconnects

turntable-an-audiophile-can-love/>Steve Guttenberg on C-Net and Herb
Reichert in the March 2015 Stereophile give very favorable reviews to this
turntable, having (together) reviewed it side-by-side with the VPI Traveler, a
an up-to-spec SL1200 MkII and a restored Thorens TD-124. They clearly
preferred the Pioneer to the VPI Traveler and also the Technics when they got
a better matching platter mat, and while the Thorens has its charms, I get the
sense that the Pioneer made the Thorens sound dated--musical in a vintage
way, but lacking the Pioneer's speed, bandwidth, and lower noise floor.

When you consider what these other turntables can cost compared to the
Pioneer's $699, it appears to be a good value. IIRC, Reichert considered it
the TT to beat under $2K.

EXCEPT, the first Pioneer he tested had very sloppy bearings. BIG if.