Selecting your first turntable setup - Get the biggest bang for your buck - Keep it under $2000

[mysticstryk]

Looking to buy my first turntable in the next week or so. I keep accruing more and more records but have nothing to play them on.

Must be UNDER $300.

Tables I'm considering:

1)AT LP120 $299
2)Teac TN-300 $285 (launched at $400)
3)Fluance RT81 $250

They all have the basics (aluminum platter, adjustable counterweight, anti skating, removable tone head, decent starter cartridge AT95E, etc) Only the AT and Teac have USB out for ripping vinyl to digital. This is an added bonus for me, but not entirely necessary. I'm mainly after sound quality, low w/f, etc.

(I dropped the U Turn Orbit from consideration due to the considerably more w/f and noise over the much quieter LP120.)

 

[KG Jag]

Looking to buy my first turntable in the next week or so. I keep accruing more and more records but have nothing to play them on.

Must be UNDER $300.

Tables I'm considering:

1)AT LP120 $299
2)Teac TN-300 $285 (launched at $400)
3)Fluance RT81 $250

They all have the basics (aluminum platter, adjustable counterweight, anti skating, removable tone head, decent starter cartridge AT95E, etc) Only the AT and Teac have USB out for ripping vinyl to digital. This is an added bonus for me, but not entirely necessary. I'm mainly after sound quality, low w/f, etc.

(I dropped the U Turn Orbit from consideration due to the considerably more w/f and noise over the much quieter LP120.)

 
Given your budget, I highly recommend:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Hall-Driven-Turntable-Cartridge/dp/B001FUF8FQ
 
It is a recently discontinued model with a very good cartridge for your price range.  You will need a phono pre-amp if you don't already have one--either stand alone or as part of your (say) receiver.  Regardless of which direction you go, you will want a decent stand alone headphone pre-amp either now or very shortly.  Absent a closeout, expect to spend $75 to $150 for one worth having.
 
My second choice is the AT.  It is a good turntable with an OK cartridge and comes with a cheap built-in and defeatible phono pre-amp.

 

[mysticstryk]

Given your budget, I highly recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Hall-Driven-Turntable-Cartridge/dp/B001FUF8FQ

It is a recently discontinued model with a very good cartridge for your price range.  You will need a phono pre-amp if you don't already have one--either stand alone or as part of your (say) receiver.  Regardless of which direction you go, you will want a decent stand alone headphone pre-amp either now or very shortly.  Absent a closeout, expect to spend $75 to $150 for one worth having.

My second choice is the AT.  It is a good turntable with an OK cartridge and comes with a cheap built-in and defeatible phono pre-amp.

Needing an external phono preamp raises the cost a bit. Am I right in understanding that I can use an external preamp with the AT table if I choose to upgrade down the line?

Do you have any comments about the other two tables I listed? Going to give the Music Hall a serious look and already have it bookmarked to investigate further, but would like to hear about the others I've listed as well.

 

[mysticstryk]

Ugh my work wifi is terrible. Double post.

 

[KG Jag]

 

Given your budget, I highly recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Hall-Driven-Turntable-Cartridge/dp/B001FUF8FQ

It is a recently discontinued model with a very good cartridge for your price range.  You will need a phono pre-amp if you don't already have one--either stand alone or as part of your (say) receiver.  Regardless of which direction you go, you will want a decent stand alone headphone pre-amp either now or very shortly.  Absent a closeout, expect to spend $75 to $150 for one worth having.

My second choice is the AT.  It is a good turntable with an OK cartridge and comes with a cheap built-in and defeatible phono pre-amp.

Needing an external phono preamp raises the cost a bit. Am I right in understanding that I can use an external preamp with the AT table if I choose to upgrade down the line?

Do you have any comments about the other two tables I listed? Going to give the Music Hall a serious look and already have it bookmarked to investigate further, but would like to hear about the others I've listed as well.

 
Yes you can turn the internal pre-amp off with the AT--unless they changed the design since I bought one a few years back.
 
I haven't heard and don't have any experience with the other two on your list.
 
I own the Music Hall I recommended and still have it in second line service.

 

[mysticstryk]

Yes you can turn the internal pre-amp off with the AT--unless they changed the design since I bought one a few years back.

I haven't heard and don't have any experience with the other two on your list.

I own the Music Hall I recommended and still have it in second line service.

Thanks! I'll add it to the list and seek further impressions of these four.

 

[KG Jag]

Another closeout to check out at close to your price point:
 
The Rega RP 1 (with Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge) is being closed out and is available (both directly and through Amazon) from such authorized dealers as Audio Advisor and Music Direct for $345.  See:
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004B3GELG

 

[mysticstryk]

I think I'm going to go with the Music Hall. It appears to be made by Pro-Ject? If so then it already has a leg up on the Fluance and Teac tables I was considering.

Anything peculiar about the table I should know before ordering? Will likely purchase the Schiit Mani for my phono preamp.

 

[KG Jag]

I think I'm going to go with the Music Hall. It appears to be made by Pro-Ject? If so then it already has a leg up on the Fluance and Teac tables I was considering.

Anything peculiar about the table I should know before ordering? Will likely purchase the Schiit Mani for my phono preamp.

 
Music Hall and Pro-Ject are not the same, but they are certainly closely related.  Music Hall turntables frequently come with Pro-Ject tonearms and no doubt share other parts.  I would compare them to the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix from not too many years past.
 
The Music Hall is quite straight forward and their are on line videos that show how to properly set it up.
 
Have read good things about the Schiit phono preamp, but have no personal experience with it.

 

[mysticstryk]

Music Hall and Pro-Ject are not the same, but they are certainly closely related.  Music Hall turntables frequently come with Pro-Ject tonearms and no doubt share other parts.  I would compare them to the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix from not too many years past.

The Music Hall is quite straight forward and their are on line videos that show how to properly set it up.

Have read good things about the Schiit phono preamp, but have no personal experience with it.

You think the Music Hall would be a nice step up from other budget TTs from the likes of Orbit, Fluance, Teac and AT?

 

[KG Jag]

 

Music Hall and Pro-Ject are not the same, but they are certainly closely related.  Music Hall turntables frequently come with Pro-Ject tonearms and no doubt share other parts.  I would compare them to the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix from not too many years past.

The Music Hall is quite straight forward and their are on line videos that show how to properly set it up.

Have read good things about the Schiit phono preamp, but have no personal experience with it.

You think the Music Hall would be a nice step up from other budget TTs from the likes of Orbit, Fluance, Teac and AT?

 
Yes--but what you are buying is not just the turntable, but a turntable system.  The cartridge is a very important piece in this.
 
My list of serious entry level turntables on a budget would include the Musical Hall 2.2, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and Rega RP 1.

 

[mysticstryk]

Yes--but what you are buying is not just the turntable, but a turntable system.  The cartridge is a very important piece in this.

My list of serious entry level turntables on a budget would include the Musical Hall 2.2, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and Rega RP 1.

Thanks! Yea, the cartridge in the Music Hall seems to be quite the step up over the at95e. I'll go with that one then. The Carbon and RP1 are just out of my budget range.

 

[Howlin Fester]

I've been having a great time reading this thread and researching my TT options over the past week.  I decided to go with the Pro Ject Carbon Debut Esprit.  (Red)  I got a Cambridge Audio Azur 551 phono pre amp.  I will be running into a Peachtree Audio Decco 65 OR Unison Research SH.  To my Fostex Th900 or Audeze LCD-XC.
 
It will be a couple of weeks before I get the equipment.  But in the meantime, I just scored 80 LPs for thirty five bucks.  Some of them I've always wanted in my collection (Like Styx - Paradise Theater) and others will be garage sale times.  But most of them are gems.
 
Now I just have to figure out how to clean them...  Fun times.  Vinyl, How I've missed you.

 

[sfo1972]

  I've been having a great time reading this thread and researching my TT options over the past week.  I decided to go with the Pro Ject Carbon Debut Esprit.  (Red)  I got a Cambridge Audio Azur 551 phono pre amp.  I will be running into a Peachtree Audio Decco 65 OR Unison Research SH.  To my Fostex Th900 or Audeze LCD-XC.
 
It will be a couple of weeks before I get the equipment.  But in the meantime, I just scored 80 LPs for thirty five bucks.  Some of them I've always wanted in my collection (Like Styx - Paradise Theater) and others will be garage sale times.  But most of them are gems.
 
Now I just have to figure out how to clean them...  Fun times.  Vinyl, How I've missed you.

Congratulations on your new acquisition 

.....  It looks like you have a great line up of components.  It's closing in on 2 years for me with my TT and records and I do not regret getting into Vinyl one bit.  Granted its more work and requires physical handling of the medium; but there is a clear difference in the soundstage and signature of Vinyl when compared with other formats.  For one thing, the sound stage is bigger, deeper, and taller.  I don't know how to explain it, but the same track on vinyl vs. hi-rez sounds different.  Keep us posted with your experience....cheers

 

[drleomarvin]

Does anyone have any experience with Rega... I have been looking at a planar 3 or possibly a RP6. It seems Rega is very love/hate, and I could use some unbiased info...