Hypothetical question on turntables.

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I'd wait and see what Rega come out with, or pick up a used Michell Micro. You can also picl up used Clearaudio Emotions for around £500/600 too, although a lid would be an option.
 
FrankHarveyHiFi:You can also pick up used Clearaudio Emotions for around £500/600 too, although a lid would be an option.As would the tonearm. They're closer to £1100 with lid and tonearm.

I'm a big fan of Technics so the SL 1200 Mk 5 would be my choice. Apart from the sound, the build quality and thoughtfulness of the design leave most Hi Fi turntables for dead until you reach the upper echelons.
 
Generally speaking, most of the Pro-ject and Rega turntable range are clones of each other - look and feel cheap. I'm not a big fan of Technics stuff, either.

I love the sound of my TT for price, but like my other sources, it's not doing the Leema justice.
 
plastic penguin:
Generally speaking, most of the Pro-ject and Rega turntable range are clones of each other - look and feel cheap.

emotion-43.gif
 
The Rega P3-24 Colours (£598 with TT-PSU) looks very smart in high gloss.

Or get something used or spend more money.

As for Rega looking/feeling 'cheap' then what can I say? I have owned Rega TTs on and off for the best part of 27 years since they launched the first Planar 3 with RB300 arm. I really don't know where you got 'cheap' from as an adjective. You have obviously never owned one. They are 'cheap' in the same way a Caterham is 'cheap' compared to a Ferrari. Rega concentrate on a very minimalist and engineering centred idea of what is necessary to play an LP really well for a relatively small amount of cash and no frills. I prefer 'minimal' to 'cheap'. A well looked after Rega will (and do) last for 30 years with the odd service every decade or so and an occasional belt replacement.
 
chebby:

The Rega P3-24 Colours (£598 with TT-PSU) looks very smart in high gloss.

Or get something used or spend more money.

As for Rega looking/feeling 'cheap' then what can I say? I have owned Rega TTs on and off for the best part of 27 years since they launched the first Planar 3 with RB300 arm. I really don't know where you got 'cheap' from as an adjective. You have obviously never owned one. They are 'cheap' in the same way a Caterham is 'cheap' compared to a Ferrari. Rega concentrate on a very minimalist and engineering centred idea of what is necessary to play an LP really well for a relatively small amount of cash and no frills. I prefer 'minimal' to 'cheap'. A well looked after Rega will (and do) last for 30 years with the odd service every decade or so and an occasional belt replacement.

I quite agree. Having had a few Rega's over the past 30 years or so I would say the only thing cheap about them is the price.

They offer perfect form and function, in their basic state, to do the job required. They can, of course be upgraded if you feel the need, but as a 'front-end' they are perfectly adequate for the job.

PS They come with lids!!
 
True, most sub-£1,000 TTs (especially Rega and Pro-ject, including my Xpression) are identical. Sit a Rega and my TT side-by-side and the design is uninspiring. True, they have come out with "Jazzie" colours at extra cost, but using Chebby's analogy: If you paint a Morris Minor bright red does it turn into a Ferrari?

I was quite upbeat when I clocked the Project in the December edition. It looks quality....
 
plastic penguin:... but using Chebby's analogy: If you paint a Morris Minor bright red does it turn into a Ferrari?

Please don't misquote me. What I actually said was...

chebby:They are 'cheap' in the same way a Caterham is 'cheap' compared to a Ferrari.

A Caterham is not a Morris Minor painted red! Some Caterhams can out-accelerate and outperform many supercars on a track. (Including modern Ferraris and in that Top-Gear clip, a Bugatti Veyron!)
 
chebby:

plastic penguin:... but using Chebby's analogy: If you paint a Morris Minor bright red does it turn into a Ferrari?

Please don't misquote me. What I actually said was...

chebby:They are 'cheap' in the same way a Caterham is 'cheap' compared to a Ferrari.

A Caterham is not a Morris Minor painted red! Some Caterhams can out-accelerate and outperform many supercars on a track. (Including modern Ferraris and in that Top-Gear clip, a Bugatti Veyron!)

I wasn't misquoting, honest. I was using your analogy, and the point is, because Rega and other makes have jazzie colour range that doesn't make them any classier. Different? yes....

My current TT is fine. It will more than suffice until well into next year - when the change comes, I'll be looking for something completely different to the "traditional" colour(s) and design. In saying all that, I love the Rega sound but the looks does absolutely nowt for me.
 
Do you not like Gyrodecs, PP? A little extra in the budget would get you a used one. I've been seeing them go for around £700 at music fayres recently.
 
Grottyash:FrankHarveyHiFi:You can also pick up used Clearaudio Emotions for around £500/600 too, although a lid would be an option.As would the tonearm. They're closer to £1100 with lid and tonearm.Nope, tonearm and cartridge included. I did say 'used'
emotion-1.gif
 
plastic penguin:I wasn't misquoting, honest. I was using your analogy...

Actually you weren't using my analogy. I was comparing a stripped down, minimilist sports car that can offer a genuine taste of 'supercar' performance for modest prices.

You ran off with some nonsense about comparing Rega's colour options to a red painted Morris Minor.

Actually most of the extra £200 paid for the Rega P3-24 Colours package is taken up by the cost of the £148 TT-PSU that is included with it and not included with the standard model.

So the gloss colour option only costs about £50 extra and does not detract from the fact that the P3-24 - whether coloured or basic finish - is a superb deck and not a 'Morris Minor' pretending to be something it isn't.

It is the same as speaker manufacturers who charge a little more for a certain type of veneer. It is not a pretence or a con. Just a finish option.
 
bretty:Do you not like Gyrodecs, PP? A little extra in the budget would get you a used one. I've been seeing them go for around £700 at music fayres recently.

Yeah, they certainly look the biz. Have to confess, though, I've never seen one in the flesh (so to speak), only pics posted on this forum. They have a great reputation - going on reviews alone - but I'm a little put off buying second hand. There are too many moving parts to make me comfortable.

How's yours sounding?
 
plastic penguin:
bretty:Do you not like Gyrodecs, PP? A little extra in the budget would get you a used one. I've been seeing them go for around £700 at music fayres recently.

Yeah, they certainly look the biz. Have to confess, though, I've never seen one in the flesh (so to speak), only pics posted on this forum. They have a great reputation - going on reviews alone - but I'm a little put off buying second hand. There are too many moving parts to make me comfortable.

How's yours sounding?

I wish I knew. Mine's still in it's box! it makes a beautiful door stop, though
 
chebby:

plastic penguin:...but I'm a little put off buying second hand. There are too many moving parts to make me comfortable

Just looking at the moving parts on this Gyrodec...

http://www.michell-engineering.co.uk/pic/tur/michell_gyrodec.jpg

... arm, motor, belt, platter, hinges and clamp.

I can't see anything else that moves.

On an item such as that, I would be really peeved if I spent £600 and found it needed another £200 or so to make it ideal.

Turntables, CDPs and speakers I would never buy s/hand unless it was from a reliable high street retailer. At least then, you have a 3 month warranty.
 
bretty:plastic penguin:

bretty:Do you not like Gyrodecs, PP? A little extra in the budget would get you a used one. I've been seeing them go for around £700 at music fayres recently.

Yeah, they certainly look the biz. Have to confess, though, I've never seen one in the flesh (so to speak), only pics posted on this forum. They have a great reputation - going on reviews alone - but I'm a little put off buying second hand. There are too many moving parts to make me comfortable.

How's yours sounding?

What are your plans for it?

I wish I knew. Mine's still in it's box! it makes a beautiful door stop, though
 
plastic penguin:bretty:plastic penguin:
bretty:Do you not like Gyrodecs, PP? A little extra in the budget would get you a used one. I've been seeing them go for around £700 at music fayres recently.

Yeah, they certainly look the biz. Have to confess, though, I've never seen one in the flesh (so to speak), only pics posted on this forum. They have a great reputation - going on reviews alone - but I'm a little put off buying second hand. There are too many moving parts to make me comfortable.

How's yours sounding?

I wish I knew. Mine's still in it's box! it makes a beautiful door stop, though

What are your plans for it?

It needs a power supply and a tonearm. I'm about three weeks away from getting the cash together for them.

I don't want to flog a dead horse. If a Gyro isn't for you, that's cool. I'll just say that, from seeing the deck disassembled in it's box, it's a really simple design, with not really much that can go wrong with it. Maybe a change of bearing oil, and a new belt, but that's your lot. Also, it looks and, more importantly, feels unlike any other deck that i've seen. It's so heavy and solid that it just screams quality.

Maybe, as Project and Rega don't float your boat, and if the Gyro aint your thang, a Roksan or a Clearaudio could be the way to go?
 
bretty:plastic penguin:bretty:plastic penguin:

bretty:Do you not like Gyrodecs, PP? A little extra in the budget would get you a used one. I've been seeing them go for around £700 at music fayres recently.

Yeah, they certainly look the biz. Have to confess, though, I've never seen one in the flesh (so to speak), only pics posted on this forum. They have a great reputation - going on reviews alone - but I'm a little put off buying second hand. There are too many moving parts to make me comfortable.

How's yours sounding?

I wish I knew. Mine's still in it's box! it makes a beautiful door stop, though

What are your plans for it?

It needs a power supply and a tonearm. I'm about three weeks away from getting the cash together for them.

I don't want to flog a dead horse. If a Gyro isn't for you, that's cool. I'll just say that, from seeing the deck disassembled in it's box, it's a really simple design, with not really much that can go wrong with it. Maybe a change of bearing oil, and a new belt, but that's your lot. Also, it looks and, more importantly, feels unlike any other deck that i've seen. It's so heavy and solid that it just screams quality.

Maybe, as Project and Rega don't float your boat, and if the Gyro aint your thang, a Roksan or a Clearaudio could be the way to go?

In terms of looks it ticks all the boxes. All the reviews I've read down the years (approx 5) have all been very encouraging. The sticking point is the price. If I find a s/hand one floating around one of my regular dealers, I'll certainly investigate further.
 
Does anyone have any experience with Garrard TTs? I've owned two - one sounded really good, although suffered from woe and flutter, I seem to remember, while the other one was very good. It's been so long that I couldn't give a description of their sonic qualities - nothing you could really hang your hat on anyway.
 
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