Prettiest TT under £750

[admin_exported]

Hey, As I am still quite wet behind the ears regarding the amount of different TTs out there,
can you help please?,

What is the prettiest, IYO, that money can buy or should I say upto £750, obviously sound quality is important too.

To start you off, I came across one of these recently.....Michell Engineering TecnoDec

Look forward to your replies

 

[nads]

£750 with or without arm and cartridge?

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, remember I'm soggy ears over here.

I was hoping for all-in.

The Technodec falls in that price range doesn't it? Actually NO doesn't lo0k like it does - doh !

http://www.divineaudio.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=412

 

[Anonymous]

Why is your budget so high if you're new to TTs? I notice it's over three times the price of your cd player! I would start with a much cheaper deck and as you're talking pretty I'd say the Project Debut Esprit. If you want pretty and a truly fantastic sound then I'd say the Project Xpression 3. I like the more traditional look a bit funked-up and can't abide these modern-looking monstrosities!

 

[Anonymous]

Well something different but undeniably stylish would be an old B&O Beogram 4000 - think they have it in a design museum! Sounds pretty good too.

 

[nads]

for all in Project 2 Xperience Xpack Turntable £750 I picked mine up for £650, the rondo red cart is £300 new!

 

[Anonymous]

Funk Firm???

Willy, I have over 5000 vinyl 12" & LPs & prefer to listen to vinyl.

The CD is for convenience more than anything

When the rugrats are doing their homework it's eay to put on a Classical CD as background music.

My realistic budget is £500, just wanted to see what a little extra could buy.

But then thought lets see what people think is pretty under this price.

NOTE : FUNCTION over form every time - It's what it sounds like not what it looks like.

Havin said that it's nice to see something pretty sometimes.

But as we know beauty is very subjective.

Actually I'm with you I love the BLACK Linn, Thorens look.

BTW my current list of possible turntables in the sub £500 is :

Rega P3 24 Elys 2

Pro-ject Xpression III 2M Red

Pro-Ject RPM5 2m Red.

Let see some beauties !!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="ssvirk"]Funk Firm???

Willy, I have over 5000 vinyl 12" & LPs & prefer to listen to vinyl.

The CD is for convenience more than anything

When the rugrats are doing their homework it's eay to put on a Classical CD as background music.

My realistic budget is £500, just wanted to see what a little extra could buy.

But then thought lets see what people think is pretty under this price.

NOTE : FUNCTION over form every time - It's what it sounds like not what it looks like.

Havin gsaid that it's nice to see something pretty sometimes.

But as we know beauty is very subjective.

Actually I'm with you I love the Linn, Thorens look.

BTW my current list of possible turntables in the sub £500 is :

Rega P3 24 Elys 2

Pro-ject Xpression III 2M Red

Pro-Ject RPM5 2m Red.

Let see some beauties !![/quote]

Fair enough, you should have said you were a seasoned vinyl lover - you came across as a newbie.

 

[nads]

Clicky for bigger

 

[Anonymous]

Nice Nads - oh err

What is it mate?

How did you add a pic like that too(thumbnail to larger)?

 

[the record spot]

Either the Roksan Radius 5, or the Audio Note TT1. There was a Project deck which had a very simple style, but was finished in a high varnished cherry which looked stunning some years ago.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Record Spot,

Couple of great shouts.

Seen the Radius & like the simplicity of the Audio Note.

Do you know if the Audio Note comes in another colour, preferablt black?

Do they sound as good as they look?

 

[the record spot]

Not sure about the AN although it might do - check their website to be sure. The Rosewood (or whatever it is) is a smart finish though and it gave the old Systemdek brand (which Audio Note bought up) a new lease of life. Nice deck - wish I could afford one!

EDIT - sound quality; never heard either, but both have excellent reviews from a variety of sources. I'd happily go with either and was recently tempted by the Roksan in an Edinburgh store.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep in Black Ash too:

http://www.audionote.co.uk/products/analogue/tt-2_01.shtml

How much ?? Best Price ??

 

[the record spot]

The TT1 clocks in around the £750 mark, so on the border of your budget. The Roksan I can't recall, but you could pick up used examples and still get a warranty thrown in by some dealers. You might get a new one on a discount, so search around.

If you wanted to get a decent deck though without breaking the bank but still landing a bit of a peach, check out some of the deals available on the Goldring GR2 - this was well reviewed a year or so back, is a P2/P3 derivative, comes with an RB250 (I think - it is definately a rega arm though) and also has a Goldring 1012GX cartridge stuck on board. It originally retailed for £265, but some dealers had it for about £165. A total steal at the price and a deck that gives the Project's a good run for the money.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks RS,

Taking a look now.....any others you'd recommend ?

 

[Anonymous]

Yep on there £165 Superfi with £100 Goldring 1012GX cartridge included!

How do you think it compares to a Project Xpression iii or Rega P3 24?

 

[the record spot]

Don't know anything about the Project Xpression, but the P3-24 with the added PSU is apparantly the mutt's whatsits, but that'll set you back about £500. What the Goldring gives you is - effectively - a Rega deck with a cracking arm and cartridge. Put it this way, the RB250 is about £120, the cart is around the £100-110 mark and it gets a good write-up.

If money was no object in the price range, I'd be auditioning the P3, one of the midrange Projects, the Audio Note (but you need to account for a cartridge too there, so that puts the cost up somewhat over the maximum) and the Michell Tecnodec which has stonking upgrade potential. Maybe a Radius 5 too.

Speaking of which, an upgraded Technics SL1200 is one to watch out for and which Origin Live do an upgrade that takes it out of the DJ realm and square into serious deck territory. If that's not your thing just yet, stick to one of the others.

 

[gregory]

clearaudio red or blue emotion is very attractive and sounds good too.

 

[the record spot]

Yep, forgot that one earlier and recalled as soon as you mentioned it; nice simplicity about the design (kind of shared by the Tecnodec too I think). Never heard it in action, but has to be on a shortlist if someone's looking in that price bracket.