AntAxon said:
Dear Mr Ears I've been a member of this forum for about a year now and it appears that you are an expert on turntables amongst other things. I would greatly value your opinion on which turntable is the best.
Clearview Audio MM
Marantz TT15S1
Rega RP6 Exact
Project 2Xperience SB DC
The Marantz is the most expensive but its cheaper to buy it from the EU. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Well thank you. Can I just say I've never heard of your first on the list and cannot find it on Google. You don't mean Clearaudio Concept do you?
Moving onwards what makes a good turntable is obviously something that is solid and well engineered and can maintain fixed RPM at selected speed with minimum wow and flutter measurements.This must be complimented with a good tonearm and, most importantly, cartridge.
The majority of the 'plug and play' packages on the market currently are fitted with very basic cartridges, some a bit better than others. If you are serious about your vinyl, and looking at the rest of your kit you probably are, then my advice would be to buy a turntable without the standard cheapo cartridge and get dealer to fit something a bit more upmarket and more in line with what the tonearm can carry off. Another factor is getting a deck where you could, at some point if you wished, upgrade the tonearm.
I have no experience with the Marantz on your list but I know at least one forumee that rates his highly.
The Project and Regards are old stagers and both have their merits.
Overall, and bearing in mind I haven't seen let alone heard the Marantz, if I had to by one then it would be the Project 2xperience as I believe that the tonearm / cartridge combo it comes pre-fitted with makes this the best of the bunch.
If you are looking to buy without cartridge and fitting your own then perhaps the Rega would just push into first place.
If you can audition them all but particularly the Marantz as it is, to me, an unknown entity but being as it is basically a Clearaudio turntable with a Marantz badge, it should be pretty good indeed.
Above all that, it's all going to looks, I'd suggest buying one that looks like it's going to last. I was going to say can take some abuse but that didn't sound right