What is the ultimate turntable for £2000?

Semjaza · junior member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Devon

Hi. Im new here so please excuse my first post!

I want to get a decent Turntable, arm and cartridge to up grade my current Ariston RD80 with Linn Basik arm & Ortofon MC10 cartridge.

My system is:

Meridian 508, 502 with MC phono stage, 557 x 2, B&W N802 and 2 x ASW4000 subs in case I need extra bass. All cables are Van Den Hul D102mk 3 balanced and VDH revolution speaker cables.

Please can you make suggestions as to what you think would be the best turntable, new or used, for about £2000.

Rosewood

Semjaza · junior member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Devon

Thanks for your reply. So, do you think the cartridge is the best part worth keeping from my existing turntable?

Rosewood · Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject:

jon tiltman · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject:

If I had a £2K budget I'd seriously consider this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COMPLETE.....1e58b4fbd8

It's a hell of a lot of turntable for the money with a fantastic arm and he's including what is IMO the nicest VTF gauge ever made.

Failing that I'd get something by Nottingham Analogue - second hand of course.

There's no definitive answer to your question, it all comes down to personal preference - you could have a PT Anniversary, a Wilson Benesch, a Thorens TD-124.... £2K will buy you some wonderful decks.

JT

Semjaza · junior member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Devon

Thanks for all the replies. The technics deck is quite nice but Japanese is not really me although the camera type engineering is tempting. Nottingham analogue decks look nice.

howlindawg · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject:

Have a look at the Townshend Rock series.

2K will buy a new Rock 7 but could also bag you an older model with Excalibur arm and Merlin power supply if you have the patience to wait for a clean one to appear on the s/h market.
_________________
The Squirrels talk to me. They say "Koochie Koochie Koo!"
=====================================
Townshend Elite Rock II,Excalibur,Merlin / Pioneer PL-71 / Tweaked Rega P3
Musical fidelity X-A2 & X-LPSv3
Aurum Cantus Leisure 2 Signature / Mission 783

mysticfred · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:42 pm Post subject:

I had an Ariston RD80 with Linn Basik setup similar to yours in the 80's, the deck always sounded great but i eventually sold it and bought a Linn LP12 / Ittok - though a similar suspended sub chassis design the difference in sound quality was staggering, though the Ittok arm must have had a lot to do with it. Wink

2,000 pounds is a very good budget for a turntable, arm and cartridge assembly, try visiting your local hifi dealer for some demos.

Semjaza · junior member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Devon

I justhad a demo of this deck http://www.audiodestination.co.....ts_id=1196

Sounded ok with a ortofon red rondo cartridge. Is it worth buying a new cartridge and doing some tweeks to my Ariston RD80? I can always use it on a new turntable and arm later.

mysticfred · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:13 am Post subject:

ameryt · member Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Yorkshire

£2000 can get you an EMT 930st.

Although you may have to sell the 155st phono amplifier that normally comes with these to get it for under £2000.

If anyone can recommend, or already owns, a turntable that sounds better for £2000, then I'd love to do a "bake-off" between that and my EMT 930st.

Semjaza · junior member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Devon

mysticfred · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:53 pm Post subject:

the dealer let you take it home?
Shocked

...you have a very good dealer Cool

RockFan · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:31 pm Post subject:

Just took delivery of my Townshend Rock Reference/Excalibur.....the grin hasn't left my face yet.

Blows away my £2K (without arm) modern reference.

A week of blissful LP playing. The quality on the best LPs is of course jaw dropping, however the surprise has come with the older s/h "duds" in the collection. Time after time these have been revealed to have solid driving bass, clarity etc.

Designed against Master Tapes, you better believe it!

Alec124c41 · Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:55 am Post subject:

Semjazza, that OM10 is not giving you what you can get from that turntable. (OM10 is not an OM30 without stylus change)
The Ariston RD-80, with a Denon DL-160, will surprise you, and may well keep you smiling while you contemplate the purchase of your dream turntable.

Cheers,
Alec