Originally Posted by
connoisseur_sme
Out of interest Geoff what modern deck could you recommend for a budget up to £1500? Maybe slightly more?
That is virtually an impossible question to answer Richie. The choice is considerable and whatever I suggest, others here will probably be horrified and offer their idea of 'better' alternatives.
Anyway, if you want a reliable decent sounding turntable that works as slickly as a Rolls Royce, I'd suggest a Mk.II Technics SL-1200 or SL-1210 (the numbers just denote silver or black finish). The problem with that option is that although the standard deck works brilliantly, there are a huge amount of 'upgrade' paths open to you, which can get addictive and expensive.
Your budget could also buy a clean used recent Linn Sondek LP12. I dislike them, but many don't.
A less obvious choice could be something from Clearaudio. The standard of engineering and sound quality are very good indeed. The products are also attractive to look at.
Of course, you could always try what I use. A vintage Toshiba SR-370 direct drive turntable. Solid as a rock, very hefty and reliable too. It is designed to accept an SME arm and is still surprisingly modest in cost, although they are gaining some belated recognition for their abilities and prices are slowly rising, probably due to me going on about them on the net . Great turntable!
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Last edited by walpurgis; 02-10-2017 at 23:18.
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!