Budget updgrade turntable

HiFi
1

Asking for a friend:

Wants to upgrade from a starter rig (sub £200 with a replaceable cart. at about £30).

In the category that’s usually described as upgrade rather than audiophile and under 500.
Likes the idea of a starter Techics (probably have to be second hand to work).

New dealer opening locally stocking AT and the AT-LP140XP jumps out as a decent direct drive.

I’ve not reviewed or auditioned much in this range so any CLEAR alternatives? I suspect this category is quite competitive so any decent brand should perform? Cartridge upgrade can come later. Needs to be ready to use with arm.

I know the thing we had at Lopwell is cheap and sounded great.
Any help appreciated and and sorry to do hifi !

2

I would be looking at the best second hand Rega I could get for the ££££.

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3

You’ll get a decent pro-ject with speed control for that kinda money, maybe even a variant of the carbon tonearm.

I get the idea of a rega, but imho they’re a touch over rated, and often command higher second hand values than they truly merit. In the used market there are more exciting choices to my mind.

I mean on pinkfish last week, there was an LP12 with rega arm and MM cart for £500! So there are some serious audiophile bargains out there at that price point!

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Yeah, it was in Glasgow though :grinning:

5

I was sorely tempted, I’ve always wanted to try the whole LP12 phenomenon!

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6

Public service announcement from Japanman

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7

One of the Reloop decks like @stu’s got would be where I’d go - all the best bits of a Technics deck, at a fraction of the price new.

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8

Basically buy a turntable that is broken and follow Linn’s upgrade repair path to fix it to find out that it’s still a box of wank, but now a box of wank that you’re invested in.

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9

Yeah, but who doesn’t like a good cult

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Ex members who have escaped?

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11

Did you not receive your introductory butcher pack? Linn, like cables, is Harram

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12

I was unaware of the cultural faux pas I had committed!

So, I’ll stick to my technics :joy:

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13

I had the AT 5LP for a while and really liked it. Only downside was it didn’t like an mc cart,though I think that was just my one as others had no problem.

For £500 new,I’d probably get the x version,and spend £150 on a cart upgrade

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My job here is done.

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Be careful with these. Firstly because it’s a clever but weird arm and not for the uninitiated. Secondly, the review sample I had was immaculate and did all the things it was supposed to. Feedback from people in contact with retail ones has not been quite as positive.

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17

Should your friend be an outlier spectrum approved loon something faffy might be just the ticket. Assuming you have a fair quota of imbecilic ham fisted friends (as is meatman policy) The AT or Technics noted are probably the way to go.

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18

Might be totally wrong but didn’t Olan @htm_1968 have one of these?

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I have one. It sounds great when set up but it’s the most user unfriendly deck I have ever owned. A mate also has one which he eventually gave up on.

I suspect that there is a good reason for Richer Sounds selling a £1K deck for £400 within a couple of years of it’s release.

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20

No. I had a Clearaudio Ambient which is greatly missed here.

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