[TJHUB]

He doesn't mention they run fast though which impacts sound.

They don't seem to run all that fast, and I saw a couple of alternative belts brought them into 33.3-33.4, so maybe not really an issue?

[bacobits1]

Ian does a pretty nice job hearing the differences on the toob.
His Cartridge shootouts are very good comparing the
Nagaoka cartridges. Don't care for Rega's (had 3) last was a P5 totally upgraded with 1K+ in parts, I planned to keep it, and anything after that was much better. Rega has/had QC issues too. Lots of them.
I had a VPI HW19 MKIII that always ran fast too. Depends if you are sensitive to this.
 

[brooklyn]

Recently, I was gifted a vintage Pioneer PL-L1000 turntable in what looked like mint condition and weighed a ton.. I thought it would solve my need to buy a new turntable. It was truly unfortunate that as good as it looked, it didn’t work properly.. I guess that’s why I never thought vintage was for me.. Needless to say, I’m still on the hunt.

I seem to be comparing every table to my last one, the VPI Scout which is not a good thing to do, at least not for the money I willing to spend this time. The video on the three turntables was interesting, there’s no doubt that guy liked the Rega. I could actually hear a difference in sound quality through my computer headphone system. I’ve only seen Rega’s in HiFi shops over the years but only listen to one briefly at a friends home, that was to long ago to remember.. They always seemed cheaply made to me and not worth the money they were asking except for their tonearms which looked nicely crafted..

Someone on Audiomart is selling a new VPI Cliffwood for a reduced amount of money but I don’t see too much enthusiasm for it on the net.. It looks nice and simple but no dust cover..

I see the Pro-Ject 1Xpression Carbon Classic on the Music Direct website is now being sold for $699.00, $400 off the list price.. It also comes with an Ortofon  2M Silver Cartridge.. That one might work for me..

[wushuliu]

They don't seem to run all that fast, and I saw a couple of alternative belts brought them into 33.3-33.4, so maybe not really an issue?

RP1,2, and 3 have speed tolerance of up to .75% fast and Wow&Flutter up to .5%. That is absolutely audible if someone gets one of their tables operating in that range. Some people like that and that's great, others have no idea because they are beginners with no frame of reference; but I think it's important that someone spending $500 - $1000 should know the cons as well as the pros. You shouldn't have to spend more money on a belt just to get your table to run at the proper speed.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

You have to take Ian's review of those 3 TT's with a grain of salt.  All 3 cartridges are different and will sound different.  In addition, cartridges do need some break in time.  I own 2 Nagaoka Carts's (MP-200 and MP-150).  Nagaoka recommends 30 hours of break in before they sound their best.  They were spot on.  The Carts did not have good bass or dynamics until about 25 hours.  The change in sound was remarkable.

In addition, certain TT's and cartridges pair better with certain phono preamps.

My only comment on the P1 is that it appears flimsy.  Even the guys at the Needle Doctor agreed when I mentioned it.  I am sure it sounds pretty good though.

I personally use a fully refurbished 1970's Thorens TD-145 TT with the MP-200 Cartridge. 

[TJHUB]

In the description of the video, Ian states that each turntable was given 100 hours of burn-in.

I would have to agree that each cartridge will sound different, but at least the Rega bested the group with the cheapest one?

[wushuliu]

I would have to agree that each cartridge will sound different, but at least the Rega bested the group with the cheapest one?

The Rega and the Sony are using the exact same cartridge - the AT3600. The Rega uses the version with the carbon fiber cantilever. I can't tell if the Sony uses the carbon or aluminum. You can get this cart for as little as $9 direct from China.

One question I have is Ian doesn't say what rca cables he used for the Sony. Since phono cable capacitance can impact the sound, a typical (even if high-end) rca would be a poor choice. Low capacitance is a must. The Rega has built in cables so presumably low.

But the point is out of the box performance and in that respect the Rega definitely sounds best in his comparison, if a little fast.

[S Clark]

I mentioned this before, but I see that it's back up for sale.  It's a JVC QL-A7.  That's a pretty dang good table. Shoot, the arm is worth a couple of hundred, it's got a new cartridge, and he's asking only $350 and will entertain offers.  I don't need  a 5th turntable, but is worth looking at.  It got to kill anything under $1000
Don't know the guy from Adam, but his track record looks good. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JVC-QL-A7/184173790807?hash=item2ae19d0657:g:6C0AAOSwl2deNf4M

[brooklyn]

That JVC looks quite nice but I’m not too much of a vintage person.. I just purchased a brand new Pro-Ject 1Xpression Carbon Classic with a Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge. It’s on closeout so I got one for a decent price.. I’ll post pictures when it comes.. I don’t think I could have done better for the money spent.

Thank you for all the interesting comments, it was appreciated.. 

[Folsom]

You can't touch that JVC with something new for less than thousands.

[planet10]

Aren't Music Hall tables rebadged Pro-Jects?

yes. Pro-Ject is currently the largest TT manufacturer in the world.

I personally would look to a Rega.

Now if you can drop the price of a car the SME Synergy comes with everthing including a phono stage built in (by Nagra).

dave

[planet10]

... JVC QL-A7….

Not my cup of tea.

During the late 70s, early 80s the hifi shop i worked at had a cadre of the best DDs in that class we could get. They regularily got spanked by much less expensive belt-drives.

dave

[S Clark]

Your experience, your opinion. That's not my experience with  SOTA, VPI, Rega, and Vyger tables compared to Technics SP10-II or the Victor TT-81.
Not saying I'm right/wrong or in between...

[wushuliu]

Not my cup of tea.

During the late 70s, early 80s the hifi shop i worked at had a cadre of the best DDs in that class we could get. They regularily got spanked by much less expensive belt-drives.

dave

And plenty of people out there who had the opposite experience. And plenty of people with idlers who say it spanks both.

There is no best drive.

[planet10]

Everything is a trade-off. The big Technics & a Denon 3000 were amongst our collection.

dave

[wushuliu]

Everything is a trade-off. The big Technics & a Denon 3000 were amongst our collection.

dave

You didn't mention anything about trade-offs, other than evidently belt drives were just better.

Speaking of working in hifi shops in late 70s, early 80s:

https://youtu.be/DvswW6M7bMo

[planet10]

You didn't mention anything about trade-offs, other than evidently belt drives were just better.

Obiously for my set of preferred compromises.

dave

[sunnydaze]

I mentioned this before, but I see that it's back up for sale.  It's a JVC QL-A7.  That's a pretty dang good table. Shoot, the arm is worth a couple of hundred, it's got a new cartridge, and he's asking only $350 and will entertain offers.  I don't need  a 5th turntable, but is worth looking at.  It got to kill anything under $1000
Don't know the guy from Adam, but his track record looks good. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JVC-QL-A7/184173790807?hash=item2ae19d0657:g:6C0AAOSwl2deNf4M

Maybe the price is too high?   

Here's a thread from 13 yrs ago saying it (table + arm) should go for about $100, and that the new price in late 70s was $350.   

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/jvc-ql-a7-turntable-worth-pursuing.113070/

[S Clark]

Maybe the price is too high?   

No, that's about $100 under the going price.

[wushuliu]

Maybe the price is too high?   

Here's a thread from 13 yrs ago saying it (table + arm) should go for about $100, and that the new price in late 70s was $350.   

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/jvc-ql-a7-turntable-worth-pursuing.113070/

The vintage table market has skyrocketed since 13 years ago, but it's also not consistent. Certain models continue to increase in value (Pioneer, Denon) while others have a moment then dip then rise then dip - not unlike stocks (AR-XA). That's because most sellers google to see what others have paid and scour forum threads. Over time it's become self-perpetuating. Bottom line is the prettier the wood veneer and the shinier the buttons, the more people are willing to pay.

That QL A7 has barely any recent ebay sales history and forum discussions are thin, so yes I think the asking price is a bit high. It's original price of $350 in the late 70s (~$1200 today) is an indicator that it's a darn good table though.

Nowadays I've learned to look for rarer less well documented tables that are under the radar. Since there were thousands of turntable models made, it's not too hard once you know what to look for. The other niche scene is ordering direct from japan auction sites. The Japanese market has *way* better vintage tables. Evidently they kept the primo models to themselves and sent everyone else the scraps!

However, I have noticed fewer ebay sales and lower variety. I think the glut of new tables like Fluance, etc. is finally impacting the vintage scene. Yay, everybody wins.