[denoiad]

Looking for recommendation for a setup for $1000 - $1500 to get me started.   

I currently don't have anything phono related.   

[midfi]

you trying to go top to bottom? or do you already have speakers and amps and stuff???

[Minn Mark]

Call Galen @ Galen Carol Audio. I highly recommend him.

Good Luck and let us know what you buy.....

Also I routinely use these to source new and old vinyl:

eBay

acousticsounds.com

elusivedisc.com


Mark

[drjjpdc]

In that price range you cannot beat the Clearaudio Concept. On the low end you can buy the TT and arm for a $1000. You can also get a cartridge moving magnet for an extra $100 I think. Plus it comes installed from the factory with the cartridge! How easy is that? The arm is of an advanced magnetic bearing design. Check it out. I have had about 6-7 TT's in my life and this one is of such quality that you would have to spend around $2500 to get a better one!

[thunderbrick]

Call Galen @ Galen Carol Audio. I highly recommend him.

If he's the guy who ran Audio Source in San Antonio in the 80s, I wholeheartedly agree.  I still have my SOTA TT, Moscode 300, and VPI RCM I bought there.   

[drjjpdc]

Ditto for Galen as well. Plus his website is great and nicely laid out.

[joegator81]

I can second the rec for the Clearaudio Concept. I would suggest looking pre-owned or for a demo model. I found one w/ the Clearaudio Concept MC cart ($800 value) for less than the table would be new sans cartridge. Its a great table w/ a sound that is fast but also very easy to listen to. if i had to use one word to describe it i'd have to say - smooth.

You would also need a phono stage i assume. Depending on what you get the concept for you should have some left over in your budget for a decent pre-owned phono stage.

good luck.

[drjjpdc]

Denoiad,

Like midfi says what amp stuff do you have? Most preamps can swing voltage for a MM cart, but if you are thinking MC, then you will needing a PP with a cable to preamp connection. If you are staying at the figures in your OP, then an MC is probably out of your price range. Most MC carts output anywhere from .4 to 1 mV, while the MM carts output is in the 1.5 to 2.5 mV range.

My Audible Illusions M3A can handle MM carts because the phono gain is about 28dB. You can get a MC board that will swing 55dB, that is extra however. As you can see an MC cart needs about twice the gain to be as audible as an MM cart. Hope this helps.

[wilsynet]

For a phono stage, I think there are few better bargains out there than the Jolida JD-9.  And there's always one that eventually shows up on Audiogon.

I'd probably consider the Rega RP-3 for a turntable too.

[drjjpdc]

Wilsnyet,

Totally agree on the JD-9, as long as he has a linestage to go with it. Of course if he doesn't then another good one is the Rogue Metis, great price and stats!

[orthobiz]

What's the update, denoiad?

Paul

[AgentOrange]

If you are new to vinyl, the $$ best spent will be on records.
Excellent vintage turntables can be found on ebay for little.
If you don't already have good amps and speakers - start there and check back when you do.

[jimdgoulding]

Call Galen @ Galen Carol Audio. I highly recommend him.

Good Luck and let us know what you buy.....

Also I routinely use these to source new and old vinyl:

eBay

acousticsounds.com

elusivedisc.com


Mark

That's pretty comprehensive advice, I think.  Salude.

[bunnyma357]

+1 on putting your money into LP's - order some new audiophile vinyl, hit the local Goodwill, go to some local record stores, or hit up a Record Expo type event.  If I were just starting out I'd go for a low end Pro-Ject Debut III with a USB connection & Phono Pre-amp and then get a bunch of records - once you have the content then it makes sense to invest in the gear.  I like to buy cheap vinyl of stuff I've heard of, but have never heard - makes for some great discoveries.

http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/it.A/id.8533/.f


Jim C

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

+1 on putting your money into LP's - order some new audiophile vinyl, hit the local Goodwill,..

BINGO! I visit my local Goodwill store once every Friday where there are usually a half-price sale on that weekday.

I picked a few hundreds of recyled LPs a couple of years. With proper PRE-TREATMENT, all of them work fly colours!

c-J