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At the $300 - $600 range we've been discussing I think any of the three options are pretty low risk. The greater questions seems to be if you want to start your entry at a higher level (or at all given some of the comments here so far ). If so, and there isn't a friend / dealer who can loan you some higher vinyl end gear to try out with your system at home, seems like your next best option would be to buy from some mail order outfit such as Music Direct (or a local dealer), if they have a liberal return policy. Music Direct doesn't seem to accept cartridge returns unless defective, which makes some degree of sense. I guess it would be best to choose the cartridge wisely such that you would want to keep it regardless of the table you end up using with it. The Needle Doctor & Audio Advisor on their website don't directly mention cartridges, though the ND does say you can return items for refund or exchange if you don't like them. In any case I would just discuss / confirm with the retailer that you can return it if you don't like it (vs just damaged / defective gear). Even if you've got to cover shipping - maybe even a re-stocking fee - if you return it, that seems to be the best way to demo at home w/ your system at the lowest financial risk.Best of luck!
I think I'm going to get some info and try a VPI Scoutmaster 2 from Music Direct.
My jump was from the Pro-ject RPM 1.3 to a VPI Traveller, and it was well worth it, so certainly can't question that thinking.........and the scoutmaster 2 is presumably even better than the traveller.I saved by going used on the pre-amp (an old Sonic Frontiers tube one) and the cartridge (demo Ortofon Rondo Bronze).I doubt I will feel the need to upgrade for a very long time.......
Just my 2 cents...Don't try to compare vinyl to digital or get one up to the same level yet as the other IMO. They're different animals. Maybe after you've lived with vinyl for a while, but not now. Regarding entry level decks vs high end decks - vinyl has a distinct sonic difference to my ears. Even a low end TT and cartridge can show you glimpses of this. My first deck was my father's Technics SL-BD2. Not anywhere near the level of the 2100 or anything else mentioned here. I picked up an Audio Technica P-Mount cartridge for about $18 from Circuit City to see if the table worked. While it was no where near the level of my Rega Apollo CDP at the time, it surprised me. There was something there that the Apollo couldn't do as well. I played around with that setup for about 3 weeks and picked up a Pro-Ject 1Xpression. That blew the doors off the Technics (even with its horrible Sumiko Oyster cart).The point to my post is that you don't need to spend a ton of money to see if vinyl is for you. Some people won't 'get it' no matter how much they spend. Others will 'get it' from listening to just about any turntable. Vinyl's got a distinct sound that I always hear, unless of course it's a 'fisher-price my first turntable' deck.I'm not saying dont try out a VPI as your first deck; I'm just saying that an entry level deck in your system should easily be good enough to let you know if vinyl's for you or not. Listen past the pops and clicks and hear the music. Don't listen for Hifi qualities, listen to the performance. All IMO of course.
"Listen for Hifi qualities"? What does that mean? Isn't it all about the music anyway? I've always thought the whole point of an audio system is to make listening to music more enjoyable.
I say grab the Technics. A good deal, and a nice way to try out vinyl. Get a good feel for vinyl through this table, and then later on you can audition other tables that might be an upgrade. If you don't have options to audition locally, there is always Music Direct who has an excellent return policy and phone support (Chris is their vinyl guru).
In my experience both with the Technics SL1200 and a typical MC cartridge like the Denon 103D as well as more expensive table/arm combos, even with a very good phono preamp (in the $1000+ range) you are not likely to get sound anywhere near as good as your digital system; you will definitely notice any number of unique LP distortions, though, especially inner groove and clicks/pops etc, and until you get up to line stylus type cartridges surface noise will almost certainly be audible during quiet music passages.I think you should be prepared to pay (used) upwards of $3000 for your phono system to have any hope of being a reasonable sounding alternative to your digital system.YMMV.
ymmv - that's about the only thing i agree with that you said. i'd take a $500 used turntable w/decent cartridge (yes, i would get a line-type stylus) and $1000 (used) fono stage over any digital rig at any price. whatever the distortion products you will get will be more than made up for by the tonal quality of the music. i guess i am in the same camp stu is in - winyl has something i like that i have never heard from digital at any level...
Ahh, vinylistas... but I realize this is the vinyl circle. However, the OP has an excellent sounding system (at least based on its parts, all of which I am familiar with) and will probably have a better idea of good sound than many of those who post in this circle, so I strongly suspect that for him it will take much more than an entry-level rig to appreciate any positive qualities vinyl has to offer.
