[toocool4]

I really don’t know why some of you guys are slating it, how can you slate what you have not heard? Some of you sound like audio snubs. If you are on this forum, chances are it’s not aimed at you. People have to start somewhere and hopefully the people that buy turntables like this will get into it and want better later on down the road. Some of you guys talk as if you all started on the high-end of things, bet most of you started with something a lot lower than what you have now.

If you guys keep talking like you do about people getting into audio, they will all think we are all snubs which will put them off and we will not get new people into our hobby.

[mix4fix]

I really don’t know why some of you guys are slating it, how can you slate what you have not heard? Some of you sound like audio snubs. If you are on this forum, chances are it’s not aimed at you. People have to start somewhere and hopefully the people that buy turntables like this will get into it and want better later on down the road. Some of you guys talk as if you all started on the high-end of things, bet most of you started with something a lot lower than what you have now.

If you guys keep talking like you do about people getting into audio, they will all think we are all snubs which will put them off and we will not get new people into our hobby.

I feel that's the case with music, and not so much with the equipment.

[dB Cooper]

What's killing our shared hobby/obsession is the lack of introductory products - folks who bought a AR XA with a Dynaco SCA-80 or 35 -added a set of Dynaco A-25's or AR-4x's -were not buyin the best available back then.  Certainly not the most expensive. Lots of folks stopped right there and used that equipment for decades and really enjoyed the music it brought into their lives. And for some of them - it was the introduction to a life long ( and maybe checkbook draining) obsession. I  really appreciate products like the classic Dynaco or NAD 3020  (ART DJ pre-II today)- that were just a small audible step up from good 'nuff -but could wet their users appetite for better.
Todays h$end audio is mostly un-interesting to me - the limited production runs and concentration on cosmetic design elements create products that simply don't seem worth the price to me as a consumer.

Well put. I am in agreement with all of that. The first 'real hi fi' I heard consisted of a low-end Dual TT with low end Shure cart (the ubiquitous M91E), low end Nikko amp, and a pair low-end AR4-somethings. I can still remember the goosebumps I got listening to Abraxas the first time. I started saving my allowance and cutting lawns etc, and about a year later I had the SCA-80 (kit) and A-25's you mention along with my own Dual TT. That system cost me 330 1971 dollars and gave me almost a decade of musical satisfaction, until I got the soldering itch again. According to an internet inflation calculator, that is right around $2K in today's money.

By contrast, the equipment at the last show I did the math for averaged $58K, not including a few thou to plug it in and connect the various pieces to each other.
It is possible to get satisfying reproduction of music in the home for a lot less than that.

Also, I take Toocool4's point. But I also think I'd go with the Pro-Ject or MusicHall nominated by Elizabeth (or the Orbit), because a) These companies have track records and b) Something about 'This-is-good-because-Bob-Marley's-name-is-on-it' makes me feel like I'm being snookered. I'll take the TT without the music star name on it.

[wushuliu]

1. It is not being sold to the audiophile market

2. The only table near this price range I would recommend is the U-Turn, mainly for their lauded customer service. Some of these other budget audiophile tables folks are recommending are hardly any better than the Marley in terms of quality - I have done my fair share of research on them over the years and they have QC issues out the wazoo. The only thing they would have up on the Marley would be the arm.

3.It is not being sold to the audiophile market.

4. Turntables do not have the production infrastructure of 30+ plus years ago, which is why we are supposed to believe light and cheaply made belt drives with decent arms are supposed to be good enough under <1k. It is a retro niche that will not meet any of the standards of yesteryear without spending a lot of money new.

[mix4fix]

I would never buy that turntable. I have a Nottingham Analogue. If I needed a replacement, I would look at Pear Audio since it is similar design if I couldn't find another Nottingham.

I am curious about some of the cheap turntables like the $329/$359 Marantz, $329 Denon, and other similar priced ones.

I touch one of those cheap Marantz the other day. It is an automatic turntable.

[geowak]

Toocool4
"I really don’t know why some of you guys are slating it, how can you slate what you have not heard? Some of you sound like audio snubs. If you are on this forum, chances are it’s not aimed at you. People have to start somewhere and hopefully the people that buy turntables like this will get into it and want better later on down the road. Some of you guys talk as if you all started on the high-end of things, bet most of you started with something a lot lower than what you have now.

If you guys keep talking like you do about people getting into audio, they will all think we are all snubs which will put them off and we will not get new people into our hobby."

Fair enough. I will take back all of my comments regarding this table. BUT I would find out about the tracking/tone arm/alignment details. Because some cheaper turntables will not track the groove of an album properly and can damage ALL the records albums you put on the table. So people who have thousands of dollars in record albums so that would not want a TT that would do that.

[twitch54]

Toocool4
"I really don’t know why some of you guys are slating it, how can you slate what you have not heard? Some of you sound like audio snubs. If you are on this forum, chances are it’s not aimed at you. People have to start somewhere and hopefully the people that buy turntables like this will get into it and want better later on down the road. Some of you guys talk as if you all started on the high-end of things, bet most of you started with something a lot lower than what you have now.

If you guys keep talking like you do about people getting into audio, they will all think we are all snubs which will put them off and we will not get new people into our hobby."

Fair enough. I will take back all of my comments regarding this table. BUT I would find out about the tracking/tone arm/alignment details. Because some cheaper turntables will not track the groove of an album properly and can damage ALL the records albums you put on the table. So people who have thousands of dollars in record albums so that would not want a TT that would do that.

point taken and I see your point. Regardless, as someone who has been around analog longer than most(I'm 65) there was no internet, forums, etc when I started out so I had little to go buy(as far as valued judgement from those who followed before me) now everybody with a keyboard is an expert( I don't exclude myself here) but to re-phrase my original post ............. 'I'd look elseware'