sigh....Another TT question

Okay, original plan was to spend as little as poss on a TT but Ive realised that wont satisfy me at all. A mate said I can take his Dual 505.4 for abit but I really need to get sorted.

Ive been looking at the Xpression and Goldring GR2 both around £200. From what Ive read there doesnt seem to much between them sonically, so surely that would mean putting the Goldring 1012 on the Xpression would lift it way beyond the GR2? Ive also heard that Rega are dropping the P2 on which the GR2 is based.

Of course there are Planar/P3's but Im not sure about buying 2nd hand TTs.

Any thoughts?

 

Stop worrying and buy a s/h Rega, Systemdek, Manticore, Thorens or Linn (Axis, not Basik). Best bang for the buck by far.

The main bearings are usually ok. Take somone with a bit of experience with you to check the arm bearings. Consider any cartridge that's mounted on the deck a free bonus, to be replaced soonish.

 

as the man say's check the arm, but I am convinced that the older rega planer 3's sound better then the new ones. Young enough to have the RB300 arm, but old enough not to have the new motor attachment system seems to be about right. Allow for a new belt from your local deaker (10-12 quid i think)

 

Well Ive just been offered a SME 3009 thats never been used. He got it with his 124 but changed it for a 12" SME, its in his loft still boxed up so all I need is a deck and cartridge.

 

SME 3009
NO NO NO
It is useless with MC cartridges.

 

er if its cheap. Yes yes yes. you could probably flog it on epay for a handsome profit - a boxed unused minter of a 3009 will bring the obsessives out of the woodwork.

Besides mebbe T-Bone doesn't want to use an MC.

 

T-Bones diy phono amp is MM only so no MC's yet. No mention of money, he just said he'll dig it out and let me use it so I can get a deck without an arm.

 

Nowt wrong with an SME 3009! It was the BBC standard for many years with good reason, though modified with oil bath (that seemed to make no difference to the sound!)
I'm using one on a Clearaudio Revolution, with Clearaudio Aurum Beta S MM cart, and it sounds the business.. Don't know about MC carts on one as I haven't tried!