Which turntable for beginner

Allow me to rephrase, I suggest you purchase an LP12, Rega, or other brand at a component level that will compliment your current system. There are plenty of turntable brands and owners out there on the forum that are happy, and prefer their chosen brand and sound at many price point levels.

Scott

Just go for the Linn Klimax LP12 with all the glorious latest updates (including a pink-colored plinth). :slight_smile:
Alternatively, a Rega Planar 3 LP Turntable + Rega Elys2 phono cartridge.

@Whiskymat I would not, no way buy your friends old LP12. If it goes belly up or you have issues do you really want to be hounding your friend? Iā€™d suggest getting a table that wonā€™t need much if any fiddling. A table that wonā€™t need upgrading. Iā€™m going to suggest an SME, Basis, Clearaudio, VPI, Kuzma.

Simplicity, value = Rega
Sound quality per Ā£/$/ā‚¬ = Rega
It is important to consider thisā€¦these two concepts are sometimes mutually exclusive.

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A rega P8 or second hand Rp8 would match your Ndx2 / 555dr, playing on similar level. With a Lyra Delos, Rega Apheta 3ā€¦and Rega Aria for example.

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Hi Whiskymat

Almost everything has been told already.

I am very happy with my LP12 which I bought 1995 in a quite a basic state. Setting it up is a bit tricky, thatā€™s true, but once this is done correctly itā€™s simply a great sounding machine! Slowly, as my SchwyzerfrƤnkli-Account (CHF for the rest of us) allowed it got some upgrades.

And yes, we have very good people in Switzerland for servicing, setting up and troubleshooting our LP12s (e.g. LĆ¼thi in Thun if this mention is allowed by forum rules, no interests with him except my LP12ā€¦).

Dominik

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Depends whether you want simple or the ability to tweak and obsess.
If itā€™s the first, buy the Rega you can afford. If itā€™s the second consider an LP12. But be prepared for a life of tweaking and rarely being satisfied.
If you want a cracking alternative to a Rega, then consider a Michell Gyro SE, Rega rb330 arm and an Benz micro SL cartridge. It plays well, sounds great, minimal tweaking and always gets comments from visitors. Always.

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I HIGHLY recommend that if he buys a Rega he stay with a Rega cartridge that can be fitted without modification of the tonearm. (I donā€™t think thatā€™s the case with a Lyra cartridge.) The beauty of Rega being ā€œplug and playā€ is that it comes fitted from the factory or distributor; no cartridge alignment or anything is needed.

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Yes, however i preferred clearly the Delos vs Apheta 2 on Rp10 when I listened at my dealer place.
I bought an ex demo Rp10 fitted with the Apheta 2. Listened.
Then my dealer installed my Lyra Delos with a spacer. Preferred it.
The phono was a Rega aria.

Michell turntables really donā€™t get the love they deserve on here. My 35 year old Syncro still sounds fabulous

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Love my Gryo SE from a certain dealer in Maidstone.
I trialled it against a Rega RP8 albeit with a different cartridge. No contest.
Beautifully machined and put together product. Minimal maintenance. Set it up, and forget.
And currently playing a now clean copy of Zenyatta Mondatta.

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The Naim dealer in Maidstone is the closest to where I live. However when my old Musical Fidelity A1 amp developed a fault I called them as they are a MF dealer as well. They were very unhelpful so I called the Naim dealer a little down the M20 in Ashford. Even though they arenā€™t MF dealers they couldnā€™t have been more helpful so when it came upgrade time they got my business instead of the dealer in Maidstone. Iā€™ve developed a good relationship with them so they will be the first port of call for any future purchases.

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And that is a salutary tale , I bought at least three Naim systems plus a Quadraspire system and an LP12 from one dealer , a couple of duff auditions where I didnā€™t purchase now leads to him not returning emails.

I am retired but in the last 18 months or so have rebuilt about 75% of my system so only the CD player he sold me in 2003 and the tuner he sold me in 1989 remain, but we are drifting off thread .

Thatā€™s not been my experience. I have owned an LP12 since 1990. Just two upgrades in that time (when I was replacing the cartridge anyway).

Always very satisfied.

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Same here. Iā€™ve owned mine since the late 70s and never felt the need to go beyond Valhalla and Cirkus. In fact I didnā€™t even ask for the Valhalla - my dealer fitted a used one FOC when the deck went in for a service :sunglasses:

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I know what you mean. Ashford is closer for me and my first choice. Bought both my Naim items there.

I donā€™t know what it is like in the UK but in the states I bought a Rega table online and it came fitted with a choice of nice cartridgesā€¦I got the Denon 103

I had a Rega Planar 3 for almost 40 years. Traded up to a Verdier at the turn of the century.

If you are serious about vinyl you can look at the P8 or P10. If you live in the middle of nowhere, you can ship it to a dealer and they can set it up and ship it back via UPS. Truly plug and play. With a Linn (or Verdier), the dealer has to visit you, which is not a trivial expense.

35 years ago, I probably should have bought the Rega planar 3, today I might go for the P6.

P3 is still a good record spinner.

I have never needed a dealer visit for my LP12. I just carefully pack it then take it there and back myself. I do the same with Naim amps too as I prefer to avoid shipping companies.

If the OP goes for the second hand LP12, it is worth checking if it comes with the original box.