Which turntable should get a chance?

pretty much.

If I look at Rega pricing here in NZ its $1500 for a P3/Elys, $2700 for P6/Ania, $5000 P8/Apheta3, and $10k for a P10/Apheta 3 so each jump in quality is double the cost, but the jump in quality from the P8 to the P10 is probably the smallest and the jump from a P6 to a P8 the biggest making the P8 probably the best value for money option. I ended up with a P6 and am broadly happy with it but i’ll definitely step up to a P8 at some point…

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Technics is a really cool deck. I remember when in the teens and my friend Staffan had a 1210. An awesome machine. It must have been much cheaper back then. I can’t imagine Staffan being able to afford such an expensive deck being 14😅

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They do also the basic 1200 mk2, which costs much more less. I had one when 17 years old.

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I can vouch for Technics’ longevity, as I sit here listening to my 40+ year old SL D2.

If that is any help.

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As others recommend, if you can live with the looks, consider the Technics SL-1210/1200 GR. Should leave a nice budget for an excellent cart.

Michell turntables don’t get enough love on here. My Syncro is still going strong after 35 years and £2.5k you’re in to Gyrodec territory. And sound aside, nothing looks better than a Gyrodec :slight_smile:

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Gyrodeck without arm for that budget.

I think I probably got my figures slightly wrong in my post above. The Michell Gyrodec SE with Technoarm (Michell modified Rega) is available for around the OP’s budget of £2,500. It also now comes in 3 colours, all of which look very attractive in my opinion.

The (non SE) version with the additional acrylic plinth and dust cover would cost just over £3,000.

Cartridge would be extra.

The Gyrodec is quite a different sound to the Rega Planar 8. It has a very relaxed “widescreen” presentation that can really appeal on classical recordings in particular. I bought one purely on the basis of looks and then spent lots more trying to get it to perform the way I wanted. I upgraded it incrementally but in the end I bit the bullet and had JM turn it into an Orbe (or Gorbe?). It was a deck I admired more than I loved. It looked fantastic though…

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Exactly what I have done with mine!

The replacement Orbe platter doesn’t look quite as lovely as the original Gyrodec platter (I still have both), but it does sound even better.

Here in Sweden it looked a bit more than 2500£ with arm and cart

You can get a Gyro SE with Rega RB330 for £2095 from a well known hi-fi dealer in the UK

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A former Naim dealer that I frequented, called such items, like the Gyrodec, ‘Eye Fi’…

Quite apt.

Also applies to anything B&O…

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Upgrading my amp from a Nait XS2 to a SN3 has given my Syncro a new lease of life. Before that upgrade I thought my next source upgrade would be a turntable but I’m now thinking the ND5 XS2 is more likely to get replaced. The Syncro really is kicking ass now and outperforming the streamer.

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Yes, B&O were great for ‘Eye Fi’. I still have my B&O CDX because it’s just such a wonderful looking player. Doesn’t sound too bad either, about on par with a contemporary Marantz, which I guess is because that’s what it is under the skin.

I had a few discussions with the late Frank Abela, of this forum and Audio T Reading. He ran a Gorb (upgraded gyrodec) and had tried quite a few tone arms on it, progressing from an SME IV but then via a Wilson Benesch to an Aro. He found the unipivots giving a more fluid and musical result on his deck. A Roksan Nima wouldn’t be too far above budget if Michell do a suitably weighted arm board for it.

A bit more hair shirt than the Michell is the Well Tempered Simplex, hair shirt in that it only has manual cuing like the original Aro so probable not for left handers but there’s a nice solid plinth to rest your hand on so it’s not too bad for the dexterous. This would be high on my list for around that sort of money.

Then there will be a Linn of some sort to be had for that sort of money but look to a dealer who knows what he’s about even for a used deck, there’s one near Leicester I hear but he’s not the only one.

A better Rega would keep things simple in terms of set up but where’s the fun in that?

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Call me biased but for a touch over the budget you can get your hands on a Vertere DG-1. I compared it to a Rega P8 and much preferred the Vertere.

Do you need to buy a phono stage as well? (Do you already have one, I mean.) A Stageline would do the trick and I expect you could pick up a used one for a very attractive price.

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I haven’t heard the DG Vertere but have heard the MG and SG and they are very special.

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Incidentally, I am left handed and my dealer has a used LP12 but is stearing me towards the Technics right now. He just unpacked a SL-1000 suggesting I might just go ahead and get that one. Sort of end of😊

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SL-1000… mmmmm… Yes, that would likely keep you happy for quite some time!

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