Who here owns their ultimate/dream/"grail" turntable and what is it?

Cosmo-D

Active Member
The point of this thread is not start a fight about who owns best turntable. I am curious as to who owns their "ultimate" turntable, or the turntable of their of their dreams. I also want to know what it is. Hopefully it will provide some insight to people who stumble across this thread in the future.

My only criteria are:
  1. You must own the turntable
  2. You must be really satisfied with it (nothing will ever completely replace it).
If you own more than one of dream tables (you greedy person), feel free to post all of them.

For me my "ultimate" turntable was a Sony PS-X800. As soon as I read about it online I knew that it was the turntable for me. I'm immensely pleased with mine and I don't see anything replacing it. Of course my eyes will stray and I'll find myself looking at other tables, but ultimately I think the PS-X800 is the "one" for me. I'd give it name, but that might be creepy.

Post your "ultimate" turntables. Hopefully this thread turns out to be aspirational and will give people some ideas.

There are always debates about what the "best" turntable is, but ultimately that probably isn't productive. With this at least we'll have list of tables that people derive a great deal of satisfaction from owning. I think such a thing would be useful for people looking to upgrade or purchase a new turntable.
 
Perhaps a strange choice for an "ultimate" turntable, but the RP3 I bought a few years ago provides so much listening satisfaction that I can't see ever needing to replace it, and given my current age and our family's history of male longevity, it will almost certainly outlive me.
 
Same as jrtrent. I wouldn't say mine are "holy grail" turntables, but they fit your criteria in that I have given up chasing upgrades. I am completely satisfied with my Thorens TD124mkII and VPI Aries.

photo-12.JPG VPI Aries.jpg
 
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I value my Pioneer PL-115D. Why? It was a solid tablelucifer 4.JPG back when I bought it new in 1977. 41 years later, it still spins without a problem and makes my vinyl sound so good. I really could not live without her after 41 years together. This table has very special meaning to me. It definitely won't win the performance awards, but it is still special. I took it to a professional audio salon in 1979 as they were advertising "free" turntable specs test via their high end test equipment. They literally laughed at that 19 year old teenager and had fun in asking what I paid for that little Pioneer. I told them $149.99. They laughed even harder. Then they hooked it up to their test equipment and they stopped laughing. They told me they were blown that Pioneer could make such a table so cheap. I love this table.
 
Who here owns their ultimate/dream/"grail" turntable and what is it?
My only criteria are:
  1. You must own the turntable
  2. You must be really satisfied with it (nothing will ever completely replace it).
It should be a very short thread, most people don't own or even know what their ultimate/dream/"grail" turntable is until they try it.

I do own mine after trying many tables and know I don't need better. I'm also greedy because I have 4 of them and 3 are in my system. I'v had 6 over the years gradually buying different series tables that also had different performance parts and aesthetics. Mixing and matching parts in comparison. All the while trying 5 different arms and 4 MC cartridges. I still have and buy other tables that are also very nice. Mostly because I want to try them or like the looks, however as many tables I'v used and have they will not bump the SOTA off the perch.

SOTA Star Sapphire....SME Series V arm......Sumiko Blackbird cartridge.

I'll also add it brings me pleasure that many members here read what I have posted about this table over the years. They ask for help in buying and setting up and then come to the same conclusion as I, that they are now done looking for a better table.
 
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I value my Pioneer PL-115D. Why? It was a solid tableView attachment 1198168 back when I bought it new in 1977. 41 years later, it still spins without a problem and makes my vinyl sound so good. I really could not live without her after 41 years together. This table has very special meaning to me. It definitely won't win the performance awards, but it is still special. I took it to a professional audio salon in 1979 as they were advertising "free" turntable specs test via their high end test equipment. They literally laughed at that 19 year old teenager and had fun in asking what I paid for that little Pioneer. I told them $149.99. They laughed even harder. Then they hooked it up to their test equipment and they stopped laughing. They told me they were blown that Pioneer could make such a table so cheap. I love this table.
That's a nice story.
 
thanks 4-2-7. I posted a recent pic of the PL-115D. I found a couple that were taken back when I bought it new in 1977. Due to the difference in camera technology, the table actually looks better today with the iphone photo LOL. This was taken with a cheap Kodak instamatic. vintage 1.JPG vintage 2.JPG
 
I bought the table that I had been wanting for a couple of years. Its the VPI classic in the walnut finish. Its a great table, but I didnt lust after it. It was more of a logical purchase for me. It wasn't stupid expensive, and from everything I read about it such as the build quality and the performance for the money I felt it was a no brainer. Plus, whenever I purchase new gear I try to buy American made gear as much as possible.
With that being said I later purchased a mint Denon 59L off the bay. For a vintage table I just love the looks of it and it performs great also. Between these two tables I highly doubt I'll be buying anything to replace them.
 
My holy grail fell in my lap recently.
I didn't hold it as a grail because l never knew it existed but it's probably the best turntable l will ever own.
Before l tell you about it , my holy grail before that was a Thorens TD150 which l have 2 now.
The one that fell in my lap is a Luxman PD350 with Dynavector 507 tonearm and Denon 103R cartridge
 
My new Technics SL-1210GR represents my dream table. ..I suppose if I won the lottery and were to buy a cost-no-object table it would be either the SL-1200G ($4000) or SL-1000r ($20,000). ..Not because I think either of these would be audibly better than my SL-1210GR (I seriously doubt they would be, nor do I think my SL-1210 sounds audibly better than most other tables mentioned in this thread) but because I'm a glutton for robust build-quality.

tt1210gr.jpg
 
I've got two Holy Grail tables--the Dual 1019 and one of the three Duals 1219, 1229, or 1229Q.
I got one of them just this last week, the 1019.
Dual 1019 plays first record.jpg
It was filthy but in great working order otherwise. Well, except for the sled issues but that was easily solved. Built so well, it'll outlive me. Sounds absolutely sweet even with a tired stylus.
 
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My ultimate TT is the Revox B791. I was so into it, I have one B791, one B790 and two B795 plus parts to make another B790 that I may end up completing some time.
The B791 I daily use has an Ortofon MC20MkII MC cart mounted and it sounds like an angel from heaven. It's the turntable that actually brought me back into analog.
 
The point of this thread is not start a fight about who owns best turntable. I am curious as to who owns their "ultimate" turntable, or the turntable of their of their dreams. I also want to know what it is. Hopefully it will provide some insight to people who stumble across this thread in the future.

My only criteria are:
  1. You must own the turntable
  2. You must be really satisfied with it (nothing will ever completely replace it).
If you own more than one of dream tables (you greedy person), feel free to post all of them.

For me my "ultimate" turntable was a Sony PS-X800. As soon as I read about it online I knew that it was the turntable for me. I'm immensely pleased with mine and I don't see anything replacing it. Of course my eyes will stray and I'll find myself looking at other tables, but ultimately I think the PS-X800 is the "one" for me. I'd give it name, but that might be creepy.

Post your "ultimate" turntables. Hopefully this thread turns out to be aspirational and will give people some ideas.

There are always debates about what the "best" turntable is, but ultimately that probably isn't productive. With this at least we'll have list of tables that people derive a great deal of satisfaction from owning. I think such a thing would be useful for people looking to upgrade or purchase a new turntable.
Including pictures of said tables would be nice.
 
Also agree most here are still looking/wanting for their "holy grail" table but are now using what best fits their budget/needs.

With that I currently have two tables that fit into this category, both are Kenwoods. I remember as a teen seeing the "Rock" at a friends house and thinking "that's cool", but even then I knew there were better tables.

So here are my current stars.

Kenwood KD500/Grace G707/Grace-F8L'10
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Kenwood KD770D
20171025_182903.jpg
 
I believe I am set on the turntable front. Like @4-2-7, I've got a SOTA Star, but mine has an SME 309 tonearm and my current cartridge is a Benz Ruby.

At one point I had a Dual 1229q and a Rega P5 side by side and there were differences in the two tables that I liked a lot. The Dual sound full and substantial, while the Rega provided more detail - even with the same cartridge and phono stage.

So I went looking for a turntable that had high mass, quiet drive, and a rigid tonearm mounting. SOTA checked all the boxes and the vacuum hold down on the Star means that I'm basically spinning a 14 lb record when it plays. I like it so much I sent it to SOTA this week for a checkup/upgrade. Can't wait to get it back!
 
I’ve got nothing to compare it to but my pl518 purchased new in 1978 is still going. I had to get a replacement cover but I transferred the pioneer label from the old cover to the new one, and I still have the original feet which I was able to treat, and repair so they would not deteriorate. And I did replace the rca cables with the best I could afford.
Now if I could just get solid advice as to the best cartridge for it. I’d be curious as to how it stacks up to the new ones out there, spec wise..
 
my dream combo is a pioneer plc-590 and pa-5000 tonearm.im very happy!

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