What is the best all around Vintage Turntable?

We have some great surf beaches here in the northern Illawarra. I enjoyed them when I was younger, now I'm not game with a pacemaker I listen to more vinyl.
timofred and I also enjoyed many of the same beaches. Garie, North Era, Burning Palms, Sharkies, Coledale, Stanwell Park, Thommos, Macauleys, Thirroul.
 
You will never lay eyes upon a Yamaha GT 2000. It was only sold in Japan. In other words, anyone who owns one outside of Japan had to source it from Japan or buy it from someone who sourced it from Japan. This turntable is so good that it is almost in a category by itself: The Extraordinary Turntable.
 
You will never lay eyes upon a Yamaha GT 2000. It was only sold in Japan. In other words, anyone who owns one outside of Japan had to source it from Japan or buy it from someone who sourced it from Japan. This turntable is so good that it is almost in a category by itself: The Extraordinary Turntable.

True. I have been trolling hifido for one. I'm afraid of the possible 4 figure shipping charge, but if I get to listen to one here and compare it to a modern tt costing similar money, I won't care about shipping. Assuming it beats the heck out of the new similarly priced version. (probably looking at the new SL or VPI Prime as competition.)
 
For me, my old Denon DP 1100 I bought new is my favorite. But I have a new Audio-Technic LP120 which I really like better, at times.
 
Would you consider finetune your question into three?

1) Best idler drive vintage TT
2) Best belt drive vintage TT
3) Best direct drive vintage TT

I would also consider vintage as TTs made before 1990, for example (that´s arbitrary, but helps keeping the space of possibilities constrained). Then people would be perhaps more focused on their listing. I would suggest not just one but several models in each category, for example

1) Garrard 401 and 301 and Thorens TD-124
2) Thorens TD-125 and TD-126 (and possibly several Linn, Micro Seiki, etc models and a host of high end British TTs)
3) Yamaha GT-2000, Revox B790 and B795 (and a lot more,like Pioneer PL-1000, Yamaha PX3, etc)

Nah, the best direct drive TTs are made by Sony.
 
Before DD turntables it has to be the Empire 598. After I would say Technics SP10 MK II or III. There was a humongous Thorens, no one could afford and a pricey Nakamichi. But for vinatge I'd take the empire.
 
To be vintage it has to be 70`s or older, CD`s came in the 80`s. Sony & later Pioneer ruled back then, my pic fell on a Sony.
 
I'd like to nominate my daughters that I bought for her a Benjamin Elac Miracord. It's a beauty and a tank. She loves it.
Although not Vintage I do like my Pioneer PL-707. Full automatic yet when you want it to you can forward it to the next track manually. Nice little TT.
 
I'm a firm believer in the Pioneer PL-71. Grabbed one a few months ago and have restored it to "new" condition and the quality blows me away every time I lay the stylus in the groove of a record. I love those 70's era wood grained tables but to me this table is the last table I'll probably ever need/get.
 
What kind of cartridge do you run on your PL-71 out of curiosity? I know it might not be the best turntable in sound quality but to my understanding from what I read it holds its own considerably well against even modern, hi-fi tables depending on your cartridge and pre-amp choices. Aesthetically I find it near perfection for myself (have no need or desire for any auto features either) and the quality of sound that mine generates goes beyond what I ever expected after a return to the vinyl world last year. FYI I purchased an Audio Technica AP120 table from Best Buy last year and that is now for sale. :)
 
Hard choice to choose one table, i can think of 2 vintage desert island tables that are iconic without a doubt, Thorens, and Technics innovation, give me a restored 165 and a nice SL 1200 , yup one of each please!! and i can converse, and be understood by any TOTL table owner on earth. They each offer the best, They are the creators of all our choices, .........but unfortunately......... i dont own either!!!
 
It came with a Micro Acoustics MA-2002 and it's still on it. I've thought about either going to a classic Shure V15 or Ortofon Bronze or Black, but the more I listen to the MA, the more I like it.



Me too!
I had a MA-2002 back in the day. I can't find it now; but It replaced a Shure V15 III because I thought replacement styli were too expensive. A Shure V15 RS replaced the MA-2002. Sure wish I had it now. I can't find the V15 III, either. Sometimes my wife "cleans up". :^(
 
I'm currently running a custom Thorens 160 Super with a Jelco 750 DB arm, a 3/4-inch Santos Mahogany plinth and an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge. Works fine for me. Don't think I'll be looking at a replacement turntable anytime soon.
 
I am running 2 VPI's, 1 not so much vintage (TNT 90'S) and a w19 III (?) and they are my favorites. But if we are talking vintage best I would have say old AR.s and pioneers pl 5xx. They have stood the test of time and just keep on rocking, easy to repair, easy to find carts and sound good.
 
Keeping this thread rolling along, my best right now is fully rebuilt Garrard 401 with (to my surprise) a SME 3009 Improved with a high compliance cart. I prefer to mount idlers in light isolated pinths.
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