What is the best all around Vintage Turntable?

I find the performance of the 1812 sonically wonderful but rather pedestrian as a music performance. The Capriccio Italien and Cossack Dance side is better.
Agreed.

To be fair to Linn, I have not tried the Basik with other cartridges . There's no point for me, as I enjoy the TT very much with the Shure. And it is in the same wood cabinet as the speakers. I know that's not desirable; but wifey has overruled all other options.
 
TD-125 definitely takes the cake for belt drive vintage that's still affordable.

SP-10MK2 is the grail or those micro-seiki gigs.
 
As stated this is subjective ....as are most audio related subjects.
I've owned some nice vintage decks.....Denon....JVC....custom AR XB....and am running this right now.

Sony PS-X50 ....lovely tone arm and overall nice performer!

 
I currently have 4 tables: A thorens TD160mk1 (modified), TD160 super, Ariston RD11S and an Oracle Alexandria.

I think the Oracle is by far the prettiest of the decks but not the best sounding (don't get me wrong, it doesn't sound bad, just not as good as the others).

Surprisingly, I think my modified TD160mk1 outperforms my TD160 super. The TD160 is my favorite deck to use as I just love the "thunk" of those switches! This is my everyday table.

The RD11S is probably the best sounding deck stock but is really fairly comparable to the modded TD160. I wonder how much better it could get with some mods?

I'm also acquiring an ARXA later this week so we'll so how that stacks up.
 

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I prefer my Linn to my Simon Yorke.....Linn just plain gets to the essence of the music unlike any other table IMO
 
By then I believe a Crosley might sound good.....but then again is that a blend or single malt? I don't mix single malt with soda....you probably don't as well
 
By then I believe a Crosley might sound good.....but then again is that a blend or single malt? I don't mix single malt with soda....you probably don't as well

I remember this one time when I was in the Georgetown Inn bar in Washington DC and a woman came in asking the bartender for a Johnny Walker Black and Coke. He pointed across the street and said, "See that bar full of college kids? They will probably make that drink for you over there, but not here." She walked out in a huff and it was all my friend and I could do to not laugh out loud until the door closed behind her. Respect the whiskey dammit!

As a sidebar, that same bartender remembered me almost a year later when I walked in and said... "Glenlivet neat, right?" I had to look under a chair to pick up my jaw which had hit the floor and rolled away.

I only have experience with the old Sony PS-X5 and every time I listen to that with a Shure M97xE cart I'm amazed this was sitting on a thrift store shelf like so much garbage.
 
I read elsewhere on AK that they were manufactured by CEC, who also marketed a very similar Hitachi.....can't verify it, though.

MFG might have been Sanyo. It appears to share a lot of DNA with the Fisher MT-6225 (including that Acos looking tonearm).
 
I remember this one time when I was in the Georgetown Inn bar in Washington DC and a woman came in asking the bartender for a Johnny Walker Black and Coke. He pointed across the street and said, "See that bar full of college kids? They will probably make that drink for you over there, but not here." She walked out in a huff and it was all my friend and I could do to not laugh out loud until the door closed behind her. Respect the whiskey dammit!

As a sidebar, that same bartender remembered me almost a year later when I walked in and said... "Glenlivet neat, right?" I had to look under a chair to pick up my jaw which had hit the floor and rolled away.

I only have experience with the old Sony PS-X5 and every time I listen to that with a Shure M97xE cart I'm amazed this was sitting on a thrift store shelf like so much garbage.
Nice find for thrift store....best item I ever found in a thrift store was a pair of Sennheiser HD 650....paid $10!!!!
 
In 45 years, I've owned only 4 TT's. This is my second Micro Seiki: Model DD-8, direct drive, MA-505 II arm, Micro Seiki VF-3200e MM cartridge with a Jico replica stylus. All vintage stuff,Micro-001.jpg Miro-002.jpg
and the best I've owned. The arm adjusts for azimuth — I like!
 
Nice find for thrift store....best item I ever found in a thrift store was a pair of Sennheiser HD 650....paid $10!!!!

Yeah... it's balanced out by the one I had paid $150 for earlier on but still feel like I got a bargain even on that one.
 
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