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Help with choosing a TT

Andrei

Andrei

Active Member
Hi all
I really need to buy a TT so I narrowed it down to these models:

Linn Axis MK2 with Micro Seiki MA 101-MKII tonearm and K9 cartridge

ProJect RPM 5.1 with Grado F1 cartridge

ProJect 2 experience with Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge

They are all in super condition and around the same price.

Of course, there is also Rega P2 that i could buy for new with warranty, but I suppose the above decks are upper level...

Any advice on which one should I go for?

Thank you!
 
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Andrei said:
. . . Of course, there is also Rega P2 that i could buy for new with warranty, but I suppose the above decks are upper level...

Any advice on which one should I go for?
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If there's a new product you like the sound and operation of, then my advice will always be to buy new. In this case, I also happen to be biased in favor of Rega products, finding them the most musically involving options at their respective price points at least up to the Planar 3 (I use the previous generation RP3). I like new because I can visit a dealer and hear it before purchase; I like having a warranty, dealer support, and the full service life of the product I'm buying. Everything wears out eventually, so any used 'table will have part of its expected service life used up. Rega expects their products to last about 25 years before certain parts wear out; if you buy new, all those years of reliability and pleasure are still ahead of you.
 
jrtrent said:
If there's a new product you like the sound and operation of, then my advice will always be to buy new. In this case, I also happen to be biased in favor of Rega products, finding them the most musically involving options at their respective price points at least up to the Planar 3 (I use the previous generation RP3). I like new because I can visit a dealer and hear it before purchase; I like having a warranty, dealer support, and the full service life of the product I'm buying. Everything wears out eventually, so any used 'table will have part of its expected service life used up. Rega expects their products to last about 25 years before certain parts wear out; if you buy new, all those years of reliability and pleasure are still ahead of you.
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Not arguing but I would think demo’ing a USED table is way more likely for most people.
 
I would do an audition of all three with the same record, if possible at your home settings. If not possible to get them home, try to take you phono preamp or whatever you plug them into to the seller(s) and test with it. Be sure that you don't have hum when the TT is connected to your piece of gear.

If some of TTs are local, first look at these them to one which should be shipped.
 
BamaBilly said:
Not arguing but I would think demo’ing a USED table is way more likely for most people.
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Interesting. At least where I live, I'm thinking it's much easier to get demos of new gear than it is for used gear. Right now, I can only think of one store in my area where you can audition used equipment. It's possible there's more, though, since I don't pay too much attention to used options.
 
jrtrent said:
Interesting. At least where I live, I'm thinking it's much easier to get demos of new gear than it is for used gear. Right now, I can only think of one store in my area where you can audition used equipment. It's possible there's more, though, since I don't pay too much attention to used options.
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Used gear is easier to demo because individuals selling are usually willing to. The only place within 3hrs of me that demo NEW tables are record stores that carry one brand. Again, not trying to argue but almost every table on Craigslist you can demo.
 
BamaBilly said:
Used gear is easier to demo because individuals selling are usually willing to. The only place within 3hrs of me that demo NEW tables are record stores that carry one brand. Again, not trying to argue but almost every table on Craigslist you can demo.
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Thanks for the reminder about buying from local, private individuals; I have to admit that that possibility didn't occur to me in thinking about the OP's question (somehow, it was items shipped from afar I had in mind). I think I've purchased three used items over the decades, but all from shops specializing in audio gear with at least limited return policies (e.g., 7-day money back or 30-day exchange windows). Got a nice McIntosh MC240 power amp that way (the store I went to see it at was about 250 miles away, but gas was cheaper then and I've always loved a nice drive).
 
That’s the beauty of buying used. As long as you get a decent price you can’t really lose too much. Let us know what you think once you have it setup.
 
BamaBilly said:
That’s the beauty of buying used. As long as you get a decent price you can’t really lose too much. Let us know what you think once you have it setup.
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Yep, I can listen to it in the seller's system, but I can only make sure that everything works as it should, because it is hard for me to make an opinion on its sound in another guy's system.
 
Andrei said:
Yep, I can listen to it in the seller's system, but I can only make sure that everything works as it should, because it is hard for me to make an opinion on its sound in another guy's system.
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Absolutely but if you take a record you’re very familiar with you can at least get an idea of detail and listen for things you don’t normally hear. But yeah, system and rooms are all different
 
Andrei said:
Honestly, I expected everyone to say that Linn Axis is the one to get
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I loved the Axis when it came out (though I had already settled on an LP12), and worked in a shop that sold them before they were discontinued. However, I have a bias against buying used, and in the case of the Axis that you mentioned, we have a turntable that, at least from the information you provided, could be up to 35 years old, has had the original arm replaced by someone whose competence I know nothing about, and an old cartridge for which original styli are no longer available. I would want to call the current Linn importer to see about parts and service availability, though I am virtually certain that that no longer exists (just based on my having had to move on from a Linn LK1 preamp and Linn Sara speakers due to parts and service being no longer available for them, and that was well over a decade ago).

Andrei said:
Today I think I am going to get the ProJect 2 experience TT, hoping that I am doing the right choice.
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I hope it works out well for you. If that turntable lets you get engrossed in the music and wanting to play record after record, then it will have been a good choice. I haven't seen a review that didn't like it (no matter which of the several versions it came in), though the relative weaknesses mentioned, rhythmic cohesion and dynamic subtlety, are the two most important attributes for my musical enjoyment.

Andrei said:
Yep, I can listen to it in the seller's system, but I can only make sure that everything works as it should, because it is hard for me to make an opinion on its sound in another guy's system.
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That could be a drawback, but at least the seller will let you hear it at his place. From past threads in this forum, I feel quite fortunate to have always had dealers willing to let me bring my entire system into their shop for a comparative audition and also let me borrow floor models for an in-home listen. Takes some of the guesswork out of the shopping process.
 
kotofei said:
I would do an audition of all three with the same record, if possible at your home settings. If not possible to get them home, try to take you phono preamp or whatever you plug them into to the seller(s) and test with it. Be sure that you don't have hum when the TT is connected to your piece of gear.

If some of TTs are local, first look at these them to one which should be shipped.
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At 3 different locations it would be highly unlikely that playing the same record would be beneficial
. Different speakers and different acoustics would make this a poor comparison.
 
Update:
So, a 180 degrees turn: right when I was preparing to go for the Project 2Xperience deck, I got a call from a local dealer with a too good to pass offer for a Rega Planar 3 with an Exact cartridge. Brand new, sealed package. For about the same price I was to get the Project TT.
I went for it. Hope it was the better choice.
 
The DSM appears to be mostly a digital player.....do not know what type of phono stage is in it, but would guess a decent outboard stage should be an improvement.
 
Majik DSM is a streamer/preamp/power combo. The phono stage is pretty advanced I guess, said to be derived from their Urika II stage.
 
The Axis & LP12 T/T's are honey trap's. Pretty rubbish sounding, my LP12 latest 6 months in my system, that was after a shelled out for $700 of dealer upgrades & it still sounded crap, The Axis is even worse.

Go for a used Lenco 75 or Thorens, the you will hear musical music.

Cheers
 
Andrei said:
Update:
So, a 180 degrees turn: right when I was preparing to go for the Project 2Xperience deck, I got a call from a local dealer with a too good to pass offer for a Rega Planar 3 with an Exact cartridge. Brand new, sealed package. For about the same price I was to get the Project TT.
I went for it. Hope it was the better choice.
Click to expand...
Think you made the right choice. :thumbsup: Excellent TT/TA combo and a good cartridge, as well. Congrats and happy listening.
 
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