Hello! I am new here, I know this has probably been asked a million times but i am looking to upgrade from my cheap Victrola Turntable (I am aware its not great) to Something better as i slowly upgrade my setup from all ultra-budget to something far better. My current contenders within my budget are; The U Turn Audio Orbit Theory in walnut with the 2m Blue cartridge, The Technics SL-1500C, and the Rega Planar 3. If anyone else has suggestions for other turntables within the budget those are welcome.
Orbit theory
Rega Planar 3
Technics SL1500C
I was curious about the price differences, and in my market area the SL-1500C is $1499 with a 2M Red, the Planar 3 can be had with a low-profile 2MR Red for $1224, and the Theory comes with a 2M Blue for $999.
Years ago, and living in an area where I was lucky enough to have half a dozen specialty audio shops nearby, I chose the Rega RP3 because it was clearly the best sounding turntable to my ears that I was able to audition in that price range and gave away very little to models up to twice its price. I also auditioned the outboard power supply, which I found to be totally unnecessary. Do you live in an area where you have a chance to audition some turntables, or, like me where I'm living now, do you need to depend on published reviews, customer comments, and forum discussions?
Turntables do sound different. One review site I enjoy is What HiFi, and their SL1500C review included comparison with the Planar 3, "Compare the sound of the two and it’s obvious that the Rega is even subtler and more insightful. It renders levels of sonic texture, dynamic subtlety and rhythmic cohesion that even the hugely capable Technics can’t match. But, it’s not all one-way traffic. The SL-1500C’s presentation is crisper and has better defined leading edges while at low frequencies it makes the Planar 3 sound a little soft and ill defined." Either could be seen as better than the other; it just depends on which sonic attributes are most important to a person.
All the models in your list have received very favorable reviews. From what I've read and from past experience, I'm reasonably certain that in direct comparison I would find the Rega most to my liking, but I'm also reasonably sure that with any of the three I would get a great deal of pleasure from my records.
Some in this forum really enjoy cartridge swapping, having different options ready to go on different headshells. If this is of interest to you, the SL-1500C certainly has an advantage here. It also has a built-in phono stage, which may or may not come in handy as you make other changes to your system. Reviews vary, but What HiFi's said, "Surprise number one is that the built-in phono stage is really good. That doesn’t tend to be the case normally, and means that you don’t have to spend extra on a dedicated outboard unit to get the best from the record player."
You asked about other options, and I was curious about the $1299 AT-LP8X. What HiFi made a comment comparing it to both the SL-1500C and the Planar 3, finding, "Ultimately, judged purely on sound, both the Technics and Rega packages still sit higher in the pecking order, thanks to their greater dynamic punch and rhythmic prowess. Both of these players, but the Rega in particular, are great at pulling the listener into the music. They deliver a more emotional musical experience, and ultimately, that matters most to us."
