So many options... which turntable to pick?

SamyBoy13

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As per the title I'm looking for a new turntable and have no clue which one to pick.

Project X1 for £489.99 (new) special price from local dealers as the last unit.
Project X2 for £899 (new)
Rega P3 Elys for £499.99 (new)
Technics SL1210MK7 for 599.99 (new)

These are my consideration, please feel free to recommend others. I have no clue which one would be the best for my first turntable. I've auditioned Project Espirit SB and Technics SL1210MK7 before lockdown and I much prefer the sound of Technics over Espirit SB. Thus not sure if Rega would be better over X1/X2 as haven't auditioned Rega?

All advice will be appreciated. Thank you in advance and stay safe!


For Phonostage, I will be using my Yamaha As3000 built-in phono stage.

My current setup
PC -> Amazon Music Hd -> HDMI -> TV -> Optical cable -> Chord qutest -> QED reference 40 rca -> Yamaha AS3000 -> Dali Opticon 6
 
If you can get a P3/Elys for £499, that takes some beating. They're more than that without any cartridge.
 
If you can get a P3/Elys for £499, that takes some beating. They're more than that without any cartridge.
My apologies for a typing error I can buy Rega Planar 3 with Elys Cart for 599, not 499.
There doesn't seem a lot on Project X1/X2 online. Anyone had a chance to compare against the competition? Are Rega's turntables the best in comparison to the competition ?

Also how much would I need to spend to equal or better Cd quality?
 
Are Rega's turntables the best in comparison to the competition ?
I don't think there's any brand that's objectively better than the competition at the same price - there's a lot of very good competition in the turntable market these days. It's really down to personal preference with regard to sound and features.
Also how much would I need to spend to equal or better Cd quality?
That depends on how much you spent on your CD player ;)
 
My apologies for a typing error I can buy Rega Planar 3 with Elys Cart for 599, not 499.
There doesn't seem a lot on Project X1/X2 online. Anyone had a chance to compare against the competition? Are Rega's turntables the best in comparison to the competition ?

Also how much would I need to spend to equal or better Cd quality?
I was about to ask who was doing you that deal.... even so, £599 is still a good price - £50 off the usual.
 
I don't think there's any brand that's objectively better than the competition at the same price - there's a lot of very good competition in the turntable market these days. It's really down to personal preference with regard to sound and features.

That depends on how much you spent on your CD player ;)
Thanks for your reply. I mean a around a £1000 or chord qutest? I was wondering as if I would of have bought a turntable now, I want to keep it for few years (maybe a cart upgrade but this would be it). Any preference if you would be buying one today? I'm happy to wait until payday and invest up to £1350 if it means much better turntable.

I had dali zensor 7 £600 speakers and jump to opticon 6 £1200 was huge and well worth it thus would this be something like it when it comes to turntables??
 
For turntables at that price point Clearaudio Concept is worth a look. However if I were investing that amount I would wait a few months and go and have a proper audition to make sure my ears agree.
 
Happy Rega P3 owner here - it’s a fantastic turntable.
 
Thanks for your reply. I mean a around a £1000 or chord qutest? I was wondering as if I would of have bought a turntable now, I want to keep it for few years (maybe a cart upgrade but this would be it). Any preference if you would be buying one today? I'm happy to wait until payday and invest up to £1350 if it means much better turntable.
Ah, got you. It's still very difficult to suggest actual price levels (and I've never heard a chord qutest, so I can't compare anything with that). It's so much down to the combination of the turntable and cartridge, that some turntable combos will sound to me better than my CD source, and some won't sound as good. And to you, the same combos might sound the other way round, depending on what aspects of sound matter most to you. For example, some people are very sensitive to tonal aspects, but I find I settle in to different tonal balances very quickly and then can't say which I prefer. For me, it's all about transparency and detail resolution.

Saying that, I can tell you the price balance of what I have, in case it's any use (though I fear it won't be). My CD front end is an Audiolab 8000CD (quite old) into an Audiolab M-DAC (relatively modern - only just got it). Combined cost, both second hand, was about £700.

My LP front end is a Rega Planar 3 (1979 vintage), but upgraded with new platter, sub-platter, sapphire bearing, external power supply, various damping bits. And an Ortofon Super OM 30 cartridge (with fine line stylus). Cost was around £1,000 (all new, but the original turntable a very long time ago). I'm using the phono stage of my Audiolab 8000A, so I'm not including the cost of a phono pre-amp.

If I got the equivalent of everything now, I suspect both sources would probably cost around the same sort of level. Which sounds better? They're close, but the turntable definitely has the edge for me.

As Ugg10 says, I really think the only way you could decide is by listening, though that's obviously not really possible at the moment. If you compared analogue and digital front ends at a dealers, you could probably find analogue gear that you prefer to digital gear at three times the price, and vice versa. You're spending a good amount of money, and I wouldn't risk wasting it by buying without listening first.

(Told you it wouldn't be much help ;))
 
There are CD players out there, primarily SACD players, that will sound as good as if not better than TT as you rid yourself of wow and flutter, snap, crackle and pop. The main problem with both vinyl and CD is the poor recordings now being brought out by modern artists with a great many vinyls coming from the same digital recording as the CDs are based on.

If you're thinking of building a vinyl collection from scratch and have a good collection of CDs I would say that high end CD players will make more of an impact. There are companies such as MoFi that are still bringing out quality vinyl at 180g but they tend to be just as expensive as the companion SACDs and are tending to be from many moons ago.
 
I use a new Rega planar 3, Elys cart, with my Yamaha A-S2100, using the integrated phono stage, and it’s brilliant. I did previously have the Clearaudio Concept, yes it was better, more detail, tighter bass, but, it was over twice the price, so it should be. Also, it had no dust cover and was a bloody nightmare on wooden floors and yes it was on an isolation plinth, but it jumped whenever I went near it.

If I were spending £1400 again on a turntable I’d look at the Rega P6 personally, but I can’t see me changing for a long while, the Rega Planar 3 is brilliant at its price point and probably better than many sub £1000 turntables on the market.
 
The threads a few weeks old but can I ask where you found 1210MK7's for 599.99 new ?
 
Thanks for sharing. Was wondering what do you think about your A-S3000 compared with the Hegel 190 in terms of sound?
The threads a few weeks old but can I ask where you found 1210MK7's for 599.99 new ?

It was from a local HIFI shop, I've purchased many things from them and so did my friends and family by my recommendation. We have a very good relationship where they even let me borrow equipment without a deposit and most prices are great for me. However, lately, I've purchased a few things for their RRP rather than discontented to make sure they can keep going as not many HIFI shops around nowadays.

Project X1 is available for £500 which is a quite good deal (only in gloss black though) let me know and I'm happy to PM link
 
The Rega P3 at that price is a great buy. It's an upgradable unit too, so it's a good stepping stone.... you can add the PSU, upgrade the cartridge to an Exact etc etc... it's the first step to constant upgrades :D

That said, if the budget stretches that bit further the P6 is worth a look, with an Exact cartridge for now... it includes the NEO-PSU. But it's quite a jump! Maybe look at ex demo (used is always a risk IMO!)


Best Seller - this is listing a P6 too but you can't seem to click on the link. You'd have to call them....
 
I picked up a Pioneer PL-518 for $135, with 4 vinyls, off of Craiglist or OfferUp (forgot which) in 2016. Still going strong, and it's a great TT. I HIGHLY recommend at least checking out the used market on CL, OfferUp, LetGo, and other such sites and apps, to see if any gems show up.
 
I would strongly recommend the X2
 

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My apologies for a typing error I can buy Rega Planar 3 with Elys Cart for 599, not 499.
There doesn't seem a lot on Project X1/X2 online. Anyone had a chance to compare against the competition? Are Rega's turntables the best in comparison to the competition ?

Also how much would I need to spend to equal or better Cd quality?
I think comparing CD and vinyl is a null argument. They are both good in their own ways if done properly... I personally love vinyl for 2 channel and Digital for film and occasional radio listening.. I have a lowly project X1 bought this year. Very quiet no rumble and surface noise ' which the older ac motor plannar 3 I had eons ago did. I know now they have separate DC so may be different now? I was wondering weather to upgrade to a X2 or an rpm5 carbon? There does seem to be very little on the net about these decks. I would like to know how they compare? ' as I have been very happy with the X1.
 
Hi do have a look at secondhand from hi-fi shops I bought [a long time ago now 15 years] a mitchel gyrodec with cover for about £700 and recently had a complete service at Mitchel for around £220 , look at s/h linn sondek as well ,beware of eBay that's why I suggest from a dealer
 
Hi do have a look at secondhand from hi-fi shops I bought [a long time ago now 15 years] a mitchel gyrodec with cover for about £700 and recently had a complete service at Mitchel for around £220 , look at s/h linn sondek as well ,beware of eBay that's why I suggest from a dealer
yes ebay???? How many times has one item been bought sold resold etc...Thanks ebay are not a place that I buy from personally.. Most of it gets sent back for one reason or another
 
Ah, got you. It's still very difficult to suggest actual price levels (and I've never heard a chord qutest, so I can't compare anything with that). It's so much down to the combination of the turntable and cartridge, that some turntable combos will sound to me better than my CD source, and some won't sound as good. And to you, the same combos might sound the other way round, depending on what aspects of sound matter most to you. For example, some people are very sensitive to tonal aspects, but I find I settle in to different tonal balances very quickly and then can't say which I prefer. For me, it's all about transparency and detail resolution.

Saying that, I can tell you the price balance of what I have, in case it's any use (though I fear it won't be). My CD front end is an Audiolab 8000CD (quite old) into an Audiolab M-DAC (relatively modern - only just got it). Combined cost, both second hand, was about £700.

My LP front end is a Rega Planar 3 (1979 vintage), but upgraded with new platter, sub-platter, sapphire bearing, external power supply, various damping bits. And an Ortofon Super OM 30 cartridge (with fine line stylus). Cost was around £1,000 (all new, but the original turntable a very long time ago). I'm using the phono stage of my Audiolab 8000A, so I'm not including the cost of a phono pre-amp.

If I got the equivalent of everything now, I suspect both sources would probably cost around the same sort of level. Which sounds better? They're close, but the turntable definitely has the edge for me.

As Ugg10 says, I really think the only way you could decide is by listening, though that's obviously not really possible at the moment. If you compared analogue and digital front ends at a dealers, you could probably find analogue gear that you prefer to digital gear at three times the price, and vice versa. You're spending a good amount of money, and I wouldn't risk wasting it by buying without listening first.

(Told you it wouldn't be much help ;))
 
I like the Audiolab 8000a internal phono stage.. Was properly thought out rectified unit' not just an afterthought. Never been a fan of Rega 'as you say one mans meat is another man's poison.
 
You'd be better off spending the money on a cart upgrade imho. I have an X1 and think it's outstanding at the price point. I am considering a 2M Bronze, however.
My previous deck was a debut carbon and changing to Nagaoka MP110 made a huge difference to the sound.
Basically, i think a better cart would be money better spent than on an X2.
 
To respond to the original question, all of the turntables listed are very good indeed. I listened to a wide range of decks, and ended up with the little known but fantastic NAD C588 (built by Pro-Ject) - I’ve upgraded the stylus from the fitted Ortofon 2M Red to the 2M blue (very simple swap) and it is an incredible combination.

In my opinion far superior to CD and Tidal Master.

There are very few poor turntables out there - you need to focus on partnering equipment (phono stage/amp), power supply (I‘ve upgraded to a ifi-audio plug-in unit) and isolation platform/stand - it needs to be perfectly level and isolated to perform at its best. I’m also using a Nobosound LP stabiliser/weight).

Enjoy the journey.
 

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