Recommend me a nice sounding, good looking turntable

[alolympic]

I have a hi-fi set up in our front room. It's certainly not high end. Cambridge Audio amp with phono stage and Acoustic Energy speakers. I am after a new turntable after my Bush Mtt1 has given up the ghost.
I know that the latest Project and Rega TT's are supposed to be very good.
I would love to get a vintage deck though that sounds good, is easy to step up but also looks great. I have always fancied a wooden deck, but not sure where to start.
Budget up to about £300. Any suggestions?
Cheers

[Monty Python]

Project Debut SE3

[alolympic]

Monty Python said:

Project Debut SE3

Thanks, but I am kind of looking for vintage options. I am sure that the Prohect or Rega is the most logical, but I just can't get excited by them. Some of the vintage Denon DP's look amazing to me, and are much more covetable. In the same way that I run classic cars, not moderns, even though they have more flaws.
It is on the vintage stuff I don't know where to start.....

[telecat]

Tricky as older decks can be coverted and are not that cheap. I presume you are looking at a Sprung Belt drive. The cheaper Ariston RD series, Thorens, Dual CS505 as well as the Denon. Depends on Budget really. Up to £300 would allow you to get a Roksan Xerxes for example.

Edited by telecat on Sunday 15th November 14:22

[Crackie]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SYSTEMDEK-IIX-TURNTABLE-...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Systemdek-iix-900-Turnta...

No cartridge with the top one........not a bad thing. Wear condition of second hand styli can be a bit of a lottery.

[Roadster25]

Systemdek turntables are good value these days. Sometimes they are even wood coloured.

[alolympic]

Really quite fancy this. Looks great, but any ideas how it will sound compared to a new budget Project or Rega. Still able to cut it these days?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beautiful-Pioneer-PL-115...

Edited by alolympic on Sunday 29th November 14:54

[Sparky137]

alolympic said:

Really quite fancy this. Looks great, but any ideas how it will sound compared to a new budget Project or Rega. Still able to cut it these days?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beautiful-Pioneer-PL-115...

Edited by alolympic on Sunday 29th November 14:54

Amongst my turntable collection I have a PL112D which is essentially the same turntable but without the auto return mechanism. Theoretically the PL112D should be capable of using a better cartridge due to lower arm mass and less friction. However, as the majority of cartridges used in these sort of turntables are a long way from high end it doesn't really make much difference.

I quite like the PL112D's sound but its not as good as the CS505 I have. I would also say that £159.95 for the PL115D is MASSIVELY over priced. Far better turntables are available in the same price range (Rega, Systemdeck etc). The real value of that turntable is closer to £60!!

[P700DEE]

The Pioneer won't match a Dual CS-505 let alone a Rega. You can get a wood plinth Dual but if you have any interest in sound the Rega Planar 3 is vintage and sounds good. Just above your budget are things like the Pink Triangle LPT and the Roksan.

[alolympic]

Thanks guys, I'll keep exploring with some of your recommendations.
The more I look into this, the more I want a full on retro system, all timber and brushed steel. Strange how my taste has gone full circle.

[Denis O]

If you can find one, as they are rare as hens teeth, a Manticore Mantra would be an excellent vinyl machine. The designer, Doug Hewitt, was trying to emulate the venerable LP12 but for significantly less cash. He also designed a couple of arm upgrades during the life of the deck which are well worth having. Mine had the Musician.

Should be in your budget if you can find one.

[Monty Python]

Denis O said:

If you can find one, as they are rare as hens teeth, a Manticore Mantra would be an excellent vinyl machine. The designer, Doug Hewitt, was trying to emulate the venerable LP12 but for significantly less cash. He also designed a couple of arm upgrades during the life of the deck which are well worth having. Mine had the Musician.

Should be in your budget if you can find one.

That's going back a bit - I also remembered the Pink Triangle PT1.

[alolympic]

The Thorens TD150 Mk2 is starting to make a convincing argument for itself.
They seem pretty plentiful, so may more likely to have the choice of a deck in good, or refurbed, condition.
God option?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Audio Technica LP-120. Replica of the Technics Sl1200, with built in pre amp digital transfer capability. I've got one and I love it.

[StescoG66]

Denis O said:

If you can find one, as they are rare as hens teeth, a Manticore Mantra would be an excellent vinyl machine. The designer, Doug Hewitt, was trying to emulate the venerable LP12 but for significantly less cash. He also designed a couple of arm upgrades during the life of the deck which are well worth having. Mine had the Musician.

Should be in your budget if you can find one.

I used to have one. Wish I still did, domestic harmony meant my turntable was sacrificed......... Great deck the Mantra, mine had an RB300 arm and AT-OC5 cart and sounded wonderful. Only thing is the 3 point suspension is tricky to set up.

I will get another turntable one day. Fancy an AR EB101