mustang guy Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I am giving my father my technics turntable, and am replacing it with something a lot better, as I listen to vinyl daily now. I am about to pull the trigger on the Music Hall MMF-7.1 with Goldring Eroica H cartridge aligned and mounted. I have limited knowledge about the different aspects of high end turntable components. The cost of this thing is $1,495 from all authorized dealers I could find. Are there any recomendations? I am so ignorant of this I don't even know the right questions to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoak Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I had one a couple of years ago. Well mine was a MMF7 not a 7.1. It was a VERY nice table. That said with that kind of budget I'd be looking at other tables as well. I moved from the MH to a Clearaudio Emotion. To my ears is was a significant upgrade. In that price range I would also be looking at a Marantz TT-15. Personally I think it's better than the MH.Another good option would be a Rega P3-24. They're currently on "clearance" at Music Direct (and others) for pretty good prices. $1500 will buy a pretty nice "preowned" table & cart. As a rule T/Ts in the $1000+ price range tend to be VERY well cared for by their owners. I would have no reservations at all about buying used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2toobs Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 If you want to buy new, I'd go for a Rega P5, they were $999 at music direct, but sold out now. You can still get them at Needle Doctor for $1099 which is still a good deal. http://www.needledoctor.com/Rega-P5-Turntable_2?sc=2&category=353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 I had one a couple of years ago. Well mine was a MMF7 not a 7.1. It was a VERY nice table. That said with that kind of budget I'd be looking at other tables as well. I moved from the MH to a Clearaudio Emotion. To my ears is was a significant upgrade. In that price range I would also be looking at a Marantz TT-15. Personally I think it's better than the MH.Another good option would be a Rega P3-24. They're currently on "clearance" at Music Direct (and others) for pretty good prices. $1500 will buy a pretty nice "preowned" table & cart. As a rule T/Ts in the $1000+ price range tend to be VERY well cared for by their owners. I would have no reservations at all about buying used. You have given me a lot to think about. I put the safety on the gun. I am puzzled by the MM-moving magnet and MC-moving coil cartridges, and wonder which is best for me. Obviously if I buy a turntable with a stylus included, it's moot. It seems to me I have heard discussions here on moving magnet amps, and I am a bit fuzzy on that. My preamp, the Integra DHC-80.3 has a phono in, so I wonder if that is sufficiant for any turntable I buy. Also, I was on Music Direct's site, and noticed they had a Nice Denon DP-A100 with stylus and hinged dust cover (was $2,500 now $1,499). I need a dust cover for sure. The Marantz, Clearaudio, and Rega you mentioned above do not come with dust covers. Many Thoren's and Music Hall's come with them. Any recomendations on dust covers? I wouldn't be afraid to buy a used turntable from a regular member here, but I would be a bit concerned buying off the street or even fleaBay, as I don't know enough to keep myself out of trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 If you want to buy new, I'd go for a Rega P5, they were $999 at music direct, but sold out now. You can still get them at Needle Doctor for $1099 which is still a good deal. http://www.needledoctor.com/Rega-P5-Turntable_2?sc=2&category=353 Thanks. That didn't come up on Music Direct. What about dust covers? Muy importante! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoak Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 First of all it is ill advised to play any turntable with the dustcover attached whether up or down. If you absolutely have to have a dustcover make certain that is easily detached. This would be one of the reasons you don’t see dustcovers as you move up the T/T food chain. When I had the Clearaudio table I had an acrylic cover made for it. Basically a 5 sided box with some notches cut on the back side to clear the cables. I got it from a company that custom makes acrylic “display” cases. As I recall it was very reasonably priced. WAY less than a “fitted” cover from a dealer like Music Direct. I’ll see if I can track down the link to them. Unless you have some experience mounting and aligning cartridges I would stick with a seller (new or used) that will supply the table with the cartridge pre-mounted and aligned. Cartridge alignment and tonearm adjustment can (and will) get pretty “fiddly” and ultimately frustrating. Your Integra pre/pro is equipped with a phono input that appears to be moving magnet only. The Goldring Eroica H is a high output moving coil cartridge so it will work with your Integra just fine. You’ll find that you need to crank the volume up a bit as compared to say CD but other than that it’s all good. Frankly if I’m looking at $1.5K+ phono rigs I’d also be looking at something better than the internal phono preamp in the pre/pro. Unless the Integra is an exception (no experience with one) as a rule the internal phono stages are generally an “after thought” and not very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago_Pete Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I used to have a MMF-7. Sold it after two weeks. You could get a very nice Linn LP12 setup for that kind of money and it will have the dust cover that you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 Looks like I am now getting a Rega P5 and an Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge. Needledoctor will mount the cartridge for me at no service charge. Now for the dust cover. Perhaps I will fabricate one myself. Needledoctor sells them for $140, but they don't have a description or a picture. That's a bit scary... I haven't actually ordered it yet, but I think it's the one. Total cost before shipping will be $1,638 if I buy the dust cover as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 I concure, the P5 is a superb purchase... they are under 1K from many places because a replacement is coming out(or so I gather) sometime soon.between the P3-24 a P5 you have two good choices that span a wide price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 I concure, the P5 is a superb purchase... they are under 1K from many places because a replacement is coming out(or so I gather) sometime soon.between the P3-24 a P5 you have two good choices that span a wide price range. I put the ordering on hold, because I am having second thoughts about the cartridge. A buddy of mine had a bronze, and hated it. I hate to ask, but would anybody have any guidance regarding the cartridge for this table? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 Personally I'd go for a VPI Scout if you are talking in the 2g range. Don't go for suspended tables with their "swing and sway." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I put the ordering on hold, because I am having second thoughts about the cartridge. A buddy of mine had a bronze, and hated it. I hate to ask, but would anybody have any guidance regarding the cartridge for this table? I would use a denon 103 myself... I am sure one fo the grado wod bodies would owrk well also. I have seen the P5 for as low as 995$ OBO new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoak Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 The Denon DL-103 is a good cartridge. Even better if you get the 103R and better yet if you get one of the Zu Audio versions. There is a "catch" though. The DL-103 is a low output moving coil cartridge and the AVR that the OP is using has a MM phono input. He would have to get a SUT or possibly an outboard phono preamp in order to use one. The DL-110 and DL-160 (if you can find one) are both high output moving coil cartridges. I tried one of the DL-110s and wasn't all that impressed with it. Lots of folks love them though. Didn't do it for me The wood bodied Grado cartridges are VERY nice. I've had a couple of the "lower end" models and was always very pleased with them. The only caveat with Grados is that they're not shielded and can pick up motor hum on some tables. I had a hum issue with my MMF5 but not with my MMF7. It depends a lot on how close the cartridge gets to the motor. There's a spreadsheet at audiokarma.org where users have reported whether or not they had the hum issue. I would check there before plunking down a bunch of $$ for a Grado cartridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 I should have read the board today. I didn't read your notes on the DL-103 until it was too late. I hope I didn't make too big of a mistake ordering the black Rega P5 with the Orofon 2M Blue cartridge. Brian and needle doctor is installing the cartridge and shipping it to me for a total of $1,214. And it comes with a dust cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoak Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I have a 2M Blue installed on my Pro-Ject 1.2. I'm quite happy with it. A little bit of advice about the 2M... Give it around 100 hours or so of playback before you pass judgement on it. They really do need a good bit of "run-in" time before they sound their best. Good luck, have fun, and above all enjoy the music!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2toobs Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I should have read the board today. I didn't read your notes on the DL-103 until it was too late. I hope I didn't make too big of a mistake ordering the black Rega P5 with the Orofon 2M Blue cartridge. Brian and needle doctor is installing the cartridge and shipping it to me for a total of $1,214. And it comes with a dust cover. Congratulations, you did fine! [Y]The Blue will sound very nice after it's broke-in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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