![]() ![]() Once you tear it apart, you’ll discover it’s been completely redesigned. When you see the G up close, you start noticing little details-especially in the fit and finish. The complexity of the design and build in the DG-1 is second to none in this price category and, most importantly, shares technology with everything Vertere has done upstream.įrom a distance, the Technics SL-1200G looks just like the old SL-1200, which was the best-selling turntable in history. Plug-n-play turntables are common at the low-end, but at this level it might be one of the best turntables to fit this description. It’s a rare turntable that can be up and running in a few minutes after the box is opened. The Vertere Acoustics DG-1 (Dynamic Groove) is a plug-and-play turntable system that costs just $3,995 USD complete with arm, DFi cable, and cartridge. Based somewhat on the TD-160, the 1601 (and the TD-1600, which offers completely manual operation for $3K) achieves rare and lofty performance at this price point–the fact that the price includes a solid Thorens tonearm makes this deal even sweeter. II and the TD-160? Here it is, the TD-1601, a sprung semi-automatic turntable that will remind you great designs from Linn, Ariston, AR and any other rig that bounces. Have you been waiting for decades for a Thorens table that’s as good as classics like the TD-124, TD-125 mk. ![]() Winner of our Best Value Award because we still can’t believe the Gem Dandy PolyTable Sig is only $3K. “George Merrill knows how to use simple, elegant engineering and knowledge of material sciences to get the little things done, the things that make sonic differences,” we concluded, and we still think about this wonderfully odd-looking American ‘table. ![]() When fitted with the Sorane TA-1L 12.7″ tonearm and the ZYX Ultimate Airy X, this George Merrill-designed turntable instantly became one of the most intriguing and musical analog rigs we’ve heard under the $10K threshold. Gem Dandy PolyTable Signature ($3,000 USD) Now imported by LSA and sold by Underwood Hi-Fi, the 元 can be paired with certain cartridges (the T3 loves Soundsmith) at a great package price. The final result is a ‘table with plenty of character, solid in the groove, and perfect for the audiophile who doesn’t follow the whims of the crowd. This simple and visually stunning turntable was designed by Margules Audio in Mexico–it was a project in the works for many years. (That’s what we think Scot Hull did.) Options include a powered subwoofer and additional LP storage racks. This, so far, is the most impressive version of the “good old-fashioned record player,” but it might be difficult to define if you’re the person who needs this–at least until you hear it and you just want it so bad for an office or a bedroom or a vacation spot. The Model One Record Player from Andover Audio is an elegant one-box solution that contains a Pro-Ject turntable and tonearm, Ortofon cartridge, amplifiers, speakers and lots of digital connectivity. The bearings in the new Rega RB330 arm have remarkably low amounts of friction.Īndover Audio Model One System (starting at $2,000 USD) This Rega Planar 3 features a stiffer plinth and more bracing, along with a newly-designed bearing and sub-platter. The latest version of this venerable classic is easily the best-sounding P3 yet, with an overall sound quality that surpasses the last-generation RP6 (but not the current P6, of course). “This is a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon table taken to a whole new level.” The EVO version sports a new motor suspension, height-adjustable damped aluminum feet, a new steel and TPE-damped platter and a Sumiko Rainier cartridge. Here’s another strong argument for the world’s best turntable for $500 or less, though Pro-Ject had the advantage of a tested design and continuous modifications applied over the years. That said, the turntable part of Fluance is well-built and it sounds good and relatively quiet, even considering its semi-automatic operation. How does the rule hold up in 2021? The Fluance FT-85 is the answer, and that $500 even includes an Ortofon 2M Blue, almost half the entire cost. This Canadian turntable made us reconsider the old $500 Rule, a figure derived from the cheapest–but still listenable–turntables 20 to 30 years ago. ![]()
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