A Great (Cheap) Turntable/Cartridge

[Venus and Mars]

Since a few month I'm looking for a used turntable to listen/record my vinyls to the best, what do you recommend as a quality turntable and cartridge, solid and reliable at a normal price (300$ Max ), I don't wish to have a preamplifier, only a Turntable
Turntable : SONY PS-22, Thorens, Technics slB2 or others....
Shure Mxx, AT, Ortofon...

Thanks for your answers

[maccafan1]

I have a Audio Technica AL-LP120-USB Drive Professional USB & Analogue Turntable System bought a few years ago to replace a not to good Technics which was always the worst part of HiFi bought in early 90,s, ended up with the current one afyer looking on Amazon UK for a Technics turtable and a reviwer had put a fantastic list of good and bad points and ended up with this, am very happy with it compared to what did have, havnt tried the USB side of it yet

[mojofilter]

I have an LP120 as well, that I would recommend. It comes with a bottom-of-the-line Stanton AL 500 equivalent cartridge. When I got it, I made A/B recordings of "Over My Head" by Fleetwood Mac with the new cartridge and an old Stanton 881S. The response of the 500 is so different, I couldn't even hear the organ on the record, though it was fine played by the 881. I recommend that you get the best cartridge you can afford.

[Venus and Mars]

Thank you, I'm very hesitant (maybe wrongly) to buy new material especially since the current prices are very high, I have someone who offers a Sony PS-4300 for 250$ I will try to decide soon...

[Venus and Mars]

I have an LP120 as well, that I would recommend. It comes with a bottom-of-the-line Stanton AL 500 equivalent cartridge. When I got it, I made A/B recordings of "Over My Head" by Fleetwood Mac with the new cartridge and an old Stanton 881S. The response of the 500 is so different, I couldn't even hear the organ on the record, though it was fine played by the 881. I recommend that you get the best cartridge you can afford.

I read that there could be problems with the anti skating with the LP120, I don't know if it is true
the current cartridges are overpriced and the first prices are apparently bad I think you have to look for second hand

[mojofilter]

I read that there could be problems with the anti skating with the LP120, I don't know if it is true the current cartridges are overpriced and the first prices are apparently bad I think you have to look for second hand

I've had mine for a couple of years, and there has never been any kind of problem with it.

[Venus and Mars]

I hesitate between a Technics sl 1500 mk2 or a SONY PS-4300 two vintage turntables, the technics has only one problem the arm lift doesn't work...

[Lord Reith]

I have a Project Debut III which i wouldn't call expensive although you wouldn't find it at your local electronics bargain basement. I have no complaints with it.

[mojofilter]

If it makes any difference, mine is an AT-LP120XUSB, which is an upgrade from the older 120, which probably alleviates one or more deficiencies in earlier models. Like, they were shipping some early 120s with the cast aluminum platters warped. Amazon took them off its site until they fixed the problem. I don't use the USB preamp on mine, I go from the cartridge to an analog preamp. I tried out the other one, as it has an increase-the-tempo-but -not-the-pitch feature that was interesting once, but I'll never have a use for it. It's a pretty OK turntable otherwise, with a better cartridge on it, and an acoustic mat on the platter to absorb vibrations.

[Venus and Mars]

Thanks for the answers, I'm a bit lost but I'll have to make a choice, it's true that I hadn't thought about the Project Debut (besides they have released Beatles or George Harrison designs)