Hey, everybody! I know you probably get a lot of questions like this, but here we go again. First, a little background on me. I am currently in the process of putting together my first real system. (I'm a college student, so cost is a very real concern.) It's something I've wanted to do for awhile, but Christmas money was the catalyst. I went shopping for a CD player and settled on the NAD C525BEE. To me, it's like having a new CD collection, and has proven conclusively to me (and my mom, a former skeptic) that the source can indeed make a world of difference. I love it with the 325 amplifier, which I plan to purchase as soon as means permit. I recently bought an old 4020A analog tuner (I'm a big fan of NAD gear, can you tell? 
). I'm fortunate enough to have at my disposal a great pair of speakers, Paradigm 7se Mk3s. Now, on to the meat of this discussion. As much as I love my new CDP, I may have modified my priorities had I heard a good turntable before I pulled the trigger! Wow! I'm a vinyl convert, for sure. The sound blows me away every time. I must have a turntable in my system. The question is, which one? My local dealer sells NAD, Rega, and Pro-Ject. Well, okay, they also sell Linn, but I'll keep dreaming! I'm rather partial to the Rega line. First off, feel free to offer your general suggestions and recommendations for an enthusiast just getting into vinyl playback. There's a lot for me to consider. I'll need a phono stage because, regrettably, NAD has stopped including a phono section in its amplifiers. (I'm leaning toward their PP-2 preamp.) Then there's the cartridge situation. As far as turntables are concerned, which entry 'table do you like? The biggest stretch I'd be willing to make is probably the Rega P2 or an OEM derivative thereof. Otherwise, I'm definitely trying to keep the TT in the 3-$400 range. I really like Rega's P1, which seems to offer a good value for someone like me. If I were to step up to the P2, do you think it's worth it? Has anyone heard both? My salesman (who does not work on commission) isn't pushy and always considers my finances, but thinks I should "save my pennies for the P2". Would you concur? I often stop by the shop and listen to the P1, with which I am impressed. However, my eyes having been just recently opened to the world of analog, I feel like I might be jumping the gun if I were to settle on that model right away. After all, I lived for CDs until I spun a clean LP on a new turntable.
Thanks so much for your help!
Hey, everybody! I know you probably get a lot of questions like this, but here we go again. First, a little background on me. I am currently in the process of putting together my first real system. (I'm a college student, so cost is a very real concern.) It's something I've wanted to do for awhile, but Christmas money was the catalyst. I went shopping for a CD player and settled on the NAD C525BEE. To me, it's like having a new CD collection, and has proven conclusively to me (and my mom, a former skeptic) that the source can indeed make a world of difference. I love it with the 325 amplifier, which I plan to purchase as soon as means permit. I recently bought an old 4020A analog tuner (I'm a big fan of NAD gear, can you tell?
). I'm fortunate enough to have at my disposal a great pair of speakers, Paradigm 7se Mk3s. Now, on to the meat of this discussion. As much as I love my new CDP, I may have modified my priorities had I heard a good turntable before I pulled the trigger! Wow! I'm a vinyl convert, for sure. The sound blows me away every time. I must have a turntable in my system. The question is, which one? My local dealer sells NAD, Rega, and Pro-Ject. Well, okay, they also sell Linn, but I'll keep dreaming! I'm rather partial to the Rega line. First off, feel free to offer your general suggestions and recommendations for an enthusiast just getting into vinyl playback. There's a lot for me to consider. I'll need a phono stage because, regrettably, NAD has stopped including a phono section in its amplifiers. (I'm leaning toward their PP-2 preamp.) Then there's the cartridge situation. As far as turntables are concerned, which entry 'table do you like? The biggest stretch I'd be willing to make is probably the Rega P2 or an OEM derivative thereof. Otherwise, I'm definitely trying to keep the TT in the 3-$400 range. I really like Rega's P1, which seems to offer a good value for someone like me. If I were to step up to the P2, do you think it's worth it? Has anyone heard both? My salesman (who does not work on commission) isn't pushy and always considers my finances, but thinks I should "save my pennies for the P2". Would you concur? I often stop by the shop and listen to the P1, with which I am impressed. However, my eyes having been just recently opened to the world of analog, I feel like I might be jumping the gun if I were to settle on that model right away. After all, I lived for CDs until I spun a clean LP on a new turntable.
Thanks so much for your help!