Quote Originally Posted by atomicAdam
Thank you sir.

What is it you like about the Rega turntables? I see there are several in my price range, two are belt drives.

The Music Hall MMF-2.2LE Turntable

Rega P1 Turntable

For non belt it appears to be:

Pro-Ject Debut III in White

Question, does belt / no belt really make a dif at this price point?

And what do you mean by "musical quality missing from many of them"? Are you trying to say that the belt adds some small fraction of unequal timing which sounds more real? Or is it just the way the motor spins the record and interacts with the whole unit that with a belt drive sounds more musical?
...but they are truly worth it in my book.
If you live in California, you should have access to tons of record stores.
I'm jealous and makes me wanna get out of this lousy city I live in.

***Software***
Record Shop-
This is the most important part of this hobby, but I think you are covered.
You lucky bastard!!!!


***Record Care****

LP Sleeve -
If you purchase used LP and comes with moldy paper sleeves, throw them away. It just contaminates your LP. Sleeve City has some inner sleeves. I especially love Diskeeper Ultimate Audiophile Inner Sleeves.


Dry Brush -
Get a cheap carbon fiber brush by LP Gear or SleeveTown. They are pretty stiff, so break them in by running in hot water. No need to spend $20+ on a same brush that says Audioquest or A


Wet Record Brush -
Record Btush by Mobile Fidelity. Nothing is better and replacement pad can be had for cheap (2 for $5).


LP solution -
You can choose to buy some expensive solution, but 90+% isopro and distilled water will perform 99% of expensive stuff. If you end up with a Record Cleaning Machine (DIY or Purchased), your wallet will appreciate the Isopro-H2O solution.


Stylus care -
I love Zerodust by Onzo. They work great without expensive liquid, and should last a lifetime. I don't think I can live without it.
Or you can just use a small piece of Magic Eraser by Mr. Clean. Soak a piece in Water, drop down your stylus onto the surface, and use your clueing level to lift it up. It works pretty good and is probably the cheapest option there is.


***Turntable***
As you know, Rega makes some great tonearms, but their entry level decks are crap. Maybe "crap" is a harsh word, but they can't even spin LP at acceptable speed. I was hoping they had fixed the issue with P1, but that still isn't the case. I don't know this for a fact, but I've read they are spinning at more than 1% faster at 33rpm setting. Used P25 and and New P5 and up have remedied that issue, but they expect you to spend more than $1400???

PJ or MH spins nicely and speedbox can be had for $150 if desired in future. The tonearm I had on my Xpression was bit picky on cartridges I used.

At your price range, I would look for a used TT in a nearby city. Go audition and get a great deck for half the price. Plus you can eliminate potential damage by a commericial carrier.... New 2.2LE looks like a great starter deck and may even be your final reference deck.

Have fun,
JRA