How important is direct drive vs belt drive? Andrew Robinson on YouTube, FWIW, just gave a glowing review of the Audio Technica AT LP140XP which is direct drive. He said it just needs a better cartridge, and recommended the Orton Blue. What about this deck with the Nagaoka MM (MP) Cartridge MP-110?
I’d go with Rega RP1/2 over the AT-LP140XP-BK. It would be worth waiting it out until AudioAdvisor has a Rega available that can be shipped meeting your terms. Also, they could be most helpful with cartridge selection.
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I see why you need a turntable. You must get bored of that view after a while and want to go in and listen to some music.
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Another thing to mention what probably many of us see coming:
As you’re already interested in all analog releases and as (quality of the vinyl rig aside) you will be convinced of their superiority to the corresponding digital releases, I expect that you will shortly spend quite some money on vinyl, maybe even hunt for expensive out of print all analog releases.
You will then live with a 1k setup for about a year I’d say before you see how much better it could get with this or that change. So just in case you hate buying and reselling/newly buying HW within a foreseeable time, you have the chance now to plan that differently and invest more from start…or not 
It’s all about the better sounding media (mainly if it’s AAA)
Haha! Such is the nature of the audiophile beast and true of literally every component, speaker, cable, power supply, rack, etc etc. The grass is always appears greener, the wine must be sweeter on just the other side of the next hill 
Honestly, if the current state of vinyl was that it’s an antiquated technology only listened to by audiophiles with absurdly expensive equipment, I would not be the least bit interested in it. I’d remain content in the digital landscape. What endlessly intrigues me is that the vinyl astonishing resurgence is driven by young people and non-audiophiles, regular folks with mass market systems. By people with access to a gazillion digital song files for free, or nearly free. That in the face of free music, ordinary people are choosing to pay a substantial premium, for all things, a well outdated technology. And to do so at scale.
There’s something happening here, what it is isn’t exactly clear - and as a music lover, I’m going to find out!
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That’s fine!
Just don’t expect something different from bargain vinyl than you would from bargain digital
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I’m not concerned about the bargain side of things. I’m a contrarian audiophile to begin with who views being an audiophile as equal parts hobby and disease. My only hesitation centers around the fact that I rarely listen to entire albums start to finish because I rarely like all the songs. Roon makes that simple. Even in the CD years, hitting skip was simple enough. I need to go through my jazz collection and determine if there are enough start to finish albums I like in order to make the vinyl venture worthwhile.
I also always wait until the fever has passed before buying anything.
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Always a good move. Based on you interest in vinyl jazznut makes a valid point, you may want to spend up slightly to accommodate improvements in your vinyl playback One reason why I initially suggested the Rega Planar 3. Of course it is also important to set aside funds for you future vinyl library.
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I just figured out how you can afford your new “vinyl fix”.
All you have to do is present seminars and charge admission or offer one-on-one counseling sessions to the denizens of this forum teaching them how to “wait until the fever has passed before buying”. You will clean up.
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LOL! That’s hilarious. Or develop a psychiatric drug that makes cheap stuff sound amazing 
That also has potential!
Scott
I believe" it" is already available, at least in Colorado and Illinois. The primary side effect is it induces the :munchies". 
Just include a bag of Doritos or Cheese Pops with every purchase…?
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That’s a very important point. You will have to (more or less). Vinyl is the slow food of audio.
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That’s a great line, and so true. The whole thing fairly shouts “slow down!” from the ritual of cleaning and preparation, to the manual cueing, to the fact that once you sit, you’re there for 15-25 minutes if you don’t want to jump up again right away. After being trained by years of various digital sources to expect the ability to jump track-to-track from the comfort of your listening chair (if you even make it through the track), LPs more or less lock you in. Some people find themselves getting anxious; others allow themselves to luxuriate in, and savor, the slower process.
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Gosh. I’m saddened I don’t yet have a turntable. Would be a great day to spin the 1812 Overture. Just to ponder the actual last time in history the US Capitol building was breached 
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At least the cannon shots will be a track where you might want to switch to the DAC unless you upgraded a bit from your starting point
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But back to the Rega. The Rega 1 has a resin platter and a RB110 tone arm. The Rega 2 has a glass platter and a RB220 tone arm for $200 more. Everything else appears the same except the 2 looks fancier.
Why is the Rega 2 a better idea? What do the glass platter and better tone arm do better?
There’s also the Rega 1 Plus which has a built in phono preamp. Why is that a good or bad idea?
Thanks.
As an owner of a 2016 P3 paired initially with an Ortofon 2M Blue, this man knows of what he speaks. It’s an amazing setup for not very much money, gets you a really quality setup with options for modular upgrades from the likes of GrooveTracer or TangoSpinner for upgrades on things like the subplatter and platter.
I would hugely recomnmend.
I’ve now upgraded my cartridge to the Ortofon Quintet Black S which is a MC, and the turntable handles it admirably, so there really is a lot of scope to further the potential of the system.
Wonderful combination.
VPI would be the stateside equivalent of Rega, and they’re also fantastic tables.
I would recommend anyone to give vinyl a try in this day and age, it’s such a wonderful format, not just for that warm and inviting presentation, but the physical media provides such a nostalgic boon to collecting records that I just haven’t been able to find with any other media form.
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Are these upgrades possible on the RP3 but not possible on the RP2?