help me try to decide on turntables, amps/receivers, and speakers

[Samus Aran]

Seriously guys there are just too many choices out there, so hard to pick. I did get some advice from some serious audiophile friends of mine. Pick a turntable that's belt-driven with a curved tonearm and no automatic return, get a proper amp for it...etc. But that still leaves tons of options.

Granted, I have the money, so I'm not afraid to splurge a bit. Plus, I have $175 in Amazon store credit. But that's not my limit or anything. But at least one thing I'll probably buy on Amazon because of that credit.

Anyone have any suggestions? Snorkel, Boognish, Silvertone?

I have it on good authority that this pricy thing is one of the best turntables out there at the moment, though it's direct drive.

I'm considering it.

And then I was thinking of running it through an amp (NAD 3020 was suggested by another friend, but it's not easy to come by), and then into some nice speakers.

Speakers I know absolutely nothing about.

[silvertone]

honestly i would just go to a thrift store and find whatever i can, im 2 cheap to really spend 500000 dollars to listen to vinyl idk.
audiophiles are mostly just guys w/ 2 much money that waste it on really expensive bs... . . .  ..

[PLEASEHELP1991]

audiophiles are mostly just guys w/ 2 much money that waste it on really expensive bs... . . .  ..

agreed

[Samus Aran]

keep in mind i live in baudette, mn

and not really helping

[me003]

just so you know belt-drive turntables are the kind that break when you try to backspin them.
Direct drive are the modern kind.
I guess it doesn't matter if you're only using them for listening, just be easy on the platter with a belt-drive.
[spoiler=opinion]
the best turntable is and always will be a technics 1200. [/spoiler]

for amplification, any old reciever or mixer will work with regular RCA connections or copper wire will work, make sure you check what your mixer/reciever's inputs are first.

audiophiles are mostly just guys w/ 2 much money that waste it on really expensive bs... . . .  ..

lol

i got a simple 2 channel mixer that I could give you if you want. It should do the job, just lacks any EQ most mixers have.

[me003]

stanton and numark make fine turntables too.
Really the sound comes down to the needle you're using and for the price I find Shure M44-7's to be the standard. Ortofon's are nice, but can be more expensive. And I'm not really familiar with many others, and honestly you won't tell the difference unless you listen to the same record on two different needles back to back.