Upgrade Path Decided. Turntable Is First. Suggestions Welcome

[Johnny Vinyl]

The Thorens tables seem to making somewhat of a comeback, and they certainly have been around for a long time with a decent rep as well. They have a whole line of TT's from entry-level to serious high-end, so maybe a look at one of their offerings could be an interesting excursion. I believe AcousticSounds have most of their models available. Just a thought.

I always thought the MusicHall 9.1 was a nice table, and one I looked at as well, but I didn't research that model in great depth. It may be another option for you.

I've heard of Zu speakers and seem to remember reading an article or two on them as well. From memory it appeared they had some good things to say about their lineup.

Regarding Power Amps, and specifically tubes, you may want to give Rogue Audio a look. If everything goes well in 2010, I am seriously considering their Perseus tube preamp. Their stuff gets consistent good reviews.