Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Built by Clearaudio for Marantz, the TT15S1 appears to be a step between the Emotion and the Champion models. Fit and finish are what one would expect from Clearaudio at this price point. Setup was simple and will take less than 1/2 hour. All of the tools needed were supplied with the table. The Unify tonearm supplied is solid, but the magnetic anti-skate system seems rather hokey.

The factory settings provide a good starting point, but the table will require some tweaking to get it to sound its best. An aftermarket stylus pressure gauge is recommended to make sure setting is correct. Experimentation with the tonearm height adjustment will provide an optimum sound payback as most have found the factory setting too low. Make sure that you have a stable platform - the design makes it very succeptable to vibrations. An isolation platform would be the best.

Soundwise, the TT-15S1 is a solid performer capable of pulling out details lost with lesser tables. The Virtuoso cartridge provided has a high output and will mate well with most moving magnet pre-amps. Swapping out the Virtuoso for a Benz Glider proved that this combination of arm and table was able to bring out the best of any cartridge. The Benz sounding very warm while the Virtuoso sounding very matter of fact.

At its current price, there's very little to seriously compete with the TT-15S1 other than other Clearaudio models. When you add the value of the Virtuoso cartridge that is included, it's a tough act to follow. Is it an audiophile turntable? No, but it gets you close enough to see just how much better vinyl can sound than any compact disc.

Price Paid:  $1700.00 from Dealer

Summary:
Absolutely fabulous modern TT both functionaly & aesthetically.

My budget was under $3000 and I was considering buying the clearaudio emotion set as I was quite impressed but this one is superior to emotion set as though marantz TT was also made by Clearaudio in German.

This has the better board & foot design (more solid, wider, bigger, heavier) than emotions. The motor is completely isolated against the board(it looks attatched but NOT.) and dead quiet. so Sound? clearly 5 star.

Strengths:
All

Weaknesses:
???

Similar Products Used:
Raga, Linn LP12(overly rated also price absurd...), VPI, Pro-ject, Denon, Thorens, music hall,Technics, ...

Price Paid:  $1600.00 from Musicdirect

Summary:
After listening to this table for the last five months I feel I can give my opinion. I got rid of my old direct drive table after hearing that the new tables are much better. So I bought a Music Hall MMF-2.1 to see if newer tables were worth it. Just from that first table I could tell a difference. Now this brings me to the Marantz, WOW. So much more warmth and bottom end. It could be the cartridge also, but this table is a delight to listen to. Soundstaging is spot on for its relative price range. It may not have all of the depth of tables costing in upwards of 3000.00 and up. But this combo sounds so right for the money you do pony up. You can't go wrong I believe with this table, cartridge combo.

Strengths:
soundstaing, good depth, quiet

Weaknesses:
the other reviewer had a point about assembly, it does come all apart. But I learned alot and think if your getting into a rig as nice as this you'd want to get in and put it together so you can fix anything that might come up. So I guess its not a weak point for some.

Similar Products Used:
Technics, Music Hall MMF-2.1

Price Paid:  $1799.00 from Crutchfield

Summary:
Nice unit. Perfect sound.

Strengths:
Desing. Cartdrige quality.

Weaknesses:
You need to have some technician skills to assemble the unit. It come on parts.

Similar Products Used:
Gradiente DD-100Q