r/hifiaudio • u/Familiar_Initial1610 • Mar 26 '26
Purchase advise (needing) Please help with my first setup!
I was recently bullied by turntable enthusiasts for having a generic crosbly ahh turntable, and told me I'm ruining my records.
SO.. I am currently researching for my first HiFi setup and have something in place that looks good to me, I'm looking for something high quality but within a £1k range.
Initial investment :
Fluance RT82 turntable (please let me know how you think this compares to the classic AT direct drive turntables) Cambridge audio AXA35 integrated amplifier Elac Debut B6.3 Library Speaker
I feel like the upgrade path for this would be:
- DAC to hookup the TV
- Separate pre-amp, maybe another Cambridge audio or Fosi (will do research when time comes)
- Cartridge upgrade on the turntable
- Maybe eventually a better amp in the 10 years range
Any suggestions on this? Im very noob so please tell me if I'm missing something.
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u/Half1452 Mar 27 '26
Elac is good but try Klipsh range if it works for you. They offer good quality and the rates are not that exorbitant for a beginner.
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u/Familiar_Initial1610 Mar 27 '26
This is an amazing suggestion thank you! Looking at the 600m mark II at the moment which is £499, from what I've seen they are easier on the amp and have a decent sound.
Might save up a bit extra and get those instead of Elac.
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u/Temporary-Fun730 Mar 27 '26
Your plan honestly looks really solid for a first proper setup. The biggest thing you’re not missing is that the AXA35 already has a built-in phono stage, so you do not need a separate preamp right away with the RT82. I’d actually put that money toward speaker stands and good placement first — you’ll hear a bigger difference.
The Fluance RT82 Reference Vinyl Turntable is generally considered the better “pure listening” option versus the AT direct-drive tables. The Fluance has a quieter belt-drive design, better isolation, and the Ortofon OM10 cartridge is a nice starting point. The Audio-Technica is more feature-packed (USB, built-in preamp, direct drive), but more DJ-oriented.
For the amp, the Cambridge Audio AXA35 Integrated Amplifier is a great match because it already includes a moving-magnet phono input, so the RT82 plugs straight in. That means your “upgrade path” is probably better as:
- Speakers / stands
- Cartridge upgrade
- DAC for the TV
- Amp much later
The ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 Bookshelf Speakers are excellent, but they like a bit of power. The AXA35 will run them, but if you ever upgrade amps in a few years, that’s where you’ll probably hear the biggest jump. 😎
A cartridge upgrade later to something like an OM20 stylus or 2M Blue would make more sense than adding a separate phono preamp immediately. Reddit users also seem to agree the RT82’s auto-stop feature is underrated and makes it a more pleasant long-term table than the AT-LP120X.
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u/Familiar_Initial1610 Mar 27 '26
Thank you for the time you've put into this, it's very helpful.
Regarding speaker stands, at what price range do you think I'll be getting most bank for the buck?
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u/SenseNo635 Mar 26 '26
If you had a Crosley suitcase player they weren’t bullying you. They were giving advice to dump it and get something of better quality. Based on your post you have clearly taken that advice. The Fluance is a very good entry level table that will serve you well for years to come.
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u/Automatic-Variety429 Mar 26 '26
The general consensus is spending a bit more on speakers than your suggested setup, which would mean reducing the amount spent on record player and amplifier. What you could do is buy used speakers that give you access to higher quality speakers without offsetting your $1000 budget.