Table ($300): http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=MHGR1%2E2&product_name=Goldring%20GR-1%2E2%20Turntable

Phono pre ($350): http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Tube-Box-II?sc=2&category=401
or
Alt. phono pre ($250): http://www.needledoctor.com/Bellari-VP129-Tube-Phono-Preamp?sc=2&category=401

Record cleaning machine ($230): http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=NGRD3&product_name=Record%20Doctor%20Model%20III%20Record%20Cleaning%20Machine

Cables (about $100): Zu or Blue Jean

Trying to keep it under a grand. Can I do better w/o buying used?.....C

The ZU cables I heard at Speakermans, and had home for awhile are tilted up in the upper mids. Didn't like'm. Blue Jeans are more neutral but on the shielding you have to choose between RF or EM rejection. Since I wired the 45 amp with silver I'm now a fan. And it's very important to have good shielding on fono cable. Parts Connexion has Connex (DH Labs) silver fono cable ( a Steve Brown reccommendation) with double shielding for $10 a foot.

Save 200 bucks on record cleaning. Get a Shop-Vac 1X1 at Wally mart for 20 bucks and a broken turntable at Goodwill for $5. A quart of RRL will cost $25 and an Audioquest record brush clone from garage-a records for $10. You'll need poly sleeves from Sleeve City, $11/100.
Plug the opening of 1X1 crevice tool and cut a slot in the long side with your table saw. Contact glue paint pad refill on either side of the slot and you have a cleaning wand. That's what I use.

As I mentioed, just plug the end with rope caulk or whatever after you cut a longitudinal slot on the flat of the wand and glue the paint pad refills on either side.

I wet the brush on the first cleaning with the REcord REsearch Labs Super Vinyl. Once it's wet, you don't have to do that again on subsequent records.

I put about 3 dime size drops of fluid on, hold the brush to the record and spin it a few times to distribute the fluid. Then I "scrub" back and forth as I continue to turn the record.

The Audioquest brush tends to flatten as it gets wet so the bristles need to be dressed by wiping them on a dry towel to get them to return to their original shape.

Then vacuum about 3 revolutions and place the record in a dish rack to thoroughly dry.

Works great and costs peanuts. I've cleaned over a hundred records and used less than 1/2 the bottle. Sometimes I repeat the process for really nasty ones from Goodwill.

Lately, I've begun to notice fingerprints in the cleaned surface of some, evidence of what skin oils and acids do. I'm about to order either RRL Deep Cleaner or perhaps the Bugtussel stuff to see if that removes more grundge as a pre-cleaner.

Works great. Very little gunk comes off the needle onto the Magic Eraser after a cleaning. The records are far quieter and 'sound better'.

I've had the chance to observe the VPI 16.5 in action and the DIY method works just as well. Probably better 'cause, unless you spend $$$thousands, the RCM's have wimpy vacuum motors.

• http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=MHGR1%2E2&product_name=Goldring%20GR-1%2E2%20Turntable

• KABUSA