Skipping the first picture...too vintage for me
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I always liked the look of the Technics SL1200 models and all those variations. The strobe platter, strobe light and other versions had the pop up cueing light. The S shaped tonearm and just the look was very "techy" and said "I sound damn good!" Those were work horses and proven by the DJs and scratch artists, Technics were the sought after tables.
I always just had a problem with the aluminum platter...the "ping" noise.
The newer designed TT that are a bit more eye-candy while incorporating a lot of sound dampening designs, now catch my eye...and ear.
For sure a TT is a visual pc of gear and should have some aesthetic value, it moves and grooves...it should look good. And yes that Music Hall mmf-11.1 is my dream table at the moment, not custom, its a production table just top of the line for MH, made in Czechoslovakia, same factory that makes Pro-ject tables.
I am saving all my pennies and mowing my neighbors lawns for extra cash....