Second hand Vinyl player

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Joined 2017
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Hello,I want to have some advice.
I am thinking to buy affordable vinyl player.
When I look on auction site,there are several good condition cheaper ones,Pioneer XL1550 and some Victor ql series etc. Under 200usd.
I will build phono stage so I don't need it on turn table.
I am completely noob for vinyl player so I want to know it's good idea or not.
 
The Pioneer XL1550 dates from 1976.

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Japanese audio products of that era were were built for a lifetime of operation and were intended to be repairable.

If you can find one in good working order then it will be a good buy.

Here, in the UK, I see Pioneer XL1550 turntables from Japan offered at 'buy it now' prices averaging around £250.
 
Thank you.
Seller says it sounding good but needle could be used little bit more. So I need to change needle soon (if it is still sold) or buy new cartridge. Cartridge is "Lo-D MT24"
I need to study how to use turn table.
It might be fun😊
 

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I, too, recommend you look at the new Audio Technica AT-VM95 range of moving magnet cartridges.

The range starts with the AT-VM95C, where the C denotes a conical stylus which is good for beginners.

Happily, the cartridge body can be upgraded with a stylus of superior profile when/if required.

The AT-VM95C costs around £35 while the AT-V95ML, mentioned above by jeff, sports a MicroLinear styus and costs around £150.

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-gb/cartridges/type/moving-magnet?p=2
 
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I am completely noob for vinyl player so I want to know it's good idea or not.

It's a good idea (except for calling it a "vinyl player) if your expectations are realistic and you have some idea of the potential challenges. As you've expressed the intention to build your own phono stage - which from the look of it, you'd have to do to even get audible playback at all - then you're probably not going to be daunted by the idea of taking on a vintage player, including some repairs that might be required.

Also, if you are in Japan, as your user info appears to indicate, you have an absolute wealth of turntables available to you, from a variety of online sources as well as physical stores (and records!). Pricewise, you can even start as low as about 4,000 yen, though if you're completely unsure about how to assess a model, you probably need to spend rather more than that.

If you don't have a phono stage in mind at this point, you might consider RJM Audio's Emerald. Richard Murdey is in Japan, and his phono stage has its own help desk on DIY Audio, currently running to dozens of pages. Broadly, the options for that are to build a power supply in a separate chassis, which I believe is his recommended route, or put everything in the one box.

When it comes to particular turntables to suggest, there are almost too many to mention.

For somone in your position, and assuming you're located in Japan, I would suggest, at the risk of being obvious:

Direct drive
1970s or 80s
Japanese-made

After that, there is still some narrowing down involved, as the above encompasses models that might use any of the following: linear tracking; servo controlled arm; automatic playback.
 
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TL072 phono stage is easy to build.
Just pay attention to ground between amp and table.

You should find many Technics / Sansui / JVC, and others, though condition will vary, as they went out of fashion after CD arrived, some 35 years back, so inspect before taking delivery, also some models were short lived, you may have issues with service and repair.

Japanese market had many models which were sold only in Japan, look for turn tables rather than vinyl player.
Also, where is your vinyl?
How will you get records in good condition?

My advice is to read up before spending a lot of money.
Also, describe the rest of your system: amp, speakers etc.
You might find old 80s amps with built in phono stage, that wail save you some effort.

And 4558 / 5532 / 072 / similar is quite enough, do not go for 2134 and others...not worth it.
 
Thank you for info Bohueno and Naresh.
I have received the looking pretty turntable.
I found one fuse have broken,it must be strobe light.
There is very small mechanical noise like rubbing metal.I gave oil but not much changed.
There is a ball on bottom of center pole then no other bearing.
Why there is no bearing on top? Turn table must be floating in the air and dead quiet in my noobs opinion...

I did not know about servo controlled arm,I will check it.
There are a lot to learn for upgrade,if I spend 400usd,very good condition many models there.

My main system is from tidal thru roon.
I have fanless nuc8i3 and good Salas's linear psu.
Also 2 other diy linear psu for WiFi router and ONU- Miro's ad1862 dac with i2soverusb-Mezmerize DCB1 or ACP+ with linear psu-
Zen mod's Babelfish M25.
Speaker is some smallish full range 3"-5",SB acoustic satori 2 way.

I like DIY projects so I might build good phono stage later but I could build cheaper project first.Zen mod saying that he is planning phono stage project so I am expecting much.
Even it's good and cheap,I would not buy old amps just my personal preference.

About vinyl,I have no collection at all.
I started to think about record player for some old Japanese songs only by vinyl or YouTube recorded by record player.
It might be not good condition so I would not go expensive system.
If I like it,I might buy some my favourites.
There are a lot of record shops in Tokyo and getting more popular in these days.
It's expensive though.
 

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As you mention that there are many record shops in Tokyo (and throughout Japan), that answers NareshBrd's question about where your vinyl is. Supply is definitely not a problem. I would risk suggesting that Tokyo has more record shops than any other city in the world.

Assuming you have no problem with secondhand records, it certainly needn't be expensive. There's plenty to be found in the 500 yen to 1000 yen range, which most people shouldn't have a problem paying. Applying the current exchange rate (divide by 150 for approximate dollar equivalent), I'd say it comes out looking pretty cheap.

I did not know about servo controlled arm,I will check it.
A few manufacturers made them. But generally, people will tend to think of the Denons. Not all Denons are servo-controlled of course, but it'll be marked on the turntable somewhere anyway: likely on the control panel, the platter bezel, or the tonearm itself.

There is a ball on bottom of center pole then no other bearing.
Why there is no bearing on top?

You mean something like a thrust plate at the base of the spindle shaft? Can't see the picture in enough detail to see what rides on what. I doubt that any of the service manual illustrations will be detailed enough either. You might be able to find a restoration video or a thread on an audio forum; if not for your own model, then for one in the Pioneer lineup that uses a similar or identical bearing.
 
Ok,I gave on bottom of shaft first but needed on spindle shaft itself.I gave more oil then it's enough quiet now.
I changed fuse but fuse breaks.Something wrong but couldn't find it.
There was burn mark on strobe wire from before. I leave it.

I bought elekit phono equolizer PS-3250 for 40usd. Tu-8500 pre-amp have this phono.
 

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changed fuse but fuse breaks.Something wrong but couldn't find it.
There was burn mark on strobe wire from before. I leave it.

Probably best just to leave well enough alone. However, if you ever want to pursue the matter further:

Earlier, vinylkid58 said that your XL1550 deck was also sold as the PL-550.

At the bottom of the attached PL-550 schematic you will find the circuitry for the neon strobe lamp which is protected by FU3, a 100 mA fuse.

The experts here may now be able to advise you as to the possible cause of the fuse failure. I read that a suitable replacement neon lamp is the NE-2.
 

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A LED lamp may be a substitute, use a 10 k resistor, and a 4007 diode, on either leg, should work.

The ball is the bearing, there is a dimple on the shaft bottom. The two are the fixed and moving halves of the bearing.

Clean off old lube with cotton or cloth dipped in solvent like kerosene or gasoline, dry off, add suitable grease, and that should work.
Be aware that those are inflammable materials, be careful.

Some people recommend synthetic grease, and others prefer Teflon added grease.
There are also fans of replacing the steel balls with ceramic balls...I think that is just a pointer of how deep people can go into the hobby.

Good luck...enjoy.
 
Thanks a lot.
I leave for while that I have some projects going on.

I will look for suitable grease.

Finished soldering parts on elekit.
Today,I bought one vinyl costs 70cents.
It's not good condition,wounding.
It sounds ok.I feel a little luck of dynamics.
Some vinyls and new cartridge next.