I have always been a big music fan, and I have a pretty large collection of cds, but I want to start a record collection. Right now all I have are some beatles, beach boys, and simon & garfunkel albums, but there are tons more that I want to buy. Anyways, I'm looking for a nice record player to play them on. I'm on kind of a tight budget... I don't want to spend anymore than about $300, and I'd like to spend less than that if I could. I need a decent turntable, and then a speaker/amp to hook it up to. That is my biggest question, actually... where can I get a good speaker/speakers/amp to hook up to my turntable, keeping in mind my budget. Thanks guys, I would appreciate any advice you have.
Your biggest problem is getting a decent turntable, a turntable
that can compete with a decent CD player is not cheap.
The cartridge can cost more than a budget CD player alone.
Seems to me you need a decent system for your CD's first.
Get a decent second-hand amplifier with a phono input and
a decent pair of second-hand speakers.
IMO your going to need $300 for a decent second-hand turntable.
🙂 sreten.
that can compete with a decent CD player is not cheap.
The cartridge can cost more than a budget CD player alone.
Seems to me you need a decent system for your CD's first.
Get a decent second-hand amplifier with a phono input and
a decent pair of second-hand speakers.
IMO your going to need $300 for a decent second-hand turntable.
🙂 sreten.
For $300 i'd be looking to find a used TT. Put aside $50 for an entry level Grado and then go shop eBay... some pretty decent TTs can be had fairly cheap. Even some of the old entry-level CEC (Japanese) belt-drives (properly set-up of course) will rival new CD players that cost much more -- it would be a challenge finding one that cost $100 let alone $300. That remains the league of ole Rega IIs, Thorens, tweeked ARs & other late 70s early 80s TTs.
dave
dave
Well if it's gonna take $300 dollars to get a decent used TT, than I think I'll settle for a not decent one. But I still need to know where I can get some speakers. And do I want two bookshelf speakers, or one big amp? And if my TT has phono preamp, then can I hook it up to any kind of amp, or do I still need phono input?
Only the bad examples of CD players.
We'll have to agree to disagree on this.
The basic japanese belt drives usually need a complete rebuild
and some fairly serious modifications to the arms to sound half
decent. Ideally the arms should be replaced.
You've lost me here......
Most turntables do not have a phono pre-amp.
You could do a lot worse than this :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3066973686&category=48649
🙂 sreten.
sreten said:
That is not a good example of a decent sounding TT -- you'd almost have to dig oot a budget garrard or BSR idler wheeler to do a lot worse. A cheap Japanese direct drive linear tracker....
From personal experience i know that this TT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3065202614
will outperform the Technics.
dave
planet10 said:
well we'll have to agree to disagree again.
Without mods the basic belt drives are awful. In stock
configuration the Technics have a surprisingly competent arm
( being a short square section for the TP4 type cartridge)
and a half decent suspension system, the best example being
the SL7, which is a very competent sounding turntable.
Likely cost vs. reasonable performance the Technics is good value.
Give me a break, personal prejudice rather than personal experience IMO.
Without mods I stand by my opinion, and suggest you ought to
stop trying to foist your own opinions onto others who know
different, you just appear to be pointlessly belligerent to me.
🙂 sreten.
My opinions (as opposed to yours) are based on comparisons of 100s of TTs, testing done on an almost daily basis for a period of some 4 years, and less often since then.
The japanese DDs were consistent losers -- the budget belt-drives from the same company -- properly set-up (not one of them has correct arm geometry) -- would outperfom the more expensive DD. Next tier up were the ARs, Connisiours, ERAs, then Thorens, AR with arm transplant, then Regas, Linns, Oracles at the higher end. I have not, unfortuneatly, had a lot of listing time on the wealth of even better TTs that have sprung up since those times.
The cheap japanese linear tracking DDs (like the one shown above), i classify as junk, not even anything worth salvaging -- not even at the $10-20 i often see them go for. I'd rather listen to an SL-20.
For a $300 budget, a quite reasonable TT can be found... for a little more even a new one can be had. A cheap Japanese one can be found for $25-50 (and a $50 one should have a working cartridge).
dave
The japanese DDs were consistent losers -- the budget belt-drives from the same company -- properly set-up (not one of them has correct arm geometry) -- would outperfom the more expensive DD. Next tier up were the ARs, Connisiours, ERAs, then Thorens, AR with arm transplant, then Regas, Linns, Oracles at the higher end. I have not, unfortuneatly, had a lot of listing time on the wealth of even better TTs that have sprung up since those times.
The cheap japanese linear tracking DDs (like the one shown above), i classify as junk, not even anything worth salvaging -- not even at the $10-20 i often see them go for. I'd rather listen to an SL-20.
For a $300 budget, a quite reasonable TT can be found... for a little more even a new one can be had. A cheap Japanese one can be found for $25-50 (and a $50 one should have a working cartridge).
dave
Attachments
You didn't answer the direct question,
Technics DD linear tracking turntables in particular.
🙂 sreten.
Technics DD linear tracking turntables in particular.
🙂 sreten.
not to interrupt you two old-timers 😉, but how about this one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3068852778&category=48649
i realize its a japanese DD, but have you any experience with the old wood-plinth denon models?
( i don't...its why i'm asking )
-Maz
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3068852778&category=48649
i realize its a japanese DD, but have you any experience with the old wood-plinth denon models?
( i don't...its why i'm asking )
-Maz
Hi MM,
hideously expensive when it was introduced.
VFM depends on what you can buy it for.
The apparently double jointed arm is not what you want.
From what I remember the (the motor unit) was not too bad.
🙂 sreten.
P.S. your right about me being a (bit of) an old duffer !
hideously expensive when it was introduced.
VFM depends on what you can buy it for.
The apparently double jointed arm is not what you want.
From what I remember the (the motor unit) was not too bad.
🙂 sreten.
P.S. your right about me being a (bit of) an old duffer !
Magnetmaz said:
Gorgeous looking, we had one of the next even pricier models set up for comparison and it was one of the big-buck DDs we used to shoot down all the time -- helped us sell a lot of less expensive belt-drives.
dave
well, as long as we're talking "pretty looking, crappy sounding", then have you ever listened to one of these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3068634067&category=41374
i always wanted one.
-Maz
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3068634067&category=41374
i always wanted one.
-Maz
Sorry to interupt, but as far as my knowledge goes, that image is not a "linear tracker". It is a very conventional offest cartridge arm.
Whatever there may be, I prefer a DD by far. Recent or old, japanese or not.
Whatever there may be, I prefer a DD by far. Recent or old, japanese or not.
The truth is 'pretty looking ' and not too bad sounding.
(regarding the B&O)
Performance by old standards is middling to good.
VFM is all about what you pay for one.
Very difficult to modify / tweak to something better,
but a good choice as an occasional vinyl player,
for an uncritical listener, they are better than most.
That is a good quality turntable without faffing about.
🙂 sreten.
(regarding the B&O)
Performance by old standards is middling to good.
VFM is all about what you pay for one.
Very difficult to modify / tweak to something better,
but a good choice as an occasional vinyl player,
for an uncritical listener, they are better than most.
That is a good quality turntable without faffing about.
🙂 sreten.
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