I've been looking for an old turntable to play some vinyls on, so I've been searching through the classified adds. I found a marantz tt2000 for $30CND and a sony ps4300 $40CND, both are direct drive. Are any of these worth getting or should I go for something better. I know marantz is an alright make now, but I'm not sure how well their turntables are, in al honesty I have no idea who makes good comercial hi-fi, all my hi-fi has been DIY 🙂.
These cheap turntables won't do vinyl any justice. In fact it's similar devices that opened the gates for CDs - few people with decent turnatables would have switched over. As you clearly don't want to spend much, my advice is to look for parts from a decent old table, mainly the main bearing and platter - then build the rest yourself. A friend uses a main bearing and platter from an old Thorens 124, on top of the original platter he has an acrylic VPI, nicely decoupled. The acrylic platter is in turn driven by an external dc motor via belt. Sound he claims is way better than the Thorens could ever achieve. You don't have to necessarily follow the same route, just an idea.
cheers
peter
cheers
peter
If you have the budget, get better, both of the TTs you mentioned are likely to be POS. Vinyl playback has about the most linear relationship with quality and cost vs performance. The performance of CDPs for example tends to level out more quickly as you go up in quality and cost.JoeBob said:
Question is, how much do you want to spend, and how much vinyl do you have?
Suggesting a $500+ combo (assuming you had the budget) is foolish if you have 50 LPs and don't plan on getting a lot more. However if you have a big archive and you want a TT to get the best out of them/preserve them, or want to invest in a lot more vinyl, then a better TT is a sound investment.
Unlike CDPs a good TT will spin forever if well maintained, so careful investment can be rewarded with long term enjoyment.
Some modest suggestions as I have no idea of budget or aspirations: Rega 2, Dual 505, any Thorens, Technics SL1200 (that hasn't been DJ'd). Shure M97xE cart.
Marantz is crap now, except for a few products like the SACD players. Compared to the product the Saul put out, most of it is a travesty to the deservedly good reputation of olde Marantz
Let us know budget and plans and I can be more specific.
Cheers
DUAL - good turntables
Second hand market should be full of them.
A classic and very loved Turntable.
They also have a CURRENT model:
DUAL CS 505-4 TurnTable - http://www.compassnet.com/concept/tables/CS505-4.htm
DUAL Classics Website
/halojoy just LOVES DUAL Belt-driven TTs
Second hand market should be full of them.
A classic and very loved Turntable.
They also have a CURRENT model:
DUAL CS 505-4 TurnTable - http://www.compassnet.com/concept/tables/CS505-4.htm
DUAL Classics Website
/halojoy just LOVES DUAL Belt-driven TTs
Attachments
I wouldn't mind spending a few hundred CND on a TT, just wondering if iether of the ones I saw were any good. I just built my own hi-fi setup so I started buying all the albums I had on mp3, and since I don't own my own TT or CD player (I currently borrow my fathers) I went with vinyls since they're cheaper. My dad owns a dual cs-514 and a technics (I forget the model) with linear tracking (it sounds nice). So I wouldn't want to go way down hill quality wise when I get one of my own.
Joebob,
I’ve this Technics SL1700 since it was new and was always very happy with its performance. I changed the headshell, cartridge, and wires 20 years age and replace the cartridge again 10 years ago (but its seen only light usage since). You could find these in the $150 range, but I wouldn’t buy any used turntable sight-unseen unless I really trusted the seller. Of course you would have to do a little tweeking, but the results can sound great. I went around and listened to a lot of turntables when got the Technics and it held its own in most cases. This pre-dates the MKx models which I feel Technics cheapened after they did so well on the SL 1x00 line. I have to admit I haven’t done a lot of listening in the past years. The Rega or the new DJ style SL1200 suggested by Brett are probably good options as well.
The one down side to my turntable (little experience with others) is its susceptibility to acoustic feedback. I attribute this to the cheap dust cover. I solved it by putting a couch between the speakers and the turntable.
Vinyl Rules (but not for long I suspect
)
Rodd Yamashita
I’ve this Technics SL1700 since it was new and was always very happy with its performance. I changed the headshell, cartridge, and wires 20 years age and replace the cartridge again 10 years ago (but its seen only light usage since). You could find these in the $150 range, but I wouldn’t buy any used turntable sight-unseen unless I really trusted the seller. Of course you would have to do a little tweeking, but the results can sound great. I went around and listened to a lot of turntables when got the Technics and it held its own in most cases. This pre-dates the MKx models which I feel Technics cheapened after they did so well on the SL 1x00 line. I have to admit I haven’t done a lot of listening in the past years. The Rega or the new DJ style SL1200 suggested by Brett are probably good options as well.
The one down side to my turntable (little experience with others) is its susceptibility to acoustic feedback. I attribute this to the cheap dust cover. I solved it by putting a couch between the speakers and the turntable.
Vinyl Rules (but not for long I suspect
)Rodd Yamashita
Attachments
Thanks for all the input. There's a shop near my place that sells old stereo equipment, I'll go take a look after christmas is over. I'll probably be back posting what I found and begging for advice on which to get.
Now for cartridges. I've got an Empire 4000 XL III sitting here in a box my dad had (it's in perfect condition, I just don't know if it's any good). Is it half-descent or should I bite the bullet and buy a new cartridge as well?
Now for cartridges. I've got an Empire 4000 XL III sitting here in a box my dad had (it's in perfect condition, I just don't know if it's any good). Is it half-descent or should I bite the bullet and buy a new cartridge as well?
Cartridges, ahhem, this subject can start one of those “damping factor” type debates. I use a Grado G2+ (MM) that I picked up over ten years ago. I would have to believe there are a lot of other good cartridges available out there. The Empire maybe one of them. I would suggest, if you decide to replace the Empire, to set a price that you’d be willing to spend for a cartridge and start looking in that price range. The knee of the curve used to be in the $150 - $200 range. Today, who knows?JoeBob said:
Here’s a link of links to help you on your quest:
http://www.hifiheaven.com/phono-cartridges.htm
Rodd Yamashita
"I’ve this Technics SL1700 since it was new and was always very happy with its performance."
I have the same TT fitted with a Shure V-15 that I got for $10 at a garage sale, and as Rodd says it is a very fine TT.
The base is a heavy diecasting which is good for sonics.
Any TT is microphonic - I put a telephone book on top of mine when playing loud.
I have other turntable to choose from, but this one works nicely and sounds fine.
Eric.
I have the same TT fitted with a Shure V-15 that I got for $10 at a garage sale, and as Rodd says it is a very fine TT.
The base is a heavy diecasting which is good for sonics.
Any TT is microphonic - I put a telephone book on top of mine when playing loud.
I have other turntable to choose from, but this one works nicely and sounds fine.
Eric.
Re: CARTRIDGES
Yes, you’re correct. I remember when I got my first Grado how it made me stop and think whether I wanted to try the then, new technology. The listening and the high level output convinced me (more output then the MC type).
Rodd Yamashita
Frank,fdegrove said:
Yes, you’re correct. I remember when I got my first Grado how it made me stop and think whether I wanted to try the then, new technology. The listening and the high level output convinced me (more output then the MC type).
Rodd Yamashita
Eric,mrfeedback said:
The Shure V15 was an excellent under $200 cartridge that was snubbed by the high-end guys. I think they thought it was too mainstream to be considered “High-End”.
I used to keep a wool blanket to cover my TT when I turned up the volume.
Rodd Yamashita
SURE SHURE.
Hi,
"Back to the future"?
There are Shure V15s and there are Shure V15s...for me the glory of Sheue cartridges ended with the type III.
The III still had the "magic" and was indeed heavily modded by high-end magicians.
My favourite (not knowing the Grado) were the Stantons (another MI) and the modded Deccas.
Between you and me any Thorens TT will beat a Dual hands down..the Technics (some of them) are OK if you're not sensitiive to the cogging of the DD drive.
Cheers,😉
Hi,
"Back to the future"?
There are Shure V15s and there are Shure V15s...for me the glory of Sheue cartridges ended with the type III.
The III still had the "magic" and was indeed heavily modded by high-end magicians.
My favourite (not knowing the Grado) were the Stantons (another MI) and the modded Deccas.
Between you and me any Thorens TT will beat a Dual hands down..the Technics (some of them) are OK if you're not sensitiive to the cogging of the DD drive.
Cheers,😉
JoeBob said:
Both direct drives, stay away. In almost every case, the low end Japanese belt-drive tables handily out performed their more expensive direct drive brethern. And carefully selected European, Canadian, and US tables ate even the most expensive DDs* for breakfast (we always had a big Denon and Technics around to destroy with our budget belt-drives). *(the one exception is probably the fake marble Kenwood that came with no arm -- it wasn't too bad).
An old AR (with a new arm or Nelson's slot-car bearing mod on the stock one), a Conniseuer, an ERA, Regas, Thorens TD145/150/160/165/124, and any number of obscure belt-drive TTs are worth looking at. (the local hifi store has a TD145? for $125 CAD)
The Dual mentioned, i am not much a fan of -- a late '70s generic CEC (Japanese) belt-drive (ie Pioneer PL512) will outperform it. I have one of these out in the shed, i'll probably steal the arm of it and use it elsewhere.
Whatever TT you get, getting it properly aligned & set-up can make a budget TT outperform a nominally better one that is not.
As far as carts go, i figure you can't much go wrong with a Grado. The Shures i never really liked.
dave
Out With The Trash
Anyone want a used Technics TT? It's really not worth owning. I think I might keep the cartridge though.🙄
Rodd Yamashita
Anyone want a used Technics TT? It's really not worth owning. I think I might keep the cartridge though.🙄
Rodd Yamashita
Re: Out With The Trash
Rodd, don't take it so personally. 😉
You are after all in good company.
Eric.
roddyama said:
Rodd, don't take it so personally. 😉
You are after all in good company.
Eric.
I'll get over it Eric, as I'm sure you will. I just felt like I got Diced.
Although, you wouldn't anything about that would you Frank.😉
Rodd Yamashita
Although, you wouldn't anything about that would you Frank.😉
Rodd Yamashita
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