I folks. Old guy here trying to play catch up looking for a new turntable or an better older one.
I'm shure this has been asked before, but after a lot of searchs, I couldn't find anything.
What I'm looking to do is to convert a bunch of my vinyls and a friends to a more modern format. Together we have over 2000 albums some very unique flash in the pan type bands that made some good music, but for what ever reason, never went anywhere.
Since this is going to be a joint project, I built him a nice PC and added an EMU 0404 sound card that I was using with Sound Easy on another machine (good excuse to upgrade). And finished refurbishing an old Yamaha CA-800 for an amp.
Now the question. My old Sony PS-X600 turntable is dead, I've bought the service manual for it, but the trigger on my scope is not holding steady (another repair job in the makings). I have a few older turntables but they are not of the quality I would like for this task and I still have a few cartridges hanging around, Ortofon, Shure, Audio-Technica etc, etc.
What I'm looking for is a good modern turntable or recommendations for a good older brand. Nothing pricey, but something that works well.
I looked at the USB types but I'd rather go direct so I can monitor through the amp and the sound card. And I noticed that many of the newer ones looked very cheap and had no real adjustments for the tone arm. Compared to my old Garrard Zero 100, their bland.
Any help?
I'm shure this has been asked before, but after a lot of searchs, I couldn't find anything.
What I'm looking to do is to convert a bunch of my vinyls and a friends to a more modern format. Together we have over 2000 albums some very unique flash in the pan type bands that made some good music, but for what ever reason, never went anywhere.
Since this is going to be a joint project, I built him a nice PC and added an EMU 0404 sound card that I was using with Sound Easy on another machine (good excuse to upgrade). And finished refurbishing an old Yamaha CA-800 for an amp.
Now the question. My old Sony PS-X600 turntable is dead, I've bought the service manual for it, but the trigger on my scope is not holding steady (another repair job in the makings). I have a few older turntables but they are not of the quality I would like for this task and I still have a few cartridges hanging around, Ortofon, Shure, Audio-Technica etc, etc.
What I'm looking for is a good modern turntable or recommendations for a good older brand. Nothing pricey, but something that works well.
I looked at the USB types but I'd rather go direct so I can monitor through the amp and the sound card. And I noticed that many of the newer ones looked very cheap and had no real adjustments for the tone arm. Compared to my old Garrard Zero 100, their bland.
Any help?
Rare and expensive.
Go for a good used Thorens TD-160, TD-125 or TD-126.
And, if you give it a decent cartridge, you will sooner or later rethink that "going for a more modern format".
Thanks guys, I never even knew that Technics made such a turntable.
The Thorens, I take it are older models, judging from the asking price on Ebay, they seem to hold their value well.
"Going for a more modern format" will allow me to take the music with me.
I see where many folks have built their own turntables, I wanted to do that back in the 70's can't even remeber the brand of the tone arms now. Been doing some reading and trying to jog the old memory.
Keep it coming, maybe I will just build one.
The Thorens, I take it are older models, judging from the asking price on Ebay, they seem to hold their value well.
"Going for a more modern format" will allow me to take the music with me.
I see where many folks have built their own turntables, I wanted to do that back in the 70's can't even remeber the brand of the tone arms now. Been doing some reading and trying to jog the old memory.
Keep it coming, maybe I will just build one.
Hi,
Buy a Used or a New Technics SL1200/1210 MKII.
IMHO you can't beat them for the price and precision. They were designed for... no not disco, but for quadrophonic vinyl and that needed the precision. When the quad never really took off, hey we can use these for the new disco scene! Indestructable direct motors that are smoother than anything else out there and mass production keeps the cost down and value high! Rewire them and they sound even better!
Good luck!
Regards//Keith
Buy a Used or a New Technics SL1200/1210 MKII.
IMHO you can't beat them for the price and precision. They were designed for... no not disco, but for quadrophonic vinyl and that needed the precision. When the quad never really took off, hey we can use these for the new disco scene! Indestructable direct motors that are smoother than anything else out there and mass production keeps the cost down and value high! Rewire them and they sound even better!
Good luck!
Regards//Keith
Yeah, if you can diy you can make a nice tt for relatively little money. I'd recommend buying a Rek-O-Kut off the bay, either idler or belt drive. The belt drives use a Papst motor which is a beautiful German AC motor (I replaced the motor on my VPI Aries 2 with one.) You then use the platter and bearing in your own, diy plinth.
The idlers have their proponents also. The idler wheel(s) will probably need to be rebuilt (25.00 each) and then, again, a new plinth.
Finally, a used tonearm, say a Rega 250, and you're in business.
Lots of info here and on the web, and I'm just tossing out ideas here.
Good luck, have fun.
The idlers have their proponents also. The idler wheel(s) will probably need to be rebuilt (25.00 each) and then, again, a new plinth.
Finally, a used tonearm, say a Rega 250, and you're in business.
Lots of info here and on the web, and I'm just tossing out ideas here.
Good luck, have fun.
Great replies. Thanks, the Diy is sounding a tad more interesting. I have access to all the machine work I could ever need, could be interesting to do a ground up. Of course that will put my vinyl on the back burner for a while. Better buy one instead. But I'll keep looking.
Kenwood Kd-3055 look good for the price?
Belt drive and weighs 25 pounds.
Your Sony might be better if you can get it going
hi-fi world oldeworlde sony biotracer
Regards
James
Belt drive and weighs 25 pounds.
Your Sony might be better if you can get it going
hi-fi world oldeworlde sony biotracer
Regards
James
Hi Dryseals !
what is your budget?
I would also suggest a traditional Thorens (like the 145, Jubilee series, 160) or the basic Michell's (e.g. the Focus One) which are fine and easy to service machines even the DUAL rp's are fine.
My Collection:
- Thorens TD 126 MK IIIE with SME Series III detachable (3 arms)
- Thorens Jubilee (TD 147) with Thorens arm TP 16 Mk III
- Audio-Linear TD 4001 with SME Series IIIS
- Michell Focus One + ADC arm + ADC Astrion
- Sugden Connoisseur BD2A
- ERA Mk 6 with SME Series II impr. non-detachable
- Wega Modul 42 P (Sony) Direct Drive
- Living Audio LAD 3000A
btw, there are solid and fine US record players from AR, Fisher and Scott for which it is worth to go!
HNY,
Norbert
what is your budget?
I would also suggest a traditional Thorens (like the 145, Jubilee series, 160) or the basic Michell's (e.g. the Focus One) which are fine and easy to service machines even the DUAL rp's are fine.
My Collection:
- Thorens TD 126 MK IIIE with SME Series III detachable (3 arms)
- Thorens Jubilee (TD 147) with Thorens arm TP 16 Mk III
- Audio-Linear TD 4001 with SME Series IIIS
- Michell Focus One + ADC arm + ADC Astrion
- Sugden Connoisseur BD2A
- ERA Mk 6 with SME Series II impr. non-detachable
- Wega Modul 42 P (Sony) Direct Drive
- Living Audio LAD 3000A
btw, there are solid and fine US record players from AR, Fisher and Scott for which it is worth to go!
HNY,
Norbert
tvi said:
Thanks TVI, I do want to get the old Sony back up and running. I was looking at the service manual today and from just glancing over it and the way it died, I'm shure it's just in the power circuit. I always loved that TT.
I remember when I bought it, their claim was to have removed effective mass with the tone arm controls. Back then, it was the last great hurdle for TT's. I felt CD's would be out next and the very next year, CD's were coming on to the market.
The PS-X600 had a lot of failures from the factory, most died within a few months. Mine lasted for many years.
I did take a look at the Kenwood, I remember them, I had a Pioneer that was like a spin off.
Man, talk about clearing the cobwebs. This is some good stuff, I'm glad I found some folks that share a common interest.
Keep it coming guys, I'm eating it up.
tvi said:
The attached arm on these has screwy geometry so you can struggle a bit to get things lined up, but not bad.
I pulled a really nice looking arm off one of those big Technics DD, but you won't find me using one.
dave
Any heavyweight Lenco is cheapish...but put a half decent tonearm (suitable for whatever cartridge you choose) on it, and mount in a very solid plinth. Do a Google...there is a lot of info. incl. detailed instructions on renovations and upgrading.
I run one (maxed out wih a Zeta arm SPU etc) as a second TT and it is very very good.
You will probably continue to listen to your old vinyl albums!!
Good Luck!
I run one (maxed out wih a Zeta arm SPU etc) as a second TT and it is very very good.
You will probably continue to listen to your old vinyl albums!!
Good Luck!
Dryseals said:
Here are some sites to cruise:
Lenco Lovers
Vinyl Asylum
The Analog Dept.
http://www.vinylengine.com/
Jeff
Re: Mr. Willing....
Haven't seen any lately, but I'll certainly keep my eyes open and snag one if the opportunity presents itself.
Happy New Year BTW.
Jeff
Nanook said:
Haven't seen any lately, but I'll certainly keep my eyes open and snag one if the opportunity presents itself.
Happy New Year BTW.
Jeff
back at ya....
Lately I've been a little interested in the Lencos. Seems like any I see online are priced like the sky's the limit. The old Garrard Lab80 I have should be interesting but I am not motivated to actually put the thing back together. Something about it seems wrong...
My Oracle makes some great music, as does my re-plinth/$2.19 tone-arm.... But someplace within my mind I've always wanted to try a Lenco---never really that interested with the Garrards... I have a Lab 80, and a SB100 Zero...Guess I could sell those to finance a Lenco Heavyweight.
Happy New Years to you and yours as well.
stew
Lately I've been a little interested in the Lencos. Seems like any I see online are priced like the sky's the limit. The old Garrard Lab80 I have should be interesting but I am not motivated to actually put the thing back together. Something about it seems wrong...
My Oracle makes some great music, as does my re-plinth/$2.19 tone-arm.... But someplace within my mind I've always wanted to try a Lenco---never really that interested with the Garrards... I have a Lab 80, and a SB100 Zero...Guess I could sell those to finance a Lenco Heavyweight.
Happy New Years to you and yours as well.
stew
Lenco? I seem to remember seeing those in a university library or language lab, back around 1980. I can't recall seeing any since.
If you shop the right thrift stores, and check back weekly, you should be able to build a reasonable collection of "mid-fi" turntables for under $40 each. I've managed to pass up Thorens, AR, Connoisseur, and various Japanese things, by telling myself that someone else will enjoy them. Yard or car boot sales (depending on what side of the Atlantic), and Craigslist and other ads should turn up stuff too. Sometimes stores that sell used vinyl also carry interesting selections of refurbished (or at least guaranteed working) turntables.
A deck with auto-stop and arm lift would be the best choice for digitizing, since then you can set the 'puter for a timed recording, cue the record, and go do other stuff without having to worry about the record going sput-whee-sput-whee indefinitely.
My collection:
AR with a DIY arm
Technics SL-D1
Thorens TD-165
Kenwood KD500 with SME
two Technics 1200
If you shop the right thrift stores, and check back weekly, you should be able to build a reasonable collection of "mid-fi" turntables for under $40 each. I've managed to pass up Thorens, AR, Connoisseur, and various Japanese things, by telling myself that someone else will enjoy them. Yard or car boot sales (depending on what side of the Atlantic), and Craigslist and other ads should turn up stuff too. Sometimes stores that sell used vinyl also carry interesting selections of refurbished (or at least guaranteed working) turntables.
A deck with auto-stop and arm lift would be the best choice for digitizing, since then you can set the 'puter for a timed recording, cue the record, and go do other stuff without having to worry about the record going sput-whee-sput-whee indefinitely.
My collection:
AR with a DIY arm
Technics SL-D1
Thorens TD-165
Kenwood KD500 with SME
two Technics 1200
I've converted MANY LPs to CD with great success using either Audacity and/or Krystal Audi Engine (both free). It's a great way to preserve your albums and, like you say, makes a more portable medium. As long as you just copy them straight out and don't monkey with the compression or equalization, you will retain all the magic of the analog sound with no noticeable degradation. But, as was said by a previous poster, you my find yourself slipping on a record more often than you stick in a CD. There's just something nice and nostalgic about spinning a record.
WARNING: Your friends might start showing up with piles of Albums never mentioned before!
PS Start studying now. The cleaning of a record will become the most important part of the process.
davidlzimmer said:
I've converted MANY LPs to CD with great success using either Audacity and/or Krystal Audi Engine (both free). It's a great way to preserve your albums and, like you say, makes a more portable medium. As long as you just copy them straight out and don't monkey with the compression or equalization, you will retain all the magic of the analog sound with no noticeable degradation. But, as was said by a previous poster, you my find yourself slipping on a record more often than you stick in a CD. There's just something nice and nostalgic about spinning a record.
WARNING: Your friends might start showing up with piles of Albums never mentioned before!
PS Start studying now. The cleaning of a record will become the most important part of the process.
Thanks Dave.
I'm still trying to find a decent turntable to work with but the cleaning proces has crossed my mind. I used to be fanatical about my albums, one could be banned from the stereo for life if caught mishandling an album. All my albums are still stored correctly and ready to go. But a good cleaning is in order.
I was actually on my way to buy a drum sander today and got to playing with an old turntable as part of a cleaning system and remembered this Allen Bradely micro PLC I had stashed in the shop. It has enough I/O to completely automate a cleaning system, which I'll probably be fiddling with for the most part of the day.
I may start another thread once I get this thing going.
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