BEGINNER'S GUIDE: HOW TO BUY YOUR NEW TURNTABLE & WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT
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- Опубліковано 12 лис 2020
- Paul Rigby looks at the almost intimate connection that many vinyl fans have with their turntable and why turntables are so important. Then looks at nine different turntable types that may very well trigger a memory or a smile and recommends them for purchase...or not (co-starring…dodgy glasses). (NOTE: The included hardware list is included for awareness *only*)
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You aint alone in Getting the absolute highest quality sound as possible with Whatever budget one has ..
the introduction to this video is so succinct and beautiful, thank you!
Thanks for a great overview/review of turntable options.
Bought (via eBay ) a dual cs505-3 as an upgrade from an audio technica at lp60 and did some minimum upgrading ( new belts and new plugs and couldn’t be happier - the sound is great , at least to my ears!
Gr8 video. My 1'st turntable was what our parents referred to as "the kid's turntable" - a bright-red vinyl-wrapped thin plywood box with plastic tonearm, 7"inch platter & 1 speaker built in it's detachable lid, it could play (partly overhanging) L.P.s but seldom did, it was my music 'source' till i was 12 years old, I couldnt afford records back then but my 4 & 6 year older sister & bro' would buy & discard singles a fortnight or a month or 2 later, of which I collected the best with no comeback (but their later bought L.P.s were made untouchable to me under threat of death) I grew up to love music with that little red Phillips player. After moving house at 12yrs old & getting a room to myself, I was given a heavy old (all metal) Garrard t/table screwed onto a heavy wooden box with a Decca tonearm screwed into it's top.
I was given with it, a large table-top valve radio to play the deck into, it had 2 inputs.labelled "Gram" 1 for m.m & the other for ceramic cartridges, with m.m. it sounded heavenly to me. (I'm told Crosley & similar still use ceramic cart's but I can say from experience that those ceramic cart's sound really awful compared to any half-decent m.m. like my first ceramic to m.m. replacement, a Goldring (G-800?) m.m. stereo which had to be wired for my mono rig. I've been through many t/tables since & my current "best soumding" t/table for last 7'ish years went from being a (now stashed away) Heybrook TT2 / Alohason Xenon to an e/Bay bought nr'mint Pioneer PL-L1000 (at £320 from eBay) a fantastically designed & built T/T. But time moves on & this Pioneer is about to be made my 2'nd place t/table as my father who has now passed-on left me his stereo equipment which included a little used Sony PS-X800 & when I only recently tested it with the same AT-33 m.c. cartridge from my Pioneer L-1000, the Sony X-800 really blew me away with surprise of how good it sounded, with uncanny separation, lifelike & dynamic vollume contrast, the realism of voice & acoustic instruments are nearer to 'as live' in my room than all t/t's that came before. I never planned it but both my 'keeper' turntables are linear tracking. They both sound excellent but the Sony PS X-800 has a technically brilliant design of tonearm they called a "Biotracer" with magnetic bio-feedback resonance cancellation under 20 Hz & nobody today makes anything similar to it.
Ha! Yes...thank you. Being “at peace with your issues” ❤️
:)
....’I admit it I have an issue I have a problem, & it’s my problem & I am quite happy with that problem it’s one I’m quite content with, I’m at peace with my issues!’.... Paul that is the best honest quote I’ve heard all year! 😀 Loved the video very insightful, always interesting! 👍
After a twenty plus year absence from vinyl l rekindled my instrest after wanting a warmer and more involving sound that my cd player could muster. So l was very lucky to inherit my fathers Rega P 3 and was very pleased with the sound, adding a Questar phono stage to my Cyrus amp and fitting a Exact cartridge took it to another level.
hey paul, what do you think about idler drive turntables like the ever so popular garrard 301 and 401? or possibly a modified lenco?
Great video. I'm always interested in learning about the high end avant-garde designs out there - you know, the ones with magnetic floating platters etc. For me, my EAT C-Sharp strikes the perfect balance between form & function, and its striking design always reminds me to honor my music.
Hi paul I’ve had a lot of turntables. Linn roksan clearaudio master. Sme20 and can’t make the push to the 30 so I’m going sideways and getting a refurbished 301 to see how that goes.
Project Debut II owner here and STILL happy after 20 years , its a keeper for sentimental reasons (anniversary present) - Looks like the grand-daddy of the Project Primary!
we eventually upgraded the cartridge to a Rega Exact2 and more recently the Moon LP110 phono amp Paul reviewed recently.
couldn't be happier, and the turntable is by far the cheapest component in my system now!
I started with a love of music and I was happy to listen to a good radio although I did make a box with a drive unit in it for better bass. When I came to London my love of music led me to end up working in the Hi Fi Trade.
Throughout my life I tried every format available and bought a lot of equipment.
Now I am happy with simplicity and all my vinyl is going along with my decks.
I have enough music on CD to keep me happy.
Outstanding use of metaphorical terms in relation to musical devices. Touche. As for my TT it's a Rega RP2 for me and I love it. Simple but effective and it looks quite nice with the glass platter. Nothing too technical. Good video thank you. ☺
And thank you, Rach. Very nice of you and the RP2 is an excellent design.
I'm just starting out and don't have a lot of space for a full setup, so I've decided to go for a Bluetooth Turntable. At the moment I've got my sights on the audio technica 120xbt. Anyone have any thoughts on these? They seem like the best option for Bluetooth.
Second point, will I be losing some of the quality if I'm listening via Bluetooth?
Thanks
That was quite a trip ✌️
Funny. Started an audiophile kit 4 years ago. Streaming was my goal. Cd were storded in a box for 20 years. Take it out and enjoy it on my new cd transport then my father gave me is old (35years) technic sl-220 t.t and now i dig deeper in audiophile world because enjoyment of listening vinyl sound and touch the album and read on to. Very noce way to enjoy music. Thanks again..another great vidéo. I love how you comunicate your passion
And I rest my case, your honour :) Thanks for that insight and it's great to hear you're enjoying your music. And thank you very much for the kind words.
EXELENT......thank you
I was lucky in a number of ways after I made the mistake of buying a new cheap turntable for seventy bucks . The tone arm seized after just 6 months or so . I bought a forty year old Yamaha from an audiophile who was upgrading for just 50 bucks . I bought a newish Sansui for 15 dollars as the used thrift store . I bought a Dual for the mid sixties for ten . Cartridges and parts are still available in most cases . I found a mid priced Itialian made Panta turntable from the late 70s on the side of the road in the garbage and not a scratch on the cover . The power button was broke but was easily fixed . All my record players still working fine .
That's quite a journey Dave! :)
Yes, yes music is all. Fine video.
Ahh Paul - the benefit of hindsight. What a truly wonderful review, when I recently decided to indulge myself in my somewhat meagre vinyl collection ( sold the rest when cd’s first came out). I bought one of those ( vintage looking) all in ones, what a terrible mistake (don’t do it !!). It looked great in the picture, but when it arrived, it was so plasticly unfantastic, added to which it didn’t even work. I took great delight in throwing it in the bin. I would have sent it back but had thrown the packaging - after all who expects one of these things not to work ?
Thankfully as you know I have a Audio- Techina Lp 140 now, which I’m stoked with. I grew up with listening to 78’s - they were great almost indestructible I had a portable 78 player the type that people used to sling on the back of a car and take on picnics (pre covid) lol where the only volume control was a pillow case slid at the back where the speaker was. 😂😂😂 ahh for those sunny days with open roads with no traffic to speak of on them. I digress caught up in the nostalgia and ‘emotion’ of the sounds of the time. Thanks again - stay safe.
BTW on a different tack - I recently bought a pair of Sennhizer headphones £178 so they weren’t cheap had to send them back - sound in only one ear - not impressed as I’ve had 2 pairs in the past which were truly wonderful - just saying 🤣
Hi Paul. When music/hifi is your job it makes perfect sense to me to have the best equipment to judge and evaluate to the highest level . Thankful most of us are in less of an imperative situation. Any one new to the hobby is as you say confronted by a profusion of possibility’s . But hopefully they can make an informed choice , l definitely recommend the rega T.T range . But admittedly I was a bit perturbed when you alluded to the fact not all regas are equal . Does my RP3 fall in to such a position of the legendary Mr Paul raised eyebrows . ? Ha ha Bless you for all you do to promote this wonderful hobby . Regards Mike 👍
Thanks Mike and the RP3 is a good’un. Not a fan of the Planar 1 Plus though.
@@TheAudiophileMan thanks Paul will sleep easy to night . My dear wife would have given me sever grief if you’re judgement had been less favourable. Ha ha 🤣 great respect to your good self Regards Mike 👍
You hit the mark with the description of turntables as a symbol. The ritual dimension of playing vinyl records is much talked about, but how important that dimension is was really emphasized when the symbol came into place. I have two favorites. My old Thorens td 166 v that I bought in my teens. It was hidden, forgotten and bitten by the ravages of time. A couple of years ago I dug it out. Gave it a lot of love, new parts. Replaced the useless arm with an old SME. When I got it in playable condition and put on Led Zeppelin 3, I could remember how it felt to listen to that record when I was 17. The body brought out a lot of memories of what it was like to have the body as a cable between the record player's stylus and a ung mind. The restoration has cost a good deal of cash over time. Maybe I could buy an objectively better player for the money. But it would not have the transforming symbolic power. Since I have a player that has so many emotions attached to it, I can treat myself to a sensible favorite as well, and that is Reloop Hi-Fi TURN5. Solid. Easy to use. Robust, warm sound that suits all genres of music. Relatively affordable and can play my dad's 78 discs with suitable pick-up.
Exactly. Good point all 'round. Thanks Bjarne.
Great video, you perfectly nailed it. I went back to vinyl last summer when I decided to bring home my dad’s 1980 Thorens TD-166 mkII. I am not listening to anything else since three months now and I even find myself up to 2am because I just cannot stop putting on my old records on and on again...It’s quite an experience, made up of memories, forgotten feelings (taking out record from sleeves, cleaning it, putting it on TT, let the music start, indulge on the cover art or song lyrics, ...) and incredibly good music.
Can I afford anything better and more expensive? Thanks god, yes.
Am I looking for it? Not at all.
Or at least not now, not until this record-listening experience keeps being so rich and emotional.
Thanks for your insight, Saverio.
My dad had a technicks SL3300, and I grew up with that sound and features. It gave an accurate speed and clean but full sound especially for 1970s disco, pop, rock and early 1980s metal. The features of that turntable along with a clean, accurate but full range of sound is what I would want from a new one. Is any new turntable out there can match or surpass a technicks SL5500?
Hi Paul,
I am lucky to live in Sherbrooke, Canada home of Oracle Audio. No surprise that my dream tuntable is the iconic Oracle Delphi in it's MK6 version. I don't have that yet but I have a fabulous Oracle Alexandria MK2 fully restored by the nice folks at Oracle and it brings me joy everyday!!
I love my Rega P3 Turntable 😍
I wanted a Technics SL-1200 but I heard that the Technics pickup arm was not so good. Instead I got an SL-120 (MkII) which is similar but missing two things: a zero from the model name and a pickup arm. I bought mine brand new many years ago and specified that I wanted the variant supplied with the cutout for the SME pickup arm. I got a SME 3009 S2 Improved to go with it. I still have it to this day and I doubt I'll be able to improve on it without a vast investment. Great video, by the way. Thanks.
A wonderful lecture on the record player, and vinyl records; the stereo, musical sound of analogue. Paul, I agree with at least 90% of what you have explained! After all you are an expert. All I can add to this sound of analogue playback, is my preference by listening to a stereophonic configuration. I am a music fan first, and audiophile in second place. Furthermore, a good pair of speakers is a close second consideration; mostly my opinion.
My favourite eras of music is the 1960s, '70s, and nineteen eighties of mostly rock & roll, pop. I like the hi fi stereo equipment of the 1980s. Fortunately I found a turntable on ebay, the Canadian web site, and purchased a turntable - belt drive; of that golden era of the 1980s.
My favourite turntable is the one I now have that was purchased last year from ebay. It is a harman kardon T25 semi-automatic turntable; belt drive with an Audio Technica AT-71 phono cartridge - from what it seems. I adjusted the hk T25 turntable, and bought a new AT-71 stylus for the cartridge. I also bought a test record to finely adjust anti-skating, and 4 small bubble level gauges. Yes everything is level. This turntable works well, and the music sounds fine.
Does anyone remember the add on linear tracking turntable arms from the 80s. They featured a linear tracking arm that rode on a cushin of air provided by something like an aquarium pump. They took all the stress out of cartridge alignment and sounded quite good. The trouble was the humm' from the pump and the tendency to dash right and left if unguided. I wiped out a couple cartridges using that arm.
Gotta admit, after opening up my Technics SL-1210 Mk2 to restore the ground wire (I acquired it from a DJ and removing the separate ground is a popular mod) I'm not going to even glance at another deck with envy (except maybe a B&0 Beogram 4000 ;) ).
It's built like a cross between a Swiss watch and a tank, and it's no wonder the new iterations cost so much. The chassis casting, the bulk moulding compound, the rubber base, the perfect speed stability of the DD system.... Hard to beat. And the best part is that it will still likely be running just as well in another 20 years!
Nice vidéo... still really happy with my a&r eb101... bought it when it came out... only on my second belt....
Hi Chris I made a big mistake some years back and sold my ar eb101 still regret it, you enjoy yours mate you lucky fellow.
i only have a uturn orbit, which is a semi audiophile cartridge but its not on the level of a rega P3 or whatever (i will get to that level as soon as i got as much out of my uturn as i can through interconnects, mat, vibrapods, cartridges, etc)
From doing a ton of research I think I have decided on the Orbit Plus by UTurn as my first turntable, I would like the Rega planar 1 but it is a couple more hundred dollars. My question is I would love your thoughts on what speakers I should get. As of right now I am wanting to get the Kanto yu4. Would absolutely love your thoughts. Thank you
Hi Jonathan - I'm not sure about your budget figure but, if you need powered speakers, then the YU4s should work well for you.
Hi Paul I listen to records that are pre 1980's and cds after that. I have a project debut sat on a 1990s Sony hifi. Keep up the good work
Thanks Paul!
I subscribe to the old Brit mantra of having a good source first because if your source is bad, the audible rubbish is just carried to your amp, is amplified and sent to your speaker and you have bad sound broadcast to you. A Stench in the ear. Get the best front end you can afford and work forward is probabably the best path. This is where a good dealer can help you. If you audition a front end that satisfies you through their equipment, you can be assured that down the line it will serve you well. If it doesn't sound as good as it did at the dealer, you know your cables, amp, or speakers are amiss. One last thought, even modest speakers can sound astonishingly good if fed a good signal so spend the money up front.
Thanks for another great review Paul. I'm looking to build my collection again from scratch - would you recommend a turntable or cd player? My budget doesn't stretch to both. I've decided on the amp I'm going to buy, the Audiolab 6000a. Many thanks, Tim.
I'd look at the Audiolab 6000cdt if going the cd route, I've recently bought one and was blown away with it hooked up to my chord
Mojo. You can plug it into the Audiolab 6000 amp. Paul's review a while ago says it all. If going for vinyl get the RP1, a friend got one a while ago and it blew me away, I have a much more exotic player and it made me question things a little. Good luck.
For classical music CD wins hands down - availability of discs/recordings - massive 2nd hand market - reliability and cheap P&P of discs - no noise on extended soft passages. The 'vinyl experience' has 'something', though you pay for it, and it requires recordings of a consistent high sound level to achieve reliability in sound quality. To improve on reliability costs...may as well put your money somewhere else. Going with CD is a sign you value music above hifi imo - (this from a former LP12 owner...) having said that, there are quite a few poor rock and pop CD transfers (70s/80s?) that sound better on the vinyl version, and LP might work out OK if you are in that niche. You might consider a more minimalist amp if you don't need phono/bluetooth ect - (Musical Fidelity/Rega?)
Hi Tim - if you really have to choose only one format then make that choice yourself. Leaning towards one format is a wholly personal choice and not one that should be made *for* you. You really need to make the decision and it should be made because you are enthused by that choice. Not because I or anyone else has recommended it to you. There are pros and cons for both formats while arguments (often very silly arguments too) have been raging since 1982 about the benefits/issues of both. I would make a list. A real list: pen, paper, etc. And write down your own list of pros and cons. I'm here to answer questions, if you have any. Feel free to discuss any points that crop up. I'm sure other members of this channel can also provide their own views too.
Decided to add an automatic table to my old Pioneer518 auto return. Found a well serviced Technics 1600mk2 that had tonearm assembly taken apart , cleaned, new gear & belt . In good shape with original dust cover that looks new. Plays great & quartz lock spot on. Technics Direct drive hard to beat. 🤗🤗
Hi Paul, I love your guides. I've been buying vinyl since I was a student in the late 80s it was out of fashion and cheap! (Unfortunately not anymore, but its so much more available!), I saved up and got myself a systemdec iix in the early 90s and couldn't believe how it made my records sound, I've moved up the price bracket since then, but I'll never experience what I got out of my records back then again, I think I'm partly still chasing that experience!
My hi-fi is cheap but is 45y old and now is working like first time...I'm 61 and i love rock, jazz, blues, every kind of good music. Zadar(Croatia ex Yugoslavia)
hi, so i'm planning on getting my first (decent) turntable, and at the moment i'm looking between the project primary e and the t1 since those are the main ones available in my area. the t1 is €100 euro more expensive, but is it worth spending more money on it?
Yes.
@@TheAudiophileMan okay, thank you so much!
Hi Paul, always enjoy your videos, I have the same problem as you do, re turntables. I have a question, do you know anything about the Logic Gemini Twin Motor and Datum 2 tonearm. I have one i am getting ready to fully modify, asking your opinion on your thoughts of whether its worthwhile. thanks in advance.... enjoy the music
Is this the DJ deck, Peter?
@@TheAudiophileMan No, (I know the one you mean, the DJ Gemini is a poor quality Technics LP-1200 clone. Mine is the English made two motor, belt drive fully manual tt with Linn Sondek style suspension but a steel subchassis. The Datum S Arm was highly rated and used ones in the UK still carry a value of around 200+ pounds for an arm that was made in the 80's. Logic were a small company who got into a legal stoush with manticore over the twin motor design and its circuits.
The DM101? Or is that still wrong? If that's the one then I have heard about users modding it and being very happy with that. I seem to recall that one chap upgraded his with a Heed Orbit power supply. I *think* that was the one. Around £400.
Bottom line? If the turntable holds a fascination still, it's a design that you connect to and feel an affection for then sure. Why not? It would be easier to buy a new deck and be done with it but if there's that emotional connection...?
@@TheAudiophileMan Hi Paul, the DM-101 is an earlier tt from Logic. The Gemini was their last tt. two motors, one either side of the sub platter. Difficult to make work because of the sync on the motors, but they made it work. A friend of mine has the DM-101 and Tempo, he wants to be left my Gemini. I do have a second table, a Clearadio Concept which i like but the Logic with my Shure v15-type5mr with Jico SAS stylus beats the clearaudio hands down. The only reason i asked was i have read a number of your articles, like your opinions, and most of the audio people here in Australia say why spend the money on a 30+ yr old tt. I will go ahead and rebuild it. will send you a video of it once its finished..... It is a rarity here, the distributor of logic only imported one Logic Gemini into Australia, and I have it. There may have been a few private units brought in but i doubt there have been many. Thanks for your thoughts
Hey man loved the content, I’m in doubt right now if I should buy a ATLPw40wn or a ATlp5x, both of them are about the same price and I wis to pick the one that has the better sound… I live in Brazil so it is hard to get the regas or Pro-jects(I can find then but I dom’t believe that I would be able to call the warranty if either of them come out defective) so with one of the 2 you think is the best the LPw40wn or the LP5x?
Hi Arthur what did you decide upon and are you happy with your decision? I’m awaiting delivery of the ATLP5x, hope I’ve made the right decision. Thanks.
@@williamhodgson1428 I’ve got a lpw40, and I’m satisfied with it
I appreciate your videos a lot. Keep it up. I always learning something new here.
I use a Pro Ject Primary E with integrated preamp.
I used it with powered speakers first.
But I got a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 a few months ago.
I had huge humming noise when using the phono input of the AM10.
The integrated preamp was off and the ground wire was connected. Also when I disconnected the ground wires the noise were quieter.
When I use the integrated preamp of the Primary E and use the Aux input it’s all fine.
Maybe the phono input of the AM10 is faulty?
Many thanks :) Re. the hum, did you turn off the turntable's phono amp before you used the amp's built-in model?
@@TheAudiophileMan yes I tuned the build in amp off
Are there any electrical items situated near the turntable and/or amp? Could be interference from something else.
@@TheAudiophileMan I will try and setup the TT a little further away from my amp and CD player. It’s standing right next to it.
Thank you for your suggestions.
I bought my Lp12 with Ittok arm brand new in 1986 and I still love it to this day. I had it serviced a few years ago and had a Mose power supply installed. That's the only 'upgrade' I've ever felt it needed. Recently I was thinking of possibly selling it as I don't get much time to listen to it these days, but I just couldn't do it ; I just love it too much to EVER part with it.
The LP12 Ittok arms were originally made in Japan. They were up upgraded and improved by Linn with new bearings . also the power supply / main bearing / chassis/ speed regulation and a selection of arms.are available as upgrades Each upgrade gives an improvement. Ive had my LP12 for 30 years its like Triggers broom and sounds better than ever.
What about the fluance range?
Beogram TX2 is a tangential turntable with RCA phono output. Highly recommended.
I found your channel the other day and I am a moderately priced HiFi-geek!
I found my fetish in kinda old Bang & Olufsen's. My latest buy was a Beogram 8000, although I am keeping it un-connected at the moment...
What I learned is YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
I bought one of the most expensive styluses, it was 4.8K, in Swedish kronor... but what made the most difference was when I added a Tube Pre-amp from ProJect... Thank you Techmoan for the inspiration!
Hope to see more of You and from your channel.../
Gustav from Sweden
Absolute love your videos. Looking to get into vinyl.. Even after watching few of your amazing videos no idea where to start.. I mean.. I m keen to get a rega planner but what about the rest? What do I need? What amp to get? What about the speaker? I got £800_1000£ badget .. Can you suggest what to get please.. J don't know you but absolutely trust you
A *suggested* system is Rega Planar 1 turntable, Rega Mini Fono phono amp, Cambridge AXA35 amp, Q Acoustic 3020i speakers, the best QED cabling you can afford from Amazon. Get speaker stands and a rack to put your hifi on when you can (Atacama supply good value products).
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you. Just one more question. Considering that the Cambridge AXA 35 has the phono amp built in am I correct to assume that getting the Rega mini font phono amp is to improve performances?! than you
@@MrCayman46 You can save cash by using the AXA35's built-in phono amp but an external phono amp will improve sonic performance, yes.
@@TheAudiophileMan Right thank you so much. I have found a cambridge AXR85 at a very interesting price but noticed the the Q acustic 3020i are rated for stereo amplifier power 25 - 75w, does this mean they don't make a good much?
I’m still able to use a mid 1980s Thorens TD 318 that replaced a 1970s Thorens which I sold to a friend overseas. Think it has an Otofon cartridge Of some type. Hopefully will last me about 20 more years which is probably my shelf life.
Good and interesting video, thanks
Thank you for yet another great video. I just bought the newer version of the A-T 120 (best I can afford right now) in silver. It'll be here Tues. I wondered if you had ideas of any cartridge/stylus upgrades? Thanks, 👍
VM95E! Have a great time with your new 120 :) And thanks!
@@TheAudiophileMan VM95E is the one listed as included. So, I'm good for now?
Blimey, the've upgraded the cart then. OK, yes, you're fine for now, in that case. Are you planning to use the internal phono amp?
@@TheAudiophileMan I'm going to try the phono input in a 90's JVC receiver I found at a pawn shop for $15. RX-809V. Just before all the digital bells and whistles. I found an almost pristine set of Interaudio (Bose) Alpha a-2 speakers in another pawn shop for another $15. All my 70s and 80s music sounds great (58 y/o here). I don't even miss my sub-woofer. Can't wait to have a t.t. again.👍 Thanks again.
@UCPC0ITknpFcw2moNO3JaRlg I was thinking the Red would be more of a possibility.
The Technics SL1200 MKII is what I have. It's modified by KAB and sounds awesome.
I have one as well...love it.
For the who like vintage gear. Waaaay back in the 80s, Technic made some linear tracking turntables. the SL5 and SL7. These were clamshell affairs, you just opened the lid, dropped on a LP and upon closing the lid a linear arm would advance the cartridge. These things actually sounded quite good and if you can pick one up for a song, it might be worth a spin (Sorry).
If you can find a used Linn Sondek and Itok Arm. That's a great start on a system that will please you.
The SL-3 (basically a belt-driven SL-5) is also good value, especially in its Panasonic SL-H350 incarnation. The only thing to look out for in this kind of turntable is dried-out lubricant in the linear drive mechanism - but if it can play a record to the end without skipping or sticking, it's OK.
I have an SL7 and it sounds superb but it helps if you can get a decent p mount cartridge. I’m lucky enough to have an Ortofon Tm20h which was specifically made for the Technics linear trackers. They are increasing in value and for good reason. They are superbly engineered and are so simple to operate, no tinkering or having to worry about set up. They are not to be underestimated and I reckon the SL7 is a superb way to play vinyl
@@vinylrulesok8470 I sold a SL5 about five years ago. The buyer broke some speed laws getting to my house. He was thrilled to get it.
When I was an 11 yr old kid in 1978 my Dad brought home a complete stereo system, but it wasn't stereo it was Quadraphonic!! Yes a Kenwood receiver the size of an import car sending music out to four STR Branded made in England speakers. The Turntable was a masterpiece of modern technology a Kenwood KD-2055 which had a man made faux marble base that weighed at least 115lbs and Dad immediately swapped to a Shure cartridge, he was very happy and proud of this set up which also contained an Akai, or Aiwa 8 track and a Sony reel to reel deck. I really wish I had nabbed all that gear before my Mom and Dad downsized and sold it off to some lucky person because my Dad worked professionally with electronics and kept all his gear clean and perfect. I'm penny pinching my way back into the home audio realm. So far I have a Carver Receiver HR-742, a California Audio Labs DX-1 CD Player that feeds a pair of Wharfedale E-20's and all of this has been under $500 CDN. I know it's not the most impressive but it has a nice soundstage and I really like the sound the Wharfedale's put out. I would love to find a Luxman LV-105u Integrated Amplifier, and the matching Luxman D-105 CD Player, look them up and you'll see why. For a turntable I'd love to find an old Kenwood KD-2055, or a Systemdek II with a Linn tone arm and the best sounding cartridge I can afford, and for speakers either a pair of Celestion DL-10's, or Ditton 66's or back to Wharfedale E-50 or 90's unless I run into a pair of IMF TLS-80's! Great video, I really enjoy your content!
Thank you for your kind words, for sharing your thoughts and memories.
If you have a phono input on your amp there are some bargain second hand Rega RP1’s and RP3’s on EBay.
Never buy off ebay when it comes to turntables. They are precision instruments.
@@mikemcguinness1304 what does this vague comment mean exactly?
Thorens 160 in about 1974. "Downgraded" to a TD150/SME 2009 a few years later - the "Linn wars" had begun... About 1980 I downgraded again(!): Thorens 125/SME 3009 Fixed headshell/SME 2000 cabinet. Don't use too often.
I started with the "standard" Shure cartridge. My memory says M55. Then ADC XLM, Decca London - far too "dainty" for ham-fisted me! I've ended with an ADC ZLM - these were designed for "VHF on vinyl" 4 channel sound, FR up to 35khz.
At one point I had about 1000 LP's. But renting homes, then marriage and divorce, I sold most. I've only 50-ish now...
That was great fun, thanks.
Speaking of fun a friend of my daughters has a Crosley Collegiate, I admit I winced and kicked myself for being an audio snob, something I detest.
He loves it and that's all that matters, you know what it looks great, very nostalgic, sounds nowhere near as bad as I thought it would and when I had a closer look noticed it has an atn3600l stylus, well we know Rega like them so can't be all bad 😂
I am sure, for you, it is a completely emotion-based event. I suspect for others, like me, it is also an intellectual experience. Beauty cannot only be experienced but also, at least partially, understood. Two quick examples, the design concepts behind the original AR turntable are beautiful when understood as is Bach's counterpoint. Thanks for another great video!
There may be a misunderstanding here because I didn't say that emotion dominated my thinking but I wanted to address this it because it's an area that is often ignored, under appreciated and too often, not discussed at all.
My table is the first “hi-fi” table I ever bought, about 45 years ago - a Thorens TD160-C. I have modified it to “Super” status, and maybe beyond. Here’s what I’ve done:
1. Rewired the tonearm with Cardas 33 gauge wire.
2. Removed the tonearm’s internal socket so that the headshell now connects directly to the tonearm wiring. This saves weight and makes the arm more amenable to higher compliance cartridge cantilever.
3. Removed all chassis pieces and applied a high tech vibration control material - NOT Dynamat, rather a high quality constrained layer material.
4. Polished both inner and outer platter components
5. Cleaned & lubricated the platter bearing
6. Built a new plinth of 1 inch/25.4mm solid cherry
7. Replaced the power supply
8. Rebuilt the motor to eliminate hesitation on startup that had developed
9. Added RCA connectors to replace the original, captive phono cable design
10. Built RCA cables using Mogami quad wiring
11. Added an IEC power socket to replace the original captive power cable
12. Fabricated a new, much sturdier bottom cover of 1/4 inch / ~6.4mm MDF
13. Added brass spiked feet to replace the original small rubber feet
14. Fitted a Shure V-15 IV cartridge with Jico SAS stylus
My next step will be to add vibration control to the bottom cover if I feel it needs it. The last step will be to purchase and fit a 9.5inch “The Wand” from Design, Build, Listen, who can supply it with a correct Thorens type arm board.
So am I a bit of an audio and turntable geek? Nah .... 😂
Blimey! I’m impressed! Nice one.
@@TheAudiophileMan 🙏
Greatness
audio Technica looks just like the two silver ones you have sitting in your video.
I have a Linn sondek but the turntable which really blew me away was Max Townsend 's elite rock which I heard him demonstrate many years ago in an ab comparison against digital. Wow! The damping trough really locks the arm in position, all but eliminating spurious vibration from the stylus. This results in dynamic and exquisite music. Very expensive though!
Much as I love my turntable, a 30 year old Linn Sondek no less, I love streaming. Don't scoff. For a modest monthly fee I can listen to a vast range of music, much of which I probably would not buy in expensive vinyl unless I was very sure I like it. With streaming, I can listen to Handel's Messiah performed by 10 different orchestras/choirs, or Beethoven piano concerto no5 performed by a dozen different virtuoso pianists, and find the one I like best. Also I can check out obscure Scandinavian composers works without having to lay out cash for vinyl or CD. See, I learnt long ago, that the "source" is the most important thing, and that doesn't mean the turntable, it's the music you put on it.
Thanks for the insight Paul, I'm still intimidated by some of the price points on these players but want more from my vinyls. I was gifted an old beat up Stanton ST8-80 and though it works, even I can tell it isn't the best. It got me into the hobby but I want more now and look forward to setting up a nicer player when I have the money.
Hi Brian - there's plenty of low cost models out there - this was just an awareness list, nothing more.
@@TheAudiophileMan Yes thank you I appreciate your channel and have watched a few of your other videos about turntables. You have saved me from running out and buying a cheaper table that would have been worse than what I was gifted. I'm now considering the Fluance rt 81 as my intended jumping point thanks to your videos.
Hi Paul
Would really love it if you could do a review on the Pioneer PLX1000 turntable
I'll make a note, Phil.
Many thanks Paul
Would that be Pioneer PL-L1000 turntable? They were years ahead of their day with it's magnetic induction driven contactless linear-tracking tonearm carriage drive, exactly Like the Japanese magnetic levitate train moves, but with optic sensors, the cartridge never goes beyond 0.6 of a degree...
(at the worst case scenario from warped or off-centre spindle holes on records) ...from perpendicular grove tracking ...like record cutting heads. I have one & of one turned up on eBay (& if i could afford it) ...I'd buy another as a spare, but you may be referring to a different t/table which I've not seen that model number before. I'd encourage anyone to buy a working Pioneer PL-L1000, you'll never hear of nobody regretting buying a properly set-up & level working one 13 Kg of vinyl joy preferring a medium to low compliance of cartridge cantilever like the decades-old & still made Denon 103 (tho I prefer different carts of similar compliance
I'm sorry to say that back in my teens (more than 25 years ago), I had a couple of those all-in-one systems, with cartridges looking eerily similar to those you see on Crosley etc. today. Back then I didn't like the sound of my records, and today I can say "no wonder" :) Last week I decided to get back into vinyl, and while very much on a budget, it should be something a bit more serious. So, I'm saving up and in a couple of months, hopefully, I'll have something much better, and much more gentle to my records (a freshly started collection, the old ones are gone).
I'll have to make do with what I already have in terms of what comes after the pre-amp, but it's a start at least, and I can always improve on that later :) But I wonder what you'd think about the setup I intend to get up till that point:
A NAD C 558 turntable, cartridge replaced with an Ortofon Quintet Red
A NAD PP 2E pre-amp
A Pro-ject Ground-it E base
An Origin Live Gravity One stabilizer
(I also have to replace my dead subwoofer, so I'm not comfortable stretching my funds further ;))
The four listed items look good to me.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks :)
@@TheAudiophileMan I actually found room for some upgrades to the setup :) Instead of the NAD C 558 the NAD C 588 which would get me the better tonearm, and the Ortofon Quintet Bronze cartridge instead of the Red
Defining record playing as a retro kind of 'try records for fun while you pause Spotify for a week'. For us serious nerds that strive for needle to groove perfection with 'clean room' rituals before we sit down & listen, this was an 'ahh bless 'em' moment.
Rega P3 or P6 would be a good choice whilst the Technics 1210GAE Limited Edition turntable is a take on the ol' 1210 classic but with gold bling and a posh accent. The ELP is what happens when you get a McIntosh CD player and a Hacker turntable drunk at a Christmas party and they stagger off into the bedroom, 9 months later, ELP! 🤣
The problem with the B&O is the stylus are quite expensive. Even for no name, witch I wouldn't by. NOS or from Sound Smith is the only way to go.
Ah, the Sound Burger.... happy memories of it actually sounding better than my rumble-prone Micro Seiki MB-10! Wish I'd kept it.
As for being on a low income, used vintage gear from the less 'collectible' Japanese brands is the way to go. As an experiment I picked up a Panasonic SL-H350 (rebadged Technics SL-3) linear-tracking turntable for around £20 and their little SG-24L (rebadged Technics SA-K2L) cassiever for £12. Add the Canon S-35 speakers at around £50, and voila - a cheap n' cheerful little starter system that knocks the socks off the similarly-priced Crosley.
Thanks for that - especially for the low income advice.
If you are searching for 'sounds for pounds' 2nd hand and don't want to pay for a name (like Linn or Roksan), consider looking out for a Fons.
Dirt cheap (2 figures) look at 2nd hand Nad 5120.
I believe the Nad 533 is a re- branded Rega 2 - therefore a little less 'searched' and possibly a little cheaper for an entry level 'audiophile' model.
I wonder if a Rega is a good candidate for a diy replacement plinth - thinking 2 layers of baltic birch with sorbothane in between and a mechanically isolated motor mount...?
A Garrard Zero 100 SB my first Hi Fi turntable. (long gone) Good ones aere hard to come by today.
Really? Very nice, Ken - oddly enough I saw one recently sold as parts on eBay. Still a popular purchase.
I think I once had one of those Garrard models, that's if it is the model with a pivoting arm that had an adjacent slim parallel arm that attached to only 1 side of the headshell & pivoted from a slightly distanced point to the main tonearm pivot point, In order to progressively turn the headshell to keep the cart's needle tangential to the groove. Clunky but well made & they sounded better than SP25's mk'1 to 4 or 5) & all other previous Garrards (excepting their console "motor-unit only" 301 & 401 models designed for radio station console fitting. (They originaly came without tonearm or chasis & now fetch £Loads)
Recently, the Thales tonearm came out & is the closest thing I've seen to those Garrard Zero tonearms & work identically in essence (please Conssider this comment void if the Garrard I described above & owned was not the same Zero model)
I do enjoy your videos with recommendation lists. I agree with your advice to buy used v Crosley tables. Most of what I listen to is digital now but I bought a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. It’s rudimentary but sounds decent with an ortofon red. In the olden days of the 70s, which were my golden days of youth, I loved my Sony PS X-70.
Hi Steve - the Carbon/Red is a very nice combo. It should serve you well.
Good stuff. I always maintained how my involvement with equipment is purely a means to an end i.e. my love of listening to music & in the most realistic or lifelike way possible. Some people think we own records to listen to our equipment with, in which case i would need 2000 but just
:)
The main problem with B&O turntables is they no longer make the proprietary cartridge.
Soundsmith makes authorized replacements.
@@1mctous Thanks. I looked at some B&O turntables this year and passed because I didn't know cartridges were available. I owned a B&O system in the 70s and enjoyed it very much. BTW, have you seen the new B&O turntable--$9000 US?
@@danieloherrick6332 The price clearly reflects its collectible status. I'd rather have the most performance I can afford. BTW the Soundsmith B&O cartridge replacements handily exceed the original specs.
@@1mctous Thanks. I think B&Os asking price is exorbitant even for a collectible. Thanks for all your turntable videos. I have been looking for a turntable to use for ripping vinyl to a Tascam CD recorder and thought a vintage B&O table would be OK. I'll probably go with a Rega P3, something with value, that I can sell when my ripping project is done. I love vinyl but I'm downsizing and going primarily with SACD/CDs. I sold my Linn LP12 about 5 years ago and haven't had a TT since then.
I don't know. You go from talking about a 500 pound turntable to an 11,000 Pound turntable? Is there nothing in-between? Or maybe there is too much in-between? Or maybe you figure there are a lot of other people covering that territory?
Actually I go from £179 to £500 with options to go to £1,500 in one case depending on model/condition. As stated in the video, the ELP was a ringer, a left-field addition.
Ich habe einen WEGA P550, quartzgesteuerter Direktantrieb, Volllautomat, mit AT91--Stylus, von 1977, aus Fellbach, Germany!
Why are most turntables manual and not automatic?
I'm not sure that they are, Nathan. It depends what sector you look at. Automatic turntables, by necessity, include a heap of gearing and other - non audio essential - tech. This stuff increases vibration and high-frequency noise. That lot veils detail. Hence most turntables that prioritise sound quality are manual, to remove that threat. There are a few in this area that aspire to hifi quality that are semi automatic and I've reviewed a few from the likes of Fluance and Thorens. That said, if sound quality is not the priority, you don't have the budget or the inclination to buy a full hifi system and are happy just to listen to your music by the cheapest device you can grab then you may go Crosley and the 10 million other clones of that type of turntable. Most of those are automatic or semi automatic. Hence, assuming that the Crosley types sell in healthy numbers, I'd guess that most turntables currently on the market are automatic/semi.
@@TheAudiophileMan I knew there had to be a perfectly good explanation why most turntables are manual and not automatic. I'll stick with sound as being most important to me. I once bought a Crosley from JCPenney and will never buy another one again or one like it. They're trash and deserve to be taken off the market. How do they even pass inspection? I guess anybody can do business; but I'm big into stereo systems--especially vintage. But what I've got is ok. Will review your reply to my comment on your other video. Love how you describe sound. Unfortunately, youtube and computers don't know how to process it and the turntable can. Thanks for the quick reply and appreciate your channel. Keep it up.
Any manufacturer who thinks putting a turntable and the speaker in the same box clearly knows absolutely nothing about what a turntable does and sound reproduction. Avoid at all costs. You can buy a perfectly good second hand turntable for the same or less than Crosley or similar. Second hand Technics SL5, SL7, Rega Planar 2, various Pro-ject models all worth looking at and will work superbly.
Anyone wanting to get into vinyl could do a lot worse than the Sony PS-HX500. Richer Sounds in the UK sell it for around £250, built in phono stage, decent MM cartridge, USB output and easy set up. I bought one for my partner to use in the living room through Ruark all in one system. It sounds great, musical and revealing, in short a great all round package.
Get a turntable with a record clamp (Holds the record in place) not all records are flat.English turntables to look at if you want to splash your cash are AVID or SME. I wonder what system Paul has? Review your system Paul, and tell your lockdown (Covid 19) viewers why you chose what you have.... Just a passing thought. Keep on rocking in the free world ! :)
I'll make a note Tom. Ta.
Left me wondering which hi fi publication you work for.... What Hi-Fi??
Hi-Fi World.
Big "L" for you fella hahaha,google is your friend(tip for the future!).If you had bought hifi mags back in the day(or read his online reviews),you would`ve know it was something better than what hi*fi(DOH).
Great video Paul keep `em coming,vinyl records & turntables are on A MASSIVE RISE.
#vinyl4ever
@@TheAudiophileMan "Hi fi world" (which had Noel Keywood & Dennis Price & others i can't recal when I regularly bought it) was to me, the only hi'fi mag worth buying after sampling What HiFi mag & others I cant recal now
"What Hi-Fi" Well, somethings you cannot forget & I'll never forget how in 'What HiFi's big review of 8, 9 or 10 models of new CD players, I'd read the reviewers conclusion of: "You literally can't go wrong buying any of these models so your choice should only be based on prefered looks & fumctionality" (they all had identical functionality so why bother reviewing them!) Plus, I'll never forget how the "What HiFi" review of Audiolab's 1st seperate phono-stage, I'd read; "Because of publication deadlines I had less than an hour to set up & listen to this model & write this review but I'm very familiar with phono-stages & Audiolab & all things about vinyl &.I can highly recommend this Audiolab model 8000(?) phono stage" WTF! ...it's £850 'ish price in the mid 80's is like £3000+ now & he said that before it could have warmed-up properly let alone 'broken in' Hi'Fi World also knew the truth behind CD quality (e.g. 'compression' used) & they educated folk on the true worth of cd & Vinyl & continued reviewing T/tables, cartridges & all vinyl related equipment & albums even. They easily ruled the Hi-Fi mag' world
i bought my first proper Stereo system from Redifusion in 1970 it was a Elizabethan with a separate Amp and Speakers and the clincher for me was that it had a separate Garrard SP25Mk3 Turntable i think it cost £69 10s & 6d then a few month later i bought a AKAI 4000DS Reel to Reel Tape Recorder for about the same price from Comet and i was hooked oh the good old days, i still have the 4000DS, plus 2 Revox A77's a Akai GX747 and a TEAC 3340S i love my Tape Recorders but i love my AR Legend Turntable the most, i had one in 1985 but had to sell it to buy a House but i finally found one about 10 years ago for £200 with a LINN LVX Arm and what i thought at the time a Budget Goldring 1006 Cartridge but after seeing your revue of the 1042 i upgraded and i now have my Perfect Turntable that i will have and enjoy tweaking forever
Anyone starting with vinyl; Go Vintage, Go Direct Drive, Go Quartz Lock, done and done!
Good points. I find some moving coil cartridges are almost as good as moving magnet and less expensive and they are good enough for me .
Dont forget about moving iron carts too! They work with MM phono stages just fine btw.
I would hardly put Bose in the same category as Crosley.
I was referring to the how they apportion their budget.
The title does NOT include the word BEST it just says A TURNTABLE FOR YOU. When you see a mixing desk with 64 sliders.....what is real.
Stay off Linn, two years later they will tell you that the top model you purchased, can be improved on! I am happy with my Pink Triangle turntable. No more upgrades, a digital streamer/media centre and a Turntable. The latter sounding better! Garbage In - Garbage out!