First turntable - any suggestions?

[Biblob]

Hi all, since a short while I've started to collect some vinyls because I'd like to display the albumcovers in my living room. And I would like to listen to them occasionally but own no equipment yet.

I have no knowledge of turntables, cartridges and phono pre-amps! So any advice to steer me in the right direction is welcome.

I will use the turntable or pre-amp output as input for my DSP active set-up (Motu Ultralite MK4).
Living in Europe, so any advice on secondhand stuff available here is much appreciated too!. I'd like to spend a maximum around €500.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

Hi all, since a short while I've started to collect some vinyls because I'd like to display the albumcovers in my living room. And I would like to listen to them occasionally but own no equipment yet.

I have no knowledge of turntables, cartridges and phono pre-amps! So any advice to steer me in the right direction is welcome.

I will use the turntable or pre-amp output as input for my DSP active set-up (Motu Ultralite MK4).
Living in Europe, so any advice on secondhand stuff available here is much appreciated too!. I'd like to spend a maximum around €500.

Rega will be your best bet, good quality for the money and lots available second hand.

 

[DVDdoug]

I'd like to keep the total around €500.

That seems about right to me, or a little less. I wouldn't go too cheap because with turntables there is a correlation between price and sound quality... up to a point. But the records themselves quickly become the main limitation so you can spend 10 times that much and never match the sound from a $100 CD/DVD/Blu-Ray player...

If I was buying a turntable, I'd seriously consider the AT-LP120-USB. It's direct drive so there are no belts or rubber pulleys to wear out and it comes ready-to-play with a cartridge and built-in preamp, plus USB in case you ever want to digitize records. (All USB turntables need a preamp.) I have an old direct drive Technics turntable that's probably "similar" but with no preamp or USB. It's 30 or 40 years old and I've never had any problems with it. (I don't play records but I occasionally digitize one.)

Knowzy.com has lots of turntable reviews & recommendations & lots of helpful information. He's mostly focused on turntables in the mid-to-low price range for digitizing records. Nothing "audiophile".

If you buy used, I'd look for direct drive and I'd plan-on replacing the cartridge (or stylus).

P.S.
Or... Just collect & display the records and listen to digital copies! And MAYBE get a turntable just for display... Sometimes I wish I would have kept my reel-to-reel tape machine as a display piece...

 

[NiagaraPete]

I'd be looking for a Thorens TD-160, straight arm, MC cartridge. As for the pre amp I have no idea any more.

Actually though you could put the albums on the wall and stream the music and you'd have better sound.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

That seems about right to me, or a little less. I wouldn't go too cheap because with turntables there is a correlation between price and sound quality... up to a point. But the records themselves quickly become the main limitation so you can spend 10 times that much and never match the sound from a $100 CD/DVD/Blu-Ray player...

If I was buying a turntable, I'd seriously consider the AT-LP120-USB. It's direct drive so there are no belts or rubber pulleys to wear out and it comes ready-to-play with a cartridge and built-in preamp, plus USB in case you ever want to digitize records. (All USB turntables need a preamp.) I have an old direct drive Technics turntable that's probably "similar" but with no preamp or USB. It's 30 or 40 years old and I've never had any problems with it. (I don't play records but I occasionally digitize one.)

Knowzy.com has lots of turntable reviews & recommendations & lots of helpful information. He's mostly focused on turntables in the mid-to-low price range for digitizing records. Nothing "audiophile".

If you buy used, I'd look for direct drive and I'd plan-on replacing the cartridge (or stylus).

Had one for a while a cheap Chinese copy of the Technics SL1200 and sounds like it. Many Technics direct drive turntables on sale used and generally bomb proof construction. Had several over the years, most them quite old never given any trouble.

 

[Biblob]

That seems about right to me, or a little less. I wouldn't go too cheap because with turntables there is a correlation between price and sound quality... up to a point. But the records themselves quickly become the main limitation so you can spend 10 times that much and never match the sound from a $100 CD/DVD/Blu-Ray player...

If I was buying a turntable, I'd seriously consider the AT-LP120-USB. It's direct drive so there are no belts or rubber pulleys to wear out and it comes ready-to-play with a cartridge and built-in preamp, plus USB in case you ever want to digitize records. (All USB turntables need a preamp.) I have an old direct drive Technics turntable that's probably "similar" but with no preamp or USB. It's 30 or 40 years old and I've never had any problems with it. (I don't play records but I occasionally digitize one.)

Knowzy.com has lots of turntable reviews & recommendations & lots of helpful information. He's mostly focused on turntables in the mid-to-low price range for digitizing records. Nothing "audiophile".

If you buy used, I'd look for direct drive and I'd plan-on replacing the cartridge (or stylus).

P.S.
Or... Just collect & display the records and listen to digital copies! And MAYBE get a turntable just for display... Sometimes I wish I would have kept my reel-to-reel tape machine as a display piece...

Digital is not necessary for me, since all will be played PC connected to the Motu. So I already own a good enough ADC. Rather spend a bit more on good quality components of the turntable itself. But thanks for the advice anyways.

And yes, I will stream too. But being able to use the turntable would be nice too!

 

[Biblob]

Had one for a while a cheap Chinese copy of the Technics SL1200 and sounds like it. Many Technics direct drive turntables on sale used and generally bomb proof construction. Had several over the years, most them quite old never given any trouble.

I see, Rega has a very uncluttered product page. Choosing between a P1, P2 or P3 makes it easy for me, haha!
About Technics: I've read a SL1200 is great. But I don't fancy having to maintain a vintage model, rather choose something that will be newer and less prone to repairs/maintenance.

 

[NiagaraPete]

But being able to use the turntable would be nice too!

Remember though, from the first play a record and stylus deteriorate.

 

[Biblob]

Remember though, from the first play a record and stylus deteriorate.

Yes, but I won't be listening that much to them, I think. I am not one for collecting just for collecting. Stuff needs to be used
At that rate I assume it would last for many years. But do correct me if I assume wrongly.

 

[Godataloss]

Hi all, since a short while I've started to collect some vinyls because I'd like to display the albumcovers in my living room. And I would like to listen to them occasionally but own no equipment yet.

I have no knowledge of turntables, cartridges and phono pre-amps! So any advice to steer me in the right direction is welcome.

I will use the turntable or pre-amp output as input for my DSP active set-up (Motu Ultralite MK4).
Living in Europe, so any advice on secondhand stuff available here is much appreciated too!. I'd like to spend a maximum around €500.

+1 on a Rega. The arms are good and forgiving.

 

[Tom C]

The Audio Technica direct drive is an excellent suggestion, readily available and under budget. I had a Rega P3, and it is fine (my son still has it), but is a tiny bit fussier, and the belt wears out, necessitating replacement. There really isn’t any maintenance required for a direct drive with a pivot arm, which is why an old, second hand unit is perfectly acceptable. Of course, the stylus has to be replaced periodically, but there’s nothing really to do on turntable itself, once set up.

 

[Multicore]

Don't. Decorate your home with your collection and play them on streaming. So much less trouble.

If you have to get a TT, get a DJ model. Avoid all that low-mass belt-drive nonsense.

 

[Balle Clorin]

- did not see the post above first, but my reply is the same. With a limited budget the wise thing to do is to buy the LP albums to look at, and listen to CD/streaming instead.

 

[NiagaraPete]

With anlimited budget the wise thing to do is to buy the LP albums to look at, and listen to CD/streaming instead.

That's what I said. No sense listening to inferior sound and ruining the record at the same time.

 

[Biblob]

I hear you guys.
Just asking what I can get with this budget for the occasional fun.

 

[egellings]

Rega will be your best bet, good quality for the money and lots available second hand.

You will also need a preamplifier made to work with phono cartridges as well.

 

[Phorize]

I’d invite you to reconsider. I sold half of my records, still have about 500, mainly the rare ones that aren’t available on streaming. There isn’t a day that passes without me thinking of getting rid of them, but the time it would take to obtain their full value would mean I’d have to give them away so in my living room they remain. I have 2 turntables, one in a box and the other set up, I play it once a month. You’ll walk away if you know what’s good for you. If you have to do it, avoid vintage, unless you are more interested in tinkering with the turntable than listening to music, I know, not very romantic!

 

[Joe Smith]

Another vote for the AT-LP120xUSB table (about $230 when I purchased). I have many vintage tables, but bought one of these to use in my workroom system. It's great. If money were no object, sure, I like the Technics new model, but... As long as you can live with no automatic start/stop functions, it is a clean and no-muss, no-fuss unit. Decent build quality. Internal preamp that you can either use or not use (I don't use on mine, have many better phono preamps). Ability to USB out if you ever want to digitize an album in the future (that was a plus for me). I upgraded mine to the AT-VM95ML (microline) stylus (about $130 for a new stylus which fits the 95 cartridge body, but you can sometimes find deals on them) , which I really like. Good inexpensive phono pre's include the Art DJ, Schiit Mani or U-Turn Pluto ($60 for the Art, about $120 for each of the others). I looked at the other major contenders for a new table but the AT ticked all of the boxes for me, and was cheaper. Happy listening!

 

[Joe Smith]

As to the phono/no phono decision, yeah...consider that...all collecting is a rabbit hole. I have about 1800 albums/600 cassettes/2500 CDs and started with that about 50 years ago. So, for me, that ship sailed long ago...it does take up some room. Currently, I try and only buy new hardcopies of things that I am sure to play over and over and not grow the library by any large amount, as streaming about 60% of the time. For we baby boomers, vinyl has a nostalgic and ritualistic aspect that is enjoyable, but it's by no means everyone's cup of tea. We have great record stores locally and I do enjoy dropping in there (plus, keeps me out of bars?).

 

[Multicore]

I recently reviewed Sing Me A Song of Songmy by Ilhan Mimaroglu and Freddy Hubbard for my podcast (the episode isn't published yet).

It's a fascinating album and if you're into that sort of thing it's well worth getting an LP because the cover is so interesting. The front has a terrifying Picasso. The rear is all seriousness. And the inside gatefold is some kind of freaky review of 60s American culture and politics. Great stuff. I love it.

But can I be bothered to take the LP out and put it on the turntable. No I cannot.