What are various turntables or vinyl players to consider?

[mhardy6647]

I have a few, but like the tt15s1 the most

Say more, if you would, as to why.
I have one as well and I found it extremely ordinary in performance -- at least with its included "Virtuoso Ebony" (or something like that) cartridge.
The tt & cartridge have been packed away for years. I do use the Souther "Clever Clamp" that came with it sometimes, though.

 

[ampguy]

Say more, if you would, as to why.
I have one as well and I found it extremely ordinary in performance -- at least with its included "Virtuoso Ebony" (or something like that) cartridge.
The tt & cartridge have been packed away for years. I do use the Souther "Clever Clamp" that came with it sometimes, though.

I also use the stock Clearaudio wood mm cart, with either a puffin or schiit mani preamp. I guess it just does everything I need. What tables do you prefer over your tt15?

 

[mhardy6647]

I also use the stock Clearaudio wood mm cart, with either a puffin or schiit mani preamp. I guess it just does everything I need. What tables do you prefer over your tt15?

Well -- it plays records
The aformentioned Technics DDs (vintage).
The daily driver here is a very vintage Sony PS-2251 DD. Superb bit of hardware.

 

[1066]

My advice is:

1. buy something that you can still get parts for, like main bearings/saggy suspension/belts/motors/oil/set-up instructions

2. don’t put it on a general purpose cabinet, the cabinet will resonate from speakers at certain frequencies or nearby footfall which will be blurringly audible (you can test via headphones with speakers off)

3. try for full suspension turntable. While playing quiet music, tap turntable body/plinth gently with finger. You should not hear this through speakers

4. Check a bearing type tonearm for bearing play by holding the head shell end of tonearm between finger and thumb and gently/lightly rotating. If it clicks the bearings have play. Some tonearms are more delicate than others

5. Check turntable bearing actually has the required amount of oil in it.

6. If posting a turntable ensure the main bearing spindle is not in contact with the base of the main platter bearing, it’s a high wear high/pressure point and will dent from transit impacts. There will be transport instructions for the turntable. Be prepared for all the bearing oil to spill out if posted and make a terrible mess. If the platter bearing is the type with a ball bearing at the bottom, make sure it is actually there… (use torch)

7. The tonearm lead should not be in contact with anything that resonate or vibrates from speaker output

8. Check the tonearm has some kind of height adjustment method at the pivot end to accommodate for different height cartridge bodies

9. Less keen on removable head shells. I’ve had those that do not lock in a perfectly horizontal position, or have a rubber seat.

10. Check it plays speed accurately, even if brand new deck

11. Check your phono amp can handle the cartridge output voltage, lots of reviews of phono preamps here on audio science

12. The top surface of the platter should not cycle up and down, even slightly, when it rotates.

 

[Johnkeizer]

When someone asks me what turntable they should buy, my first question is “ do you have a collection of vinyl or easy access to one?”
If the answer is no or not really, I tell them not to get a turntable. Especially the cost of vinyl has got ridiculous, and yes I know about used but the good, cheap, used has pretty well been snapped up now.
And yes, I love my vinyl but also know how much it has cost me.

 

[renaudrenaud]

Mmm... A turntable is not enough. You need something to clean the records, to weight the cartridge and with second hand or old vinyles (even the new ones in fact) an ultrasonic bath is required.

 

[Johnkeizer]

I use a vacuum machine but yes, second hand records never hit my turntable until they have been cleaned.
Something about new vinyl that is often overlooked- most new vinyl has a digital stage in it, often digitally recorded, so the point of an all analog format like vinyl is irrelevant, buy the cd or download instead.

 

[mhardy6647]

Mmm... A turntable is not enough. You need something to clean the records, to weight the cartridge and with second hand or old vinyles (even the new ones in fact) an ultrasonic bath is required.

There's really no need to go overboard. A good brush will do well for fresh pressings.
The decidedly low-rent Spin Clean (at least in the US) is a cost-effective solution (pun partially intended) for grubby records.

Spin-Clean Record Washers - Shop the Official Spin-Clean Store

Enjoy better sounding vinyl records. With our patented Spin-Clean® MKII Record Washer, you'll have everything you need to clean and maintain your LPs.

www.spinclean.com

Heck, I still use my extremely vintage (purchased ca. 1977) Discwasher for routine cleaning, even though I rarely wear denim jeans any more*.
Yes, I make my own D3 solution-equivalent. Some high purity ethanol (190 proof, nondenatured) and a wee bit of TX-100 gives a very reasonable facsimile of the original.

People have gone nuts in the high-end, obsessive-compulsive tweaker stratosphere with record playback in the past 20 years or so.
It is absolutely and irrevocably not necessary so to do.

_____________________
* Extensive research revealed that the most effective technique to remove dust from a Discwasher after use is to rub the pad against its grain on one's denim-clad thigh. Or a loved one's denim-clad thigh, if available.