Buying a turntable

I don't want to be a DJ. Or a 'scratcher' or techno dude. I just want a turntable to play records on, so that's what I mean by turntable. I would like one that's kinda small (I know how big records are, thanks) compared to the LPs.

The reason I want one is that my dad has a bunch of great old records, all original. It's amazing, he has Dark Side (original!) to Led Zeppelin to the Beatles. It's great, but his turntable broke and I want to listen to records. Anyone know of a cheap yet pretty good turntable? Not top or bottom of the line, but middle of the pack would be nice.

Thanks

 

Cheap

http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/analog-sources/rega-tweaks.html

 

Talk to Brooks Berdan LTD. He specializes in turntables. He is located in Monrovia, Ca.

 

If you need it to be new & you want it to be good (very good) but cheap, check out the Rega Planar 3.

If you want some real info - check out the Vinyl forum at

http:\\www.audioasylum.com

Oops...hadn't seen Ryan had already mentioned the Rega

 

Scratchs head......records ???

 

The right cartridge, tonearm and head amp can make even a mediocre table a good one!

 

Gez- I have what was at one time a very good Onkyo turntable & cartridge in the attic. Free for the shipping cost. With Kenwood 8-track player & tapes.

I be old.

 

I bought a new Sony table a year or two ago for similar reasons and use it frequently, you won't look back if you do get one

 

Linn

 

Hey! I'm 46 and I remember them 'ol fangled thangs!

 

Call my friend George Stanwick, up near albany, ny. He runs an import business called "Stanalog" and does first class turntable/cartridge importing, distribution and sales. He can send you to a local dealer for the right stuff on the cheap- although the Rega is certainly not a bad suggestion. Others- used Linn Sondek LP12- a classic and can be updated; Well-Tempered TT or Record Player- quirky but great sonics for money; haven't heard the economy model VPI's but again, alot of those tables can be snagged used, and upgraded over time.
Alot of people don't realize that TT are still regarded as state of the art in many rareified systems- my dear departed friend Chuck Lamonica used to have a Goldmund, set up with an airbearing arm, with a compressor/baffle/air filter system in the basement, to isolate the air system from the listening room. Some favorite oldie but goodie tables Mitchell Gyrodek; Linn LP 12 mentioned above; Goldmund Reference. Pics of a few below, for those that might think TT stopped in the Garrard era.
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Agree the LP12 is a great table. As for the Goldmund... RUN AWAY! Have serviced these and i can tell you, for the $$$ IMHO you can do MUCH better. You can hear the tonearm 'searching' as it moves across the tracks due to the electronic linear tracking device. Also, the electronics that support the unit appears to be built with less that stellar quality for such a high prices (?$30k?) unit. My apologies and all. Oh, and when the tonearm motor dies or acts up as they seem to do...

For the $$$ a used Linn LP12 is probably one of the best buys around provided it is in good shape. Linn provides excellent service as well. A much lesser known and extremely good table is the VOYD. Odds are you may not find one as they appear to be rare.

Want some LUST FACTOR... http://www.enjoythemusic.com/turntablelust/

 

Another strong vote for http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/bbs.html

Like with my cars, I go for the vintage gear. MUCH, MUCH good advice here...if anything way TOO MUCH advice as I've spent about 4 times what I intended to once I jumped back into vinyl.

But since then, I've bought something like 10 LPs for every CD... even my 15 year old is catching the disease. She walked in one day as I was spinning a Beatles Blue Box album on the same system she uses to listen to CD's (I have my home theatre system split down the middle... on side is all new and digital muti-channel while the other side is a vintage and a mix of tube and analog. They share only the front speakers and power amp... all fairly low end but tweaked stuff)

She just stood there, completely engaged. After the song finished she aked me why it sounded so much better when I played the Beatles than it did when she did....

Bill

 

You might want to spend a few minutes looking at http://www.audiogon.com/

They are a section devoted to vinyl and you can often pick up some good deals. It's like Ebay but only Hi Fi equipment.

All the best

 

gotta love the warm tone you can only get from vinyl.

I've got 5000 records sitting in my basement. The wife thinks she knows that I'm crazy only here's the thing...she's the one thats nuts. Couldn't be me. She can't understand that I am basing my entire retirement on vinyl and wide ties, yea, that's right...wide ties...made from imported polyeister. They will be back in vogue, then I'm on easy street.

Back to the vinyl, here's the thing...we're running out of oil...soon as its tapped out, some Ferrari freak will be willing to pay what ever it takes to fire that v12 up. That's when they will start knocking at my door. I bet a Neal Sedaka album will get you a good 75 feet down the road. Then I'll start breaking out the David Hasselhof, Chic, David Cassidy, Neal Diamond, William Shatner does the Beatles ect.

What would you burn up first out of your collection?

kcv