Turntable ? Which one to buy.

[tapeshc]

On a recent visit to a audio store my wife saw a truntable and now she wants a turntable.

Being a starter in high end audio and 2 ch., I would prefer to go with a reasonably priced TT initialy then if we like it then we can continue to keep it.

My budget is $100.00 - $400. Wont prefer a used one unless untill its too cheap & good.

What brands I should look for.

Denon 29F how is that ? or Sony LX350H

I plan to go with ASL Phono stage.


Thanks

Tapesh

[fireshoes]

Those are the two turntables that are carried at the store I work at. No high end TT's here, lol. The Sony has been quite a bit better than the Denon in my experience, surprisingly enough. It seems solidly built. Fully manual. Not too bad for what it is.

[tapeshc]

Thats another qs.

Whats automatic or mannual ?

Belt driven and some other types ?

Can some one provide a link where I can read about these things ?

Thanks

[F1nut]

Look no further, this would be a great starter TT.

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13429

[Frank Z]

I paid around $300 for my MusicHall MMF 2.1. It's a manual TT, and I've been very happy with it's performance.

[ohskigod]

in your budget range, you might want to try out technics

they make very good turntables from what i've heard, and I have seen them in you budget range.

[section19]

Originally posted by tapeshc
Thats another qs.

Whats automatic or mannual ?

Belt driven and some other types ?

Can some one provide a link where I can read about these things ?

Thanks

Frank Z's turntable is a very nice affordable audiophile level TT. www.jandr.com has them (and quite a few others as well) at decent prices.

TT's are either belt drive or direct drive. Direct drive was popular for awhile but most hardcore vinyl lovers will always tell you a belt drive TT is superior. Less outside motor noise for the cartridge to pick up.

You can get TT's that are fully automatic, semi-automatic and manual, as a rule. With a fully automatic TT you can push abotton and the tonearm will lift up move over and set itself down on the record by itself. When the record is finished it will lift itself off the disc and return to it's start position and shut itself off. A semi-automatic TT will (usually) need you to put the needle on the record manually (either by hand or with the help of a tonearm cueing lever) and it will probably just lift of the disc when finished and shut itself off without moving back to the start position. A manual TT will require you to put the needle on the record and lift it off the record manually. Plus you shut it off yourself, too.

Another option for a TT is too look on ebay for a used one. Old Dual TT's are very popluar and always available there. You could definitely pick up a nice vintage Dual in your price range.

I'll see if I can dig up some TT links and post them for you.

[dcarlson]

Look for Dual or Thorens on Ebay. You can get yourself a decent vintage entry level TT in your budget. You'll want to budget for a new Cartridge if you do go used.

[tapeshc]

Thanks again for all the help & information

As advised I looked for Music Hall and Thorens

Thorens is cheaper and seems to have alll the feature but dont know how it performs.

Thorens 170 And 190 are less than $400.00 Automatic

Music Hall's MMF-5 is $449.00.

Why I dont want to go with Used ones is most of the cases you have to buy a new arm or pickup and that will bring it up to the new ones in price. Secondly in $300-$400.00 item not much you can save. Am I right ?

Sumiko ? how's that ? I saw that one at a local dealer but not automatic like Thorens.

Best of Regards

Tapesh

[Fireman99]

FWIW I was told by one of the dealers in my area that you would likely be better off with a used TT in your price range. He said that to get a quality TT new you have to spend the big bucks to get a better TT then on older TT. Even if you have to replace the arm.
Dan

[Tour2ma]

Agree with F99, and S19 pretty well nailed your earlier questions, but there is a third drive system, the rim idler wheel. Old Duals like the classic 1229 used these.

Thorens is a great old name, but I can't advise on models since the TD-320, a semi-auto TT I bought new a decade or so ago and loved. I've followed Thorens backwards to the classic TD-124. Restored (rubber part replacement) and coupled with a classic series I, II or III 3009 arm from SME for about $700 total, they can out perform any comparably priced TT available today, and hold their own with esoterics costing much more. The 124 belt drives an idler wheel.

Old Thorens 125's and 126's are in your range. Some performance drop is there, but not a lot. Some come with stock arms; some come with SME's...

Music Hall and Rega have pretty well established themselves as the modern, entry TT's to buy, but I guess I am just old school. I'd stack a nicely refurbished, 1960's or 70's, AR XA up against them anyday.

The XA set the standard for platter isolation design that most reputable tables, even esoterics, copy today. Its simple, 100% manual operation is something to behold. Just an on/off switch...

Sumiko makes a great MC cartridge, the Blue Point Special, and some well regarded tone arms, but I've never heard much about their TT's. They also make a nice, SS phono pre, that, as I have said inposts before, I strongly suspect is the Audio Alchemy "Vac-in-the Box" reborn.