My fiancee wants to get into vinyl...

[j allen]

Yep, you read that right. She wants to get a turntable and start collecting LPs. So... I was wondering if anyone could suggest a good entry level unit, and what all other stuff (spare needles, etc?) that I would need to buy. I have no desire to discourage her from being interested in audio.

edit: I've heard good things about technics, and seen a lot of them listed cheaply on CL. Would this be a good choice, and are they difficult to repair if I get one that's out of something or other?

[ben62670]

I would look for a technics SL-1200 for $200-300.

[Toolfan66]

Budget??

I have a Technics SL-1210M5G with a Denon DL-160 and I'm very happy. It set me back about $700-$750 for both But I purchased my TT new.

You can get into it cheaper. I started with a TT from Mike (mr pie) for about $125.

My wife goes vinyl shopping with me about 2 times a month. She likes it as well..;)

Good Luck!!

[nooshinjohn]

I do realize that this woman, once her identity is known, will become the hottest woman in the world to most guys in the forum, and they will all try and steal her from you by showing off how big their tonarms are and how skilled they are at using them???:tongue:


Goodwill and GG are great sources for vinyl and I canno recommend going for a vintage table strongly enough. I love the rosewood Denons and my Yamaha PX-3.

[reeltrouble1]

its pretty easy to dump dough into an old TT and get bad sound especially if you dont know about them. Consider the entry stuff from Project, Rega, MMF, Marantz and so on.

My young niece, well, 19 and her friends are all into vinyl, they have "discovered" not only the sound but dig the album covers and liner note info as well as the fun of sitting around spinning records.

RT1

[dkg999]

Skip the Technics, go for the entry level Pro-ject, Music Hall, Rega, or Marantz. Depending on your AVR or pre-amp you might want to consider the cost of a good phono pre also. The NAD or Cambridge Audio ones are very good entry level phono pre's.

[cstmar01]

Rega P1, Music Hall 2.1-2.2LE are some nice tables that will cost you around 300-500 new and come with cart, arm, etc. Check out audiogon as well for used tables as there are deals often that will pop up on there.

I had an old technics at first but then when the motor went got the Music Hall 2.2LE and it was a huge difference in SQ.

Also make sure you get a phono pre if you don't have a phono stage on a pre amp etc as the signal is not a line level.

Vinyl is so much fun to listen to, and caring for it isn't so bad if you like to listen as it comes with the territory. I go shopping for stuff normally once to twice a week and have one main shop I go to otherwise I know of a used place about a hour away I go to as well (if I have the time).

[TroyD]

Stay away from used turntables UNLESS, you know a lot about them or you know the person you are buying from and they are knowledgeable about turntables (how to set them up and so forth).

Buying a used table is a risky propostiong, shipping a used table is almost an act of lunacy. You can get better sound, cheaper by going new as RT1 has suggested.

Good point about the phono stage too....it's not a given that your preamp has one built in.

BDT

[PSOVLSK]

I have a Pro-ject Debut iii and I'm happy with it. Obviously not the best, but it serves it's purpose for me. I have a Parasound z-phonoas my phono stage.

Here's a Rega P1 that might interest you.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=1REP1

or here's a Music Hall MMF-5:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo...umber=1MHMMF5G

Or just go to audioadvisor.com and check out "Clearance"-Demo Clearance Items

One more item of interest:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo...umber=1VIPH111

[Zitro]

I agree with the Rega P1 recommendation. This is my favorite entry level table that I've heard. $395 gets you a brand new table shipped to your door with the tonearm, cartridge and dustcover already installed and adjusted. Plug and play. And Rega still assembles their products in Britain, not in China :)

[quadzilla]

+1 on the Project, Rega, MMF, or Marantz. These will all sound better for music reproduction. Only go the Technics route if she's planning to DJ.

[miner]

I can +2 the Rega brand. I have owned the P5 & P7 - wonderful TTs.

[Toolfan66]

WOW funny how I get slammed for taking a technics TT 1200 that I payed $30 for and turning it into a RCM. yet it seems to get no fanfare here for the use of a TT..

Technics 12XX TT's are built like a tank and work very well.. with that said I would not buy a used one that was used for DJ"ing" this is the reason I got a new one..

[TroyD]

It's your stuff, I wouldn't let it bother me what people think...

That said, I still say that you are probably better off buying a new table. Again, unless you know what you are looking for....it's a crap shoot. Why bother with the risk if the outlay to go new, plug'n'play with good sound is not that much more?

I'm sorry, a 50 dollar turntable is a low percentage risk.

BDT

[reeltrouble1]

Tool,

there are bones to be buried deep within backyards, yours though is not one of them.

One of the very nice things about Rega is that RB300 arm they have. All of these new tables offer some great technology for relatively little cost nice way to dip a toe and check your vinyl groove.

RT1

[engtaz]

Rega P1, Music Hall 2.1-2.2LE are some nice tables that will cost you around 300-500 new and come with cart, arm, etc. Check out audiogon as well for used tables as there are deals often that will pop up on there.

I had an old technics at first but then when the motor went got the Music Hall 2.2LE and it was a huge difference in SQ.

Also make sure you get a phono pre if you don't have a phono stage on a pre amp etc as the signal is not a line level.

Vinyl is so much fun to listen to, and caring for it isn't so bad if you like to listen as it comes with the territory. I go shopping for stuff normally once to twice a week and have one main shop I go to otherwise I know of a used place about a hour away I go to as well (if I have the time).

Agree

[mrbiron]

I only started the vinyl kick about a month or so ago with this unit.
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica...8362559&sr=8-3

It's entry level that has both Phono and Line Level out. Didn't really want to spend loads of money at the start to get into something i hadn't heard since the 80's. I know i will upgrade later but as for now i am more than satisfied with this guy.

[Toolfan66]

I just thought it was funny. I really don't care what people thought.

Buried Now, I will return your shovel later today..:tongue:

and I agree with the Rega I almost bought one a couple months ago just to play with side by side..

Tool,

there are bones to be buried deep within backyards, yours though is not one of them.

One of the very nice things about Rega is that RB300 arm they have. All of these new tables offer some great technology for relatively little cost nice way to dip a toe and check your vinyl groove.

RT1

[quadzilla]

WOW funny how I get slammed for taking a technics TT 1200 that I payed $30 for and turning it into a RCM. yet it seems to get no fanfare here for the use of a TT..

Technics 12XX TT's are built like a tank and work very well.. with that said I would not buy a used one that was used for DJ"ing" this is the reason I got a new one..

Actually, that seems the best possible use for those tables. :p

[Toolfan66]

Actually, that seems the best possible use for those tables. :p

LMFAO!!! That was funny..:tongue:

[coolsax]

Just be aware if you want a new Technics player you only have a limited time to get them... It looks like Panasonic is going to be discontinuing the Technics line after this year.

[nooshinjohn]

Just be aware if you want a new Technics player you only have a limited time to get them... It looks like Panasonic is going to be discontinuing the Technics line after this year.

No real shock there at all... that's just sad.

[spock 2054]

Just be aware if you want a new Technics player you only have a limited time to get them... It looks like Panasonic is going to be discontinuing the Technics line after this year.

+1 on the sadness factor. My SL1500MKII shows no sign of quitting. I found two of them in the engineering office of a radio staion I used to work at in the early 90's. Swapped one out for an Ampeg SS-70 guitar amp, and the other one I cleaned up, put a new cartridge on it, and have been using it ever since. It's built like a tank.

[Toolfan66]

Just be aware if you want a new Technics player you only have a limited time to get them... It looks like Panasonic is going to be discontinuing the Technics line after this year.

I would be shocked if they discontinued the 12XX series as that is really the top dog of a TT for DJ's everywhere..

[j allen]

Hey, thanks for all the input guys. I think I'm leaning toward snagging an Audio-Technica table, since it's brand new within my price range.
Is there anything particularly wrong with
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATLP1..._bxgy_e_text_b ?

It looks to be almost the same model as the one linked above, but it is sold by amazon, rather than a third party, and is 4 dollars cheaper...

[lakesailor]

My advice is to get a Denon DP 37F…..they look great in rosewood but most importantly they are fully automatic…..what is most important for your gal is that the turntable is easy to use….a fully auto is the only way to go. Trust me on this.

The best part is that once she get’s hooked into vinyl you can easily talk her into adding a second table that can be your “reference” player.