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Post by thrillcat on Apr 5, 2015 8:35:31 GMT -5
Love my Project RM1.3. $500. http://instagram.com/p/lVGwJpOqwx My advice? There are some records I'll spend $10-20 on. 80% of my collection (about 800 now) I've paid $2 or less for. http://instagram.com/p/cUTRWWOqxl Your idea that it's nice to slow down is spot on. That's why I every Sunday my 8yo and I have vinyl Sunday. No video games. No tv. No movies. Records, books, board games. Unplugged. It's the best day of the week.
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Apr 5, 2015 8:39:59 GMT -5
I have a better understanding of what your after now, thanks. I've neve owned or was talking about extremely cheap TT. Perish the thought. I haven't heard a TT with a built in pre in,,,,,,,,well, not sure I've ever heard one. Now you have me thinking.
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,230
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Post by novisnick on Apr 5, 2015 8:41:57 GMT -5
thrillcat, that's what I'm talking about!! 8)
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Post by lionear on Apr 5, 2015 9:22:32 GMT -5
One option is a used Technics SL-1200. They go for less than $500 on craigslist. The turntable is reputed to be very, very good - as good as an SME-20. The arm is not in the same league - but more than adequate for a high compliance MM cartridge. Shure cartridges track very, very well and should be a good match for the Technics.
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Post by vcautokid on Apr 5, 2015 9:43:57 GMT -5
Yep, you do have to have the time to relax and enjoy, lifestyle has a lot to do with TT ownership. Wait till the Cassette makes it's way back into the spotlight haha, knew I should have kept that old Technics cassette player Well probably not. Hard, and too expensive to make. Price reel to reel tape these days? Environmentally you are also have it not your way either. Ampex, Scotch, and more have killed it for good. Quantegy was a last hold out. Now Emtec, and RMG are the last watering holes for anything new stock tape. Get ready to pay allot for blank tape. Over $11.00 a reel for a 5 inch real of tape. 10.5 NAB reel of tape is over $50.00. Not cheap by any standard. Compare to a 128GB high speed flash drive. Heck even SSD, who wants or needs tape. Oh yeah, Hard Drives are given away everyday too!
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Post by Boomzilla on Apr 5, 2015 9:49:11 GMT -5
Hi brandI'd like to offer an alternative to the belt-drive turntables offered by the other posters. Back in the day, when music listening was "turntable only" (unless you went reel-to-reel or cassette tape), I had a pair of turntables. One was the audiophile rave of the day - a Russell-Coco modified AR with an Infinity Black Widow tonearm. The other was one that was disparaged by audiophiles - a Technics SL-1200 Mk. II direct-drive with its own built-in tone arm of no particular audiophile merit. I equipped both of them with identical new cartridges - the legendary Denon 103s with a Shibata stylus. Both (low output, moving-coil) cartridges played into Sony HA-T10 step-up transformers and into the phono stage of a Van-Alstine-modified Dynaco PAS tube preamp. The output of the preamp fed an Adcom GFA-1 cube amplifier driving a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10a speakers. In the smaller room where this system was used, it provided (with either turntable) the most believable sound I've ever heard. The point of all this reminiscence is to emphasize that by ear, nobody (NOBODY) could tell whether the belt-drive AR or the direct-drive Technics was in use. So what? I'd suggest that you consider some of the inexpensive direct-drive turntables on the market rather than the (almost always pricier) belt-drive ones. Audio Technica, Pioneer, and others all make turntables in your price range that (with the better phono cartridges) rival the performance of the much more expensive turntables. I'm particularly enamored with the Pioneer PLX-1000 (reminds me of my old & dear Technics). The price, however, approaching $800, is beyond your stated budget. Other contenders would be the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB. For $300, you get a muscular direct-drive turntable, the AT-95e cartridge included, a phono preamp included (connects to the line-level input of any preamp), and an A/D converter that allows you to digitize records, sending them directly to the USB inputs of your computer for archiving. The USB converter and the internal phono preamp are switch-bypassed, allowing you to use the turntable as a "plain" analog table. Two easy upgrades, down the line if you chose to keep this turntable, would to be upgrading to the Emotiva phono preamp and/or replacing the moving-magnet cartridge with a moving-coil unit. Alternately, buy a preamp with its own internal phono section (I'm happy with my XSP-1). So to sum up my own opinion (worth all that you pay for it), the phono cartridge makes more of a difference than the turntable & tone arm. Spend the bulk of your budget there. The phono preamp is also a critical factor in the ultimate sound quality. The built-in of the AT turntable is probably adequate, but I'd predict that you'll hear a difference going to the outboard Emotiva, or a built-in preamp phono stage. I'm also contemplating analog, and haven't reached a conclusion yet. Best of luck to you & happy shopping! Boomzilla
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Post by vcautokid on Apr 5, 2015 9:49:18 GMT -5
Just so no one thinks I never had one so how do I know? Here is my Tascam 52 I used to have. Loved it. I had also an Otari MX-5050, Too many Teac's, a Technics Isoloop RS-1500, Too many cassette decks, and my standout Tandberg TCD-3014. Loved the machines. Not the hassles of ownership though. Digital does it for me today.
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Post by brand on Apr 5, 2015 9:49:50 GMT -5
One option is a used Technics SL-1200. They go for less than $500 on craigslist. The turntable is reputed to be very, very good - as good as an SME-20. The arm is not in the same league - but more than adequate for a high compliance MM cartridge. Shure cartridges track very, very well and should be a good match for the Technics. I actually know that one. Unless I'm confusing it with another model its the number 1 DJ TT. I hear DJs talking about MK2 etc I believe they go up to MK5 theres even a golden version. Edit: Thanks for the long post Boom, on my phone right know will read back at home
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Post by Boomzilla on Apr 5, 2015 9:58:57 GMT -5
CLONE WARS! The Technics SL-1200 Mk. II The (new) Pioneer PLX-1000 The Audio Technica AT-LP-120
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Post by rohrej on Apr 5, 2015 11:36:46 GMT -5
Check out the U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus. I really like mine with the Grado Blue1 cart.
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Post by kauai82 on Apr 5, 2015 11:41:32 GMT -5
I have had many turntables during my addiction to vinyl. Dual, Thorens, Rega, and Music Hall. All the ones mentioned would fill the bill that you are looking for. I would suggest highly that you get a decent phono preamp to get the best sound possible. I would suggest that the TT with a built in phono preamp overall will not sound as good as separates. For the money and best sounding phono preamp is the Emotiva XPS -1. I bought a used xsp-1 preamp and was amazed at the total improvement in SQ of my system, but the phono sound was simply phenomenonal. The xsp-1 has essentially the same phono section a xps-1 and is a steal at $150.
If you get into vinyl and start buying used LP's invest in a record cleaning system. You can not go wrong with the Spin It system for $80. You will be amazed at how much better they sound when they have been "washed" !
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Post by vneal on Apr 5, 2015 16:40:06 GMT -5
I would consider PRO-JECT and REGA
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Post by deltadube on Apr 5, 2015 20:43:39 GMT -5
I like this starter.. its also a finisher!!! project xtension 10 evolution..
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Post by deltadube on Apr 5, 2015 20:46:24 GMT -5
Hi brandI'd like to offer an alternative to the belt-drive turntables offered by the other posters. Back in the day, when music listening was "turntable only" (unless you went reel-to-reel or cassette tape), I had a pair of turntables. One was the audiophile rave of the day - a Russell-Coco modified AR with an Infinity Black Widow tonearm. The other was one that was disparaged by audiophiles - a Technics SL-1200 Mk. II direct-drive with its own built-in tone arm of no particular audiophile merit. I equipped both of them with identical new cartridges - the legendary Denon 103s with a Shibata stylus. Both (low output, moving-coil) cartridges played into Sony HA-T10 step-up transformers and into the phono stage of a Van-Alstine-modified Dynaco PAS tube preamp. The output of the preamp fed an Adcom GFA-1 cube amplifier driving a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10a speakers. In the smaller room where this system was used, it provided (with either turntable) the most believable sound I've ever heard. The point of all this reminiscence is to emphasize that by ear, nobody (NOBODY) could tell whether the belt-drive AR or the direct-drive Technics was in use. So what? I'd suggest that you consider some of the inexpensive direct-drive turntables on the market rather than the (almost always pricier) belt-drive ones. Audio Technica, Pioneer, and others all make turntables in your price range that (with the better phono cartridges) rival the performance of the much more expensive turntables. I'm particularly enamored with the Pioneer PLX-1000 (reminds me of my old & dear Technics). The price, however, approaching $800, is beyond your stated budget. Other contenders would be the Audio-Technica AT-LP-120 USB. For $300, you get a muscular direct-drive turntable, the AT-95e cartridge included, a phono preamp included (connects to the line-level input of any preamp), and an A/D converter that allows you to digitize records, sending them directly to the USB inputs of your computer for archiving. The USB converter and the internal phono preamp are switch-bypassed, allowing you to use the turntable as a "plain" analog table. Two easy upgrades, down the line if you chose to keep this turntable, would to be upgrading to the Emotiva phono preamp and/or replacing the moving-magnet cartridge with a moving-coil unit. Alternately, buy a preamp with its own internal phono section (I'm happy with my XSP-1). So to sum up my own opinion (worth all that you pay for it), the phono cartridge makes more of a difference than the turntable & tone arm. Spend the bulk of your budget there. The phono preamp is also a critical factor in the ultimate sound quality. The built-in of the AT turntable is probably adequate, but I'd predict that you'll hear a difference going to the outboard Emotiva, or a built-in preamp phono stage. I'm also contemplating analog, and haven't reached a conclusion yet. Best of luck to you & happy shopping! Boomzilla hey boomer.. ive read some reviews on the net saying the project debut tt sounds superior to the audio technic at lp 120..
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,230
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Post by novisnick on Apr 5, 2015 20:51:50 GMT -5
I like this starter.. its also a finisher!!! project xtension 10 evolution.. I don't see it in your sig Bob,,,,,,,,,,,,
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Post by deltadube on Apr 5, 2015 20:58:35 GMT -5
i saw this one in yours Nick
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Post by deltadube on Apr 5, 2015 21:05:36 GMT -5
i would save up a bit more money and get into $1100 tables perhaps this one project xperience..
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novisnick
EmoPhile
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Post by novisnick on Apr 5, 2015 21:07:48 GMT -5
i saw this one in yours Nick A note about the Rega RP 6, the three point system used to relieve the table from vibration and noise is done very well. My TT sits no more then one foot distant from one of my Studio 100 speakers and there is NO audible sound/noise being picked up by the TT, cartridge or preamp. This is just amazing to me!! I can have the house shaking and have no problem with the Rega. I just love this TT. Q
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Post by deltadube on Apr 5, 2015 21:13:42 GMT -5
this one is only 899 but no longer in production rpm 5.1 nice
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Post by boscobear on Apr 5, 2015 22:42:35 GMT -5
At $1990. the Rega RP6 isn't exactly entry level, but it is in my opinion, today, the best TT for the price range. I plan on making this Rega TT my next purchase, I need to replace my very old B&O 3404 TT
I was wishing I would hear that Emotiva might produce a similar type of TT, with blue lighting through a glass platter.
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