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Turntable questions (1 Viewer)

John Besse

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I listen to a lot of Porcupine Tree and European prog-rock bands that release limited edition vinyls, and over the past two or three years I've been picking up a whole bunch of albums for no apparent reason. I don't have a turntable and was wondering if it is worth buying one, or selling off the albums... So, what I'm looking for is some advice on how to purchase a turntable as I know nothing about them.

After doing some research, I realize that the phono cartridge makes the most difference in sound quality. Is it smart to buy a cheap player like an Audio Technica AT-PL50 for like $75 and purchase something like the Goldring Elektra MM Phono Cartridge to mount onto a cheaper turntable? I was looking at the Music Hall MMF 2.1, but really don't want to spend about $300 on a player that I probably won't use too much.

Really what I'm looking to find out is... What is the difference between purchasing a cheaper player and adding a good cartridge Vs. spending more money on better name?
 

greg_t

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While the cartridge is very important, it's not the only factor. You also have to consider things such as quality of the tonearm, ability to adjust settings such as VTA, isolation properties of the table, potential for vibration from the motor, etc. While a good cartridge will make any turntable better, they are other factors that are also very important when considering a turntable.
 

Philip Hamm

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A new entry level Technics turntable should be perfectly adequate for your needs unless you consider yourself an "audiophile".
 

Charles Gurganus

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Just sell me the PT LP's and be done with the turntable madness! :D

Short of doing that, I'll second the Technics. You are still going to spend $200 with a decent p-mount cartridge for either the bd20 or bd22 model table (or more).

You could buy used. I see some bd20's on ebay for $25 refurbished. Add the $25 shipping and a good p-mount Audio Technica and you should be good to go.
 

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

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My experience with turntables is limited, since I only bought two and still have one of them. Both were budget models, but I can tell you it made an audible improvement moving up from a $40 Shure cartridge to their then-top-of-the-line V15 Type V-MR. So don’t skimp on the cartridge, even if you do get a budget turn table.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 

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