Turntable Advice (1 Viewer)

[Dave Moritz]

I am hoping that someone here is really knowledgeable about turntables. I am hoping to someday get a Clear Audio turntable for a high end turntable. But for now until I get working again and can afford many other upgrades. I have my choice between two turntables and I would like someones opinion on what is the better model?

I have a Onkyo Integra CP-1055 F2 with a Pearl cartridge (am currently looking for the box to find the exact model of cartridge). The other turntable is a JVC QL-50 with a Sure Series 3S tone arm and a Sure M95HE cartridge. Am wondering what turntable would give me the best results. The Onkyo needs two islation feet replaced and a new dustcover if I can find one still. Both turntables are qartz lock and direct drive. I realize that nether are high end models but would rather use the one with the best caracteristics. I would appreciate some help from any turntable guru's that might be out there?

Thanks in advance

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

A tough choice since both tables are mid-line. The Pearl is made by Sumiko, a higher-end brand. Not sure how good the Shure is, I think it may be (have been?) a middle-line offering.

It's a good thing that both are direct drive. Belts get brittle and break and can be difficult to replace, especially if you have a vintage 'table.

Something to consider is the turntable’s weight. A heavier unit theoretically would be a better one, because it should have better isolation qualities. This is especially critical with a direct-drive model (they don’t get the “free” isolation of a belt-drive). Actually, considering their age it's a good thing that both are direct drive. Belts get brittle and break, and it can be a problem finding replacements.

Features are something else to consider. I would definitely take a semi-automatic over a straight-up manual model, as well as a dampened cue function.

I think the make-or-break would be the cartridge for which you could get a replacement stylus. Replacing the stylus on a used cartridge is an absolute must, IMO, especially if your records have any value to you. A bad stylus will ruin a record.

If you can’t get a stylus for either, definitely look into replacing the cartridge with a new one, the best you can afford. It shouldn’t be hard to find some good ones from the above-mentioned brands or perhaps Grado or Audio-Technica on eBay.

I say “the best you can afford” because good cartridges are definitely worth it from a SQ perspective. That’s going to make the difference more than any “characteristics” that two similarly-priced tables might offer. The first turntable I ever owned was a lower-line Technics model. A few years later I put a top-of-the-line Shure V15 Type V-MR on it that cost as much as the ’table did. Made a world of difference compared to the $40 cartridge that came off.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Dave Moritz]

This is good to know, i really appreciate your input on this matter. The Onkyo is an automatic turntable but it has its issues. Two of the isolation feet are damaged and the auto play button is messed up so I have to mess with it most of the time to get it to work. The JVC is a manual turntable but seems to have less of a feedback problem with record with low recording levels. Also the JVC has a tone are the pivits and lets you bring the tome arm rest closer to the plater. And it has a stop feature that literally stops the plater so it does not coast when you want to change or just remove records. The JVC has a Sure tone arm that looks alot more trick than the Onkyo. It also has a very small weight that hang of a pully at the rear of the tone arm and split weights for ballance vs the single one on most turntables. I am not sure how old the Sure cartridge is but the Pearl is not that old and has not been used very much.

I will take your advice on buying a nicer cartridge when I can afford it. Not really sure about going with Grado? I know I would not go with an Ortiphon or how ever its spelled, lol. I used to have a cartridge that was a high-end Audio Technica that was called Precept and I might still have the cartridge around somewhere? That got damaged many years ago when I dj'd a party at a freinds house and the slylus ended up broken. For now I just want to use on of these two turntables. I need to upgrade my 5.1 receiver to 6.1 (min) HD video switching and I want to get a hd video projector and upgrade my center and rear speakers.

Thanks for the input as it was very helpfull,

Dave Moritz
Whittier, CA