Turntables: New or Vintage? (1 Viewer)

[Ted Lee]

lol...thanks rachel. yeah, i know it's a hoopdy (sp?) turntable...which is why, in over a year, i haven't bitten the bullet yet. i just gotta decide what i'm gonna do i suppose. obviously i'm in no rush these days.

 

[KrisM]

If your budget is $100, you should go used. Maybe I'm wrong, but from what I've read, there are not decent new tables at $100. I used a newer, borrowed Sony table($150CDN) that was just junk. It played records, but it didn't work well and the build quality was terrible.
I found a used Marantz 6200 for $7 that works for my needs. I don't plan on using it forever, but I'm planning on saving up for a better table in the future.
The only thing you have to worry about with used tables is the belt, if it's belt drive, and the stylus and/or cartridge. In most cases the belt and stylus will have to be changed, so keep that in mind with your budget. My $7 table needed a $12 belt and a $30 stylus.
Also, don't forget a phono pre-amp. Most new recievers don't have a phono input.

Good-luck
KrisM

 

[Rachael B]

Hey Matt, I've turned up two possibles at a stereo repair shop. They're both direct-drive, one Dual and the other Denon. I have a few other places to scope out before I get serious about a decision. I like the Denon the most of my 2 possibles. I forget the model # but it has light sensors on the platter that sense if a record and what size it is on there.

Have you had any luck yet? Mary Krissmuth!

 

[Matt Fisher]

I've been looking into used Marantz and B&O's cause I think I like the uniqueness of the pieces, and I should be able to pick one up for under $100 in good condition. I figure that should hold me off for a few years until I'm ready to put together a serious system and throw down a few hundred for a good tt, then just have this used one for bedroom use or such. Let me know if you get the Denon though, that looked like a real solid player.

 

[Chu Gai]

Another thought would be some of the Stantons over at your local Guitar Center where you'll find models with digital out so you can take all those records, turn them into wavs or mp3's and clean up the garbage. They usually discount 50% or so.

 

[Don C]

Hey Matt,

First off, if your budget is limited to 150 dollars, forget about buying new, period. You won't find anything but cheap plastic crap for that kind of money nowadays. You'll have to buy a pre-owned unit.

If you're serious about finding a quality turntable, the best advice I can give you is - educate yourself. Learn all you can about how turntables work, how to read specs, and most importantly, how to properly set up and adjust your table once you have bought it. There's more involved than just slapping a record on and flipping a switch. And don't forget about record cleaning! You can still get a decent record brush for twenty bucks or so. Probably the best place to learn all this stuff is where you're at right now, the internet. Do a Google search for "vintage turntables", and you'll find lots of sites that will tell you all you need to know.

There are vintage audio equipment dealers who advertise their wares on the net. If you look at the turntable section, you'll see a variety of classic brands and models, along with frequent comments by the store owner. He might not have anything in your price range, but you may learn what models are good just by looking at his website. Garage sales are still good places to snag classic gear at college student prices. Try the Goodwill store! I found my Pioneer PL-600 direct drive table at the Salvation Army store, complete with Grado cartridge. Thirty bucks!!! And it sounds great. You never know what you'll find. Ebay also has a big selection of classic turntables for auction. You're bound to find something on there that will appeal to you.

I'm sure that if you find a particular table you're thinking of buying, the folks in this forum will be glad to tell you if it's a goodie or just a dog. Happy hunting! Tell us what you find.

 

[Ricky c]

FWIW i picked up a stanton str8-100 at a pawnshop for 100.00 last week looks & works great.It's a dj turntable but 4 the price could'nt beat it.I dont have a phono-in on my receiver but this TT can be conected linein or phono so i have it thru linein.It retails for over 300.00.

 

[Don C]

Hi again,

Here's a couple of links to check out. They have good used turntables (with catridge) in your price range.

members.aol.com/KDresch/audio.net.html

playitagainsam.com