[PianoBlack]

Great!

Thanks, Tuberoller! I'll start looking around again (in a couple of weeks after finals) and you can expect to get a PM from me right about then.

Heh. Wasted a week on the student market where people only offered DJing turntables (ie. expensive with tons of features I'll never use). Should have come straight here.

In other words: good thread.

 

[OneMalt]

I've got an SL-1900 that I bought in 1975. It's the oldest piece of audio equipment I own and still going strong! I'm using an AT moving-coil cartridge and a Carver moving-coil head amp...it seems to better pull the highs out of my vinyl.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I have a phono stage. Will be purchasing a table to be joining it soon...

 

[gloco]

Oh my, i'm gone for a day or two and look what tune started

I have an old Fisher turntable from the mid 80's (circa '84?).

I had to change the stylus about 5 years ago when my mom was nice enough to "clean" the turntable when i went out. I paid about $50-60 for the stylus and it sounds great for what its worth. I've never had the actual table give me any trouble at all, i'm sure my family has logged thousands of hours onto it

Ahhh, i love vinyl...the Taxi Driver soundtrack pressed on 180g never sounded better through my electrets

 

[TimSchirmer]

I've got an older CEC on the way right now. I got a good deal on it (60$) and I hope it works out okay. I have yet to find the perfect cartridge combo for this table. I do know it comes with some kind of Audio-Technica cart. If i do indeed fall in love with vinyl, I may move up to a used systemdek. Here is a picture of the CEC:

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm thinking about a Rega P2 (or clone) or the Music Hall MMF5 -- any recommendations on which way I should lean? And why?

Criteria: I'm a rock'n'roller at heart, so a full-frequency response is a must (or at least, as much as possible). However, even though I listen to a large amount of ridiculously processed material, I'm still interested in accuracy.

If it already comes with a cartridge (to get me started), that would be a plus.

PS Yes, yes, I know, go over to Audio Asylum's analog forum...I will...

 

[Anders]

I have no idea of which of the P2 and MMF5 is best. Both seem to be good entry level decks. An advantage of the Rega is that the arm is upgradable with third party kits and then can come close to much more expensive arms.
The deck and arm don't have much to do with rock and roll, more setting the limit for what you can achieve. Next step is to select a cartridge that is suitable for rock. Here it is more about dynamics and slam than absolute tonal accuracy. Many of the relativeley inexpensive MM cartridges seem to be suitable for this, the Grados, Goldring 1012/22 etc. I expect the stock Rega cartridge with P2 also will work well.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Not to out-humble anybody, but I use a Pioneer 516 belt drive table with a Grado Red. Not the best combination in the world (the carts worth 4 times the table) but it works for me until I can get my Rega - but thats still a year or two off. If the vinyl is clean, I'll take it over CDs (I have several LP/CD duplicates) 90% of the time. My dream system would have seperate tables (actually seperate systems) for stereo and mono. Ahhhh, to dream......

At last count I had close to 500 albums, not counting the 150 or so that are my Dad's that I am the only one who listens to them. I actually reduced my stack by about 50 a few weeks ago when I took a stack of stuff I don't like (Rodger Williams, 101 Strings, bad Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra re-issues, etc) and traded them for a stack of stuff more to my liking - less truely is more.

Pianoblack: FYI, do not buy a used turntable, unless it comes in the original box, if you have to have it shipped UPS. And then, you want the original box put in another box. I know of three tables that UPS has trashed and then not paid for.

 

[PianoBlack]

thanks for the tip audio redneck!

i actually just got a whole bunchload of free CDs (woohoo for roomates who interned at Entertainment Weekly and have lots of friends in the music business)...so I don't see myself doing vinyl until perhaps the middle of summer.

But really, for me, when I do get a table, I'd rather go through tubreoller than some guy off ebay. he seems totally on top of it, so I'm worry-free...

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally posted by PianoBlack thanks for the tip audio redneck! ...... But really, for me, when I do get a table, I'd rather go through tubreoller than some guy off ebay. he seems totally on top of it, so I'm worry-free...

You're welcome and a wise move. I buy n' sell stuff on ebay, but after the horror stories I've heard, I stay away from TTs.

Tuberoller, I'd like to see photos of the factory, too.

Are any of you guys Phonogrammers?

 

[TimSchirmer]

I am currently using a CEC turntable with some cheap Audio-Technica cart...and I am loving it. Lol...i also noticed that when you tweak vinyl, the improvements are actually AUDIBLE.

 

[elipsis]

I have a bunch of old vinyl and a turntable, but I'm too clumsy. I'm forever dropping the needle onto the record and scratching it.

For my uses, CD is far superior. More durable, less prone to degradation, etc. I know it's not a perfect format, but I consider it superior to vinyl on my system.

 

[WIJGALT]

VPI HW19 MK III
SME 309
Lyra Lydian Beta
Lehmann Black Cube Phono pre
Cardas Neutral Reference Phono cable

And the following accessories (lending credence to the anti-vinyl people cause SEEDEES are so much simpler to own & play):

Nitty Gritty 2.5 vacuum, RRL #9 Stylus Cleaner, Disc Doctor fluids,
Shure VTF gauge, Hunt record brush etc., etc.

Vinyl is much more involving - physically & sonically. That in a nutshell is the tradeoff.

And no matter what, vinyl playback WILL INVOLVE A HIGHER NOISE LEVEL. Newbees weaned on SEEDEE silence should be aware of that.

 

[elipsis]

Quote:

Originally posted by WIJGALT Vinyl is much more involving - physically & sonically. That in a nutshell is the tradeoff. And no matter what, vinyl playback WILL INVOLVE A HIGHER NOISE LEVEL. Newbees weaned on SEEDEE silence should be aware of that.

Yeah. Precisely why I mostly couldn't be bothered with vinyl.

 

[grinch]

i'm really getting more and more interested in vinyl these days and can't wait to purchase a turntable. the only thing is, i have next-to-no knowledge when it comes to it. the rega p3 looks really good to me and close to my price range, but i need to know what kind of cartridge to get and also what kind of phono stage to get (and to make sure that they're compatible).

i'd love to buy from the local shop i bought my sugden from but they seem kinda overpriced for me. i can find the p3 online for around $750 and they wanted $875 for it.. but i'm sure they could give me good advice as far as what to buy and stuff. help me damnit!

the only thing that's really slowing me down is now i just don't have space for a turntable where i live. i want to move and buy speakers and a turntable.. oh well, soon enough.