[Xevion]

I am looking for an inexpensive turntable. This is to be a christmas gift for my non-audiophile mother, so she can listen to her collection of LPs. Max price is $150, I was told that belt drive is better for reiability reasons, and I need a phono preamp included in the player (Our current reciever has a phonograph in, but we will br replacing it within the year). It also needs to be readily avalible at a mass market store, the local high end shop won't carry anything this cheap with a phono preamp.

So far, it looks like I will be getting a Denon DP26F, unless an inexpensive Technics player is a better idea. That $150 limit is completely immovable, I am completely tapped out and couldn't afford more without selling some of my stuff, which tends to go towards more stuff in my setup anyway.

So, basically, if it is a terrible player and I should get something else, please tell me I am making a mistake.

I might get a couple LPs myself, but I have decided to avoid going the analog route in my setup because I decided that stuff like music, better speakers, and better amplification are more important, amongst other things like car payments, computer upgrade and the like.

 

[meithkiller]

Actually a direct drive turntable should be more reliable, yet supposedly sound worse than a belt drive. I bought two direct-drive Technics turntables used in the last few years. One is now 25 years old, the other 20 years old. Both only needed a new cartridge, otherwise they work as good as new. A belt-drive turntable typically needs a belt every few years.

-Keith

 

[Xevion]

Okay, I don't think a belt every few years is a big deal. Is the sound drastically better or are we talking about small differences here?

 

[meithkiller]

"Real audiophiles" (the kind who buy $10,000 turntables and swear they sound better than anything digital that has ever been or will ever be produced) say you get motor hum from direct drive turntables and the belt helps isolate the platter from the motor on belt-drive machines. I am perfectly happy with my oldest Technics (SL-2000) I bought used from my brother-in-law for $50, it sounds great to me and was close to the top (or at the top) of their lineup when it was made about 25 years ago. Maybe I don't know what I'm missing by not owning a $500+ belt driven turntable and a $300 cartridge, but I have a hard time spending a mint on a medium that will still have clicks and pops at any price level with my LP's and wears on the playing surface and cartridge (microscopically) everytime a record is played. I still enjoy listening to my records, but I'm not willing to spend a lot of money upgrading.

That being said, a direct-drive or belt-drive should work equally well in your application given the rest of the features are present.

-Keith

 

[Hirsch]

I'd rather have a good direct drive table than a bad belt drive one. Denon makes decent tables (I have an older Denon direct drive table that does fine, although it was a bit more expensive than the one you're looking at).

Although most of the high priced tables tend to be belt driven, "real audiophiles" never complained too much about the Goldmunds which, IIRC, were direct drive except for their top of the line table (well over $10,000).

BTW, don't let the need for a phono preamp decide which table you get. Radio Shack makes a battery-powered phono preamp that sells for $25, and is reportedly as good as most low-priced (under $200) phono preamps on the market. Check out the vinyl asylum at audioasylum.com, and use the search term "Little Rat".

 

[huy_ha]

I have a direct drive (spindle?) Technics SL-Q300 from the 80's. Since I don't know anyone with an audiophile turntable setup, I guess I don't know what I'm missing. What I do know is that my setup, which cost around 225, sounds pleasant. The TT I got used for 60 bucks, and sounded okay with the cheapie Audio-Technica cartridge, used Creek OBH-8 for 100. Grado also makes P-mount cartridges, so if you need to upgrade, it's not a problem. My point, even if it's not audiophile, an inexpensive TT setup done right is still very satisfying.

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by Xevion Okay, I don't think a belt every few years is a big deal. Is the sound drastically better or are we talking about small differences here?

I'm using a Rega P3/Benz Glider now, but for years I used a $100 Sony PS-LX2 direct drive TT/Shure V15 Radio Shack clone cartridge. It sounded wonderful. Your mother just wants to play her records- belt drive...schmelt drive. She'll be very happy with a record player, period!

 

[KurtW]

I agree with most of the comments here; for a budget system I wouldn't worry about what kind of drive the turntable has as long as there's no audible wow and flutter. I haven't really heard them but I would guess most of the TT on the market today are fine in this regard. Also at some point you'll be limited by the quality of the rest of the system.

I have the same Rega P3/Benz Glider as RickG in my study system and it sounds better than my old but still enjoyable Technics Direct Drive/Grado I had used with this system for several years before. There was nothing really wrong with the old setup, it just doesn't sound as good as the new one, particularly in the timing and pace of the music and the overal clarity. The Glider is a $750 moving coil cartridge so at least some of the credit goes to it; I haven't compared the two tables with the same cartridge. But as others here have indicated, you don't need this level of system to get enjoyment from records.

 

[Xevion]

Quote:

Also at some point you'll be limited by the quality of the rest of the system.

Yes, and it quite frankly sucks at the moment (Bose 301s, but the reciever is a nice old Akai, its a 50wX4 reciever that really has some guts (Noticably more powerful then my "70w" Yamaha).

Okay, so phono preamp dosen't matter, and the one I am looking at should work ok? Ill get it then. Thanks for the help

 

[Trawlerman]

I use a Rega Planar3/RB300/Blue Point with an EAR 834p. Total cost is around £1000 and sounds very nice.

However, I recently rescued a 1979 direct drive Pioneer PL-1000 from a junk sale for next to nothing. It needed a little work, the bridge rectifier in the PSU had to be replaced and the audio output cables and earth had to be replaced as they were badly damaged. A good clean up and a new £20 cartridge from AudioTechnica (AT110) and it was as good as new. Admittedly it dosn't come up to the same standard of the Rega but hell, for a few quid it doesn't do bad.

Also have a Dual CS-506 from same era. Got that at the local CashConvertors for £30.

You might want to look out for similar deals in your area.



Good listening

 

[jtaylor991]

Audio Technica AT-PL50 is fine. Fully autoatic, which she will like. Plays 7inchers too, and has a switch (for auto placement at the beginning of it and speed) and adapter for the bigger hole to put in the center.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-PL50-Drive-Turntable/dp/B00006HO3O
 

 

[Manyak]

Check out some garage sales in your area, or on craigslist. There are plenty of vintage turntables to be had, some of which are even better today's cheaper models once you give them some TLC.
 
But really, your mother just wants to listen to her records...she's not going to care what sort of drive system it uses or if the cartridge is MC or MM. Just get her something that won't stick out like a sore thumb in her living room (like those Jensens or Crosleys from Target) and I'm sure she'll love it.