eBay / Used Turntables: What to Look For?

[M0T0XGUY]

As the praise for and availability of vinyl records continues to flourish, it seems inevitable that I make a foray into the analogue market - after all, I already own Grado's and a tube amp.

Unfortunately, a necessary lens purchase for my DSLR is going to significantly limit the budget for this turntable - which is why I plan to turn to eBay or Audiogon in hopes of finding a bargain. I'm not looking for a particular "sound" from the record player (i.e. bright, detailed, etc.), but I do require that it contains the distinct characteristics of analogue music.

Keeping my situation in mind, which vintage and / or new turntables should I be looking for on auction web sites, for under, say, $200 US?

Best regards,
Nick

EDIT: I remember hearing good things about vintage Thorens record players, and there's a TD-160 up on e-Bay with a BIN of $225 US. Would this be considered a good deal?

 

[ethebull]

try this search:

belt -direct -crosley -numark items on eBay.com

 

[derekbmn]

I my experience it is very hard to go wrong with the vintage Thorens for the prices available on E-Bay. With a few simple tweaks/mods they are extremely good sounding TT's. If you do decide to purchase one , I would be happy to walk you through the modifications via PM.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

Thanks man; I'll continue to look into Thorens. Still, are there any other brands or specific models I should be aware of?

 

[bigshot]

Dual and Technics too.

Always buy used turntables on ebay LOCALLY. It is VERY hard to pack a turntable for safe shipment, and too many sellers bungle it and destroy perfectly good turntables in the process. You can search ebay for listings in your own area and go pick it up. Saves shipping and damage due to improper packing.

See ya
Steve

 

[FrankCooter]

I'll second and third the Thorens. Look for
a 124 with an SME 3009 arm. Get a couple of Altec 4722 step-up transformers
and a Denon 103 moving coil cartridge and
you'll have a giant killer phono system for
under a grand.

 

[derekbmn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankCooter /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll second and third the Thorens. Look for a 124 with an SME 3009 arm. Get a couple of Altec 4722 step-up transformers and a Denon 103 moving coil cartridge and you'll have a giant killer phono system for under a grand.

If you can find me a 124 WITH a 3009 under a grand PLEASE let me know where ! The 124 under a grand yes... but with the SME 3009 arm.... well it ain't going to happen in this day and age.The Altec step-ups are going for a VERY pretty penny also.

On another note ... Frank your amp Looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL !!!
They (amp and power supplies) look very worthy of a thread in the Amplification forum all their own, and I'm sure other who have not happened to see pics of them in the meet immpressions section would love too. I know I would love to hear more about them. Please

 

[FrankCooter]

I guess times have changed. Two years ago I sold an exellent 124
with a 3009 arm for about $550 on Ebay. A couple of years before
that I bought 3 Altec 4722 for $125.00, also on Ebay.

Thankyou for the complement on my amp. It was both a labor of love and a good bit of luck. A number of people have expressed
interest in it. If I can figure out how to post pictures, I'll start a thread in the next couple of days. If you'll PM me I'd be happy to
share circuit diagrams and construction details.

 

[ssportclay]

Thorens,Technics,and earlier better made Duals are always good choices.Search for a good used turntable list on this forum posted by Memepool.Lots of good options there.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankCooter /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll second and third the Thorens. Look for a 124 with an SME 3009 arm. Get a couple of Altec 4722 step-up transformers and a Denon 103 moving coil cartridge and you'll have a giant killer phono system for under a grand.

While I'm sure that this behemoth of a system sounds fantastic, I must reiterate my strict budget of <$250; I simply don't have the funds right now to purchase a better setup. Of course, I recognize the need for other associated equipment besides the turntable itself - and thus wouldn't mind spending a bit more for a cartridge if necessary (I already have a presumably decent phono pre-amp, so I'm saving some money there).

 

[M0T0XGUY]

On the subject of Dual, are there any specific models I should be aware of, or stay away from? And what are your opinions on this specific turntable: Dual 1209

 

[M0T0XGUY]

Bump - I just received a paycheck, and am thus starting to take this turntable idea a bit more seriously.

Also, it seems as though there are an abundance of vintage Technics and Duals available on eBay, so, specifically, what models from these brands should I be looking for?

 

[SenjStevo]

I'm interested in buying a 160 or a 150 Thoren having heard some pretty good things about them. I'm a little worried about buying from ebay though, and getting a broken one in the post, but i don't really have much choice. I doubt there will be any sellers in Edinburgh.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenjStevo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm interested in buying a 160 or a 150 Thoren having heard some pretty good things about them. I'm a little worried about buying from ebay though, and getting a broken one in the post, but i don't really have much choice. I doubt there will be any sellers in Edinburgh.

There are some eBay sellers who pack well. I saw one that wrote a eBay guide on how to pack a turntable for shipping. It involved a lot of packing, custom cut cardboard, etc. He also charged $60 for shipping in the States. If you do go mail order, skip anyone who has low shipping, and for those that have high shipping, find out how they pack before bidding. You can also limit your search by distance from you. You never know, someone near you my be selling. Or even far from you if you're willing to drive a ways.

 

[kwiniarz]

Thorens TD-160 turntable+ SME IIIs tonearm+ AT95E cart! - (eBay.ca item 250221715209 end time 09-Mar-08 17:02:45 EDT)