[003]

I got myself a Technics SL-Q200 turntable for free. Somebody was throwing it out, so I saved it from the junk pile. It says "Quartz" on it and it is a "Direct Drive Automatic turntable". Also, it came with a free LP called "flying fish".

Now I know northing about vinyl or anything related to it. I see it has a line out on the back. If I were to hook it up to my MPX3, would it be that easy?

I don't know what a cartridge, needle or stylus is but I see these terms a lot when it comes to vinyl. Can somebody please enlighten me to what they are and how they relate to vinyl? I know the thing at the end of the rod on turntables has a lot to do with sound quality and the can be really expensive, and I know it's name is probably one of those three things I mentioned above.

Anyway, the brand of the one on this turntable is shure, and the bottom part which makes contact with the LP is pretty dirty with dust and hair.

 

[Mazuki]

You'll need to RIAA equalise it with a phono preamp.

 

[003]

...umm? what?

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...umm? what?

You cannot plug a turntable directly into a line level input i.e CD Tuner Aux inputs. The output level is far too low (mV rather than whole volts) and the signal has been massively equalised to fit onto vinyl - simply amping the signal will not give a listenable sound.

To cope with this you need a separate circuit (phono stage) which has the equalization (RIAA) required to get back a proper signal as well as to bring the signal up to line level i.e ~ 1 to 2 V.

Old amps and receivers had this phono stage built in so you just plugged the TT into the "phono" socket - many modern amps do not do this.

You can buy stand-alone phono stages which you plug in between the TT and the line level input of the amp.

Cartridge - Needle - Stylus
--------------------------

The cartridge is the thing that generates the signal - it is normally a set of small coils with a magnet in the middle of them (moving magnet) or vice versa (moving coil) - the needle (stylus) plugs into the cartridge body and as it goes round the groove the magnet vibrates and the coils generate a very tiny signal.

 

[003]

Ok, so I took the cartridge off the turntable and I think it needs to be replaced. First, it broke in two, and a lot of oxidized copper fell out, and second, the inside and all it's parts are caked with crud. As I mentioned before, it was a shure cartridge. I looked at the current cartridges shure offers and this one looks nice:
http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/P...a_M92E_content

And do I need a separate needle or does it come with the cartridge?

Will it fit and work properly with this turntable?

I have no idea about a phono stage, though. How much do they cost? Do they vary in quality? What would be a good, basic phono stage to get? I don't want anything remotely expensive. Keep in mind, I saved this turntable from the trash and the only LP I have is the one that was still on it.

If I like it, I might look into getting more, because people always talk about how cheap vinyl is.

 

[Ingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, so I took the cartridge off the turntable and I think it needs to be replaced. First, it broke in two, and a lot of oxidized copper fell out, and second, the inside and all it's parts are caked with crud. As I mentioned before, it was a shure cartridge. I looked at the current cartridges shure offers and this one looks nice: http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/P...a_M92E_content And do I need a separate needle or does it come with the cartridge? Will it fit and work properly with this turntable? I have no idea about a phono stage, though. How much do they cost? Do they vary in quality? What would be a good, basic phono stage to get? I don't want anything remotely expensive. Keep in mind, I saved this turntable from the trash and the only LP I have is the one that was still on it. If I like it, I might look into getting more, because people always talk about how cheap vinyl is.

I believe your TT uses "P-mount" cartridges. You would have to find one that is P-mount instead of standard mount. They make the Grado Black in a P-Mount for $40, I think. **EDIT** - I think the cart. you linked to can be P-Mount or standard mount.
I first bought a phono-stage from guitar center for ~$50, but I took it back because it didn't sound very good and there is a better one in that price range. This is the one I have now: TCC TC-750LC M/M Phono Preamp

The record that you have that says "Flying Fish" is probably a bluegrass or folk album on the "Flying Fish" record label. I have a lot of Flying Fish recordings and all of them are bluegrass/folk. They all have very good recording quality consequently. If that record is scratched up or warped, you don't want to play it, though.

Check out my "Trying To Get Into Vinyl" Thread at the bottom of this page. Most of the vinyl afficianados from head-fi gave great suggestions in that thread.

 

[003]

Thanks. So I assume whatever cartridge I get will come with the needle and everything?

That preamp looks good, but why does it have a volume control? Can it be bypassed?

 

[Ingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks. So I assume whatever cartridge I get will come with the needle and everything? That preamp looks good, but why does it have a volume control? Can it be bypassed?

The volume control is there if you want to record your records to digital using your PC soundcard and you need to adjust the gain to lower the noise floor. No need to bypass the volume control, if you're going to run it into a stereo just turn it all the way up. Remember that's an analog volume control, so you're not really losing anything when you use it you're just adding/subtracting resistance.

Yes, most all cartridges come with a stylus, AFAIK. (stylus=needle)

 

[003]

Ok, I have cleaned up the turntable really nicely. I have also went and ordered the TC-750LC M/M Phono Preamp, as well a a brand new Shure M92E cartridge from amazon.

I hope this a nice entry into vinyl...

 

[003]

Ok I have some questions. First, the correct speed for a standard LP is 33, correct?

Second, there is a switch on the turntable called "cueing". It has two settings. If switched to the left, there is a picture of the point of a triangle touching down on a straight line. If it is set to the right, there is a picture of a triangle with it's point raised from the straight line. I am no genius but I assume the triable represents the stylus and the straight line represents an LP. What does this switch do and how should it be set?

Third, I noticed on the back of the tonearm, there is a small switch with the settings 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5. It is on 1.25. What does this do and how should it be set?

Finally, I found the specs of this turntable online. They are:
0.025% wow & flutter, -78 dB rumble and ±0.002% speed inaccuracy. I have no idea how to interpret them. Is this a DECENT turntable? Keep in mind I am not expecting it to be anything super high end.

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok I have some questions. First, the correct speed for a standard LP is 33, correct?

Strictly speaking 33 and one third rpm but yes.

Quote:

Second, there is a switch on the turntable called "cueing". It has two settings. If switched to the left, there is a picture of the point of a triangle touching down on a straight line. If it is set to the right, there is a picture of a triangle with it's point raised from the straight line. I am no genius but I assume the triable represents the stylus and the straight line represents an LP. What does this switch do and how should it be set?

The cue switch raises and lowers the tonearm onto and off the LP - when the line and the triangle meet the neeedle is on the LP.

Quote:

Third, I noticed on the back of the tonearm, there is a small switch with the settings 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5. It is on 1.25. What does this do and how should it be set?

That is probably tracking weight and shows the tracking weight in grams - this is a bit fiddly - when you get your new cartridge installed you will need to balance the tonearm and then set the tracking weight to the value reccomended by the Cartridge manufacturer.

To do this you set the tracking weight to zero and carefully move the weight backwards or forwards until the tonearm sits just above the LP surface, i.e it is balanced - then adjust the tracking weight as required.


Quote:

Finally, I found the specs of this turntable online. They are: 0.025% wow & flutter, -78 dB rumble and ±0.002% speed inaccuracy. I have no idea how to interpret them. Is this a DECENT turntable? Keep in mind I am not expecting it to be anything super high end.

I have no idea what your turntable will sound like but the specs are perfectly respectable i.e the extraneous noise from the TT will be below the level that you will actually get from almost any LP and the thing is reasonably good for pitch.

 

[003]

I looked at the specs of the cartridge I got, and it says the optimum tracking force is 1.25g. If it is already set to 1.25g, can I just plug in the cartridge and be ready to go?

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I looked at the specs of the cartridge I got, and it says the optimum tracking force is 1.25g. If it is already set to 1.25g, can I just plug in the cartridge and be ready to go?

Only if the new cartridge is the same weight as the cartridge that used to be there. If not the tracking will not be accurate. If it tracks too light it will skip, if it tracks too heavy it will damage LPs. The arm is basically a lever balanced at the back and a different cartridge may not weight the same.

A cartridge can weigh anything from 5 to about 10 grams, if your arm has been balanced with a 5g cartridge and you put a 10g cartridge in it it will track too heavily. You will probably notice this as the stylus will disappear up into the cartrdge body

 

[003]

Ok.

Some more questions about cueing. When I put on a LP to play, I position the tonearm by hand over the start of the LP, and then set the cueing switch to lower the stylus? And then when I want to stop a LP, do I press stop and then flip the cueing switch, or first flip the cueing switch and then press stop?

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok. Some more questions about cueing. When I put on a LP to play, I position the tonearm by hand over the start of the LP, and then set the cueing switch to lower the stylus? And then when I want to stop a LP, do I press stop and then flip the cueing switch, or first flip the cueing switch and then press stop?

Yes for the first part, I would suggest lifting the arm before stopping the turntable or you will get a rather strange sound as the table decelerates