[brunorod]

I have a small collection of vinyl that I've been collecting for a while now but I don't have anything to play them on. I listen to music through my Logitech speakers on my computer. Kinda sad compared to head-fi's standard I know but my budget is very limited. I have some christmas money to spend and I would like you guys to steer me in the right direction.
 
 
 
For the Turntable, I was looking to spend about $100 max on a used one from ebay. What models, brands, etc. should I look for.
 
I can get around $300 for the speakers, what's my best bet on those?
 
Finally, the amp, I have no clue on these, I can spend about $100-200 on one.
 
 
Hopefully some of you guys can help me, I'm kinda lost right now, there's literally thousands of options in ebay. Thanks for the help!

 

[soulrider4ever]

I can't help you much on the turntable but for speakers / amp at that price range.
 
I'd go with HSU HB-1 MkII (http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html)
and for amp, def go with a T-Amp of some kind, best bang for your buck.
 
Either this http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-812
or http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-383

 

[brunorod]

Thanks for the help soulrider. I don't know if HSU ships to Spain, I should have probably mentioned that I need Worldwide Shipping in the first post. I'll look into those T-Amps. Thanks for the help. Also, I'd love to get more help and suggestions from everybody!

 

[falis]

Make sure your amp/receiver has a phono stage, or be sure to get one to put between the turntable and everything else. http://www.phonopreamps.com has some inexpensive and very nice sounding models.

 

[Skylab]

This EBay seller seems to be offering some nice used turntables - note that I CANNOT vouch for the seller, but he's got some ni e used decks with new cartridges in your approximate price range.

http://cgi.ebay.com/JVC-JL-A15-Reconditioned-Belt-Drive-New-AT-92E-Cart-/260643234513

 

[Lechango]

Check your local craigslist for turntables. You won't really be able to find a retail new turntable for under $100 that is worth a crap, but you'd be surprised how well vintage tables hold up. I picked up a pl-518 for $40 and used some deoxit on it and it works like new. If you do buy on craigslist know that you will most likely need a new cartridge, there are definitely some good ones out there under $100. 
 
Just realized you're in spain, I'm guessing spain has classifieds similar to craigslist?

 

[jerico]

I don't want to sound like a sap on the situation, but in my experience (having gone into the vinyl rabbit hole, twice now) getting vinyl to really sound better than good digital, you have to pony up a decent amount of cash on your equipment (at least relative to what a good digital rig costs).
 
I started out with an entry level setup (maybe about $750 in total for table/cart/phono stage) and it just didn't do anything for me.  Some stuff sounded cool, other stuff... pretty disappointing relative to digital.  After a while, I decided I didn't want to give up on it and had some cash to burn, and plonked down considerably more - hoping that I wouldn't be on the upgrade wagon again anytime soon - and after that second time, I had that 'wow, I get it' experience with vinyl.  Even since then, I've upgraded my phono stage (again, considerably!) and right now, it's really an enjoyable setup.  But I think vinyl is one of those 'all in' things - it's tough to test the water with it, when for similar amounts of money you can get good digital sound.
 
Don't get me wrong - I really dig my vinyl setup.  Just playing devil's advocate here - perhaps consider saving up for a bit, and save a bit of outlay on the "first attempt to second attempt" upgrade.
 
Again, I don't want to discourage you from vinyl - just want to share my experience with you, as maybe it can save you some hard-earned coin in the long run.
 
Best,
 
J

 

[wuwhere]

I went that path too, VPI table with an air bearing tonearm, with an lp clamp, high output moving coil, tube phono preamp, dedicated table stand loaded with lead shots. VPI vinyl cleaner, anti-static gun, VTF gauge. Unless you have a big lp collection, specially direct to disk lps, mofis, etc... (I had quite a few at the time, sold most of them) its not worth it.

 

[Lechango]

Maybe I just don't have audiophile ears. But my vinyl setup that I spent about $250 on (turntable, cartridge, pre-amp) sounds better than my digital setup, but that only consists of a uDac, so maybe if I spent $250 on a dac I would have different opinions. 
 
Also do note my turntable and pre-amp (receiver) are both vintage 70s pieces which together retailed for probably around $500+ combined at the time.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

I don't want to sound like a sap on the situation, but in my experience (having gone into the vinyl rabbit hole, twice now) getting vinyl to really sound better than good digital, you have to pony up a decent amount of cash on your equipment (at least relative to what a good digital rig costs).
 

While that *may* be true, it misses the whole point of vinyl, IMO.  There is a ton of great music you can get on vinyl for very, very little money.  I regularly buy LP's in fantastic condition for $1 each at a local used record shop, and sometime I can get great records at Garage sales for 10 cents.  Compared to $1 for lossy-compressed downloads of one song, the LP is a huge bargain.  Vinyl is not just about audiophile fireworks.  It's about a better way to collect great music.
 
And IMO, a decent vintage direct-drive turntable with a new entry-level AT or Shure cartridge will sound just as good as a cheap digital source, overall.  Better in some ways, and worse in others, but still very good.

 

[ianmedium]

Quote:

This EBay seller seems to be offering some nice used turntables - note that I CANNOT vouch for the seller, but he's got some ni e used decks with new cartridges in your approximate price range.

http://cgi.ebay.com/JVC-JL-A15-Reconditioned-Belt-Drive-New-AT-92E-Cart-/260643234513

Thanks for this link Rob. I have saved it for future reference when I can get a home system up and running again. The guy has some nice average gear and seems to have a great reputation.. Looks like he is keeping the affordable but nice sounding HiFi dream alive!

 

[Skylab]

One could probably make a nice hobby business out of buying old TT's for $10 at garage sales, fixing them up, installing a new cartridge, and then selling them on Ebay.  Looks like that seller is doing just that, although not sure how much money there really is in it.

 

[ianmedium]

Quote:

One could probably make a nice hobby business out of buying old TT's for $10 at garage sales, fixing them up, installing a new cartridge, and then selling them on Ebay.  Looks like that seller is doing just that, although not sure how much money there really is in it.

My guess is not a fortune looking at the reasonable prices he is charging. I have known a few folks like this, usually retired from electronics or such and do it for fun and a bit left to help fund their interests in HiFi. You can just tell from the background pictures the seller has a lot more stuff that is not listed. I love some of the vintage speakers he has for sale and the realistic receiver looks great!
 
Imagine, for less than $800 one could have a nice sounding vintage set up including cd and record deck as sources!

 

[jerico]

Sky makes a great point about cheap LPs (assuming the OP lives somewhere where he has access to such sellers).  Just yesterday I found "Born In the USA" (Springsteen) and "Love Over Gold" (Dire Straits) from a street seller for $4 each, both in perfect condition.
 
Vinyl is definitely worth it IMO.  But it MAY not be a rewarding initial experience - as mine was not.  As usual, YMMV and all that.
 
Entry level setups can sound great, or not - which I think we'd all agree is true for ANY setup, analog or otherwise, inexpensive or not.  Choosing the right components is key.  However, I think it takes a bit more effort/research to get to the "wow this sounds really good" point with analog, at any price point.  If the setup doesn't "get there" for the listener, then there's little incentive to hunt down that elusive, pristine $1 LP.
 
Also, making sure one learns how to set up a table and cartridge - and keep records/stylus clean - can make all the difference in the world, regardless of what the equipment costs.  Vinyl requires a bit of patience and dedication, if you will.

 

[ngower]

I'd just like to throw in to the mix that's it's entirely subjective and to go from nothing to a setup that you would consider "worth it" ignores the whole learning experience.
 
When I first started listening to records I had a Numark USB turntable going through a DJ mixer and into some computer speakers. I learned in that time about storing records properly, using a static brush, all about phono preamps and that jazz, basically everything I now know. Then I upgraded to a Technics SL-B200 and grabbed the amp and speakers in my profile. It was a good sound and I could start learning about level table, arm and cartridge alignment, etc. Just recently I went to a Project Debut III and will be upgrading some parts of it (platter and cartridge) as well as buying a new preamp, etc. I think you discredit the potential of slowly building a system, learning about labels and pressing companies and all that fun stuff. Sure it would be nice to go straight into a nice VPI or Rega or whatever, but for me I'd have gone no other way. I'm still probably a couple of years out of upgrading to a really nice table but my Debut III, even with the stock cartridge, sounds fine. I hear its faults, but that isn't to say it's bad.
 
I don't want to come off as confrontational, just playing devil's advocate to a devil's advocation.