[basic-chanel]

So I finally came to the realization that I just cannot go any longer without a turntable since most of my favourite music is pressed on twelves or intended to be played on 'em.

My budget is a little over $600, though I'd like to have some left over to pull some new records off of Discogs and whatnot. Of course, I do want to buy things that will last me for years to come. Fortunately I am of the school that cares for audio quality, but realizes one does not have to spend thousands to get it.

Anyway, I just want a simple setup that sounds as best as possible (most importantly: neutral) and will let me rip tunes to my MacBook Pro for on-the-go listening. I'm assuming I need nothing more than a turntable, cartridge, phono preamp, and audio interface? I would like speakers, but I totally understand that at the moment I am probably stuck with my headphones which is totally okay.

Used is most certainly okay, as well.

So, anyone up for the task of helping me out?

(p.s. anyone know a good site for ordering inexpensive inner sleeves?)

 

[Uncle Erik]

You can find good sleeves here:

CD, DVD and Audio Cases, Sleeves and Storage at Sleeve

You can get started with vinyl for about $600; I think I paid around that much for a used Rega Planar 3, Grado Gold cartridge anad a NAD PP2 phono preamp. Nice little setup - I passed it along to a friend when I upgraded - and he loves it, too. We'll probably get a few negative comments about Rega in this thread, but they're reliable, good sounding tables that are dead simple to set up and maintain.

If a used deck is OK, keep an eye on Audiogon. There are usually a few good deals to be found there.

Also, if you're looking to run speakers sooner or later, think about finding a used receiver for your phono stage. I like the older units from NAD and Marantz. You'll be able to add speakers whenever you're ready.

 

[ADD]

Hi,

You can possibly consider killing two birds with one stone and getting something like the Project Phono Box II USB. This will have the phono section built into it as well as the audio interface to your PC that you need. So after that, as far as the digitalisation side of it is concerned, you just need a very basic DAW program. Even something very simple like Acoustica which sells for around $40US will do the trick. The one I use is Reaper, which I consider to be much better and much more flexible, but it is around $80 I think. there are free programs as well such as Audacity.

Since the Project Phono Box USB has the built in analogue to digital converter and is designed as a USB interface, it should appear as a recording device in any of the above programs and you are then good to go.

The Project amps are quite good, as are most of their electronics. I've owned several of their box design components and been very happy with all of them.

I can't really advise on the turntable side of things, other than to avoid Project, unless you can find one of their models with the carbon fibre tonearm (Xperience II upwards). Just avoid their lower models such as the Debut and Genie as they really are not good at all, despite the enthusiasm some poeple have for them. Project stuff is quite decent from RPM5 upwards, but even used models would likely be beyond your budget. So I can't think of anything other than a Rega Planar 1 if you are thinking new.

Other people have much more experience in the used turntable market and so can advise you better on the turntable / arm / cartridge.

 

[tubes]

If you are the DIY type you can buy an old Rek O Kut table, clean and lube it, build a plinth, have the idler wheel resurfaced and put a tonearm of your choice on it. I built one minus tonearm for around $125.00, here's a link to some info,

ROKtips

 

[basic-chanel]

Uncle Erik: I can already tell the Rega won't work for me. I need to be able to switch between 33 and 45 rpm easily, since I'm going to be spinning a lot of the berlin and detroit schools of techno, dub, progressive house etc.

The used receiver/amp is a good recommendation, though. I actually used to have a Marantz 2270 matched with same era KLH speakers to play my lossless music through; it sounded just lovely. Looked so out of place in my relatively girly bedroom, though.

ADD: The Phono Box II USB looks interesting, but since I plan to use this laptop for music production, I'd rather go ahead and get an external soundcard/interface and kill two birds that way.

tubes: That would be way out of my league.

 

[memepool]

Technics SL1200 is the obvious choice to play your M series 12s. Thread on the various audiophile tonearm upgrades here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f7/tec...grades-366309/

 

[basic-chanel]

I've been really considering a 1200, but I'm unsure what model to choose.

I'm also not interested in upgrading anything; surely the tonearm is just fine on it already, so long as a good cartridge is attached?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by basic-chanel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been really considering a 1200, but I'm unsure what model to choose.

MKII is the classic. The later ones don't really add much of any value for listening purposes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by basic-chanel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm also not interested in upgrading anything; surely the tonearm is just fine on it already, so long as a good cartridge is attached?

Tonearm is fine as far as it goes for a mid '70s design but it's not a patch on any of the more modern arms you'll find on entry level decks like the Regas or Pro-Jects.
On your budget I'd get a decent Denon MC cart like DL-103 which has a conical tip and is an oldschool pro cart but sounds much better than most being an MC. Failing that a Stanton 681EEE with both conical and eliptical tips for playing and listening.
None of this will sound particularly neutral but it's the best set of compromises given your budget. It'll sound deep, warm and fat with the kind of subterranean bass you expect from Maurizio but miss on the CD releases.

A TCC or Cambridge phono stage will complete the set.

 

[basic-chanel]

I think I'll just stick with the 1200, then.

Any other opinions on a cartridge and phono stage for it?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by basic-chanel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any other opinions on a cartridge and phono stage for it?

Well here you need to decide whether you are going to have dedicated carts for Hi-Fi listening / transcribing to digital and for DJ'ing.

DJ carts are pretty basic in terms of sound quality, being designed mainly for tracking and robustness. Stanton 500 is the industry standard but the 681 I mentioned, is their best quality Hi-Fi cart with the added benefit of having both basic DJ (conical), and Hi-Fi (Eliptical) tips available, thus saving the need for changing carts and of course saving you money.

Getting the best sound out of the SL1200 is all about matching the cart to the arm and since this is a little old fashioned your choice of carts is a bit more limited. See this article Technics SL-1200 MkII turntable - [English]
Denon are the favourite because their carts are also vintage designs, the DL-103 having been the broadcasters choice since the 1960s. These are also made to track heavy and be robust and can do backspins, having a sturdy cantilever and conical stylus, but being a moving coil design they also sound pretty good too.
This does mean you need a more sensitive phonostage though. Their other cheaper carts like the DL-110 or 160 are also a good mechanical match to the arm, and have a higher output requiring a less sensitive phonostage, but have eliptical tips so are too fragile for backspins, and would carve up your records if you tried this.

So choice of cart will also influence choice of phonostage as if you go for a lower output cart like the Denon 103 then you'll need a more sensitive and configurable phonostage like the Cambridge. If you stick to Moving Magnet carts, or Moving Coils with higher outputs, then the cheapest phonostage option is probably the TCC one.

You really want to spend as much as possible on the cart rather than the phonostage though, as it's more important to the sound, so keeping you cart option as flexible as possible is sensible.

 

[basic-chanel]

I'm not interested in DJing, as...well, I'm just terrible at it! This setup will be purely for playback and copying vinyl tunes over to my laptop.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by basic-chanel /img/forum/go_quote.gif purely for playback and copying vinyl tunes over to my laptop.

Then the best cart you can afford. I'd say the Denon DL-110 and a TCC phonostage something like this T-Preamp TCC TC754 - 3 inputs preamp with MM phono stage - [English]

 

[basic-chanel]

Any other opinions on this? I'd really like some other options to compare with.

 

[Herandu]

Get a ION USB TT. Connects straight to you PC.

 

[basic-chanel]

I am really not in the mood for jokes, Herandu.