[reeltime]

I purchased the Vinyl Flat a year ago.  I'm nervous about the heating process.  The documentation claims if you just put the warped record in and clamp, it will ease the warp out of the record, though it takes a lot longer.  But after a year of pressing my Dark Side of the Moon.... it's still warped.  The heating, I think, is the only way it works.

 

[CH23]

I purchased the Vinyl Flat a year ago.  I'm nervous about the heating process.  The documentation claims if you just put the warped record in and clamp, it will ease the warp out of the record, though it takes a lot longer.  But after a year of pressing my Dark Side of the Moon.... it's still warped.  The heating, I think, is the only way it works.

Look at it this way: your record, in it's current state, is already "damaged". So heating it may fix it, or it will continue to be damaged.

 

[squib323]

Thinking of getting my first record player but having trouble with coming up with a setup.
 
I was thinking of getting a U-Turn Orbit. From what I've read I need a pre-amp, the U-Turn website offers "ART DJPRE II phono pre-amp" and I've also seen NAD PP2i recommended and might go with that. For speakers, I was thinking of these Pioneer ones. Does that require an amp? Or is that setup enough, or is there a better value speaker out there that doesn't require an amp?
 
This review of U-Turn mentions upgrading he cartridge of the turntable, and I looked through the options in the U-Turn 'build your own' section and if I go through some of the upgrades, the price becomes comparable to the Rega RP1. So I was wondering if it would be better to just get an unupgraded RP1...
 
Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

  Thinking of getting my first record player but having trouble with coming up with a setup.
 
I was thinking of getting a U-Turn Orbit. From what I've read I need a pre-amp, the U-Turn website offers "ART DJPRE II phono pre-amp" and I've also seen NAD PP2i recommended and might go with that. For speakers, I was thinking of these Pioneer ones. Does that require an amp? Or is that setup enough, or is there a better value speaker out there that doesn't require an amp?
 
This review of U-Turn mentions upgrading he cartridge of the turntable, and I looked through the options in the U-Turn 'build your own' section and if I go through some of the upgrades, the price becomes comparable to the Rega RP1. So I was wondering if it would be better to just get an unupgraded RP1...
 
Any thoughts or suggestions?

 
$279 is hardly comparable to an RP1. The AT95e is a fine cart

 

[squib323]

   
$279 is hardly comparable to an RP1. The AT95e is a fine cart

Well I meant if I chose the most expensive cartridge (Grado Blue), and got the Q Up tonelifter, etc it becomes $409

 

[Skylab]

If it's your first TT, I would just go with the AT95e. I agree that's a good first cartridge. And yes you need the Art preamp. If you also get the Q-up you're looking at $314. I've not heard the U-Turn but if you want to go the brand new and pre-set up route I'm sure it's as good as the other entry-level "audiophile" belt-drive TTs.

Personally I would skip the Q-up - $60 is a lot to ask for that.

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

Oh wow it completely lacks a cue lift for on/off, for someone with pretty bad tremors (me) that is a no-go. I hope you have the golden touch

 

[squib323]

If it's your first TT, I would just go with the AT95e. I agree that's a good first cartridge. And yes you need the Art preamp. If you also get the Q-up you're looking at $314. I've not heard the U-Turn but if you want to go the brand new and pre-set up route I'm sure it's as good as the other entry-level "audiophile" belt-drive TTs.

Personally I would skip the Q-up - $60 is a lot to ask for that.

Okay cool, thanks, I'll go for that cartridge then.

  Oh wow it completely lacks a cue lift for on/off, for someone with pretty bad tremors (me) that is a no-go. I hope you have the golden touch

Hm. My complete lack of experience with this has me worried now...
 
Okay thanks guys. Thoughts on the speakers and amp requirement? I do have an Asgard 1 which I use with my Sen HD600s, but I wanted a speaker set up for the turntable.

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

What's your total budget?
 
$500+ or $500-?

 

[squib323]

So far it looks like I'm curently at $379 [$279 for acrylic U-turn Orbit w/ AT95e + $100 for NAD PP2i]. I'm willing to go up to $500, maybe a little over if required. So whatever is the best value in approximately the $100-170 range sounds good to me. Those Pioneer speakers I linked above are $82, which seems ideal.

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

  So far it looks like I'm curently at $379 [$279 for acrylic U-turn Orbit w/ AT95e + $100 for NAD PP2i]. I'm willing to go up to $500, maybe a little over if required. So whatever is the best value in approximately the $100-170 range sounds good to me. Those Pioneer speakers I linked above are $82, which seems ideal.

 
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dta-120-class-t-digital-mini-amplifier-60-wpc--300-3800
 
http://www.parts-express.com/bic-venturi-dv62si-bl-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-pair--303-402#lblProductDetails

 

[GasMaskMan]

Hey guys, didn't want to start a new thread for this question.  I own a Pioneer PL-514 and after moving the auto-return stopped working.  I've been having a terribly hard time trying to find anything on how to fix it.  Soooo, anyone have any ideas? (I could make a new thread if need be).

 

[squib323]

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dta-120-class-t-digital-mini-amplifier-60-wpc--300-3800

http://www.parts-express.com/bic-venturi-dv62si-bl-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-pair--303-402#lblProductDetails

Thanks!

 

[analogsurviver]

  Hey guys, didn't want to start a new thread for this question.  I own a Pioneer PL-514 and after moving the auto-return stopped working.  I've been having a terribly hard time trying to find anything on how to fix it.  Soooo, anyone have any ideas? (I could make a new thread if need be).

In such cases, almost always visit to vinylengine  will provide user and service manuals - but for the PL 514, it is unfortunately only user manual available:
 
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pl-514.shtml
 
From that very same link : 
 

Submitted by mattyg

Very pleasantly surprised by the PL-514. One of the quietest, rumble free non-suspended belt drive tables I have come across and a very good budget table. Thanks to Vinyl Engine for the manual, it was a big help in setting the overhang adjustment. Pioneer should have included adjustment procedures in the manual, however.

BTW - The tonearm clearance issue IS NOT adjusted by removing the rubber plug next to the arm and adjusting the screw inside. That is the automatic return trip adjustment screw, and set it to trigger the return as close to the label as the arm can get.

The tonearm clearance adjustment is the little setscrew on the side of the lifting platform under the tonearm. Loosen the setscrew and adjust the arm's auto-return height, then tighten it back up. It requires a very small flat blade screwdriver.

 
However, do try to find out whether there is a service manual for a similar Pioneer TT - as the arms and auto return mechanisms tend to be pretty generic. While at it, depending on what you expect from a turntable, you can leave it as it is if it has "conviniently" disabled its auto return function. This in most cases when it is mechanically actuated does NOT come for free - it creates additional friction in lateral direction, limitting the ultimate trackability of that arm - and therefore lowering the sound quality attainable. Auto returns that do not come with this penalty are $$$ and far in-beetween, usually on TOTL TTs.
 
Whenever possible, I do disable it in decks with arms benefitting from such action - and if end of side auto lift is unconditional requirement, use Q-up instead.

 

[squib323]

...aaaaaaaaaaand U-Turn doesn't ship to Australia.