Re: WTB Turntable
 

Well I can pay over $1000 for the whole thing, I just cannot pay over $1000 just for a turntable. I know I can't aford the best quality out there, but I just want to make sure I won't buy some PoS that is all ghetto and terrible :P

Yeah ,I guess I have to find a store around here. I just have no clue what to look for or even what I need for a sound system as I am only familiar with the big brands that of course don't even manufacture turntables anymore.

Re: WTB Turntable
 

purchase a used Technics 1200. they last forever. purchase a decent receiver, that has appx 200watts per channel. purchase set of nice speakers.

alternately, purchase powered monitors and a 2/3 channel Dj mixer. purchase cd player. hook up cd player, turntable and television/dvd/etc device to mixer and use powered monitors.

both systems can be had for less than 1K.

Re: WTB Turntable
 

I was just about to suggest any model Technics for turntable, but that alone is going to take $1K easy.

Pawn shops would be the next bet. My only suggestion there would be to bring a lap top along with you. Reason being, if you find something you can use you'll need to see how hard it'll be to get ahold of replacement needles for the model you plan to buy. If you do find replacements: STOCK UP.

Re: WTB Turntable
 

technics don't have the best quality sound. as renze said a belt drive (to reduce vibration transfered to the music) would be better for music listening only... and they'd likely last as long or longer...

however! there are some new turntables that are not using needles and instead using lasers to read the pit of the track. benefits would be: no adding losses, ie: scratching the part of the pit that the needle traditionally sits in, and higher resolution. dunno about price though

anyhow, get a technics if you think you will like doing some mixing eventually, but if you only have interest/time etc. in listening take a read of this:

http://stereos.about.com/od/stereoto...argain_tts.htm

it's a pretty good idea of some good turntables. the pro-ject (#4) and the rega(#1) are both brands that i heard and seen (and they are considered quite good audio-quality wise). and they look quite fine too (unliek a technics).

anyhow, i know my amp doesn't have a phono input so keep that in mind too, some of these might come with their own pre-amp for phono level sound

Re: WTB Turntable
 

and here is the pro-ject website (i don't htink they make the 'II' anymore) and nad website (nad i think is quite a good mid-range company for everything, including amps and such, i had one once and it was really great)

http://nadelectronics.com/products/turntables

http://www.project-audio.com/main.ph...tables&lang=en

Re: WTB Turntable
 

Thanks a lot guys. Patrick that is pretty much the sort of thing I am looking for. Thanks!

How is the sound quality on those laser beam turntables? Does it have any disadvantages or they are just more expensive? As for the needles, how often you need to replace those?

Re: WTB Turntable
 

It depends.
If you want to play records everyday or every week...
If you are doing mixing or only listening, or scratching.
Remember that there is two types of needles.
1) Spherical - good on mixing, scratching, rev...
2) Eliptical - good for listening, hearing...

Re: WTB Turntable
 

i suppose one disadvantage of the laser is that the music is (probably) digitized if you are a luddite and think that analog only is the way to go... (on a needled record player y ou can basically hear the music skipping off the needle as it bounces over the bumps, which i think is pretty amazing)

i think the big benefit of the lasers is you can listen to once ruined records...

Re: WTB Turntable
 

:confused:

I'll prolly get one of those Pro-jects. Another question: needle = cartridge right?? Or I mean is part of the cartridge?

Re: WTB Turntable
 

Needle is part of the cartridge of course, so you will look for spherical or eliptical needle packed in cartridge:)