A Few Questions About Buying A Record Player

Rothko

I've recently decided to get a record player and start up a bit of a vinyl collection. Anyway, there's just a few things that I would like some advice on.

Is there any particular brand or model that I should go for? Would you recommend getting one second-hand or would I be better off getting it brand new and what kind of price range should I be expecting? Also, I live in the south east, what are some shops around here that would sell record players?

Thanks for any help.

hidinginthebush

Like most things technological, it'll be cheaper to buy via the internet. I've bought most of my stuff from Superfi.co.uk. you may be tempted to get a USB plug and play table, but reviews on these tend to imply that they sound pants and can actually damage your records. Going with separates is the way to go, though it is the more expensive option I'm afraid. Look around the internet for reviews and the likes, for example whathifi.com gives pretty good comparisons on all things audio. It might be worth your while having a look at adverts and gumtree, people are forever getting into djing and giving it up, so you could scoop up a pretty sweet table at a nice price.

rcaz

hidinginthebush wrote: »

people are forever getting into djing and giving it up, so you could scoop up a pretty sweet table at a nice price.

A good DJing turntable is not necessarily a good listening turntable... The best listening turntables (Linn Sondeks and their like) will be unsuitable for DJing of any kind. Things like Tech 12s, while sounding good and being indestructible, are completely outstripped by things like Sondeks.

Second hand might be the way to go. I've just been reading about people getting second hand Pink Triangles and Roskan Xerxes' for £300, which'd be a great deal... But then if you're buying old audio gear, those things can break, which could be a massive pain in the hole later...

If I was getting a turntable I'd have a look at getting a Rega one... They're meant to be really good, reasonably priced and they look ****ing deadly.

Really important not to skimp on your turntable... These yokes can be mad expensive but they're the most important part of your signal chain. If you pick up a really good signal off the record, you can degrade it through cheaper preamps and power amps that can be changed later as money allows, but if you pick up a dodgy signal from the record, no amount of fantastic amplifiers can make that signal good again. As the Linn website says, "Information lost at the source is lost forever".

Cosmicfox

Aldi had them in stock not too long ago, in that aisle with all the weird things.

magicbastarder

if you're passing by the oxfam shop on francis street, pop in and see if they still have that rega planar 2 they had in their inspection area...

Rothko

magicbastarder wrote: »

if you're passing by the oxfam shop on francis street, pop in and see if they still have that rega planar 2 they had in their inspection area...

Maybe it's a silly question but do you mean Francis street in Dublin?

magicbastarder

sorry, yeah.
i came close to buying it myself, despite having about 10 LPs. my first introduction to hi-fi separates was a friend's dad's rega planar 3.

Rothko

magicbastarder wrote: »

sorry, yeah.
i came close to buying it myself, despite having about 10 LPs. my first introduction to hi-fi separates was a friend's dad's rega planar 3.

How much was it? I'll be in Dublin next week and I might get it.

magicbastarder

it hadn't been priced - they have an inspection area where they test any electrical equipment donated (they offer a six month warranty), and it hadn't undergone inspection at that stage. it was a few weeks ago i saw it, so no guarantees they still have it. i'd ring ahead to ask if you're interested.