Looking for an entry level turntable

Sagi

Hi Folks

A long time ago I used to have a big CD collection but the rise of the MP3 and the infinite possibilities of downloading together with multiple moves lead to my music library being entirely on my hard disc.

I'd like to start a new collection as the MP3 simply does not have the same appeal as a disc I can touch packaged in a nice sleeve with the accompanying artwork. So I'm looking into vinyl at the moment.

My Mum assigned me the task to me to look out for a christmas present for myself. There's no point in arguing, she is going to spend some money on it even if I say I don't want her to so I thought a turntable might be a good start given my current situation.

Though I consider myself a music enthusiast I seem to be deaf to the fine nuances, I want decent sound but honestly there is a limit to what I can realistically justify when it comes to the cost of HI FI components.

I currently have a cyrus III amp and wharfedale RB 23 speakers and I am perfectly happy with that system (bought the lot for 200 euros from a boards member)

Now, is it realistic to get a turntable for 100 euros max. 120 that would be suitable to use for that setup?

Ideally it should be available from Amazon or similar as I can hardly put my mum up to hunting for a used model even though I'm aware it may be the best option.

USB is not a must or rather not necessary as in most cases I will already have the mp3 and there's no need for digitalising.

would something like this be a reasonable purchase?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dual-DT-210-USB-Turntable/dp/B00402JUBE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415742079&sr=8-2&keywords=dual+dt

muppetkiller

Does it have to be new ? There's some seriously good turntables for sale on adverts... http://www.adverts.ie/member/573456
This guy has a nice thorens for sale ..

Custardpi

Don't bother with USB, you're just not going to get as good a result as what's probably already out there (seek & ye shall find! ) in rip quality without spending a huge amount of money. In many cases there'll be a decent CD version anyway. If buying new €200 - €250 is probably your minimum really to get anything worthwhile. As said above however, keep an eye on Adverts & similar sites. A quality vintage deck by Thorens, Nad, Dual etc can often be got for a reasonable price. Avoid cheap plastic decks with flimsy arms (most of the ones sold by mainstream outlets would fall into this category), as the instability will mean lots of record scratching by the needle, destroying your collection.

Sagi

Thx guys, I guess I'll go for a 2nd hand one, will take a look at what's on the market and maybe get back here for advice when I have identified some candidats

Sagi

hi Guys I laid eyes on some ebay auctions

can you advise on those models, they all seem to be in working order but I have no idea as to weather they are good or not and what a reasonable price would be

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201213095053?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161480052025?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201213572443?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I looked at the adverts link as well but I'm not mobile at the moment so Limerick is a bit far away and I could not find any offers locally.

thx

Custardpi

Wouldn't be mad about any of them tbh. While Technics are renowned for their dj turntables using them in a hi fi setup is generally not recommended, though some people have modded them to get a better sound. Not sure about the Garrard one. The company is most famous for their 301 & 401 tables from the 1950s/60s which sell for bananas money in working condition today. A friend of mine has a 301 he rebuilt at hefty expense & it sounds stunningly good. If you have €1.5 - 2k to spare that's a great option. If only, eh? As for their later ones I really wouldn't be sure though they're probably not the worst you could buy. Personally I'd look out for decks by Dual & Nad, which you can probably get for < €150 on eBay if you're patient. Thorens decks will usually be a little more.

Something like this would be pretty good, though it needs some oil on the bearing (maybe clarify that this is what the seller means). The oil plus a new belt are easy enough to obtain & put on - plenty of guides online.

Sagi

I went for the Garrard, it seems to be a 125 sb and from the little information i could find online it should be a decent unit and I have to say I do like the looks of it. Cost me 45 Quid and all in all it will be delivered for a bit more than 80 Euros.

Looking forward to it and will head down to the vinyl store to get a few records to start the collection. Hope it survives the shipping and works out of the box. We'll see. If I regret my decision in a couple of weeks I'll let you know so you can say: I told you so, but fingers crossed that won't be necessary

Sagi

Just ordered Talk Talk - Laughing Stock, actually my collection could be complete once I have this record

Custardpi

For that price you're probably doing ok. Looking more closely at it there's an Audio Technica cartridge on it, which is a decent make, assuming it's in good condition. Try to find out the exact model (there's probably not much difference between them but just to be sure) & look up the recommended "tracking force" for it, i.e. with how much weight it should press down on the record to avoid either digging a hole in the vinyl or skating across the record. This will probably need to be reset after its journey & can be done via the black dial on the back of the arm. Happy listening!