Going back to analog...

He wants something more MUSICAL than digital-what's wrong with that?

 

lol...just found out the wife has a stash of 33s that I didn't know about! haha....Survivor!! Woo hoo!

 

It makes a great 78 table...I use one like it to play my 78s on and it is fun

All good advice here. If I was in the States I would be getting an Orbit table just to hear how it sounds - it's a great idea by some vinyl lovers and they seem to be doing well

 

Wow, three pages and 74 posts before a complete and utter threadcrap from someone who has no use for vinyl. Must be some kind of record.

 

Here's the other 'ear opener': some of those old records may sound astoundingly good. The reason I first started haunting the forum was because when i was searching for information on particular pressings of certain records, the search hits inevitably (and repeatedly) drew me to this site. Some of the older pressings are highly sought after, not as collector's items per se, but because they sound so 'right.' As a result they also have some value to those who pursue such things. Have fun- it is a pursuit that can be endlessly engaging on a number of different levels, from the music, and history, to the technical aspects to the sonic aspects. In some ways, though the gear is important, it is the thing I think about least these days (with a mature, well-dialed in system).

 

Used Craiglist / eBay as you mentioned - you should be OK. What you want to avoid is anything with high tracking force as those could destroy records over time. So anything where the tracking force can be adjusted, like those Technics turntables that were sold en masse back then, should be A-OK.

Cartridge may actually be the most expensive portion so be aware. You probably want to put aside at least $75 for that, if you can. Unfortunately you may have picked the worst time to get back into vinyl as prices for hardware and vinyl alike are on the rise.

 

**UPDATE**

So I finally found a turntable. It is in pretty nice condition and I was able to see and hear it before I bought it. I was pretty impressed at how good it sounded. Now it just needs a little cleaning up.

It's a JVC L-A55 with an Acutex cartridge and a Shure 5X stylus.

Here are the specs from Vinylengine:

Type: coreless DC type FG servo motor

Drive system: direct drive

Wow and flutter: 0.03% WRMS

Signal to noise ratio: 75dB

Platter: 308mm

Type: s-shaped tubular arm on TH (Tracing Hold) system

Effective length: 220mm

Overhang: 15mm

Dimensions: 131 x 438 x 380mm

Weight: 5.5kg

 

Congrats!!

 

Now for the fun part. Going to the record store.

 

lol....I've already started!!

 

Wow the stylus was super dirty. I managed to find my wife's magic eraser stash and give it a quick cleaning along with a little dust removal underneath. Still not perfect, but a lot better....

BEFORE



AFTER

 

Thorensman could not resist this.
Thorens turntables are superb sounding,nice to look at and,in my humble opinion very underrated!
Put simply, lube after cleaning , the main bearing, fit a new belt and new stylus or fit an AT95e cartridge , clean contacts on interconnect and you will be amazed.
Rega,s are a basic very hood sounding turntable. Very little to go wrong, they can wobble a bit on piano music, but despite that (upgraded power supply cures this!)they sound good and are well supported.
Direct drives can be complicated to repair as they use IC,s that may be obsolete.sound good though ie Technics sl1200.

Try to buy one in good condition whatever you buy.
I purchased last month a Thorens TD166 for £105.
It came well packed, some cleaning and it played superbly, the stylus in excellent condition, and its lovely to look at.

 

Congrats. A couple questions that may bear looking into: is there an alignment protractor that came with the table, or an aftermarket one available that you can use to check the cartridge set up? (I know that there are some 'free' protractors available on the Internet that you can download and print, but am not sure how accurate they are). I only raise this b/c the critical relationship of cartridge position in the arm will make a big difference in the performance of the table, and getting it 'right' costs virtually nothing. Perhaps others with experience with this table can weigh in.
Also don't have any idea of the age or performance of the cartridge, which is always a big X factor, even when dealing with a brand new (or even expensive) cartridge. So I guess the other thing I would start to look into (without getting carried away $-wise) is whether you can replace the cartridge with something better at some point. In the meantime, if not already mentioned, get yourself a stiff stylus brush, a cheap jeweler's loupe (you can buy on Amazon for less than ten dollars US) to periodically inspect stylus, and some kind of tracking force gauge (I think there are threads on the gauges elsewhere on the site). Dialing in the settings will make a real difference in performance. Enjoy and welcome to the wonderful world of records.

 

Thorens tables are underrated...?

 

I'm kind of shocked that Shure stylus is compatible with an Acutex cartridge!

I would be VERY hesitant to use that on my good records. Who knows what kind of condition that diamond is in; a worn diamond will permanently damage records. I suggest replacing it.

If you want to start fresh, a Shure M97xE is an excellent cartridge and is on sale all over the internet right now for under $70, which is a steal. It even comes with a printed alignment protractor and other stuff.

 

Thanks for the info and the recommendation! All the vinyl I've acquired so far have been really cheap, so I decided to give it a go. I must say this thing sounds fantastic! What a difference the sound is from today's digital music. I had forgotten how pure the analog sounds. I'm spinning Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms" as I type this.

I'll definitely buy another stylus soon to replace this one and will eventually pop for that new Shure M97xE cartridge kit.

 

Which was, ironically, a digital recording, but a good one. Enjoy.

 

Ha! I didn't realize that! I've also listened to Rush 2112. Sweeeet....