Help me find a decent turntable for under $200

I've just been alerted by my wife that I have to find a turntable for my son by this weekend that does not cost more than $200. I know that's not a lot of $ to spend but I also don't want a total piece of crap. He currently has a Crosley set-up and detests it of course.

Thanks

 

The cheapest thing I can recommend in good conscience is the U-Turn Orbit at $179. BUT, you must, I repeat, must get the cue lever for an additional $40. I would not get it without the cue lever.

If you are open to buying used, I would encourage you to post your local Craigslist or tell us of any places near you that sell used and/or refurbed stereo equipment.

Do you have stereo equipment for him to use with the new turntable, or is this starting from scratch?

 

Used Technics SL-QD33.

 

get a Rega P2 from Ebay UK

rega p2 | eBay »

 

That's $200 just for the turntable, right? A solid, clean, used direct-drive unit from the late-70s or 80s is what I would personally look for. The U-turn Orbit with the cue lever is a good alternative but that combo is slightly over your budget at $219. KAB also sells refurbished Technics P-mount turntable for $169. Audio-Technica still makes decent cartridges for it. I mentioned my reasons suggesting that route to my father in this post here.

 

There's one on Craigslist in the LA area for just $40. Should I bite?

 

I would. For a cartridge I'd recommend an ADC PSX-30 (LP Gear has them) Would also recommend a Grado Prestige Black 1 with a Grado 8MZ stylus but that's probably over your price range. Good luck.

 

What about that Audio-Technica 3003 cartridge if I get the Technics SL-QD33?

 

I've not heard it. Many people like their Audio-Technica p-mount cartridges, but I'm not familiar with that particular one.

 

Lots of nice used tables in the LA Craigslist. This one sure caught my eye!cif it was in New Orleans I would scoop it up in a second!

Yamaha YP-B2 Belt Drive Turntable »

 

Nice! I could grab that. Would that be better than getting the Technics SL-QD33 and an Audio-Technica 3003 cartridge? About the same price it appears.

 

The Yamaha would definitely give you much more flexibility when it comes to cartridges. It looks like it has the original mat and headshell too. Kind of obvious but look it over carefully if you go for it.

Pretty good deal for $40 if it in good condition and you're okay with the limited upgrade path of a P-mount. That model is nice because while it's a P-mount you can adjust the tracking force between 1 and 1.5g, instead of being locked at 1.25g. The ADC that @bluemooze suggested looks good. Pricey for sure, so not really applicable right now, but I think an Ortofon OMP-20 would sound great on it at 1.5g. The OMP-30 or 40 would be the maxed out cartridge scenario for it.

 

I hate that I don't know what any of that means.

 

Well, start by googling 'p-mount', and know that p-mount turntables are no longer manufactured. Not many p-mount cartridges are still manufactured. However, a used p-mount turntable with a new p-mount cartridge will be easy to use, simple to set up and will sound great. It will meet the requirements of your OP. I use an SL-QD33 with a Grado Gold 1 cartridge and a Grado 8MZ stylus and it sounds awesome. I also use the ADC cartridge I mentioned with it and it sounds fantastic too.

 

What I really like about the Pioneer is the removable headshell as I am a cartridge junkie and like to be able to swap between several. But for a true newbie, P-mount is truly simple. Plug in a cartridge and go. Unfortunately, there's just not a big selection available. Cartridge alignment is also one of the most overrated things in the hobby. Not that it's not crucial (it is!) but it's really not that difficult and nothing to be afraid of.

 

My best friend just ordered a U-Turn Orbit. It was a huge leap in quality from his 1980s budget Technics turntable. They're handmade in the USA and made to order. If they had been around when I upgraded my turntable 4 years ago, I would have jumped all over it. I would venture to say that they match or exceed the quality of entry level Pro-Ject turntables, for at least $100 less. And you can choose from different cartridges. Seems like a no-brainer.

 

I've heard this cart, it's quite fine if you need an inexpensive p-mount. At one point they were going for $20 on Amazon. Kind of a no-brainer at that price.

 

I suppose it depends on what 80s Technics you are talking about, but many old 80s Japanese turntables have much better S/N and W/F specs than the Orbit or any of the entry-level Pro-Jects.

 

Yes, there were many decks back then that had better specs and sound than the current entry-level turntables. There were also a lot of duds. But with all the info available to us now, it's usually pretty easy to determine which was which when buying used. I recently sold a 35 year-old Sony to someone who seemed to be really impressed with how well it stacked up with his several more modern (and nowhere near entry-level) turntables.

 

Agree. Resources like Vinyl Engine have tons of info on specs for a lot of common models. People on AudioKarma have tons of info on common problems with certain models, Google searching the site for a certain model is a good way to avoid a lemon. One guy was even nice enough to send me a scan of my TT's manual when I couldn't find one anywhere. This old TT that I picked up a few years back outspecs models that are a lot more expensive than what I paid for it.

 

Yes, but I would recommend the Technics P-mount unit.

If you knew more about turntables and could help your son set up the Yamaha, it probably would be a little better, and as mentioned gives you the flexibility to mount much higher quality standard-mount cartridges on it.

The Technics mentioned above (and many many practically identical similar models) was designed to be a kind of dummy-proof, reliable, decent-quality turntable. It's direct drive, which means the motor should last forever and there's no belt to replace or break.

The whole P-mount cartridge thing is basically a standardized cartridge that eliminates the need to set up the geometry of the turntable. It's just exactly what the turntable gives you. The only adjustment is a relatively limited tracking force adjustment, and that's it. So it's a great beginner table for someone who doesn't know anything about turntables and is intimidated. It plays a record quite well, needles and cartridges are cheap, and you don't need to spend hours with tiny screwdrivers and magnifying glasses trying to set up your turntable to play correctly. It just goes, but it's quality.

When your son graduates from college and can spend $500 to $1K on a setup, then something like that Yamaha is a great platform to play around with much more expensive cartridge options and all the rest.

Get the Technics. Similar models are widely available, and a fantastic starter table IMO.

 

Another recommendation on the Technics P-Mount. I love those things you can NOT go wrong with them. If he has a crosley is it an all-in-one? Does he need receiver/speakers as well?

 

Yes. But I was able to pick up some Sony speakers and receiver and amp and cd player all for $50 from some retirees.

 

Any thoughts if this is worth looking into?

Technics SL-D1

 

Yes, an excellent manual basic Technics Direct Drive. Very good tonearm, can handle a wide range of good cartridge options. Very well built, low maintenance, reliable, and very good performance. For many, all they ever need. I recommend this one highly if in good order.