Inexpensive turntable recommendations

Hey guys,

A buddy of mine (no really!) needs a new TT. He has checked in retailers like Best Buy and Fry's with little luck.

Not looking for SOTA here, just something get the vinyl spinning again. Need to keep total cost <$200. I know that the good stuff doesn't start kicking in until more $$, but what can we get in this price range and where to buy? Online is fine.

 

A DJ turntable from us here at NorthernLightFX such as Stanton, Gemini, Technics, Numark, American Audio (linked on the Site Seeing section of the main stevehoffman.tv page and often promoted here) will suit him just fine.

 

I can't recommend this table per se, since I've never listened to it, but in that price range your friend might want to consider the Music Hall MMF-1, which comes with a cartridge. I think it may be a discontinued item (the next step up, the MMF-2.1, is closer to $300 but looks to still be available ... Red Trumpet still offers it), but you might be able to find some sellers who still have one or two around ...

 

A lot of our DJ turntables do come with cartridges but they aren't as good as those we can sell to people such as Shure carts, Stanton carts, Numark carts

 

Thanks guys! I'm checking into all these recommendation, so keep 'em coming!

 

Gotta second the MMF2.1 recommendation. Great TT!

 

The MMF 2.1 is the only entry level turntable worth talking about. It gets better as you go up, but the table is great as-is.

 

Tell you friend to try the following web sites for moderately priced TT's: Audio Advisor, Red Trumpet, Elusive Disc, Music Direct, Needle Doctor, Acoustic Sounds and there are probably one or two that I have missed.

 

Sckott,

Would it be your view that the Music Hall 5 is worth almost twice the price of the 2.1?

I am in a similar position to SamS buddy, and am willing to go as high as $500 for a TT w/cart. I have hunted around in the web stores mentioned, and right now Needle Doctor has the 2.1 for $279, which is tempting. The 5 is $489, which I would be willing to do if its worth the $200 increase in price. Both come with Goldring carts, IIRC.

I have a current table (B&O 1800) still sporting its almost 20 year old cart and stylus. I Recently re-installed it after being table-less for over 12 years. To my surprise, some of my old (but normally mint) vinyl sounds very, very good. In particular, Dire Straights Love Over Gold sounds wonderful. Clean, quiet...I was actually sort of amazed.

Of course, I other LPs that, while in good conditions, sound noisy as hell (Zep III for example). You can hear the stylus dragging through the groove, which is quite annoying between tracks.

Although a subject for another thread, I would really like to get a better grounding in what LPs to look for, and which to avoid. Obviously, I can make some judgments as I go through my personal collection, but I want to avoid getting hosed if/when I seek to acquire some new vinyl.

Anyway, to get back on point, I have thought that it might be worthwhile to spring for a new TT. Other tables that have caught my eye have been the Pro-Ject 1.2, and the Rega P2.

Thanks for any guidance you may have to offer.

Brian

 

A Pro-Ject 1.2 would be a nice thing. Both the MMF 2.1 have something in common.

They want to be a Rega, badly.

The only thing you don't get and don't PAY for is the really nice arm. You're going to get a decent cart to start with so you can start exploring (I started out with much worse) and from then you can decide what you wanna do.

Now, there are two ways to think about this. You're either going for something higher end to begin with so less upgrading later, if you KNOW eventually that's what your going to do, or you're thinking you wanna wet your feet 1st, buy some little thrift store miracles and make vinyl something into a low-cost love that's worth committing to.

Now, if you're thinking this is going to be a long term affair, I would seriously think of going Rega if you don't mind finding a dealer. At the very least I would think of getting something that you can mount the RB-300 Arm onto. Maybe something like a Project RM4 (see Needle Doctor, as they have one on closeout) that you know you'll be happy with for a long time.

If you're thinking of experimenting with vinyl without spending a lot of money, go for your Rega 2 (3 would be best) or the Pro-Ject 1.2. What you WON'T get is the killer arm w/the latter, but at least you can start quickly and inexpensively.

Vinyl is only as good as what you put into it. It took me years to figure out that you don't have to roll with the big boys, but you DO NOT buy something you know you'll outgrow in <2 years.

Just a few thoughts...

 

I had a Beogram B&O 7 years ago. Cute tables, but not that hot on sound.

 

Check & see if there is a local TT shop too, you might find a deal. If you don't mind used you can get more for your money. The Needle Doctor is local for me & I was able to get my Rega P3 used with a new tone arm & with a Ortofon OM10 Super Cart for $450 last year.

 

I have a Music Hall MMF-2.1 and it really is a great 'table. However, if I'd known then what I know now, I would have just bought the MMF-5. The biggest problem with the 2.1 is the supplied cartridge. It's certainly not the worst cartridge in the world, but it's not that great. Not longer after buying my 2.1, I decided to spend another $100 on a much better cartridge.

Now, for only about $200 more than the 2.1, you can get the MMF-5 which has a very nice $175 Goldring cartridge that you may not feel the need to upgrade. Also, it has a glass platter, a better arm, a record clamp and a much better plinth.

Again, if I'd only known this before I bought my 2.1

 

Thanks to all for your comments thus far.

I do have a dealer in town for Rega...have to give them a ring and arrange a look see/listen. I have a feeling its going to come down to the P2 vs. the MMF 5, which I won't be able see first.

Having been heavily into hi-rez audio since October of '02, its very bizarre to me that I am getting back in touch with my inner vinyl child.

All this because I won a Nordost Blue Heaven interconnect (I am not a cables matter kind of guy) and swapped it even at a local hi-fi shop for a brand new NAD phono pre-amp.

Into the way back machine, Sherman.

Side note: I downloaded the instruction sheet for the P2 from Rega. Not much there, but Hint #3 basically says that you should not need to clean your records, and that the stylus will move the dust out of the way. Hummm. Sure is a lot of dust coming off onto my old discwasher brush. Don't know that I want that staying on my LPs. Perhaps I will ignore that piece of advice.

BGL

 

I too am going to be buying a new TT very soon. There is nowhere within 100 miles of my home that sells new turntables so I am either going to drive to Pittsburgh or Columbus or go mail order.

1) Is it "bad" to buy a turntable mail order without hearing first?
2) How do MMF 5 or MMF 7 rate against a Rega?

 

1) Is it "bad" to buy a turntable mail order without hearing first?

Yes and no. Should I put you through torture of telling you about tables you can't get to locally and how amazing they sound, or should you merely be stuck with the weird smuck in the stuffy hi-fi store two towns over with one turntable and he forgot where he put his phono stage.

If you're interested and thinking serious, you'll know it sounds good in your home. As long as you can buy from someome reputable (Red Trumpet, Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds) they're going to be very helpful so you won't need someone local.

A lot of people here jump into tubes and analog with both feet. Sometimes that's what it takes to really get things going. Like I said, don't be chincy. You'll shoot yourself later. Example from jeff e. :

2) How do MMF 5 or MMF 7 rate against a Rega?

The nice thing about the MMFs, you can use just about any carts you want. The Rega arms on Rega decks are built to accept their own carts (Rega). The nice thing about THAT is they have carts (Elys) that go on without any adjustments so plug and play is literally that. But if you're going to get a Shure v15, you need to buy mods for the Regas so you can have the best of both worlds.

Reviews: http://www.audioreview.com/PRD_123961_1597crx.aspx
http://www.audioreview.com/TurnTables/Music Hall/PRD_128769_1597crx.aspx

The MMF7 is a much better table for the extra $$.

Rega (Planar) 3: http://www.audioreview.com/TurnTables/Rega/PRD_121356_1597crx.aspx

I use a Rega P3 with the v15 and a modded table.

 

Keep up all this discussion! I'm spending time absorbing all these posts and appreciate them all. I'll call my buddy soon!

 

Here is another thought. Try Toys From The Attic (they have a web page). They are 10 minutes from me. They often have great used equipment deals including TT's. I bought a Musical Fidelity integrated amp from them for my so called video system and I love it.

 

I purchased my Rega P25 two years ago on audiogon.com and have never looked back...an incredible table (and the RB 600 arm is perfection)...

Then I replaced the stock Super Elys cart with a high-output Dynavector Moving Coil cartridge....wow....

Heaven.

Previously I have owned an MMF-5 and found it quite satisfying...the Rega was a big step-up, though...

I think I'm set until I hit the Powerball....any day now, right?

Good Luck!

Ben

 

I'm with you Jeff. I love my 2.1, but now I'm looking at replacing the cart and the mat. I might as well have bought the MMF 5!

 

The MMF TT, what are these record players called in original brand? Is it Project or what.
And which models are the one to compare each other?
This brand is unknown in Europe, so far I know. But Project are the biggest makers of TT.

 

I think they may come from the same source. The MMF owners could tell us, the Pro-Ject decks are built in the Czech Republic. I recall reading something about Roy Hall visiting the factory there.

 

Well, I dropped the hammer on a new Rega P2 w/the entry level Rega cart. Should be here in a week or so.

Can't wait. My mint Dire Straights Love Over Gold will be the first victim.

BGL

 

Not sure if anyone mentioned Audiogon. You can usually snap up a used MMT or Music Hall within your budget.

John K.

 

Any discussion of Music Hall vs. Rega has to be tempered by the fact that Music Hall has had quality control problems with their turntables, while Regas are famous for being spectacularly reliable. Apparently Music Hall had trouble with keeping up with the demand for a while, and things were slipping through the cracks. I've heard that things are under control now, but there was a time a year or two ago when I heard from a lot of disgruntled Music Hall purchasers saying that their turntables sounded horrible, sometimes because the mail order company they bought it from had set it up wrong, but mostly due to some defect.

That is not to say that Music Hall should be avoided altogether, because they do offer an excellent product. But it is not wise to buy a Music Hall by mail order. You really need to have a local dealer set it up for you so that you can ensure everything is right. I would bet that the vast majority of Music Hall owners did not do this.

If you're looking for a turntable for less than $500, then Music Hall (and its Czech cousin, Pro-Ject) is your best bet. But once you hit the $500 mark, you really should be looking at a Rega instead. I think Regas sound quite a bit better than the Music Halls, too.

Finally, whenever anyone asks me about a good TT in the $100 to $300 range, I really try to steer them toward used 'tables. Most new tables in this price range are woefully inadequate in sound quality...you're better off sticking with CDs. Find a nice Rega Planar 2 or Heybrook TT-1 or Ariston RD-12 or Linn Axis or AR ES-1 on e-Bay, or wait and save a little more money.