Not interested, Somebody's gotta be the outcast and make a few threads to keep things interesting. Everyone who offers advice is as stubborn about their choices as I am about mine... Welcome to the internet
I agree. Such a great sounding turntable, built like a tank with an excellent tonearm. A great performer that probably never will die. I’m not a direct drive fan but the 1200G is very special IMHO.
How do you guys feel about vintage units or used, seems a good option if one finds a reputable source . Typically for equipment I never buy used, but I see some very nice TTs in the 2k used vintage...but I don't know much about that realm. What are some good trusted places to look?...
Not too many interesting tables at the moment, other than the Luxman PD-171A which is a more recent table, but some pretty nice ones rotate through regularly .. HiFi-Do McIntosh/JBL/audio-technica/Jeff Rowland/Accuphase
Replacing the tonearm cable isn't a mod. It just plugs in. This statement is false. In a balanced system ground is ignored and is only used for shielding. Your description of how the phono signal is accepted into the preamp isn't right either. We've been doing balanced line longer than anyone else on the planet for home use and so have had balanced inputs on our preamps since 1989. FYI if there was a center tap it would degrade the performance of the balanced system because the common mode rejection ratio would be dependent on the accuracy of the center tap. For that reason, no balanced system uses a center tap. Your response here is regarding the Technics SL1200G. Its a better machine than the Teac even if you get the cheaper one, which would be well within your budget including a $1000 cartridge and $300 for the tonearm cable, which would simply plug in.
If I can find a good cool looking vintage or used unit that is like that luxman might be cool to have...I can get into that...vintage or used is something I'd consider in the turntable department, the rest I kind of like new.... The Technics 1200g has been on my radar for sometime at $4200 its a bit of a stretch on its own not that I can't afford it, im just a stingy MF....but not out of the question....I would have to wait to buy an upgraded phono stage...I already have a AT33SA cartridge I could place on it.... Then I'd want to find a phono that jumps RCA to XLR, what is good in that? I see the parasound zphonoXL something .
If you are not mechanically inclined I would not buy an old one. If you want to learn how a turntable works and love tinkering--Vintage is the way to go. Before the vinyl boom I used to be able to pick up many vintage TT's and restore em. It's a lot of fun.
Any feed back on these 2 used units I find from a couple of fairly known used stores of hifi....these I could get into..appeals to my being stingy. Platter looks to have a ding or 2 on the tt, but I think these are replaceable. Even my ATlp140xp sounds pretty good we are really dealing with 1st world problems lol. But hey, ya gotta have a hobby and enjoy what your looking at. PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter MM/MC balanced preamp/digital-outs $1900 list ! | eBay Technics SP-15
I assume you're talking strictly phono, where of course "balanced" doesn't make sense, or rather is an intrinsic property. You are simply measuring the voltage difference between two conductors across a load (or transimpedance current). It's always a differential input whether your topology specifically calls it differential or whether one of the leads is tied to a ground voltage reference and imbalanced with much more conductor. It's single-ended input, with an obfuscating connector and ambiguous ground lift. And no clear winner between shielded pair and shielded drain coax due to the different carts and turntables possible. To say one has a "balanced line" or "fully balanced" electronics is just deceptive if you don't split phono voltages and summarily degrade as we both agree is the likely outcome. Here's for example, Yamaha, where the C-5000 specs reveal they are doing just that: Inter-component connections absolutely can work like that, though (with rare exception of transformer isolation). Simply look up the input impedance spec of other consumer XLR input you desire. If not independently buffered, they will be along the lines of "50K RCA, 100K XLR". Demonstrating that a hot-to-ground RCA adapter cable is the same as their own RCA jack (employing just one of two audio circuits), instead of non-functional. There's your center tap. And yes, it depends on the accuracy. Especially because the transmitter electronics will likely be centered on the same ground.
I used to have the entry model of the line TN-3b - a great little TT for the money, the older one must be pretty nice device. As for the phono stage, I think the Whest Two.2 has balanced output.
Isn’t there a thread exclusively devoted to “ My EE knowledge is better than yours, go!” already created somewhere?
Haven't seen that. Maybe you're thinking of the "my imagination is as good as your imaginary numbers" threads here? I just give evidence against my being outright wrong, for someone hopefully as willing as I to reflect on what they know. Back on the OP, vintage turntable advice now sought will veer away from the thread topic by not having XLRs, and I'd drop semi-or full auto Technics direct drive such as SL-Q3 as the direction to explore.
I picked up a rather minty-looking PD-171A recently for $2652. Mind blown with just how good this thing is!!
Yea, that's about the price currently shown on the hifido one, can't tell how minty it is, they are really nice tables, designed and built very well, but do also get very expensive in the US. If that's what you paid over here for a US version, good work, that's a nice deal! Since they lost the Jelco tonearm used on the PD-171A, they have now worked with SAEC on the new version for the PD-191A, which other than the arm is almost the same table as far as I can tell, except for the much higher price. Not sure what is driving it so high, I guess the SAEC arm is one reason, their current high end arms are very expensive. Their modern version of the classic SAEC WE-407/23 which they call the WE-4700 is extremely expensive. Beautiful arm ... サエクコマース -SAEC- Ever since I saw a PD-171 with a Reed tonearm, I've been a huge fan of the table. Almost bought one a couple years ago for an amazing price, but talked myself out of it, already have too many tables. Still love it, though ...
The Teac range look like rebadged Chinese models similar to many brands are putting out. No reviews I have seen. The Project and Thorens turntables are top quality if a little more expensive and there are solid reviews for them. TEAC were a top brand for electronics especially tape and then CD players but never for turntables. That Teac balanced TT isn't at the cusp of anything.
the teac table looks nice but $1800 bucks for a belt drive acrylic platter table seems high. the platter speed sensing servo is an attempt at speed precision but any speed control loop runs the risk of hysteresis lag. since speec accuracy and stability is one of the core functions of a turntable I do not see a reason to pick the teac over the technics 1200gr which is speed solid. plus you get an aluminum based platter. the xlr outs are nice but not a deal maker.
Now imagine how good the 1200G is against most $5K turntables. I also wouldn't be hung up on balanced connection as being an improvement.
To each his/ her /non-binary own but it would seem odd to opt for a lesser table purely because it has balanced out connectors over a demonstrably better one that has only single-ended outputs.
Agreed. I do think it's possible to have somewhat lop-sided systems as you move up the price ranges because as things get more expensive it's harder (unless you've got lots of money to play with) to buy all these things at once.
Well I did just add $1200 worth of subwoofer. My plan was always to run a 2.2 mini system. This is also why I chose the carina's over the Vela...not just brighter but it better matches the jet5 and has more upper mid range... Granted it seems lopsided but what speakers are really not just a sideways step from ELAC and Bowers and wilkins? I just have the small versions
OK, but why go off topic, downplay my choices in speakers and not even give a better example choice for a mini 2.2 system... You got a better AMT small book shelf combo in mind other than carina and B&W 8 inch? This is also because I live in apartments...a modular system is easier to move with me than large single speakers and I can really adjust for low vollume settings, and also crank it up when I want.
Actually here is a surprise I'm now leaning towards a project X2B with pro-ject DS3 phono amp. The 5 pin mini true balanced is the reason I want to try it... Thanks for all the input, I did take into consideration.
A little off topic, but you live in an apartment and thus use standmounts due to concern about volume and disturbing neighbors. Yet, you plan to add two subs to the mix. Subs in an apartment are really asking for trouble. They will be way worse for your neighbors than a small tower or large standmount. Very few towers are truly fullrange and play as low as a real subwoofer would. If you are truly concerned about neighbors ditch the sub idea.
