Looking for a decent but inexpensive turntable

Jstas

My neighbor's kid wants to get in to vinyl. He's discovered fun stuff like classic rock and has a penchant for classical music as well. He asked me the other day if I had a spare "record player" and I don't. I asked him if he wanted one and he said he did.

So if anyone has a decent but in expensive turntable they want to part with, let me know. May be able to strike a deal.

Jstas

Doesn't have to be new. Just looking for options but I'll look into that and see. Thanks.

cnh

Keiko wrote: »

Might be time to hit up Papa George.

This! Mr. Grand has a ton of old TTs, or used to, some old Technics, Pioneer, Dual, or whatever else he has would be fine as a starter table. Heck, even some old higher model Ratshack LABs are OK. Especially a 400 series! And they're not much coin unless you try to pry one off ebay! lol

decal

nbrowser wrote: »

Jstas, if new....honestly....Audio Technica AT-60LP with or without USB, has a built in switchable phono pre if the system doesn't have a phono input and can be had for peanuts.

I'll second the motion.

mhardy6647

other than the need to add an outboard preamp, I think the best buys extant for truly entry-level tts today are the last generation of "classic", although plastic-y, P-mount, belt (some were direct) drive tts sold by the major Japanese brands in the 1980s. The seminal example would be the Technics SL-BD20 and its kin. These are $20 tts at garage sales. They'll never impress anyone with construction values or cosmetics or mass or anything else -- but they'll play records adequately well without drama or damage.

Everyone made tts like the SL-BD20 -- I pick 'em up whenever I find one for circumstances just like the OP's.

PS the cheapest source of a (usually very decent quality) MM phono preamp may well be a neglected old stereo receiver dating from the 1960s to 1990s -- the cheezier, the better; just use the PHONO input and the TAPE output (or use the whole danged receiver if it all works & it sounds good).

EDIT: Look at what KAB says about these (talk about hyperbole) -- and at the prices he charges for one! :- O

https://www.kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/ttables.htm
(follow the "Technics preowned belt drive" link)

Jstas

$179 is way too much.

Kid needs less than a hundred bucks. Preferably 50 or less.

mhardy's suggestion might do so I'll start looking around for that.

I dunno if George still has piles of turn tables around. Guess I should ask.

skrol

I have an Onkyo CP-1046F with Shure cartridge available in really nice shape. Works great, only a few minor scratches on dust cover.

I have had it since new back in the early '90s. Still have the original manual, alignment gauge and parts to lock the platter for shipping. I could go $100 + ship.
Stan

Easy Runnin

This might be worth a look:

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ele/5002187474.html

mhardy6647

Those three are all decent -- the SL-D1 is probably the pick of the litter (although it's not automatic; it is, if memory serves, fully manual).

[Deleted User]

Newegg is having sales of course for MD so if you want new...
A ton to chose from. I thought vinyl was dead?

mhardy6647

Not dead -- "vinyl" (i.e., rekkids) are just like Frank Zappa is reputed to have said of jazz...

[Vinyl] isn't dead. It just smells funny.

;- )

New production tts are, I'd opine, mostly toys under $1k. Sad but true. The entry level Rega, Pro-Ject, etc. tts (ca. $500) are OK, but they're pretty nominal overall for a lot of money (i.e., they don't represent great value, IMO).

The 1970s massmarket Japanese tts were well made and well engineered; if they haven't been abused they often represent -- even at today's re-inflated prices! -- very good value.

Let me put it this way...

I own one of these:

TT15S12 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

but my daily driver is this:

white vinyl by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

The Marantz (a rebadged, somewhat pimped-out Clearaudio Emotion with a CA Satisfy arm) is packed up in its box :-P

[Deleted User]

What I really need is that Tascam

Jstas

xcapri79 wrote: »

The cost of any decent record collection will easily exceed that.

Listen, genius, I can't stand you already and every interaction I have with you astounds me because prior to each latest one, I didn't think it was possible to dislike you more than I already did. Yet you out do yourself every time.

The kid has a record collection. It's his mom and grandmom's collection.

He's 15 years old. He's working with an allowance and summer job budget.

$180 for a turntable is out of his price range. Especially since we have to get the rest of the rig too. I'm probably going to end up furnishing him a set of KLH's out of pocket for him to use and I'm leaning toward an Oinker P-301/304 pre-amp and a tube amp kit. I'll probably be throwing $50 at his purchase of the turntable to help get him something reasonable since his budget for the turntable is $50 on his own.

The whole reason I aksed here is because there are kind people here who have decent used stuff for good prices or who would be willing to take a small hit to help out a kid just getting into the hobby. Hell, my turntable I dropped just over $100 bucks on from someone here and I found out later than when new in the mid-80's it was considered a high-end esoteric unit.

I'm not looking to take anyone for a ride but I know also that for $100 on a used turntable, we can find him something that will out perform your $180 suggestion handily.

polrbehr

I may be able to help out with this, let me check a few things out and get back to you tomorrow.

George Grand

John, your search is over. Drop by, or I'll drop something off. I have a few gorgeous Sony and Technics direct-drives, ready-to-play condition, from zero dollars up to about $30.

[Deleted User]

Mr. Grand is the goods.