My Daughter Said She Wants a Turntable for Christmas...

Nightfall

ken brydson wrote: »

That would be a perfect Christmas gift for Jesse, to go with his boombox. Who wants to pitch in?

WTS

I recommend that you get a turntable and cartridge that is at least good enough that it won't damage the LPs with each playing (any more than any TT does, of course).

I own a bunch of LPs that were damaged by my childhood TT, which was cheap. I hear the damage every time I play them, which isn't often these days because of the damage.

That's why my thought about a DJ-type TT might be good. They're durable, yet they're also designed to sound good. I'll let others with more experience with them go into the specifics.

My guess is that USB capability is a red herring. Is she really going to want to create digital files from LPs?

kharp1

This has,been an interesting thread because I've thought about getting back in to vinyl over the last while. I never had a huge collection, maybe 100 albums or so, but those are long gone as I embrace digital for the obvious reasons in the 80's.

I do recall one of the greatest sounds I've ever heard was at a local dealer when the SDA's first came out. Forget exactly which monoblocks they were using, but, I think they were Krell, running a Linn-Sondek table and playing The Wall. I'd never heard anything so warm and enveloping.

I don't think I'd ever be wholesale analog, but, I would kind of like to have the medium, so, this has been a good lesson on the intro to vinyl.

What a great forum.

mhardy6647

Prefacing this with a big "FWIW" -- you know what I'd do?

Here's what I would do

Something along the lines of a Technics SL-BD20.

Ewwwwwwww, I hear the audiophiles say.

here's why I suggest this lowly model (or one of its close relatives).

* Absolutely no cachet
* Cheap
* Common
* Simple
* Not well built-- but built well enough
* Does everything needed and nothing not needed
* Arm is good enough -- simple & low mass; won't gnaw up one's records
* P-mount "system" for cartridges -- limits choices but makes changing easy
* decent enough belt drive system

Get one for ca. 20 bucks in good condition; spring for a new belt and a new cartridge (ahem, perhaps a P-mount Grado Black, ahem) and your daughter's in business with a simple, easy to use, and perfectly decent record player.


(Generic Internet photo of one)

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/sl-bd20.shtml

I snag these (and similar P-mount tts of their ilk) whenever I see 'em cheap (or free) so that I have something appropriate to pass along to someone (typically an adolescent) who wants to play records. These plastic-y 1990s tts are ideal starter platforms, IMO. They're good enough to actually provide the pleasure of decent vinyl playback, no fuss, no muss, at a bargain price (even in the vinyl-as-fashion age we're - transiently - living in).

DSC_2912 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

This one's a "Fisher", but cut from the same cloth.

... and, hey, whose Bottlehead Reduction phono preamp is that, anyway? It looks familiar!

EndersShadow

Big fan of my Technics SL-B3 as I stated, but I agree with Mr Hardy. Find something vintage, automatic and fairly inexpensive. Then maybe get a good cartridge for it and some misc accessories like a brush.......

Then if she climbs up the ladder start going nuts...

cfrizz

Maybe Scuba should just sit down and talk to her. Explain all that's involved in starting a record collection and the care that has to be taken with the records and gear. Basically find out if she is truly serious about this or is it just a passing fancy.

mhardy6647

EndersShadow wrote: »

Big fan of my Technics SL-B3 as I stated, but I agree with Mr Hardy. Find something vintage, automatic and fairly inexpensive. Then maybe get a good cartridge for it and some misc accessories like a brush.......

Then if she climbs up the ladder start going nuts...

Yup the SL-B1, 2, 3 and their DD morphs (SL-D1, 2, 3) are fine choices, too. Intrinsically nicer and more desirable overall (note that you have one!), so 'spensiver. The SL-BD20 is semi-auto; there was probably a full-auto morph, though (I honestly don't know).

I like my dump-find Technics SL-Q2. Pulled my Marantz TT-15S1 (Clearaudio OEM) out of service when I put a DL-103 in the Technics. Again the "Q" (quartz lock) morph are a 'spensiver option that the little plastic-y P-mounts, though.

BlueMDPicker

Al,

I wish I'd have known she was interested when you visited. We could have spun a couple for her.

My 14-year old daughter is the ONLY one of my children who adores the sound of analog reproduction, tape or vinyl. She started her own LP collection a couple of years ago and handles/cares for them like a pro. She has never asked for her own table and we share my Bluenote Bellavista without issue. I love the time we spend together listening and the fresh insights she has into a great many of my older titles. They'll all be her's someday and that makes me smile.

Get a table you share. Use it with your main 2-CH rig and ENJOY!

Mike

scubalab

Hey Mike!

I honestly didn't know she was even remotely interested until a couple days ago while we were driving back from Florida picking the kids for Christmas ideas. That's when she brought it up, and of course, since it's audio-related, I jumped right on it!

I'm thinking she may have gotten the idea from you and Geri when you mentioned Geri is into vinyl.

Hope all is well and thanks again for the hospitality and making us feel at HOME on Thanksgiving!

-Al

Mikey081057

Sent the AT 120 to my nephew and he and his dad love it. Very practical EL TT

dromunds

Lots of good used albums out there, all over Amazon, as well as record shops and all kinds of other places, even trading with your friends. I don't buy that many new albums. I'd definitely get an automatic table, no question about that. Personally, I agree with Mhardy on the used Technics which are tough and can be had for a song, or the AT suggestions. I was younger than your daughter when I bought my first albums, and I still have many of those originals. I wouldn't worry too much about it, just get a decent auto table with a decent cart (you can get a Shure M97XE for cheap too if you ever want to upgrade) and let her go at it.

scubalab

Thanks to everyone for all the great insight here. I've learned a LOT.

Ken B - find me that Hello Kitty DJ Mixing Center in blue and we'll call it a day.

In all seriousness, I've taken all of this in, and well, still don't have a definitive plan, LOL. But, Cathy hit the nail on the head. She's a kid. She expressed interest. I explained to her that it's a lot more work than finding something on Spotify and playing it. She somewhat embraced that and recommended that we could do it as a family. I'm thinking something simple that we can get up and running easily enough Christmas morning. Grab a couple albums (see if I can track down any of my old ones) to get going and test the waters. We can give it some time and see if we want to carry on further (and more in-depth) with the hobby.

I'm probably leaning towards the inexpensive, plug-n-play, new option in the AT LP60 or something vintage that is in decent condition and can be 'ready to go' with minimal work. I don't think the USB option is needed... she usually gets her digital music from Amazon or Spotify. Unfortunately, there aren't many options locally on CL, but a local dealer has some used tables. However, their prices are crazy high. There's these two options relatively close:

http://altoona.craigslist.org/ele/5888665265.html (seems a bit on the high price side though)

http://altoona.craigslist.org/ele/5875081017.html (I can get new for a few bucks more though)

For now, I'm planning to give her one of my Carver HR-7xx receivers (it's got Phono input) and use my Paradigm Studio 40's to set up a system in her room.

dromunds

Get a new AT LP60 for a few bucks more and get a warranty.

dromunds

Just don't get her Hendrix's "Are You Experienced" or she may end up like me..... Lol

EndersShadow

Who wants to start a Karma to @scubalab with some "starter" LP's? I dont really have any duplicates or I'd shoot them your way.....

scubalab

Thanks Dan! Wouldn't necessarily be looking for a Karma, but may be interested in buying if anyone has some LPs they might want to part with to help us get a collection started.

Nightfall

What other music besides what you listed?

scubalab

Hmm... that's a tough one. Looking at her playlist, she's also got:

• Fallout Boy
• Matt and Kim
• Foster the People
• Grouplove
• Wild Belle
• Vance Joy
• Death Cab for Cutie
• Passion Pit
• Bishop Briggs
• Coldplay
• Elle King
• The Wombats
• Cold War Kids
• Of Monsters and Men
• Declan McKenna
• Halsey
• Pink
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Fitz and the Tantrums
• Young the Giant
• The Naked and Famous
• MGMT
• Lady Gaga
• My Chemical Romance
• Grace VanderWaal

I'll be honest, I don't have any idea who a couple of those artists are!

She seems to like the same stuff I like. Classic Rock (Van Halen, Queen, Journey, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, U2, The Cult, David Bowie, Beatles); Pop/Rock (Ra Ra Riot, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Muse, Kings of Leon, etc.)

Nightfall

I've got five albums ready to go, PM me your address if you go forward with this.

VSAT88

I like this thread. Two years ago I gave my Daughter a TT and an integrated (she can plug in her phone, Set top box, DVD player) as well as two tower speakers all pretty old, much older than her but not really vintage in my book (1990's). Often I hear her upstairs listening and singing. Those are the best times in my life. I asked her the other day what she would want if she could have anything in the world for Christmas. She said some posters a T shirt and ... a record album she wants...She is 16, I am 51 and we have the love for music as well as many other things common. BTW, she never asks for anything either...Yes, she will get all that she asked for... By the way, it seems to me you are already giving her the best presents of all, Your love, your time and your attention. Best of luck finding what you want for her. Either way you go it will be fine.

scubalab

Nightfall - Thanks so much! I'll definitely let you know if I pull the trigger on a TT.

scubalab

VSAT88 - Great post! It is great to have some shared interests with your kids. Fortunately, my wife and I and our two daughters still get along great (LOL) and share a lot of similar interests. Any time we can find ways to increase the time we spend doing things (either vacation, working, or hobbies) together, we take advantage of it. I truly hope this is something she is serious about.

ken brydson

scubalab wrote: »

Nightfall - Thanks so much! I'll definitely let you know if I pull the trigger on a TT.

I'm in for a few as well. Let me know if you end up diving down the vinyl hole...

gudnoyez

I got my Grandson into headphones instead of ear buds he enjoys that. I even introduced him to vinyl gave him a Onkyo Reciever a Pioneer Turntable a pair of JBL bookies, and some T15s, a Discwasher, along with a stylus cleaner and a antistatic brush.

He is also 13 he bought the Straight Outta Compton soundtrack, AC/DC Highway To Hell, on 180 gram Vinyl plus he went with me to record store day bought some used vinyl, plus I gave him some of my LP's. He enjoyed it at first but slowly lost interest, he prefers listening to his laptop with his Sennheisers and a pair of powered JBL's. I think it's been a while since I saw him go through his little vinyl ritual, however when I ask if he has lost interest he tells me he still has an interest for it. I hope you and your daughter have fun and enjoy spending time together with her new hobby.

mhardy6647

scubalab wrote: »

Thanks Dan! Wouldn't necessarily be looking for a Karma, but may be interested in buying if anyone has some LPs they might want to part with to help us get a collection started.

Shoot me a PM, or post a list of some suggested titles (or artists/genres) and let me see what's floatin' around here. I can send a few gratis -- if I have anything you (all) are looking for

scubalab

Well, we ordered up an entry level TT last night (Audio Technica LP60 in silver). Ordered on Amazon with an included bonus of a cheap little cleaning kit. I appreciate everyone's offers on some starter LPs for her. I'll PM each individually! Thanks again to all of the members here for the help and advice

scubalab

I have two very hefty surprise packages (well mostly surprise anyway) from Mark (@mhardy6647) and Darryl (@voltz) that are addressed to my daughter that I'll wrap and give to her after she opens her new TT. Can't thank you guys enough. The outpouring of advice, support, and generosity of the folks here is phenomenal.

I'll be sure to post her thoughts on vinyl once she has some time to get into it!

Thanks again fellow Polkies,
-Al

EndersShadow

I better NOT see her putting those LP's in the dishwasher to clean them ....

scubalab

^^HAH!

One of her chores is to unload and load the dishwasher. I can tell you with 100% certainty that she won't be putting LPs in the dishwasher. Why would she? She doesn't put anything else in it (or empty it for that matter).

Hence the reason she might get coal for Christmas instead of the TT...

mhardy6647

I keep tellin' 'em it's Discwasher! Discwasher!!!



Actually, though, a standard-issue (Rubbermaid, etc.) style dish drain rack can come in handy for that last little bit of air-drying of rekkids cleaned the old fashioned way (sans dishwasher, or VPI or Nitty Gritty vacuum rekkid cleaners, for that matter).

I hope your daughter enjoys rekkids in general and the kernel of her own collection in particular!