Turntables?

Spawndn72

A few questions, but first a little history.

I am trying to put toghther a 2 channel system. So far I have 1 pari of polk monitor 7's and I am getting an adcom 545 from Sid. From there I plan on getting a decent pre-amp(maybe tube) and a decent cd player. But then I see all this talk about vinyl and analog stuff, etc. I would like to try this medium out with out dropping a lot of cash.

So the questions are:

1) is it worth it to get a turntable to play through solid state equipment?

2) If yes, what are some good truntables in the used market.

3) What should I expect to pay for said turntable.

4) There is a Bang & Olufsen Beogram 1700 on ebay right now going for cheap, $41, with 6 hours left. Would this be a decent TT?

Thanks,
Todd

PS sorry to be such a pest, I hope you guys don't mind all the newb questions.

unc2701

1) Hell, yeah! However, don't expect a huge return/ better sound from the Turntable... Expect it to be more fun and at some point you'll be able to afford some gear that'll really make your record collection shine. Yes, you can "collect" CDs, but it's just not the same.

2)Dual TT's are pretty solid and you can pick one up used $40-$400, depending on model, condition & upgrades. Reasearch on Ebay. You probably want a belt drive- direct drive costs more and is better if you're going to be DJing/ scratching, but you probably aren't going there.


3)See above

4)ehhhh, I'm not a B&O fan. They tend to be more style, not too much substance, but some other people might disagree.

tonyv1

That B&O TT only takes B&O cartridges. It uses the B&O plug-in style cartridges.

Spawndn72

I just bought a dual 704 on ebay. Hope I did good. I could not find too much info on the net. I did find a site with spec and the manufacturing date. It was made in 77-78 and cost $320 USD new.

Anyone know anything about this TT?

tonyv1

Great score on the Dual 704. It's the semi-automatic version of the 721. I'm rebuilding a 721 for my best friend (like he needs it, he has a GyroDec SE and VPI Scout). I've always had a Dual TT. Using a CS-741Q for now. If you need parts check out Garage-A-Records .

KCF

As a relative newcomer to vinyl, I can say that even at modest entry TT (mine's a Dual 506 that I got in the 80's and revived) I've achieved some remarkable results with my tube phono stage, tube pre and amp. Haven't really tried with SS, but many vouch for the "magic" of pure analog. I've found to my considerable surprise that I prefer the sound of vinyl over many / most CD's. Just way less compressed sounding, more "live". Be prepared for a fair bit of "fiddling" to get your set up right ( I ended up going to my Tech for proper set up for new cart). Then he also added a resistor mod to drop output from the table into a more "user friendly" range for my set up. Even so, the whole thing didn't sound that good at first; overly bright and forward. However, he advised that I chill, and sure enough, with break-in, the magic began, and things started to shine. The other cool thing; there's plenty of good used vinyl available (at least here in Phx.), prices ranging from next to 0 (thrift stores) to a couple bucks... another edge over CD's! --Part of my motivation was having 800+ albums in storage, collecting dust. Not like there're not trade offs ;-- huge variations in recording quality, surface noise, cleaning devices / maintenance etc., but for me, I'm very glad I made the investment, even tho as yet not in the market for big $$ TT.

Tour2ma

Damn you do move fast...

The 704 would not have been my first choice of vintage Duals (not a DD fan), but if it's in good working order (and gets to you in good condition), it should set you on the road. TT's have special requirements for shipping. I have a procedure for preping the 1229 for shipping. If you want a copy, e-mail me... (not PM).

Price you paid looks to be OK-ish... Do yourself a favor and get the owner's manual. I'd assume it'll need cleaning and lubing, and the manual will also help you set it up.

You likely will be cartridge hunting as I'd assume the stylus is shot in the M97, and Shure no longer makes or stocks it.

I'm assuming you have (or will get) a pre- or receiver with a phono section.... yes?

Spawndn72

Yes, my next purchase will be a preamp with a phono section.

That said, before I started all this 2-channel craziness I had a modest older home theater setup. I have a pioneer vsx-452 that has a phono input, so I will be able to play the TT through it for the time being.

As for the price, it was kinda funny. It was at $9.99 until about 20 mins left, then these two guys got into a fight and it went to $102.50 in a matter of minutes. I looked at everything else that was on ebay and figured it was prabably worth going ahead and grabing it. If I don't like it, I can always stick it back on ebay.

Thanks for the advice,
Todd