Recommendation for turntable

The "current Onkyo tt" is a Hanpin OEM, isn't it?

EDIT: yup.



https://www.analogplanet.com/content/onkyos-cp-1050-direct-drive-turntable-offers-extraordinary-speed-stability-attractive-retro

Sumerian wrote: »

Almost every search pops Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB
Is it really that good?

If your looking for a plug and play. It's hard to top at $300. Been enjoying mine for a few years now. Trouble free and easy to set up.

Pro-Ject

Sumerian wrote: »

Almost every search pops Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB
Is it really that good?

No. It's just one of many clones of the old (not the current) Panasonic/Technics SL-1200. It should be perfectly OK but it's nothing special. There's nothing wrong a priori with a "DJ" table -- except for some of the models that have short, straight arms with a headshell with no "offset". Such decks are made for scratching; not for listening to records. They won't allow proper alignment of the phono cartridge.

Here's an example. This model's arm looks to be proper length, but note the "straight" headshell -- it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to align the cartridge (stylus) to be maximally aliigned to the record groove across the surface of the record with that headshell. Also note that the guts of this tt are essentially identical to that Onkyo discussed earlier. This is another Hanpin OEM tt.




The A-T may or may not be made by Hanpin; I don't know.

Sumerian wrote: »

hochpt21 wrote: »

Pro-Ject

Is it true there is a common problem of humming noise in project TTs

With certain cartridges I believe. My grado gold has a light hum when the cartridge gets all the way to the end of the record, but it hasn't bothered me at any point. But yes, something to take into consideration.

I like all the recommendations so far. The note re: the Pro-ject hum, I'm currently auditioning a Debut Carbon with Ortonfon Red. It's a simple, pleasing experience, but yes, it hums. Not too noticeable at lower listening levels, but audible at higher ones, especially during quieter passages or while idle. I can minimize it with a different, "lesser quality" cable.

No one's mentioned the Pioneer PLX-1000 yet, which is supposed to be really good, too, for anyone who wants an original Technics 1200 type. Well built chassis, tonearm damping, RCA terminals instead of captive cables (this may or may not be a plus) For the Technics clones, this would be the only model I'd consider, I think, at least with what I know at this point, and I haven't looked around much in the past couple of years. Forget the DJ marketing and just look at the table.
https://www.pioneerdj.com/en-us/product/turntable/plx-1000/black/overview/

I almost went with one of these but got scared off due to a marketing error on the wow and flutter spec. I didn't even know what that was, but people on Steve Hoffman seemed to make a big deal about it. Turns out someone put a decimal in the wrong place, and after they moved the decimal, people starting paying more attention to the people who'd previously offered positive reviews.

What is it about hanpin driven tables that makes them plague like? Are they noisy or rumbly, not constant speed? Or are they just the smelly kid of turntable motors?

The SL-1200 and its clones are too bling-y for the vinylista, of course!
They prefer a subtle, elegant and understated aesthetic -- you know, like the Thorens Reference:

Sumerian wrote: »

So pioneer plx1000 is no better than audio technica 120?

Simply put -- I don't know. Really only one way to find out. The Pioneer is considerably more expensive (i.e., on the order of a factor of two), isn't it?

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120-USB-Direct-Drive-Professional-Turntable/dp/B002S1CJ2Q
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-DJ-PLX-1000-Direct-Turntable/dp/B00O8U3ZI2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1517586037&sr=8-4&keywords=pioneer+plx+1000

(This particular morph of the A-T has an ADC and USB built in, apparently, as well as a built-in phono preamp: the Pioneer has neither, FWIW)

I'd expect them to be operationally/functionally pretty much interchangeable -- but that is not an opinion formed from experience!!!

Yes -- note that they're all more or less morphological clones of each other and of their granddaddy, the Technics SL-1200.



The sine qua non.

Oh, if you want, Panasonic has rebooted the SL-1200. A little pricey, but by all accounts a nice turntable

http://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1200g.html

That's why used can be an excellent option for some folks

Sumerian wrote: »

So pioneer plx1000 is no better than audio technica 120?

Haha, easy there Captain Simplification
The Pioneer is built much better than the AT LP-120. The LP-120 was the first table I tried. It was heavy and had a weighted base somehow, but it rang. It think the top plate on it is plastic. Take a closer look at the tech in the Pioneer table. Zinc chassis, resin reinforced base, and damping material in the base and in the tonearm. These tables are not in the same class.

One of the cool things about the Technics SL-1200 and variants, presumably, this Pioneer, is the torquey direct drive motor, Hanpin or not. They keep accurate speed, and don't have a belt that slips when you put a lint brush on the record.