Turntable recommendation required herein

I think I'm going with the debut; I want one in a nice colour though. pink?

I just spent money I didn't have on an adapter for my ibook. this is the third one I've burnded through.

also do these models use "universal" needles or do i need to buy a needle from the manufacturer?

the only thing is, dont you have to lift off the whole plate and all that malarkey just to change the speed to 45? i know, i know, real audiophiles dont need to listen to stuff at 45.

but they are nice. i've had mine for about 6 years with no problems. really the only drawback is the lack of automatic features.

So I haven't had a functional turntable in many a year, but am thinking of investing this holiday season. Only problem is, I don't really have a stereo anymore, and play almost everything through my laptop. Are there turntables I can get that I can play through my laptop, like one of those usb jobs? Would that be worth it, or what? I am obviously very clueless about this whole thing. Help!

http://www.sumikoaudio.net/project/products/debut_usb.htm
dunno if this is too costly but it is a good-sounding deck. i think you would have to get some sort of software to let you listen but that should be available for free. it is a good enough 'table that if you were to get a hifi it would work very well in the context too.

yeah, thanks! though I think that is in fact too costly for me I think, at least at the moment.

http://www.sumikoaudio.net/project/products/phonobox_2_usb.htm

you can get a less expensive deck and then use that as the preamp.

this also just came out. i didnt know about it when i made the above post...
http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/4724.asp
I havent heard the Denon so I can't say how it sounds but their products are certainly reliable.

There are a bunch of USB turntables that include phono sections. They'll bump up the RIAA curves before sending things into the computer (without a phono section, you won't get much bass, amongst other problems).

But this device seems to be getting good reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Phono-Plus-USB-Preamp/dp/B000BBGCCI

Cheap, lets you hook up other devices too, and it lets you use any turntable so that you aren't limited to the sometimes chintzy USB turntables. It would probably also let you send a signal out to self-amplified monitors, though I don't know that for sure. Still, at $60 you can't go too wrong. Seems to be very flexible/configurable. I'd get the best belt-driven turntable you can afford, then tack this on. Then someday get a pair of modest monitors. Would think that should sound pretty good.

So I'm still holding out on taking the Technics dive. I really want to but money ain't what it needs to be for that. I'm thinking about this direct drive Audio-Technica since I want pitch control, it comes as a complete package with headshell and cartridge, and I've heard good things about A-T. Thoughts? Anybody have one of these?

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-PL120-Professional-Direct-Drive-Turntable/dp/B00012EYNG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1237314316&sr=8-2

Anyone?

Are you hoping to DJ? That looks like a reasonably solid 1200 knock-off (the model # is even 120). It's nicer than my turntable.

Eh, not so much dj as in take it around with me, but yeah sort of something I can at least mess with the pitch and I want the direct drive. So yeah not just for audiophile home listening, something I can fiddle around with.

I'd say pay a tiny bit more and look for a second hand 1200. Even if it’s a bit bashed up I bet it will be running long after the AT has died.

Thanks Chewshabadoo, I'm sure you're right. I had that thought, but I need to find someone with more expertise to advise me in bringing a used 1200 up to speed. No time for learning like the present I suppose. Whenever I've looked into it I'm a bit overwhelmed/intimidated by the cartridge selection, tonearm balancing, etc.

Funny you should mention: I've been camping on ebay ads for second-hand "hardly used, only in my living room, honest guv" Technics 1210 turntable.

Theye go there for about £130-160, otherwise around £500 for newish ones in shops.

Tonearm balancing is a piece of piss – there must be a simple guide somewhere you can follow – but all you have to do is put the cartridge on, turn-off auto-skate, rotate the counterbalance so the arm balances in the air on both ends when hovering over the platter, reset the numeric dial to zero, rotate to the tracking force specified by your cartridge (usually around 1.5, but more is always better than less), and set the anti-skate to the same amount. Shouldn’t take you much longer that a minute after you have fitted your cartridge.

And as regards a cartridge, just buy a reasonable one – unless you’re back-cueing, get a consumer one like an OM5, or OM10, which sound pretty good to me – and I’m sure you’ll be fine. You can always think about buying a more esoteric one in a couple of years time.

Thanks Chews. Just the sort of straightforward take I was looking for.

I had been waffling between a Rega P1 or P2 and the (now discontinued?) Technics 1200, but this thread has pretty much sold me on a Pro-Ject Debut. I am not a dj -- rather just someone looking to get a decent turntable for a home stereo setup.

i love my rega. p1. i'm not very demanding though. it's perfect for me.

i mean, i guess if i had the money to blow i would upgrade to the p2 or whatever, but i really don't feel the need to.

i do need new speakers though. or new old ones. the old warhorse marantz reciever maria got me for free is too good for my old speakers. i'm missing out on better sound.

Alright, any new updates or additions to recommend for a new turntable? I think my upper limit is going to be about $250. Looking for something to replace my (super shitty) Ion USB turntable. This will not be hooked up to a computer, but to my Pioneer receiver.

Lots of potential and interest in this Kickstarter project.

I have a Project III red only played about ten times since 2010. It was an irresponsible purchase, it's clear it has to go.

I was thinking the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon was the way to go (I think I'm willing to up my limit now, after researching). Mount Cleaners, did you not like something about it? Or do you just not use it enough to justify the purchase?

This looks decent & on-budget.

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-9826-music-hall-usb-1-turntable.aspx

Music Hall makes nice stuff

I was looking at that too, but didn't know much about Music Hall.

Audio Technica is well loved. I think their cheapest is around 300, though.

I just bought a Pro-Ject Debut III Carbon. The fussiness of the thing is a bit off-putting — the little "skating weight" hanging perilously by fishing wire, the round weight at the back of the tone arm that needs to be set to precisely 1.8 grams or something (the store clerk set it up for me; I wasn't about to spend an afternoon getting it right on my own).

Sounds great, though.

I have a used Technics sl-1600mkII that was ~$230. I also bought a shure m97xe cartridge for ~$70 that was easy to install. I'm really happy with the Technics. It is automatic, so you can't lift the tonearm yourself to queue up tracks. But you also don't have to mess with an adapter to spin a 45. I bet you'll need an adapter for a new budget table in a fancy color.

it's harder to find the 1600mkII than a 1200mkII, but the 1600 is usually a bit cheaper

You can adjust the rubber band thing yourself to play 45s on the Pro-Ject. Not that I've tried. Also, white ain't that fancy.

I dunno man. Steve jobs would disagree.

I would love to own that table though. I wasn't trying to poo poo on it with my post (lol Z S)

those pro-ject tables are pretty, but (and maybe i am dumb) where is the speed switch?

That's what was being talked about upthread, you have to switch under the plate with a special tool, if I understand correctly.

You move the belt on the motor to effect speed change. Can't recall whether the motor spindle is exposed on the Project or whether you have to lift the platter off to do it. You can get a version of the Project with push-button speed-change (it's the one with the USB output too, I think).

xp

The difference between that $249 Music Hall and a $400 Project is worth saving for. Or a better Music Hall. And down the road, if the manual speed change is too annoying (I think I'd find it so since I go back and forth from 45 to 33 all the time), get the electronic speed controller, which not only makes changing speeds a breeze, it also conditions the current and helps maintain a constant speed, one of the biggest challenges for budget decks.

hi dere I have a manual speed change Music Hall MMF-5, and it really isn't that much of a hassle. You don't have to use the cool little plastic thing they give you, I used a toothpick for a long time because the original was lost behind the shelving. You just have to get a feel for lifting the whole glass plate up off of the turntable to expose the belt, and to be gentle when you switch its tracking to the lower groove. This does make me tend to binge on 45 speed records before changing it back though.

As per Gott Punch on the ILV needle thread, I do not recommend Audio Technica.

I have the Pro-Ject debut as well. It is finicky and takes a bit of getting used to but, I frequently find myself astonished at how great it sounds.

i had a (slightly) more expensive rega p2 for a while but the project craps all over it imo. after getting the rega properly set up on multiple occasions it never sounded terribly nice, always a little dull and slightly distorted.

Well, perhaps I've made a huge mistake, but I went ahead and ordered the Music Hall turntable. I liked the thought of the Pro-Ject (and my wife loved the design of it), but I really couldn't justify the added cost right now. We've got so much other shit we need for the new house that the extra $150 just isn't going to happen now and, honestly, I'm too impatient to wait another year or so to go without listening to my vinyl. I'm also not entirely sure that my current speakers will really do the Pro-Ject justice and I'm looking down the road to a more extensive upgrade to all of it someday. Anyway, I went with the Music Hall and I'm optimistic that it'll do me fine for now.

Lemme know how it is when you get it set up.

I just picked up an Akai AP-D2 from a thrift store for $30. When you get used turntables, is replacing the needle something you just do w/o question? Is there a way to check it to see if it's still in decent condition? I just don't wanna fuck up my wax.