Stereo w/ turntable

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Yakov · #1 Post by **Yakov** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 6:31 pm

hello folks.

i want to buy one of those integrated turntable/tape/CD/reciever/speakers thingies. (i could do without the speakers, i have some of them.) i don't need a multi-CD disc changer -- those things freak me out, and they always break. just basically a boom box in Bb with a turntable on the top. my budget is $200-$300. can this be done? what's the best brand?

-yakov.

CafeSavoy · #2 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 10:15 pm

wheresmygravy · #3 Post by **wheresmygravy** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 8:46 am

Oh Rayned, that first one is SWEET! If I wanted a CD/Turntable/Cassette/Radio thingy, that would be my dream system. As long as it was actually built well.

What catalog is that from?

yedancer · #4 Post by **yedancer** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 10:50 am

Try clicking on the picture.

Yakov · #5 Post by **Yakov** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 11:41 am

there are a LOT of negative reviews on amazon.com for philco products.

CafeSavoy · #6 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 11:51 am

i don't know anything about them, didn't even know they were still making them. but i guess you can find reviews on the web. also they aren't that expensive.

Yakov · #7 Post by **Yakov** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 12:05 pm

teac makes them too. can't find customer reviews though.

Teac Nostalgia GF-330 - mini system - radio / CD / cassette / turntable

KevinSchaper · #8 Post by **KevinSchaper** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 1:13 pm

http://www.vestaxstore.com/vestaxHANDYTRAX.htm

just hook a portable cd player up to the line-in..

(though, I dunno how loud the speaker is)

or just go old school

Yakov · #9 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:53 am

wow, that port-a-vestax looks great. i found it mentioned on a british dj messageboard and the people were saying how cool & great it is. they seem to be a respected company in the field. i can just get that and a pair of computer speakers or something, and i'm set. thanks a lot!

any recommendations for speakers, or other turntable ideas?

Lawrence · #10 Post by **Lawrence** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:15 pm

I might be stating the obvious for you, but for those who grew up on CDs alone, keep in mind that cheap-o record players are crap not only in sound quality but also for your records.

The difference between a cheap-o and a merely-good quality turntable is greater than the difference between a cheap-o CD player and a STEREOPHILE CD player. A cheap-o CD player is adequate for anyone but the most persnickety, whereas a cheap-o record player does not meet an average person's preference for quality. Moreover, cheap-o record players can permanently damage your records or, at least, wear them down much quicker. Stereophile record players not only have better sound, but also more sensitivity so as to not dig into the grooves too much.

Yakov · #11 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:42 pm

ok... so do you have any suggestions, regarding brand, etc? I know I sound like a total newbie here but... well, I am a total newbie here. I literally know next to nothing about record players. do you know anything about that Vestax?

-yakov.

Lawrence · #12 Post by **Lawrence** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:36 pm

Yakov wrote:ok... so do you have any suggestions, regarding brand, etc? I know I sound like a total newbie here but... well, I am a total newbie here. I literally know next to nothing about record players. do you know anything about that Vestax?

I know just enough to be dangerous. I would research it, yourself, read up on stereophile bulletin boards and magazines, and find out what is considered good, today.

My limited information is the following. It will be extremely difficult to find a good quality turntable on a tight budget. There is also a surprisingly huge world of turntables out there and many, many good ones. There are also many more junk ones. Most turntables out there are junk.

You will NOT find a good quality turntable in one of those integrated systems. They will turn almost any record (no matter when it was recorded) into what sounds like a lo-fi recording.

If you are at all interested in sound quality, the quality of your turntable will make ALL the difference in how good or bad your records sound. (Again, quite the contrary with CD players, where the differences over $200 are only relevant to audiophiles or rich people who want to brag) Most stereophiles agree that record albums played on top-notch turntables sound better than CDs. That is why there is still a huge world of turntables out there: because the high-end market is willing to fork out well over $1000 for a good turntable, and tech companies like to service big spenders. (that and because of hip hop DJs) The reason CDs won out is NOT because they have superior sound, but because they are far more convenient and far more cost-efficient.

Bang and Olufsen used to make top-notch (and really sleek) turntables that were my favorites. (I still have a couple of them that need a bit of refurbishing.) The problem is that B&O stopped making turntables, altogether, a few years ago. You can still get them used on Ebay. Beware, however, that many of them are so old that you cannot get the stylus for them, anymore. Look for cartridge/stylus numbers MMC1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, not some "20EN" or more complex number in the item description. (The cartridge/needle is unique and proprietary to B&O turntables: you can't substitute with other brands like you can with other turntable brands). The turntable are very minimalistic. You can identify the older, obsolete models because they have turntables with three of four concentric metal circles on the metal turntable, whereas the newer models that B&) still services have straight, black stripes eminating outwards from the center.

You should be able to get a used RX-2 for under $100 on Ebay. That was my turntable in college and law school, and it was great. THe problem is that you would be buying used equipment which could break down on you, and it is expensive to fix them: quite a specialized field of electronics, with only a few authorized service locations in any given state.

Rega also makes stereophile quality turntables that you can sometimes get for a few hundred on Ebay. The last time I was interested, I started following Rega Planar sales on Ebay, but then I changed my mind and figured I should either get a Tivo unit or refurbish what I have instead of buy a new one.

Techniques makes good turntables, but they also make cheap-o ones, so it is more of a case-by-case search.

LazyP · #13 Post by **LazyP** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:05 am

Found customer reviews that said teac is crap. Found a couple about crosley (manufacturer of the top image) and they seem good, not top hifi stuff but not bad either

Yakov · #14 Post by **Yakov** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:04 am

i went ahead and bought the vestax from same day electronics. it came pretty fast and it sounds great to my uneducated ears (piped through my computer speakers). I was listening to my family's old records until 2 am last night. soon i'll go down to the huge used vinyl shop near me. not only that but THEY NEVER CHARGED ME FOR IT, i.e. I got it for free (so far). But -- doh! -- i already paid back my dad for the credit card purchase

anyway it seems pretty good, although fragile. there's a 60-day retailer warranty and a 12-month manufacturer warranty (through Korg).

thanks for the help, guys.