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good turntable (where and which?)

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  • 01-02-2007 1:53pm
    #1
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hey,

    I'm looking for a good turntable (for playing records - not for DJ work or anything like that), and was hoping to get some advice on where the best place to get one is (in Dublin) and what kind would be good (without going too high up the price ladder).

    I know there are some players with USB connections doing the rounds, but as it's a present I'm not 100% on this - do the USB players have phono leads too so the user can choose which type of connection they'll use at whatever time (so they could set it up with their stereo, and then plug in the USB whenever they want to convert a record to mp3)?

    If not, I'd rather go for a phono-based one than a usb-only one. I figure It'll need a good pre-amp too (any turntables with these built in?)

    Thanks for any advice.


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    #2
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,557 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    Oh flogen, flogen, flogen. How much money do you have for starters?

    When it comes to vinyl, any tendencies you have towards OCD and anal retentivity are amply catered for.

    Current reference in turntables is Scottish company Linn and their Sondek turntable. It's been a reference point since the early 70's.

    Go to DubLinn Hi-Fi on Camden Street and you won't get much change out of 10K if you want a new Sondek with a half-decent arm and stylus, however you can source good second-hand bargains both here and in the UK that will cost a fraction of the amount.

    You can get any manner of further upgrades for the Linn, including power supply and platter.

    I spoke to one of the bods in Cloney Audio recently; they are agents for a particular brand of German turntable of which the flagship model costs just under half-a-million Euro and uses the same motors as recently used on the probe in the Mars Discovery project. They've sold 6 in Dublin to date.

    After that you're talking phono-stages, pre-amps, the whole MC vs. MM debate....

    I decided life was too short after recently reading a review in a leading British Hi-Fi mag that reviewed turntable stands (basically the feckin' piece of furniture you put the turntable on) and scored the tables in terms of their 'musicality'.

    I'm almost perfectly happy with the battered old Sony 1974 reference turntable I bought second-hand in Harry Moore back in 1986 for 50 quid. It's been through several cartridges/styli since, rumbles like bejaysus, doesn't get on with any amp I put it through, but its got character, and at the end of the day, that's what we all want from vinyl.


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    #3
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Wow, that's some money... I guess I should have known for the reasons you point out...
    OK - I guess it would be at the other end of the scale then - would like to point out it's a present for someone but also from someone else - they just asked me to look around for them because they know zero about it, and while I know only a slight bit more than that I'm the best they've got!

    Not sure of an actual price, but I imagine it wouldn't be going much further than 150-200 MAX... and that's probably being ambitious.


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