Diving back into analog...which turntable to buy


Ive tried this a few years ago with a LP12 table and could never get it to sound as good as my digital so off it went.Im determined to get a table and make it work...So im willing to spend up to a grand,nothing more.What do I buy used or new.Looking for an easy to setup and maintain belt drive table.Thanks in advance
missioncoonery

Showing 1 response by terry9

I think that you should decide what is sonically important to you, because digital and analogue have objectively different sounds.

I don't mind a little speed inconstancy, which mainly results from off-centre records. But I hate hate hate the brittle edge of cheap capacitors and digital sources (high frequency artifacts). So, for me, cheap vinyl easily surpasses my expensive digital player. For the owner of my local high end audio store, it is the opposite. We both hear the same thing, but our tastes differ.

That said, set-up is absolutely critical. A cheap but well set up analogue system will easily thrash an expensive system badly set up, and most people who say they can do it, can't. Case in point - my higher end Koetsu took a year to get right. My last adjustment was 10 minutes of arc for azimuth adjustment - and the improvement was qualitative. Or, to make a bad joke, digital: from off to on.

So I would not take your Lynn experience to heart. If you don't mind speed inconstancy, try vinyl again. Find a really good audio store, and try to buy a second hand package which comes with professional setup. Then, if you find that you still like the sound, you can either let it alone or go to the next step of addiction: make microscopic changes, seeking improvement.

Good luck.