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How can I get back into vinyl very cheaply?

Hi and thanks for taking the time to read my thread. I grew up in the 70's and amassed a relatively large record collection. Moreover my buddies from high school are willing to give me their old Lp's. However I don't have much in disposable income so I am wondering if there is a good TT,arm, cartridge, combo to be had for ~350$ I had a denon direct drive turntable when I was a kid, but reading this site makes my think that a belt drive table would generally be superior. I particularly am wondering what old units I should look for on ebay. There are almost 1000 units for sal on ebay and most of them are in my price range, but I really don't know for which units I should be looking. Finally as I don't even know what VTA is, ease of set up is important. I appreciate all opinions.

PS. My Musical Fidelity pre has a phono stage that is purportedly good but not great for MM and adequate for MC
rgcards
breeno
16 posts
 
I've got a (nearly new) grado black laying around I'd throw in for free for a soul wanting to get a cheap start into the vinyl sickness.
jwrobinson's avatar
jwrobinson
59 posts
 
Being mostly mechanical, I would tend to steer clear of inexpensive used TTs. That does not mean you can't find a good one but.....

For some of us, buying a more exotic (expensive) used TT is the only way to afford something better. However, there are a number of inexpensive new TTs out there. Check out Audio Advisor.

I would personally stay away from fully automatic and go with a manual.

My own TT is a VPI Jr that has performed flawlessly
for more than 12 years. I've only had to replace the belt.

Jim
peter_s
1,088 posts
 
This is a bit of a tangent, but when it comes to expanding a record collection, I recently put an ad in the paper saying I'd buy peoples used records. The local used store around these parts gives about 50 cents a record, and I exceed their offering by just a bit. You can really come into some esoteric collections that way, as well as the usual junk! And it's CHEAP!
audiomax
161 posts
 
The cheapest way to get into vinyl is to visit a nearby friend who has a turntable.
bomarc
501 posts
 
Rgcards: I was in your position a few years ago, and picked up a new NAD (which is basically a low-grade version of the Rega P2), because that's what my local dealer had. It needed an adjustment, so I'm glad I had the dealer to take care of that (at no charge, of course). The NAD is certainly competent, which is as good as you're going to do in your price range. It's probably roughly on a par with the cheapest Music Hall or Pro-ject.

I'm intrigued by Psychicanimal's rave for Technics, as I'm occasionally asked for recommendations about "what to do with all my old records." The better Technics belt drive and a P-mount cartridge isn't going to set you back more than about $200. If it's as good as he says, it might be the way for you to go. For nonaudiophiles who just want to play their old records, it sounds like the ideal solution.
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