Trying to get in to vinyl, turntable suggestions?

Unless you have a fairly good size vinyl collection it's probably not a good idea.

If you're starting from scratch expect to spend far more than you expect to spend.

is it that hard to find vinyl? My goal is not to replace my library of cd's but obtain albums over time.

If it's not worth getting in to without already having a collection...why would anyone ever get in to it at all...unless they received some library or collection via gift\inheritance?

There is plenty of vinyl around and I think you have a good idea about what you are getting into. You will find a few sources for used and new here on agon or on e-bay and you will be upgrading your system regularly, just like we all do.

If it's not addictive, expensive and all consuming, what fun is it?

04-20-09: Burnsy1
is it that hard to find vinyl? My goal is not to replace my library of cd's but obtain albums over time.

You're on the right track and know what you want. It's easy and fun to find vinyl. I had about a dozen LPs two years ago, just prior to buying my first turntable in 30 years. Two years later I have over 700, the majority of which I got for fifty cents to $2 at used record shops and thrift shops. I did this on a shoestring and am having a blast. I get immense pleasure from listening to vinyl now. I liked the higher level of resolution so much that I did a complete overhaul of my 2-channel analog rig (except for keeping the Technics turntable)--platform, headshell, cartridge, cables, amp, and speakers.

This has been an enjoyable road of discovery on so many levels--hunting for used vinyl in good shape, listening to music I might not otherwise because it's so affordable, digging back into the cultural icons of the '50s to the '80s, hunting through used record shops and swap meets, and gradually dialing in improvement after tweak to get a clean, quiet, dynamic, linear, focused sound out of the Technics. It's been an enjoyable process and I very much like where it's ended up for me--a musically satisfying system with lots of high-resolution analog media to play on it.

Beware of sentences that start with the phrase, "with all due
respect", which always follow with a statement that clearly indicates the
author means just the opposite.

Moving on...

You can have a very fulfilling vinyl experience with a Technics SL1200 table, a
Benz Micro Ace or Audio Technica AT150 Mlx cartridge, and a phono preamp
in the range of $1000 new. Invest in a MintLP Best Tractor for $100. Set-up
is critical for good sounding vinyl playback, and you can't cheap out with the
tools necessary to get the job done right. Cleaning supplies will cost in the
range of $50-$100. A Sandbox platform for approx. $300. many will
recommend a record cleaning machine, but I don't subscribe to this. Hand
vacuuming and cleaning work just fine.

Total investment around $2200. I've done it for less, but I didn't hear benefits
until I had spent over $2000 for the entire rig and accessories.

You can probably have an equally fulfilling vinyl experience with an entry
level Rega table. The choice is yours, and no amount of input from users of
either make is going to put a convincing and definitive point on the debate.

If you're used to the quiet aspect of digital recordings, and if you're young
enough to have no prior experience with LP records and their inherent noise,
then you may be frustrated in your attempt to buy quiet used vinyl. There
isn't much available.

IMO. YMMV.