Starter Turntable

I am not sure that I would venture into vinyl if I didn't already have several hundred LP's, but if you do, I think it can be very rewarding.

How you go about it should be based around what you want to do. If you plan to hunt thrifts for low cost music, I would suggest starting with something like a Thorens TD-160 or similar. It's a good solid table and will be good enough for you to enjoy analog sound. If when you upgrade, or decide to sell, you can sell it for basically the same as you paid and sometimes more.

It can also benefit from some tweaking if you want to go that route. Can be had for around 200 hundred with cartridge.

If, on the other hand, your goal is to start buying audiophile LP's in search of the best sound, the investment is far more significant.

I started analogue about a year ago - from scratch. LP's are waaay cheaper than CD and today I have a collection of over a thousand LP's.

I was so impressed with the sound of LP's that I got rid of my CD player (Cary 303/200) and all my CD's. Fact is, once you compare them back to back you will realize that CD is way inferior. A $750 turntable will smoke any $3000 CD player no problem.

Start with a rega/NAD533/Moth and do some minor upgrades like an acrylic platter and structural mod to the arm. Get a nice starter cart like a Sumiko BPS/Shure and you'll never look back.

To start you LP collection it is best to start off by bidding on a batch of 50 to 100 LP's. Once you have that you will be well on your way.

Good luck
Paul

I just (re) started my vinyl journey. You can say I jumped in head first regarding my budget.

It has been both rewarding to me and my dealer thus far not to mention local record shops..

Hi,
I'd like to raise one point that I didn't see so far. I see buying new vinyl as a much better investment than buying CDs. Vinyl releases are usually very limited. Some examples:
I bought Elliott Smith XO brand new for $12.00, it is now out of print and It regularly sells on ebay for $50-$100.. I'm kicking myself for not buying figure 8.. reissue???

I bought Modest Mouse- Long Drive & Lonsome West for $10-$12. now they sell for $100.00 or more on ebay.

Plus I have a lot of Brit Pop, Indie, Mod stuff that is all worth about twice what I paid for it new. I'm talkin doubling in value in less than a year in some cases. The CD releases are as good as coasters if I want to sell them.. Ok they might sell for $3-$4 each. Tons of new vinyl is out there!!

Also, Vinyl is a great value used, even at expensive places like Amoeba you can buy rare LPs for $4-$8. I know of a place that trucks in used LPs once a week and they are pricing them at $2.00 (it's all 80's and classic Rock though. But you find mint Madness, REM, Beatles etc.)

And don't believe the hype on the $$$ for equipment. Those guys are either rich or living way beyond their means. Look around at all the angry wife posts. Here is my Kitchen system that blows away all my friends:

Technics Linear tracking TT $50.00 ebay
(new)Grado Silver Cart. P Mount $100.00
Sumiko preamp (New) $100.00
Pilot 30 watt integrated tube amp $150.00 on ebay
Cambridge Model Seventeen Bookshelf speakers $75.00(Pair)
Total = $475.00
if you are rich, by all means buy the best. But do not feel that you have to in order to enjoy vinyl playback. The gains beyond a certain price point are for the hoplessly obsessive compulsive. That may not be a fair assessment.. but do not believe anyone who tells you you need 3k or don't bother. They are trying to keep the competition away from the LP market.

You really need a cleaning machine though.. I bought a nitty gritty. But If I had to do it over again I'd build one with a used canister vac & thrift store TT platter. Google DIY record cleaning machine and you will find a simple plan costing $50.00-$100.00

I think you also need a UFO record cleaning deally. A guy sells them on Ebay cheap.. They seal the label of an LP so you can wash them in the sink. I do this before the machine and would have trouble going back to just using the NG.

Hope this helps.

Howdy,
I'm coming in a bit late to this thread but I can't help singing the virtues of vinyl. F155mph, if you like, really like music I can't recommend vinyl enough. After many years of reveling in the joys of spinning LP's, I "joined the 90's" and bought a CD player. For the next 10 years I sold all my albums and replaced them with cd's. What was once a 2000+ LP collection turned into a 1500+ cd collection. I thought I was "there", the ultimate in sound reproduction and convenience...until about a year and a half ago when a good friend of mine had just bought a Rega P3 and had me over for jazz and vino. Man! I was moved, truly moved by the music. Moved in a way I hadn't realized had slipped away over the years. Hey, I still have all those cd's and a damn fine cd player and I listen to them often, but after spinning that evening away, listening and groovin' and enjoying all that sweet, warm music flowin' out of his admittedly stupid-expensive set-up, I am re-united with vinyl in a way that I really don't get and never really did get with cd's. So! I agree with those who have suggested finding a dealer, someone local, with a decent selection, and strike up a beautiful friendship with 'em. Buy a 'table you like, in your price range and have your new dealer-friend take care of all the set-up. A dealer worth his or her salt will do this happily. As for me, after that night o' disc spinning, I went out the next day and lucked into a Music Hall MMf-5. I'm listening to it as I write. Do you live in Austin, TX by any chance (the Half-Price Books reference)? If so and if you haven't bought a turntable yet, I would like to recommend Brian DiFrank at Whetstone Audio. He carries Rega TT's and he will definitely take good care of you.