Turntable, Vinyl help................please

Wasn't this thread about scratched LP's? Not Slamming the MM-F5?

I'm a Rega fan, but I was under the impression the Music Hall's were similiar or close to the Rega P-2 ??
Is this not true?
Yeah, if you are going to get back into vinly you really need a vacuum cleaning machine... you could look for the most inexpensive Nitty Gritty machine.

First, welcome back! I've been doing vinyl again after a 15 year absence. Other than the preoccupation with these audio sites that developed when I started seeking info, the habit has been pure pleasure. Now, I want ot say that anyone who says you "need" or "must have" an expensive record cleaning machine isn't using those words carefully. None of these items in this hobby is a "need." They're all "wants" and they feed our desires. I've been cleaning records with one of the homemade brews recommended here, using a magic brush to scrub and lint-free cloths to wipe. I've invested perhaps $15 and I've found that this works very well to improve the sound on about 90% of the records I have. The rest are in worse shape and still sound noisy after repeated cleanings. Those I toss. Then I look for replacements on the used market. If it's an LP I truly WANT, I pay premium for it. Otherwise I wait until another cheap one comes along. That's the way, for example, I came upon a $1 copy of Robert Palmer's Sneakin Sally Through the Alley that is pristine and wonderful. Same with a $.50 copy of Schumann's Cello Concerto with Leonard Rose. To me, this is a far better use of my time and money than forking over hundreds of dollars for an audiophile record cleaning machine. Good luck with the vinyl. Enjoy!

As Winegasman said, welcome back! The vinyl revival lives and grows. You won't regret it, though your bank balance might!

Scratches, unless they're truly Grand Canyon like, will wear your stylus only slowly. Not a big concern. Of course it would be better to find a clean copy of that record. Depending on what you listen to there's often tons of used vinyl out there.

I strongly agree with Lugnut and Sbank. A good record cleaning regimen is essential, and that means some kind of vacuum cleaning. This can cost anywhere from $50 for a DIY to $2K or more for a truly topnotch unit. You don't need to spring for one of the top machines, but you absolutely must spring for something. This is not optional.

Surface noise and deteriorating records are the reason many people (including me) dropped out of vinyl when CD's became available. Progress in the last 20 years has been phenomenal though, particularly in cartridges and cleaning machines. The cleaning machine is more important. Without one you damage your records with every play. The best rig and cartridge in the world won't make a damaged LP sound good.

Speed stability in a turntable is vital. Without it music has no life, no punch and instruments just don't sound real. This is why Psychicanimal pushes direct drive and/or idler wheel drive. At entry level price points those technologies do speed stability better than most belt drive tables. Some entry level belt drives are excellent of course, perhaps most notably the Nottingham Horizon. If you can stretch your budget to $1200-1500 for table and arm, a Horizon or Horizon SE with Rega RB-250 arm would be a huge improvement over an MMF-5.

Regards,
Doug

I must respectfully disagree with Dougdeacon's use of the phrase "entry level" in reference to a $1,000 turntable. $1,500 exceeds the annual income of many citizens of small nations. "Entry level" might be more akin to the $50 or so that you might spend on a used Dual table in good working condition. I spent $35 on a functional Yamaha table 2 years ago to see if I still liked the flavor of vinyl after 15 years. When I decided I did, I read up some, decided that used Thorens seemed to have a reliable track record, and started keeping my eyes open. A few weeks later I bought a Thorens TD-320 for $199. I've had various carts on it, and have settled on a lightly used Grado Reference Sonata that cost $225. I took the table to a technician who lubed it, changed the belt, and replaced the stock (deteriorating) RCAs with Audioquest interconnects. This set me back about $120, including interconnects. I'm sure that this rig is not the last word in timing or detail or PRAT or whatever other categories of expectation audiophiles can come up with. But it sounds remarkable to me and to friends who hear it and, on my real-world middle-class budget, it doesn't break the bank. When people throw out the phrase "entry level" in reference to $1K or more pieces of equipment they're (a) not using the words accurately, and (b) scaring away people who it would make more sense to encourage. After all, the more people on the vinyl bandwagon, the more likely that LPs and equipment will be plentiful.