Looking at buying a record player (first one). ADVICE!!!

trav · May 12, 2014, 12:29 AM

Hey guys and girls, I was looking at buying a cheep record player for the first time ever! I always hear how vinyl is so great but wanted your alls advice.

What exactly is the true advantage of vinyl? And also, do you all know of a decent cheep one that will do the job? I don't have a lot of cash to spend and since it would be my first, I don't need the best one (or even close to it) but I want to get one that provides the benefit of having one by the sound.

Any help would be greatly appreciated by this rookie!!!

ajclements004 · May 12, 2014, 12:45 AM

http://www.amazon.com/Jensen-JTA-230-Turntable-Speakers-Software/dp/B00BCA4116/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1399869751&sr=8-3&keywords=turntable

This one is a good one to start out with. Plus you can plug it in to external speakers if you want more volume.

or this one: http://www.amazon.com/Technica-AT-LP60-Automatic-Driven-Turntable/dp/B002GYTPAE/ref=pd_cp_e_0

trav · May 12, 2014, 12:55 AM

Thanks for your help!!! Do these offer the sound that vinyl offers well? I remember when I was a kid playing with my dad's records and listening to the eagles on his old turntable and I remember that one of a kind sound.

Now, it seems like true music lovers get vinyl because of that original sound it has. Will I get that with these players?

Sorry for 1000 questions. Just really want to expand on my music! I love sitting down and listening to entire albums and it seems a record player is the way to go!

EverythingChanges · May 12, 2014, 08:24 AM

Quote from: trav on May 12, 2014, 12:55 AM
Thanks for your help!!! Do these offer the sound that vinyl offers well? I remember when I was a kid playing with my dad's records and listening to the eagles on his old turntable and I remember that one of a kind sound.

Now, it seems like true music lovers get vinyl because of that original sound it has. Will I get that with these players?

Sorry for 1000 questions. Just really want to expand on my music! I love sitting down and listening to entire albums and it seems a record player is the way to go!

I am very pleased with the Audio Technica LP 120.

For a cheap setup, you're not going to hear a difference in sound from a CD or lossless music. However, that doesn't mean vinyl isn't the greatest listening experience ever! It's a hands-on music experience you can't get elsewhere. It forces you to listen to albums from start to finish and makes you respect music that much more. Also, going to record store and finding an awesome record and then going home to spin it is very rewarding. I bought my record player last year and I don't regret the purchase. I listen to it whenever I get a chance. It's a great way to unwind from a long day.

Don't worry about the sound. It'll sound good, but it won't be noticeably better than a CD unless you get a really nice set up. It's about music appreciation, album art, collecting, and satisfaction.

I absolutely love it!

EverythingChanges · May 12, 2014, 08:30 AM

Also, not sure what your budget is, but my brother has the LP60 and it's a great starter player. However, it isn't really upgradable, save for the stylus I believe. It's big brother the LP120 is a beefier table. You can adjust the weight of the stylus when playing and you can upgrade more of it's parts later on down the road. Also, it can play 78's along with 33's and 45's. It can also play in reverse. However, the LP120 is not automatic, but the LP60 is automatic.

parkervb · May 12, 2014, 09:21 AM

Quote from: EverythingChanges on May 12, 2014, 08:30 AM
Also, not sure what your budget is, but my brother has the LP60 and it's a great starter player. However, it isn't really upgradable, save for the stylus I believe. It's big brother the LP120 is a beefier table. You can adjust the weight of the stylus when playing and you can upgrade more of it's parts later on down the road. Also, it can play 78's along with 33's and 45's. It can also play in reverse. However, the LP120 is not automatic, but the LP60 is automatic.

yea, i have the LP60. It's a great place to start, especially if on a budget.

ajclements004 · May 12, 2014, 02:06 PM

whatever you do, just don't get a Crosley. I've got one and it hasn't been the best. I've bought new records that skip and the crackling sound is very irritating.

johnnYYac · May 12, 2014, 02:08 PM

I had the AT LP-60 for two years and it is a good starter turntable. It has a built-in pre-amp, in case your receiver lacks a phono input. A few weeks ago, however, I upgraded to the AT LP-120 and the difference is incredible! Its not automatic like the LP-60, as mentioned above, but has the built-in pre-amp and is a huge step up while keeping price low. The LP-60 cost me under $70 two years ago. The LP-120 is currently $235 on Amazon.

Here she is...

ajclements004 · May 12, 2014, 03:14 PM

Quote from: johnnYYac on May 12, 2014, 02:08 PM
I had the AT LP-60 for two years and it is a good starter turntable. It has a built-in pre-amp, in case your receiver lacks a phono input. A few weeks ago, however, I upgraded to the AT LP-120 and the difference is incredible! Its not automatic like the LP-60, as mentioned above, but has the built-in pre-amp and is a huge step up while keeping price low. The LP-60 cost me under $70 two years ago. The LP-120 is currently $235 on Amazon.

Here she is...

NICE! That looks awesome, YAC!

EverythingChanges · May 12, 2014, 04:29 PM

Quote from: johnnYYac on May 12, 2014, 02:08 PM
I had the AT LP-60 for two years and it is a good starter turntable. It has a built-in pre-amp, in case your receiver lacks a phono input. A few weeks ago, however, I upgraded to the AT LP-120 and the difference is incredible! Its not automatic like the LP-60, as mentioned above, but has the built-in pre-amp and is a huge step up while keeping price low. The LP-60 cost me under $70 two years ago. The LP-120 is currently $235 on Amazon.

Here she is...

I agree, I love my LP120. I had to scavenge for some extra cash, sell a couple of things, but if was definitely worth the sacrifice.

Santo · May 13, 2014, 09:06 PM

Right now I have the Audio Technica LP-60. As others mentioned I think its a good starter with a lot of features (fully automatic, pre-amp etc) but I did have a problem with mine. I had to return the first one I received because it did not play at a consistent speed. It worked fine for a couple weeks then went south.

I'm really intrigued by the U-Turn Orbit. Its a little more expensive ($179) but is supposed to be an audiophile quality turntable. Its belt driven and has no extra features so depending on your setup you may need a pre-amp. U-turn is a Boston based company that did a successful Kickstarter, but now they are taking orders. Except for a few people nitpicking certain components, it has great reviews.

http://uturnaudio.com/

LB · May 14, 2014, 12:08 AM

I like this thread, thanks for starting it. I too am not knowledgable about record players/vinyls at all. What does the LP-60 mean and what changes when you go to LP-120? Why does the number double?

Santo · May 15, 2014, 09:55 PM

Quote from: LB on May 14, 2014, 12:08 AM
I like this thread, thanks for starting it. I too am not knowledgable about record players/vinyls at all. What does the LP-60 mean and what changes when you go to LP-120? Why does the number double?

No clue what the numbers mean other than higher is better. I just started collecting in the past year, so I don't have a lot of direct knowledge of the different players, so take it with a grain of salt. Here are some of the differences. The LP-60 is a belt drive motor and the 120 is a direct drive. Since they are cheaper to build, most of the cheapest turntables are belt driven. There are a lot of high quality belt drive turn table out there. DJs prefer direct drive because of the higher torque and response time. Belts wear out faster than direct drives,but belts are also easy to replace. Some prefer belt drives because they claim that the needle can pick up vibrations caused by the motor being directly below the platter. As long as you are happy with the sound, I wouldn't worry about which motor your get.

The 120 also has stroboscopic dots on the side of the platter. Those indicate if the table is turning at the proper speed. I believe the slider on the side allows you to adjust the speed (I'm not positive about that). Probably most important, you can upgrade the cartridge on the 120. I think you are stuck with a pretty cheap stylus on the LP-60. A better stylus will obviously make it sound better and supposedly will play older records better. If you read some of the audiophile boards, they will tell you to upgrade the stylus on the 120 immediately, but they will also tell you that you can't spend less than $1000 to get started. Some say that the stylus on the LP-60 will wear down your records faster, I have no experience with that. I have the LP-60 and I'm happy with the sound, but I'm no audiophile either.

ffghtrs · May 16, 2014, 05:33 PM

I too am looking to make an upgrade but i'm broke...so i'll be back on the forum asking for some recommendations after the summer is up...as long as i don't blow my money on records before then. but i have a sweet set up. I use to DJ, i wasn't very good, but it was fun, so i have a little mixing board that i have a cd player, iPod jack and record player plugged in and it goes to a shitty stereo receiver i got at good will for 15 bucks, the sound is pretty damn good, better the sansui stereo receiver i had been using for about twenty years plus the time my mother used it in the 70's in college and then the 80's of course with mi padre. any who i'm rambling...what i'm getting at is i need a new set up. My DJing gear was an amazing in home rocking stereo because it was professional grade, JBL speakers, crown amp, QSC amp for the sub and dual cd player and two shitty shitty DJing turntables. it was good times. but i sold the rig for a nice penny before moving, totally regret it now. but still.

so if you guys have any recommendations of what gear to get to get for an in home record playing rig/set up send them my way. I have a sony stereo receiver from the 90's meant for hooking up your TV but it still gets the job down right now. I think it would be sweet to get some tube amps but that would cost a pretty penny...