Total Noob, Wanting get into Vinyl- Need HUGE Advice

[vis4victor]

I want good entry level turntable ,do not know where to begin.
I heard audio technica are most suggested , If there anything better im all ears.
Also where is good place buy used ,prog-rock and jazz-fusion vinyl online ?
As it gonna become exspensive hobby ,If im paying 30 bucks pop new

I seen records there 25 plus new.
What sucks is I have no record shop in my area ,So I have go either new or online used.
So i am open for all suggestions and tips
I want something thats easy to use ,Then graduate into something more exspensive later.

[Zeuhlmate]

Rega Planar have turntables in several price ranges.
They are all worth the money.

Rega Planar 6 is the one to get - if you can afford it.

Pro-Ject from Austria is also a good choice.

[moecurlythanu]

Discogs, Musicstack & ebay are your places for used vinyl. Acquaint yourself with the variations in grading between the European system and the American.

[JKL2000]

Also, in which country are you located? That will be a factor.

[vis4victor]

Usa

[vis4victor]

I said entry level not 500 dollars, i know you need spend minium of 100-200 for semi good turntable .
Im trying get feel for it .Im debating audio technica at 60 or 120 usb .
120 usb i heard is probly best for entry level.

I never used record player eva ,I no idea how they work .
Rpms none that ,To spend 500 dollars on something
I havent clue how use would be waste.
I know most will say dont use automatic ,Baby step until i learn how this is spose work.

[JKL2000]

Read up on this - CNET is pretty useful:

https://www.cnet.com/pictures/best-t...lute-insanity/

[3LockBox]

Don't

[nosebone]

I want good entry level turntable ,do not know where to begin.
I heard audio technica are most suggested , If there anything better im all ears.
Also where is good place buy used ,prog-rock and jazz-fusion vinyl online ?
As it gonna become exspensive hobby ,If im paying 30 bucks pop new

I seen records there 25 plus new.
What sucks is I have no record shop in my area ,So I have go either new or online used.
So i am open for all suggestions and tips
I want something thats easy to use ,Then graduate into something more exspensive later.

https://uturnaudio.com/http://

I got an Orbit basic $179 and very happy

[3LockBox]

Okay okay, I know that was a douche answer. I have a daughter that collects vinyl. Depending on what type of music you like to hear you can find some good sales on new vinyl. I have bought used vinyl from Amazon with good results in that I have yet to feel ripped off. For example I found a superb copy of Paul McCartney's Wings Over America, replete with poster, for $12.

I don't know that you need to buy a USB model of a turntable when you can find out board modules that might do a better job than what would come built into a turntable. I did find a screaming deal in a local Fred Meyer store for an open box special Audio-Technica AT LP60 for $19.99 because the needle was bent (a replacement stylus can be purchased for around 6 bucks). Even at the $99 purchase price for a brand new AT LP60 it's an excellent beginners turntable. And as much as some will try to convince you that you need a better cartridge it is a no secret that many turntables around the $500 range use the same cartridge, only rebranded.

And please oh please do not buy a Bluetooth turntable. It might sound convenient but to broadcast a Bluetooth signal the analog output must be converted to digital rendering your turntable into a rather cumbersome and inconvenient CD player.

Go to YouTube and search under the word Audio-Techna AT LP60 and/or VWestlife - a hobbyist with a very no-nonsense approach to budget audio; he has an excellent video on the AT LP60.

[vis4victor]

Thanx i was thinking lp60 would be my best bet ,It not gonna sound way vinyl is spose sound .
Thats point, I wanna hear entry level then go big later .
Go ah ha this is difference ,Rather then get something not knowing how it spose sound .
Contrasting is best learning tool.
If you get my drift ,To know difference between ok sound ,it sucks sound ,and this is audiophile.

[3LockBox]

Thanx i was thinking lp60 would be my best bet ,It not gonna sound way vinyl is spose sound .
Thats point, I wanna hear entry level then go big later .
Go ah ha this is difference ,Rather then get something not knowing how it spose sound .
Contrasting is best learning tool.
If you get my drift ,To know difference between ok sound ,it sucks sound ,and this is audiophile.

Vinyl is a lifestyle. It has it's own sound. Is it "music the way its supposed to sound"? I don't think it matters. I personally never really collected vinyl. I hung onto a turntable for nostalgia's sake. Too much ritual for me. Give me CD any day. I don't get into the "which is better, more accurate, blah blah" thing. I'd rather listen to music.

[JKL2000]

I miss the ritual of VHS. Running the cleaning cassette, rewinding, removing the tab to avoid overwriting, putting tape over the hole when you DO want to overwrite, etc.

I also miss the ritual of a giant, console TV that has a remote with just four buttons...

[3LockBox]

I miss the ritual of VHS. Running the cleaning cassette, rewinding, removing the tab to avoid overwriting, putting tape over the hole when you DO want to overwrite, etc.

I also miss the ritual of a giant, console TV that has a remote with just four buttons...

Yes, I remember real-time recording... good times

[Zeuhlmate]

[3LockBox]

Reel time

[3LockBox]

Cue the guy who use to harp about 1/4 analog tape being superior to digital (CD)

[FrippWire]

If you're looking for a reliable entry level table for around $100 then the Audio Technica LP-60 is probably your best bet. It has a built in phono pre-amp so you can use it with powered speakers or you can bypass the pre-amp and use it with a receiver or amp with passive speakers. The drawback to the LP-60 is that the cartridge cannot be upgraded and therefore tracking force is factory preset so it probably tracks a little heavy causing wear on your records. But with the LP-60 you wouldn't want to upgrade the cartridge anyway. At that point just get a new, better table. And no need to get the USB LP-60 unless you think you're really going to digitize your records. Enjoy!

[bigbassdrum]

Is there a brick-n-mortar vinyl store in your area? They might have some used and new turntables ...

[Plasmatopia]

I bought an Audio-Technica turntable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's been fun messing around with buying used vinyl, but I've run into issues lately with static electricity (I think - I'm getting nasty period noise spikes) and dealing with that doesn't seem like so much fun, lol.

I've also noticed that with the above linked A-T model I am occasionally getting some motor noise. Oh well, maybe someday I'll spring for a better turntable.

[Man In The Mountain]

Is there a brick-n-mortar vinyl store in your area? They might have some used and new turntables ...

Best advice. Go vintage. Buy an old 70's turntable. Vintage solid state gear is the best, especially for your buck.

[progmatist]

It's been fun messing around with buying used vinyl, but I've run into issues lately with static electricity (I think - I'm getting nasty period noise spikes) and dealing with that doesn't seem like so much fun, lol.

One thing I've discovered within the past month is it's only P-Mount cartridge turntables which are plagued by static. With 1/2 inch mount turntables, it's virtually if not totally non-existent. That's coming from someone who lives in a dry desert climate. With the former, every time I pull a record off the platter, it's like pulling a wool sock off a wool sweater. It gets worse with every successive record played. Anti-static mats make the problem worse, not better. When I pull the record off the platter, the anti-static mat comes up with it.

The reason is quite simply because 1/2 inch mount cartridge turntables shunt static charges to ground whereas, P-Mount cartridge turntable cartridges do not. In layman's terms, the 1/2 mount TT has a built in lightning rod, which the P-Mount TT does not. For a couple of decades, I've pondered not remembering having such a problem with static or surface noise in the early 80s. Listening to a cassette I recorded in the 80s confirmed that. Now I know it's because I used a 1/2 inch mount TT back then. More recently, I've been using a P-Mount TT up until a month ago.

Static issues aside, all the high end audiophile cartridges are only available in 1/2 inch mount. The best P-Mount cartridges are equivalent to a lower mid-range 1/2 mount cartridge. That being said, an 1/2 mount TT doesn't have to be expensive. An ION brand TT will work just fine for a beginner.

[Plasmatopia]

One thing I've discovered within the past month is it's only P-Mount cartridge turntables which are plagued by static. With 1/2 inch mount turntables, it's virtually if not totally non-existent. That's coming from someone who lives in a dry desert climate. With the former, every time I pull a record off the platter, it's like pulling a wool sock off a wool sweater. It gets worse with every successive record played. Anti-static mats make the problem worse, not better. When I pull the record off the platter, the anti-static mat comes up with it.

The reason is quite simply because 1/2 inch mount cartridge turntables shunt static charges to ground whereas, P-Mount cartridge turntable cartridges do not. In layman's terms, the 1/2 mount TT has a built in lightning rod, which the P-Mount TT does not. For a couple of decades, I've pondered not remembering having such a problem with static or surface noise in the early 80s. Listening to a cassette I recorded in the 80s confirmed that. Now I know it's because I used a 1/2 inch mount TT back then. More recently, I've been using a P-Mount TT up until a month ago.

Static issues aside, all the high end audiophile cartridges are only available in 1/2 inch mount. The best P-Mount cartridges are equivalent to a lower mid-range 1/2 mount cartridge. That being said, an 1/2 mount TT doesn't have to be expensive. An ION brand TT will work just fine for a beginner.

Very interesting, thanks!

And in case anyone was wondering, I mean "periodic" not "period"....yikes...lol....

[aith01]

One thing I've discovered within the past month is it's only P-Mount cartridge turntables which are plagued by static. With 1/2 inch mount turntables, it's virtually if not totally non-existent. That's coming from someone who lives in a dry desert climate. With the former, every time I pull a record off the platter, it's like pulling a wool sock off a wool sweater. It gets worse with every successive record played. Anti-static mats make the problem worse, not better. When I pull the record off the platter, the anti-static mat comes up with it.

The reason is quite simply because 1/2 inch mount cartridge turntables shunt static charges to ground whereas, P-Mount cartridge turntable cartridges do not. In layman's terms, the 1/2 mount TT has a built in lightning rod, which the P-Mount TT does not. For a couple of decades, I've pondered not remembering having such a problem with static or surface noise in the early 80s. Listening to a cassette I recorded in the 80s confirmed that. Now I know it's because I used a 1/2 inch mount TT back then. More recently, I've been using a P-Mount TT up until a month ago.

Static issues aside, all the high end audiophile cartridges are only available in 1/2 inch mount. The best P-Mount cartridges are equivalent to a lower mid-range 1/2 mount cartridge. That being said, an 1/2 mount TT doesn't have to be expensive. An ION brand TT will work just fine for a beginner.

Curious... I have a Grado Black 1 as my turntable cartridge. How do I tell if that's a P-mount? I'm unfamiliar with the term, but I'm still relatively new to the turntable game.

[progmatist]

Curious... I have a Grado Black 1 as my turntable cartridge. How do I tell if that's a P-mount? I'm unfamiliar with the term, but I'm still relatively new to the turntable game.

The P-Mount cartridge plugs into a square socket, and is held in by a single screw.
p-mount.jpg

The 1/2 mount cartridge is bolted onto an headshell with 2 small screws and nuts on either side. Then 4 wires are manually connected to it.
41E7H3-jQaL._SX425_.jpg

The Grado Black 1 is an 1/2 mount and is better than the highest end P-Mount cartridge, so you're golden.