I bought an automatic Sony turntable because my Sony turntable from the 80's finally died. It sounds okay but I want to get a better setup when I get some money.

My friend recently spent 2000$ on a record player setup because he hates how people online do their needledrops.

Technics 'tables are nice for what they are (indestructible workhorses) and I've heard good things about the KAB modified ones. Heck, I've got two Tech 1200s in my DJ rig, but I do my critical listening on my P2 or (more likely) TT2.

All of the Rega tables come with a tonearm. That's why they're so desired - the RB300 (standard tonearm on a P3) punches seriously above its weight for the money. You can probably mount whatever cart you're currently using on any new turntable's arm, but I'd suggest looking at an Audio-Technica AT440MLA or a Shure M97XE. Both track well and are relatively inexpensive.

As for the differences between the P1/P2/P3, I'd recommend visiting a local dealer who will let you audition them. Then you can decide at what point you start getting into diminishing returns.

As I'm sure you've noticed, once you start heading down the hi-fi path, you can start to get "upgrade-itis" in that there are a lot of components to upgrade (table, arm, cart, phono stage). The most important thing is to find what works for you and enjoy the music!

Mrs Danger wants to digitize her old LPs, so I pulled my turntable out of the closet. It's a Technics SL-B202, which was not a respectable turntable in the 1980s. My CDs of the same music sound a lot better than the LPs. Now, people are restoring them.

Am I right that if I want to upgrade, I'll have to spend the money for an audiophile turntable? Does the Technics 1200 have good sound, or is it just sturdy?

I just found an old (early 70s) Marantz amp and Dual Turntable at my in-laws. I can have them, but I would like to get them a good tune-up. I know that the amp needs repair. The turntable was okay when put into a closet, but has been sitting for 20+ years.

Where would you guys look to find a good repair shop? Yellow pages? I know a good TV repair place, but maybe would be better off to find a stereo repair place? Do those exist?

Call a local audiophile shop, and ask them where to get your gear repaired.

In a lot of cases, it's down to the respective mastering of the CD and LP. A lot of CDs sound great, but a lot are either compressed (to sound louder) or have noise reduction, which is then compensated for by boosting the high end. In general, LPs do not suffer from these flaws.
The 1200 is a decent table (I like its high-torque, no-moving-parts motor) but its tonearm is fairly high-mass and won't benefit from a high-quality cart the same way a Rega will, for example. In fact, a lot of DJs who care about sound quality are starting to mount RB300 tonearms on their 1200s. You can't cut and scratch with them like you can on a stock 12, but it's different horses for courses. As I mentioned above, the KAB mods for 1200s are quite popular, and people feel that you can get your 1200 into the same ballpark as a stock P3 when it's fully tricked out.

what specific mods would you go with for the 1200? it's would be for music listening (no scratching, although maybe if I get drunk enough). someone recommended the KAB Tonearm Fluid Damper (whatever that is).

Keeping in mind that I haven't personally heard a KAB'd 1200, the most popular mods seem to be Fluid Dampener as you mentioned, as well as Tonearm Rewire and Sorbothane Feet.

I have two...one Sony I got from Best Buy in 1999, to replace an older one (don't remember the brand) I got when my aunt died.

I also have an ION USB Turntable to digitize some of my dad's old LP's. I have used it twice and have been meaning to get it setup again.

according to kabusa.com, that would be $943 with all the upgrades (not counting shipping). I could get a p3 for that-ish.

someone on craigslist is selling 2 1200s "in good working condition, and both spin at the correct rpm. The turntables will come with a Shure-m447 Stylus on each table. Each table comes with a technics headshell as well. I will also throw in the slipmats for no extra charge. $400 for both tables since i dont have the dust covers for them.) I could just put one aside for a while and maybe break it out when I need to mix metal and jazz or something.

I don't know how I feel about buying used from some random dude. I'd rather have some piece of mind getting a truly working one with recommended upgrades (or at least do it myself).

Yeah, to my mind, it's a bit like tricking out a Honda. Personally, I'd rather take the money and buy a more "audiophile" oriented table from the beginning. That being said, a lot of people like the scalability of the upgrade path. Also, KAB isn't the only one out there doing tonearm rewires (Origin Live is one of the more popular ones out there, at least for the Rega arms). Personally, if I was going to pimp out either of my 1200s, I'd throw a Rega arm on it and call it a day (maybe an AT cart, too).

$400 for a set of 12s is a good deal, if there are no major cosmetic or operational flaws (i.e. tonearm isn't bent, all audio connections are fine). As I mentioned, the motor is magnetic (no moving parts) so it's likely to give you another 15 years of trouble-free operation. The M44-7's aren't sonic marvels, they're desirable for their high trackability and skip resistance when scratching. I'd upgrade to at least an M35X (the most neutral cart in the Shure DJ lineup) but you shouldn't have any trouble flipping the 44s if you choose to do so (I may be interested in taking them off your hands, as I'm considering using a second set of cartridges for controlling my DVS).

Basically, the 1200s are built like tanks. I realize that vinyl's on its way out, but in all likelihood, you could use those tables for the next 10 years and then sell them for about the same as you paid for them.

My turntable didn't work after I set it up. The motor clatters and doesn't run a consistent speed.

We've got about 400 LPs between the two collections, including some rarities like mono-mixes from the 1960s. I'm starting to want a turntable again. I just don't know what to get.

What's your budget like? I'd recommend checking craigslist or audiogon.com for a Rega P3 in your area...

I'm in need of a replacement stylus for a Dual 604. Any recommendations?

Thanks.

What's your budget? I've got a Shure M97XE on my second "audiophile" turntable, and I think it's great. The Audio-Technica AT440MLa has also gotten great reviews (I've not heard it personally) but it's a bit pricier at MSRP of $300.

I was thinking $50 or less. The Shure M97XE is in that range. Do I need a specific stylus for this player, or will any do? When I go to needledoctor they list each player brand seperately which made me think I had to select from that specific list.

Any 1/2" mount cartrige should fit on the Dual headshell.

Here's some info on replacing the cartrige: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/ar...p/t-23889.html

Well, I don't know anything about record players but I go the ION inexpensive one for xmas and I am very pleased with it. Suits my needs, vinyl sounds great. Minimal popping or noise, tough I don't know if those go away with nicer models? I found that my 45's are more prone to the popping/hissing the are 33's. All my vinyl is brand new, never played until I got this machine.

How long do the needles last? Can they be replaced easily? I don't want to damage my collection by overusing it. Perhaps I should even upgrade it to a better one? Would love some newbie advice!

Thanks for the help.

You shouldn't be hearing clicks or pops on brand new vinyl, though sometimes there are QC issues or it just needs a cleaning.

A better-quality table won't be able to eliminate surface noise altogether (hiss may in fact be from the master tape), but a good elliptical stylus can, in theory, get deeper into a groove and play back a less-damaged portion as opposed to a spherical that rides higher in the groove. Another theory goes something like: as the resolving power of your system increases, you notice surface noise less as a pyschoacoustic phenomenon because you're "hearing more of the music" and focusing on that.

Here's a good side by side comparison of some USB turntables: http://www.knowzy.com/usb-turntable-comparison.htm

You are most welcome.

thanks whaatt, usually I only hear it in very quiet parts and it is occassional but I do indeed hear them....

great web site, I have a lot to learn but thanks very much. I know the unit I got was like 100 dollars, but I wasn't sure how I would adapt to vinyl so maybe down the road I'll get a nicer one.

Yeah, the problem is that once you start upgrading, there's a lot of individual pieces, any one of which can cost several hundred dollars and up: turntable, tonearm, cartrige, phono pre-amp. I've finally reached the end of my upgrade path after about 5 years of fiddling. I no longer feel the need to change anything unless I win the lottery.

The most important thing is to make sure that your current TT isn't damaging your records.

I ended up buying a Music Hall mmf-2.2. It's currently being shipped, so I can't comment on the sound. The unit itself is stunning, though:

I can use a little help. I bought an older player on ebay and I'm setting it up. I've never fooled around with turntables before. I simply bought one, read the manual, and enjoyed it. The one I bought on ebay is going to need a bit of work. The leads are missing (connect cartridge to tone arm). Where can I get leads, and how hard is it to install them?







Edit: Got my answer