Recommend turntable $150 - $200
in [Audio Recording]
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From: Chris Hornbeck on 6 May 2008 22:01 On Tue, 6 May 2008 18:26:46 -0700 (PDT), sillyputty <karmictaragem(a)2die4.com> wrote: >Want to purchase a turntable to play and digitize my vinyl collection, >in $150 - $200 range. Looking for auto-stop (lifts stylus at end of >record), USB, tonearm with anti-skating and cue, and probably direct- >drive. Been looking at Audio-Technica AT-PL120, also Pyle PLTT-D2 >though I can't find much feedback on it. Recommendations? None of the above? Really, this topic gets asked here almost once a month; the depth of response already posted should be tried first, and second. All good fortune, Chris Hornbeck "It's for compatibility with 8-Track." -scott
From: Laurence Payne on 7 May 2008 04:38 On Tue, 6 May 2008 23:11:43 -0700 (PDT), sillyputty <karmictaragem(a)2die4.com> wrote: > However, common sense tells me that >a used turntable is going to have used parts that may fail/need >replacing and modern technology certainly must have made some strides. >And I want something that will easily interface with my PC. I will >continue to do research. They're right though :-)
From: William Sommerwerck on 7 May 2008 06:28 If all you care about is low price and ease of use -- don't expect high-quality transfers, because you're not going to get them. If your collection is worth transferring, then it's worth buying a good 'table, pickup, preamp, and ADC to do the job. Don't say we didn't warn you.
From: Don Pearce on 7 May 2008 06:43 On Wed, 7 May 2008 03:28:40 -0700, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer(a)comcast.net> wrote: >If all you care about is low price and ease of use -- don't expect >high-quality transfers, because you're not going to get them. > >If your collection is worth transferring, then it's worth buying a good >'table, pickup, preamp, and ADC to do the job. > >Don't say we didn't warn you. > For goodness sake this is VINYL! There is no such thing as a good transfer because the medium is too deeply flawed before you even start, particularly from an old collection. As for talking about a good ADC - jeez. You are transcribing something with the better part of 1% distortion and a S/N ratio probably no better than 40 to 50dB. You could build an ADC out of string and gaffer tape that would be better than that. No, here's what you do. Get a turntable. Any turntable. Put a reasonable arm and cartridge on it and make the transfers. Then do a bit of signal processing to get rid of the hum, rumble ticks and noise and save your tunes. When you are done, sell the turntable for what you paid for it and think about selling the old vinyl too for probably a fair bit more. d -- Pearce Consulting http://www.pearce.uk.com
From: Mike Rivers on 7 May 2008 07:53
sillyputty wrote: > I did a cursory search > beforehand and didn't find much on new stuff and a deeper search has > found much of the same. It appears the common opinions here are: "new > is junk, go with a used Thorens, etc." Well, that's about the state of the art. A turntable with a cartridge, RIAA-equalized preamp, and USB interface for $150 is a functional tool, not a precision playback turntable. It'll get your records on to your computer, and quite honestly, if you just clean the disk, drop the needle, and record straight to MP3 format for casual listening, it will be just fine. You get everything you need in one box, with one purchase, and you don't need to do anything but plug it in and go. The convenience factor is hard to beat. The advice that you're seeing is very valid if you want to end up with recordings on your computer that approach what you'd get if you played a new record on a high quality turntable, in other words, but this takes a lot of time. You'll need to set up a decent playback system, do a good job of cleaning the disk, then spend some time with software tools to remove the crackles and pops that result from wear, and maybe do some other manipulation. If you have a reasonably sized record collection, you probably won't live long enough to digitize and enjoy all of them. A good approach is to pick up a decent turntable and preamp (or a yard sale receiver) and set it up where you can play it without switching cables or don't have to take it off the dining room table when you want to eat. Keep a computer with a respectable sound card nearby (preferably connected). When you have an hour and feel iike enjoying some music, pick out a record from your collection, put it on, start recording, and sit down and enjoy the music. Then, at your leisure, massage the recording. Or you may decide that you don't need to listen to that record again for the next 20 years and you can just delete the file. -- If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers (mriv...(a)d-and-d.com) |