OT: Turntable recommendations?

[Carbon13]

I'm thinking of buying my first TT. I've been doing a lot of research and to be honest I'm a bit overwhelmed. There seems to be mixed reviews on just about every entry level TT out there.

I think I've decided to not go vintage/used. Rather, I'm looking for a high quality, up-gradable entry level TT. Some top contenders seem to be U-turn orbit, rega rp1 (or step up to the planar), project carbon debut, Teac 300N (not as well reviewed but I love the look of this TT...I'm so shallow;), and music hall mmf 2.2. Budget is somewhat flexible but I'd like to keep it around $500 CND (plus/minus $200 or so).

So are there any vinyl aficionados in this group that could help point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[mattsk8]

I've read and heard a lot of good things about the Rega. IMO, avoid the Project Carbon; my cousin had it and it had motor noise that we couldn't get rid of (he now has a VPI Scout, which was a huge upgrade). I have a Music Hall MMF 5.3, and I have a MMF 5.3se; both are great turntables. The 5.3se is quite a bit over your budget, but it's a very noticeable upgrade over the standard 5.3 (which was already a great sounding turntable as well). IMHO, if you really want an upgradable turntable, I would bump the budget a little and start with a Music Hall 5.3- the dual plinth in the 5.3 is a big upgrade over the 2.2 that you can't do later, and the 5.3 comes with a Ortofon Blue cartridge, which is a great cartridge. Or the Rega RP3, but that's based on what I've heard and read, I don't personally have experience with that one.

FWIW, comparing my 5.3se to my cousin's VPI Scout, which was around $1700 then he upgraded to a $700 Audio Technica MC cartridge... my table sounds very comparable to his, the difference is that his is a teensy bit... smoother sounding, but I think mine has a tad more detail (more detail sounds like a good thing, but it can be a smidgen harsh sounding on some records). My 5.3 compared to my 5.3se... the main difference between these 2 tables is the cartridge, the se comes with a Ortofon Bronze, and the standard 5.3 comes with the Blue; the Standard 5.3 isn't as detailed as my 5.3se. When I compare my MoFi DSOM record to my DSOM SACD via the standard 5.3, the turntable is close in sound quality; whereas my 5.3se is pretty much no contest, it easily beats the SACD. The bass from my 5.3se is quite a bit more musical sounding than my 5.3 too.

Proceed with caution, turntables are a slippery slope. Once you decide on the table, you get to play the phono preamp game. These don't effect the SQ as much as the table itself, but they do effect it fairly substantially. I have a Spectral preamp that has a phenomenal phono pre built in, and I also have a Project phono preamp (IIRC it was about $100)... and when I compare the Project to my Spectral, it isn't night and day but the Project is definitely more veiled sounding than my Spectral. From what I've found, the cartridge makes the biggest difference in sound quality, but that isn't to say the other things don't matter. If your table has a low volume rumble like my cousin's Project did, nothing can fix that short of building a different plinth for it, at which point you may as well be buying a different table altogether.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

[hongrn]

One thing you have to look at is whether your receiver or amp has a phono preamp. If not, that's an added cost. The TEAC has a built in phono preamp, so you wouldn't need a separate component to handle this amplification. Good luck with the search.

[Carbon13]

Thanks for the input. Yep, I'm aware of the preamp issue and that is a factor. I like with the uturn orbit that you can get a built in preamp and bypass it later if you decide to upgrade. Very reasonably priced too. Anyone had any experience with uturn audio?

[saabracer23]

I have the mmf 7.1 and love it. Music Hall makes a great table.

Dan

[s7horton]

I have a VPI traveler with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge that I might be willing to part with. Mint condition, about 150 hours (tops) on the cartridge. I also built a dust cover for it.

[weinstro]

Whatever turntable you get, make sure you get a compatible phono cartridge. By compatible I mean that the compliance of the stylus has to more or less match the mass of the tone arm, headshell, cartridge, and mounting hardware. There are online calculators where you can plug in the system mass, cartridge compliance, and determine the resonant frequency. You want 8 - 11 Hz.

In the late 1970's, the trend was towards very light weight tonearms and highly compliant phono cartridges. Today, the trend is heavier tone arms and stiffer styli. Personally, I'm looking for a highly compliant cartridge for my vintage table and discovering that there are few new offerings that are highly compliant. There is good availability of used phono cartridges but that market is somewhat like the market for used collector cars. Prices are high, ability to inspect is low, and no, you can't test drive.

This is definitely a season-to-taste aspect of analog audio. My suggestion would be to find a knowledgeable dealer and go with their recommendation of table and cartridge, or perhaps they will audition a few cartridges for you. Be sure to budget for the cartridge appropriately as they can have a significant impact on the sound quality, just like loudspeakers do on the opposite end of the signal chain.

Regards,

Rob

[andykriech]

A little off the topic, but in the same vein, are there any newer TTs (in the range being discussed) that are semi-automatic?
I have only seen full manual.
I have been known to doze off while listening to music/reading...
Andy.

[djg]

My old AR manual with no cueing lever was a pita.

[Whitneyville1]

Take a trip over to www.Vinyl Engine.com. The guys over there are really into TT's and know EVERYTHING about every one made in the last Century! I too am an ultra-light arm super high compliance cartridge guy. It's Ford Vs: Mopar-the performance is about equal if the stylus and set-up is right. Cartridges can run 4 figures, and be worth every penny. The 1 of 1000 Limited Edition MOFI DSOM is THE acid test for detail and compliance, as well as arm/cartridge set-up.

[jclin4]

I think that's right, no semi-automatics at least in the mid to high end. But it's like that with audio gear: less costs more. For example if I want a player for just CDs & SACDs, I will pay more for that than one that also plays DVDs & bluray.

[generic]

Take a trip over to www.Vinyl Engine.com. The guys over there are really into TT's and know EVERYTHING about every one made in the last Century! I too am an ultra-light arm super high compliance cartridge guy. It's Ford Vs: Mopar-the performance is about equal if the stylus and set-up is right. Cartridges can run 4 figures, and be worth every penny. The 1 of 1000 Limited Edition MOFI DSOM is THE acid test for detail and compliance, as well as arm/cartridge set-up.

That sounds like it fits the budget perfectly...

[hongrn]

Related question: most new turntables include a USB port to convert LPs into music formats such as MP3. Can that USB port go directly into a DAC? Thanks.

[Carbon13]

Well, I pulled the trigger today. I got a brand new Project debut carbon DC. I'm listening to it right now and really digging it.

[Kornbread]

It would be nice if you did some kind of comparo with your digital gear.