Help With Record Player and/or Sound System

Jaunty

I'm looking to replace my old (old) record player, and nearly everything it's attached to, but I've no idea where to look or who's good since my last was a gift. My only criteria is that it not be a flimsy piece of shit and that I don't have to sell my car to buy one. For the record player itself, I'm looking to spend up to $300, but if that isn't enough to get a decent one make the suggestion anyways. Any opinionated audiophiles out there? Bought one recently and want to recommend/warn me off it? Help!

Edited for a less useless OP

wasted pixels

A more specific budget is a must here. It'd also help to know more about your current system (receiver, etc).

Jaunty

For the player itself, under 300 dollars would be preferable, especially since my current system is trashed and I will need a new everything pretty much. My knowledge of how this system works is next to nil: it wasn't set up by me and the whole thing operates as some sort of magical black box where I put the record in on one end and the marvelous tunes come out the other, so help setting up a mid-range sound system is what I need I guess. I will change my OP and title to reflect this.

Djeet

Picking up a vintage turntable will save you bucks so you can splurge on a nice cartridge or on other parts of your setup. I picked up a Pioneer PL-518 (circa 1970's) with a new cartridge (nothing special) for about $80 at a speaker repair and audio components service place. You'll want to fire it up with a non-warped disc to make sure the platter is still level. Solid unit, direct drive.

The cartridge attaches to the end of the tonearm. Embedded in the cartridge is a stylus which is the needle that actually contacts the record. Many audiophiles will spend more on the cartridge/stylus assembly than the record player, and while you're welcome to do this you may just want to pick up a $25-30 one until your system is built up and decide then.

You'll want a receiver that has a phono input.

Is your setup going to be music only, or will this be used for a home theatre setup? Do you listen to any multichannel music (SACD, DVD-audio)?

Improvolone

Receivers with phono inputs are very expensive. You are better off with a pre-amp and using any input.

Djeet

Improvolone wrote: »

Receivers with phono inputs are very expensive. You are better off with a pre-amp and using any input.

It could be that HT (multi-channel) receivers that have phono inputs are expensive (both the ones I've bought had at least one phono input and I'm definitely "mid-fi" as I'll balk at dropping more than $500 on any individual piece), but almost all stereo (non-multi-channel receivers) have a phono input.

It's why I asked if he was going to push multi-channel audio.

It's only modern audio equipment that has dropped the mandatory phono input since hardly anyone uses record players, pretty much ALL receivers more than 10 years old will have a phono input (vintage is where I think the value's at for 2 channel audio).

Wezoin

I bought a Denon DP-29F. Sounds great, Denon is a widely known audiophile company. Has a pre-amp so any receiver will do (though obviously a nicer one is preferable.) I really love it, but the only other turntable I've ever been able to compare it to was an old Mitsubishi my friend bought for $30. I managed to get the DP-29F for about $130 CAD, so you may be able to get it cheaper than the $200 MSRP as well. The upper model, though I've never heard it, is assumable to be even better. See what you can find around you.

I like it because its new, includes a warranty, no messing around with making sure everything is compatible, just hook up and enjoy.

Zeon

I just got a sony PS-LX250H, which honestly for a sony turntable is really really decent. Sounds nice, has a built in switchable preamp and is super easy to set up. I think it cost around 150-200 dollars? I got it as a present. Id recommend it.

Akilae729

Sometimes you can find vintage Technics SL-1200s for around $300. Very VERY solid turntable and well worth the money as it will last you almost indefinitely. They are a DJ table standard because of their good sound and insane durability. Also they are direct drive which keeps you from having to worry about belts

As far as the rest of your system goes, i would definitely buy used. I got a TEAC AG-V2050 receiver and a Harmon/Kardon FL 8300 CD changer of craigslist for $80 total and it sounds pretty damn good. If you shop for older receivers they have a phono input and are also cheap.

Most early 90s receivers will have a Phono input as well as a couple of tape inputs, a CD input, and sometimes an AUX input allowing you to hook up a range of components.

Jaunty

Thanks for the help guys. A good deal of this went right over my head, but with a little help from google and a few friends I should soon be on the right track.

t Djeet: This will be a music only setup.