WTB, a solid entry level turntable

chef hans · « **Reply #20 on:** 8 Apr 2011, 04:49 am »

For more info
dantedin@twcny.rr.com
cheers
Hans

doug s. · « **Reply #21 on:** 8 Apr 2011, 07:57 pm »

Quote from: buckeyefanandy on 8 Apr 2011, 03:44 am

Looks great, what is it? How does it perform? Where do you get one, and what do they cost?

thorens' 125 mkll's are nice decks; they seem to command similar prices to the wintage empires. no question for me, which one i'd be wanting to inwest in, tho, especially if you are wanting to tweak one...

http://www.cognitivevent.com/av_empire.html

another choice would be a wintage heavy-platter bogen/lenco; these are supposed to be superb, but i have no first-hand experience:

http://www.cognitivevent.com/av_lenco.html

doug s.

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #22 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 02:12 pm »

After doing a little more research, I have limited my Vintage search to these tables.

1) the Thorens TD-124,
2) Empire 208, a 298, 308/398,
3) the Garrard 301

Still looking at the modern decks to see if there is anything. Have a couple options I am considering from Oracle, Clearaudio, VPI, among a couple others. Want to see if I can demo some of the more common ones by having some friends over to listen when my speakers get here. Anyone in Ohio want to hear Chapman, Odyssey, and a preamp to be named shortly.... to your tt?

bside123 · « **Reply #23 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 02:37 pm »

Quote from: buckeyefanandy on 9 Apr 2011, 02:12 pm

Still looking at the modern decks to see if there is anything. Have a couple options I am considering from Oracle, Clearaudio, VPI, among a couple others.

You might as well add Nottingham and Well-Tempered to your list....

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #24 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 02:48 pm »

Have not seem much from either in the budget category.

bside123 · « **Reply #25 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 02:58 pm »

Quote from: bside123 on 9 Apr 2011, 02:37 pm

You might as well add Nottingham and Well-Tempered to your list....

You can find good preowned offerings of some models from these manufacturers for around the $1,000 mark (give or take). It seems that some of the other decks that you are looking at are in that price range as well.

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #26 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 03:05 pm »

The Project tables look pretty good.

wywires · « **Reply #27 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 03:11 pm »

Have you considered a Sota Sapphire or Star. Excellent tables and can be had used at a very reasonable price.

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #28 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 03:19 pm »

Most of the tables i have seen by Nottingham are several thousand dollars. Had not seen a sub $1k from either. I will look a little further into it, thanks for the suggestion.

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #29 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 03:20 pm »

Have a friend that loves his Sota star, but it was well out of the $1k price limit I am working with.

wywires · « **Reply #30 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 03:29 pm »

There is a Sapphire on A'gon at $675 with a Sumiko arm.

bside123 · « **Reply #31 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 04:05 pm »

Hi Buckeye,

Here's an example of a sale 50% off sale on a new Nottingham for $1,000. In the preowned category you may find other models.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1305321055&/Nottingham-Analogue-Interspace

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #32 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 04:57 pm »

Thanks for the heads up gentlemen, I will be checking those out.

lcrim · « **Reply #33 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 09:57 pm »

I'm in terrible need of money, would you be interested in my (dusty in picture)
Dual CS 5000 , sitting on my Jolida JD-9 phono section

also includes isoplatmat by SDS.
Contact me via PM here if interested

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #34 on:** 9 Apr 2011, 10:08 pm »

I am listening to ideas on the analog front ends. Tell me about what you got and what you want.

Thanks

Indiansprings · « **Reply #35 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 01:55 pm »

Why is Technics not on your list? Is the Thorens TD-124 really superior too, say, a Technics 1200? Seems like some offerings from the Technics line, even with tweeks from TAD would fit in you price range. Just an observation.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #36 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 02:43 pm »

Andy,

Is a new deck preferred for you? If so, it leaves precious few choices....but, at least a couple decent ones.

What is your level of experience with turntables? Getting a pre-loved

table can be a financially rewarding endeavor, but a limitless pain as vintage tables come with vintage problems that need to be overcome a lot of the times.

Most issues, at least with fully manual decks, are of a mechanical variety (where fixing or swapping out is mostly straightforward), but it can get overwhelming if you are a new turntablist or not particularly handy.

If you are moderately handy and adventurous, and or have some experience with turntables, there's a vast market of good Japanese made turntables from the late 70's and early 80's that can be made into extremely capable decks with very ordinary and light tweeks. Most of these decks suffer from hollow, plastic cavities that store a lot of energy in listening frequency range and impart ugly coloration to the sonic.

6-8 lbs of non-hardening modeling clay in the interior, substitution of better feet and choice of a good, dedicated turntable stand will have you spinning great tunes at modest prices. Changing out the rubber platter mat for various other better sonic choices takes you that much further.

After wallowing in audio hell for 5 years with CD-only front end (and sinking $4500 into it for it to merely sound mediocre), I bought a $50 JVC QL-A2 direct drive deck in 2005 on ebay. $550 in TOTAL upgrades later, it was back to vinyl as the highest resolution source for me and sonic bliss ever since. Here's my chronicle that may help you on your journey:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=22938.0

The point is, $1000 (including modest cartridge) spent on a vintage Japanese direct drive deck can be hugely rewarding experience. Further, many of these decks have at least auto-return - which reduce the pain of vinyl spinning to a further minimum with the busy lives most of us now lead

Enjoy, John (welcoming you to post as needed if you have questions over in the Vinyl Circle here at Audio Circle)

chef hans · « **Reply #37 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 03:07 pm »

A fav list for classic TT by class IMO from working with them.

Idler table
-Garrard 301
-Thorens TD 124 MK I
-Lenco L78

Belt table
- Empire Troubador 598 mk II
- Thorens TD125
- AR ES-1

Yummie Direct drive
- Technic sp10 mk III
- Nakamichi tx 1000
- Pioneer PL 590
- Im forever in search of Infinity Air bearing table to play.

*** Guess what arm below ***

.............

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #38 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 03:30 pm »

After much advice and reading the journey many others have made, i am looking at a two part plan. First I am going to be looking for an entry level solution that is in $500 to $700 range give or take. I want to find something that keeps the lps spinning and music flowing in my home.

Then I will begin to search for a couple vintage tables that are on the lists above. But rather than find them hear, I will enjoy the hunt of finding something at an auction, antique/vintage shop, or other treasure hunting option while looking for vinyl to spin. This way I can play with some of these options and learn along the way. I will look for both the vintage 50's 60's workhorses, and for the 70's and 80's as well. If I wreck a $50 table and learn something along the way, I can handle that.

Are there some tonearms that work well on several of those vintage tables? I finally have a use for that old growth curly maple sitting in the basement.

In the mean time, I am planning to head out to some of my northern Ohio audio friends for a listening session or two.

chef hans · « **Reply #39 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 05:44 pm »

Suggest.....If I may....

Technics SP-15 / Audiocraft 300c
Denon DP 60L

Good luck with your search, I'm off to Bali