[genjamon]

A friend of mine posted the following to Facebook, but I’m a digital-only guy. Any suggestions? I was thinking of suggestion a cheap and cheerful table with a cheap and cheerful integrated of some kind - since it seems like it might be hard to find a combination of all the desired preamp functionality with the actual turntable functionalities.


Original Post:

Audiophiles: What's the greatest turntable?

I'm buying a turntable for my office. Need your help finding the right one.

My specs (which may change with new info):
1. Direct drive versus belt: no preference
2. Pre-amp
3. 33, 45, 78 RPM
4. USB port for direct to digital transfer
5. Tone arm returns (or at least platter stops spinning) at end of side
6. Snazzy design - looks sleek and cool, ideally a light-colored real wood

Options:
Audio Technica LP120XUSB: checks many boxes but does not seem to have automatic tonearm return (can't tell if platter stops spinning at end of side), and definitely does not look sleek and cool.

Pro-ject: very sleek and cool (already have one in my main music room), but lacks much of the functionality, e.g. no 78 RPM, no automatic tonearm return, no direct to digital. Photo is close to the aesthetic I want but, again, with the functionality. It's a tradeoff, I know.

Many others are unexplored. So what do you think is the greatest turntable? Thanks!

[genjamon]

Wasn’t specifics about budget, but he said he didn’t want to spend $1k. Not sure how close to that he might go.

[S Clark]

Find a clean Technics, Sony, JVC. etc direct drive for a few hundred bucks.  Then put an upper mid level cartridge on it (Ortofon Quintet Blue?)  Get a model with auto return.  It won't have 78, but those are rarities.  Will have to find other option for USB.  The quality will be good to very good, not great. 

[charmerci]

Find a clean Technics, Sony, JVC. etc direct drive for a few hundred bucks.  The put an upper mid level cartridge on it (Ortofon Quintet Blue?)  Get a model with auto return.  It won't have 78, but those are rarities.  Will have to find other option for USB.  The quality will be good to very good, not great.

The Thorens 190 seems to meet your requirements except USB. I think that you're going to find it hard to meet all those requirements.

[S Clark]

I don't think you can find a Thorens 190, get it shipped, and put a decent cartridge on it for under $1000. 
Nice choice if you can find one.   
$300 for a direct drive table from the 80's, $500 for a mid level cartridge, and you got decent sound. 

[lazydays]

go to te Audio Advisor website and look at their clearance items. There is an EAT turn table complete with cartridge.  The cartridge is a 2M Red. That's a $1200 table for $883 out the door. Or roughly $600 for the turntable. For the preamp, take a serious look at Darlington Labs. About six hundred, but you got to spend fifteen hundred to be that good! Believe me I've been had more than once in the phono stage game. I currently use a George Wright, but I'll be in this route in the next couple months. Yet you still can do better! Look at the basic Sota table that comes with the electronic drive.
Dead accurate speed and easily adjustable on a belt drive table. If memory is right it comes with a basic Rega tone arm, but is upgradable. They'll even install the cartridge for you, and set it all up! Another to look at is the Fluance (believe it or not). About $500 out the door, and sounds better than most tables under 800 dollars. If you just have to have the auto tone arm lift and return, a JVC (used Q series) is the best bet. I know of no good table with a USB out put. Run the RCA out put from your phono into the analog input of your streamer or DAC.

I use one of two tables most always but own a half dozen (yes even Roy Hall snookered me once but never twice). The best one is an Acoustic Signature Final Tool. Built like an M1 tank. They invented the electronic drive with a stepping motor. No belts on this table as you simply use sewing thread (I use silk/dacron thread). It's kinda big and also about 40lb. This sets atop a Ginko Cloud with all the tennis balls. I made a tone arm plate out of Mallory Metal and use an SME MK.IV tone arm. Copper would have been almost as good. This table is way over built, and the only changes I've made are the mounting plate and the thrust bearing being changed to an 8mm ceramic grade ten bearing. The other table is an Opera, and I'd suggest running from it! I completely rebuilt mine, and it sounds pretty good. It too uses sewing thread; even though it came with monofilment fishing line (AVOID). Mine needs a new motor, and I of course have a plan.

Before you spin that first disc, buy a good cleaning brush. I use a Hunt, but the Audioquest is very good and much cheaper. Mix your own cleaning solution and save a ton of money for the samething. Buy a good set of cables!!! You'll never regret it
gary

[nlitworld]

The Thorens 190 seems to meet your requirements except USB. I think that you're going to find it hard to meet all those requirements.

I have a 190 that I picked up on CL for $200. I did several tweaks to improve it like put a 2M Blue cartridge on there, fiddled with the pulleys and electrical speed controls to get right on pace, replaced the cheap rca cables with Blue Jeans LC-1 soldered in, put sound deadening pad on the platter to act as stiffer coupled rubber mat and add flywheel effect and it was a good little unit after that. Paired with a Pro-Ject Tube Box and I was quite happy. Nowhere near as nice sounding as my Schiit Sol I just picked up, but that is not a hands-off simple office table setup. All in all, I give a good thumbs up to the 190 for an inexpensive simple user-friendly deck.

[S Clark]

This isn't a bad price on a decent TT.  The QL-F5 and F6 had excellent motor assemblies, and the tonearms were decent as well. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124763374373?hash=item1d0c7a0325:g:GYUAAOSwh9hgv3rX

[charmerci]

This isn't a bad price on a decent TT.  The QL-F5 and F6 had excellent motor assemblies, and the tonearms were decent as well. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124763374373?hash=item1d0c7a0325:g:GYUAAOSwh9hgv3rX

I remember those JVC tt's. I always thought that they were Denon knockoffs! (Of their DP series)

[S Clark]

No, the Japanese Victor tables had their own excellent motor designs.  The TT-71,81, and 101 are considered in the conversation with the Technics SP-10 II and III, the excellent Kenwood L07D, and the Pioneer PL-71 and 90.  They are found in the upper echelon of JVC TT.
But they do have a similar styling to the Denons.

Actually the under the radar JVC Ql-f6 (favorite of the late Chair Guy)had an advanced motor, and a pretty good tonearm.  They are under estimated because of their poor plinth and audiophile snobbery about auto functions.

[genjamon]

Ok, these are some great comments guys - thanks! Now which phono preamp would you pair it with to keep under $1k total and provide the remaining desired functionality?

[WGH]

Never used one but looks like it would get the job done

Behringer U-Phono UFO202 Audiophile USB/Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp $19.00 with free shipping at Sweetwater
https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0A12

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UFO202--behringer-u-phono-ufo202-usb-audio-interface-with-phono-preamp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organicpla



If the USB requirement could be removed then the Hagerman Audio Labs Bugle 2 or Bugle 3 would be a solid choice.
https://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/collections/phono-preamps

[S Clark]

Never used one but looks like it would get the job done

Behringer U-Phono UFO202 Audiophile USB/Audio Interface with Built-in Phono Preamp $19.00 with free shipping at Sweetwater
https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0A12

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UFO202--behringer-u-phono-ufo202-usb-audio-interface-with-phono-preamp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organicpla




If the USB requirement could be removed then the Hagerman Audio Labs Bugle 2 or Bugle 3 would be a solid choice.
https://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/collections/phono-preamps

Dayum!! If it works at all, it looks like a cheap solution.  I can't get a burger, fries, and beer for twenty bucks.
If it turns out to be crap (like the burger a day later), you really aren't out much.  You might find a used Vista for under $200,,, actually I know you can because I've got one that got bumped by a much, much more expensive unit. 

[lazydays]

This isn't a bad price on a decent TT.  The QL-F5 and F6 had excellent motor assemblies, and the tonearms were decent as well. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124763374373?hash=item1d0c7a0325:g:GYUAAOSwh9hgv3rX

watch the Goodwill sites. I found one for 39 dollars delivered. The people tend to snub them in favor of the Technics, but have had several of both; the JVC sounds better. Both have some issues, but I'd take the JVC anyday.  I've seen a couple Micro Seiki belt drives go for 50 dollars in the last year.
Not the last word in Jap tables, but also pretty good. The best two are the NAK Dragon and the Kenwood "L" series ($$$$$). For me that EAT is a good place to start
gary

[lazydays]

This isn't a bad price on a decent TT.  The QL-F5 and F6 had excellent motor assemblies, and the tonearms were decent as well. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124763374373?hash=item1d0c7a0325:g:GYUAAOSwh9hgv3rX

WAY TOO much money! Like I said you look around for a month or two, and it'll turn up
gary

[S Clark]

WAY TOO much money! Like I said you look around for a month or two, and it'll turn up
gary

Most don't have the time to wait on Cragslist or go diving in garage sales.  This model usually goes for $350 and up depending on condition.  I paid $375 for my Victor TT-81, but I can' do it again.  I paid $100 for my JVC QL-F6-- 12 years ago.  It's always great when we happen upon a deal,  but if you're looking for something in the near future, you usually pay the going price. 

[lazydays]

Most don't have the time to wait on Cragslist or go diving in garage sales.  This model usually goes for $350 and up depending on condition.  I paid $375 for my Victor TT-81, but I can' do it again.  I paid $100 for my JVC QL-F6-- 12 years ago.  It's always great when we happen upon a deal,  but if you're looking for something in the near future, you usually pay the going price.

as long as you avoid the Technics and upper end Denon tables, the rest are relatively cheap. There's one on there right now with an Ortofon cartridge.
Most people don't realize a lot of equipment made in Japan was farmed out to others. Technics put their decks in other people's packaging. Onkyo made tuners for Kenwood for years. Plus another big name (name escapes me right now). Pioneer did receivers for Radio Shack. Akai did tape decks for others.

Now a project or two I have in mind right now, is to find one of the high end Denons that are similar to a Technics SP-10. Spoke with a friend, and he said he would make a blank base, and I know two cases of beer will get the thing machined out and be ready for a tone arm plate. I've seen many go for about three hundred out the door with no tone arm. Then just hunt up a good used Jelco 750. I can see it out the door with a Grado cartridge for well under a grand, and probably closer to $800.

Right now I'm putting together a new bedroom system out of cheap to me stuff and also thing gathering dust. The amps will probably be a pair of ASL Wave Eights I have ($235). I also have their matching preamp that's been recapped ($215), but also have a spare CJ Pv10AL and a Quicksilver  line stage (believe it or not I have about $660 in both of them, and they function well). The digital end is just starting to come together, and it will be a Sony SACD player ($10 @ GW) feeding a DAC I picked up for twenty bucks (made by Topping). Have a Nak 202 deck that's brand new and never been plugged (less than a hundred delivered). I'll want a tuner, and have five or six laying around. Turn table will be one of two JVC Q Series I have (about fifty dollars for both) Both need a cartridge, and a phono stage. I could use the George Wright, but power tubes are hard to come by. May buy the basic Darlington, and if I like it; then I'll buy the DP-7 for the big system. Speakers will be a pair of Tannoy monitors on Skyline stands. If these don't work out, I have a pair of real Dennis Had built monitors that simply sound great with the wave eights. I have less than $300 in the Had speakers, and about $60 in the others (mint condition). To be exact there's more money in the stands than the Tannoys and not a lot less than the others.
as you can see, I'm fairly frugal....Gary

[I.Greyhound Fan]

How about this Pioneer TT with A to D converter and usb

https://www.turntablelab.com/products/pioneer-plx-500-direct-drive-usb-turntable-black

[S Clark]

How about this Pioneer TT with A to D converter and usb

https://www.turntablelab.com/products/pioneer-plx-500-direct-drive-usb-turntable-black

It's made by Hanpin of Taiwan -- a Technics 1200 copy.  Most of the discussions indicated they were at least decent.  I think Wayner posted impressions of it a couple of years ago. 

[lazydays]

It's made by Hanpin of Taiwan -- a Technics 1200 copy.  Most of the discussions indicated they were at least decent.  I think Wayner posted impressions of it a couple of years ago.

I found a JVC Q series semi auto table for about $55. This is the auto return job, and liked it better than either of my SL1200's. Dust cover needs work, but is solid. You can polish the outside with a series of 1200 grit to 4000 grit wet or dry sand paper (Walmart has it in the automotive department). I think Ortofon or somebody like that now makes a cartridge that has the built in bayonet coupling. Thus does away with the head shell. The JVC head shell (Technics too) is not the best. I liked the old Osawa head shells but have not seen one in years, and you could hear the difference.
I know a couple guys that use the old Pioneer 990 turn tables and seem to like them.
gary