[buckeyefanandy]

After reading everything i can get my hands on about TT's below the $1k range, it comes back to a very simple concern.  What is a great sounding table that will allow me to spin lps, without worrying about tweaks and maintenance.

What is the easiest to set up, maintain, and enjoy turntable my money can buy.

[orientalexpress]

how about technics sl1200mk2 ,easy to set up ,plug and play.no fuzzing around.


lapsan

[mjosef]

I think you might be overthinking things too much, just about any modern turntable (post 70's) can do a decent job of LP playback, and they would all require at least leveling the table and setting up the cartridge properly...after that its all smooth playing.
Of course there are a bazillion tweaks to wring every last drop of 'performance' out of the medium, but not going there should not detract from LP playback enjoyment.
 

[SET Man]

Hey!

   My first real so called "High end" TT is Rega Planar 2. I actually still have it.

    After all these years I have no regret buying that TT. It is simple and easy to use. The only thing that you might run in to is that the height of the tonearm base is not easy to adjust. Depend on the cart you might need to buy shim or height adjuster. Yes, there are many other upgrade for Rega TTs if you want to go crazy with it, otherwise it is a simple TT.

   But as with any TT. The first initial set up is very important, cart alignment, tracking force and etc. After that you just enjoy it.

   Well, good luck with your search. Oh! Don't rule out used TT, you can get some good deal also.

Take care,
Buddy

[sts9fan]

Based on reading your threads you are totally over thinking it. Buy a used Rega and get spinning.

[orthobiz]

VPI HW-19
You can tweak away when you're ready
Enjoy it now
Easily 1000 dollars or less

Paul

[TheChairGuy]

I think you might be overthinking things too much, just about any modern turntable (post 70's) can do a decent job of LP playback, and they would all require at least leveling the table and setting up the cartridge properly...after that its all smooth playing.
Of course there are a bazillion tweaks to wring every last drop of 'performance' out of the medium, but not going there should not detract from LP playback enjoyment.
 

Good injection of sanity

I sense Andy has overthought the subject, too and now lacks direction to make a definitive decision.  Many of us have been there - I have, for sure   

Andy - any decent working turntable should give you about as much satisfaction as any mid-grade CD player.  As time, finances and your level of expertise permits - you can usually improve any table to higher levels of performance.  Just buy something that works well beneath your ultimate price range and get into the groove.

My first TT purchase after 5 miserable music-playing years without a TT was $50.  It told me all I needed to know that vinyl is my preferred medium and still the highest resolution source extent today

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=22636.0

John

[buckeyefanandy]

You guys are spot on, with the over thinking.  I find myself in a very stressful situation in life that requires I find a way to reduce stress.  Audio has long been a refuge for me in the past and now need that escape more than ever.

The external stress just seems to create a feeling that I have to get this right the first time...

There just are not that many options locally and when you add all the extra considerations (arm, cart, and Pre-amp) I am just stuck.

[Bob in St. Louis]

I was given/traded a bone stock AR-XA a while back. Auditioning it on a friend's "vinyl ready" system proved to be an eye opener to all who heard the table. The tables can be found for (last time I checked) less than $150. A new cart cost me $50 from Wayner.
Two hundred bucks for a respectable table. You can't beat it.

Hope that helps,
Bob

[Elizabeth]

Agree just buy one and play.
IMO turntable and vinyl is an area full of neurotic folks who spend days worrying about the correct VTA for every LP, they have to clean that LP, then de-static it, the reset VTA, they play only audiophile approved LPs from some guys list.
I have never worried about it much, just play a record. If you love worrying then by all means do so to your hearts content. But it is NOT a requirement to be able to play Lps and enjoy them.
A used Dual of nearly any persuasion, and decent $60 cart, and a phono section from some old equipment will do nicely.
And if anyone feels singled out over audiophile crazyness of LP rituals, feel free to obsess... Not my problem.

[Indiansprings]

how about technics sl1200mk2 ,easy to set up ,plug and play.no fuzzing around.


lapsan

I concur with the above.
I was hinting at the Technics sl1200 in your other thread buckeyefanandy. You were asking about everything else but the Technics. I think for the money, you will be immensely pleased. Check out KAB website. he might have just the table for you, all ready to ship it to your door.

[hibuckhobby]

 I just got back into vinyl after many years with a used Rega P25.  I can't begin to tell you how much I'm enjoying it.  With a decent cartridge and very little tweaking, I'm finding I prefer it to my mid-high end CD players much of the time.  There is an organic, "this sounds real" sense that you don't find elsewhere.  Go for it.
Hibuck...

[srb]

I'm just curious, when going somewhere between entry and mid level in a turntable and cartridge, at what price point do you no longer add additional record groove wear by not having a high precision tonearm and cartridge combination?
 
In other words, you are content to have less than perfect sound for now and might upgrade in the future, but you want to avoid extra record wear during the period until you reach that point.
 
Steve
 
 

[Letitroll98]

There is an absolutely completely stress free player available for those who don't wish to delve into the deep and mystical side of vinyl playback.  It's called a CD player.  It was invented for those who didn't want to deal with cartridge setup, cleaning records, changing belts, leveling turntables, and storing the media carefully to avoid degradation.  You may have slightly less fidelity, but there will be no annoying clicks and pops, you can run it all from a remote.

And I'm not being facetious, I'm 100% serious.  I have complete sympathy for your stressful situation.  Whatever troubles have befallen you, I truly hope you get through them.  And as the above posters noted, you don't have to go overboard with vinyl, but it does take a certain involvement that may not be your cup 'o tea.  I find the tweaking and preparation for each lp's playing to be relaxing, but if you don't enjoy fiddling with the VTF and anti skate bias, cleaning the record at least with a good brush for every play, et al, perhaps vinyl is not the answer for you to help reduce stress levels and you should just invest in a more analog sounding CDP.

However if you decide to try vinyl, I emphatically recommend one of the Rega tables to meet your stated needs.  They are definitively the least fussy table as far as set up goes.  No azimuth to adjust, no arm height adjustment, and if you buy a Rega cartridge no alignment of any kind, it has a three hole bolt system that does that for you.  Also note that any questions you do have will be answered on these pages, evidenced above, and probably below after a short time period.  Best of luck with everything.   

[dlaloum]

Steps to take to avoid excess record wear:

1) Don't use a 78rpm needle (!) - so whether spherical, eliptical or line contact (HE, Shibata, etc...) - make sure you have the right type of needle

2) Adjust the arm/cartridge to ensure that you are tracking correctly. Best tool is the HFN test record, if you can track the tracking test track 6 & 7 without distortion you are good to go. Mistracking is the most common cause of damage. (getting the tracking right involves adjusting the VTF and Anti Skating, as well as making sure the cartridge is properly aligned on the arm)

Other things of note:
a) Alignment the easy way - use the manufacturers recommendations - this usually means the cartridge is orthogonal within and with the arm. (There are other more complex alignments as tweaks, and to perfect the system - but the Manufacturers setup was designed for ease of use with good results)

b) Arm should be parallel to the record surface when playing the record (or close to it)

c) Line Contact styli - HyperEliptical, Shibata, LineContact, FineLine, MicroRidge, MicroLine, SAS, etc... - these have lower wear due to having a larger contact patch with the vinyl - so the pressure is spread over a larger surface area... for a given VTF, you are applying around 1/3rd to 1/4 the pressure on the vinyl.

That's it... enjoy the music

David

[buckeyefanandy]

My personal stress is related my work.  I run an organization that focuses on high risk kids in a neighborhood with 5 gangs in 35 blocks.  We have had a lot of setbacks with kids making life altering decisions.  We are also seeing several of our partners cutting staff leading to some big gaps. 

Not a great time to be working in youth development when you have an expensive hobby...
Also hard to spend the money one a luxury when I see kids that are fighting to stay afloat.  My doctor has told me to either find a way to manage the stress or eliminate it. 

Had this happen about 5 years ago, and turned to hifi as a way to escape at times.  My wife and I then took on a crack house rehab with green building ideas.  That 18 month project has caused me to step away from Hifi.  The house has turned out to be a great project and I now have a 600 square foot attic that has be converted to my audio oasis.

It has just been a very challenging month with some situations that people close to me are dealing with.  Just so happens that It is a bad month with taxes to adding a new expense.  I will be OK, just wanted to hurry up and relax

This week things got intense with spring break, two kids I have spent a lot of time with were held up at gun point.  They both wanted to get revenge, and showed up to practice with an assault rifle.  6 years ago, I had 8 kids killed in a 9 month window.  That spring felt very similar to this one, sometimes I wish I worked at McDonalds.

[thunderbrick]

....... a CD player. You may have slightly less fidelity................

I know you are serious, and, in many ways correct, but I just finished redoing my 25+ year-old SOTA (unused for 10 years), and even running it into a cheap ProJect phono box it is blowing the doors off the identical CD versions.

"Air" doesn't even begin to describe what I am hearing.   
Even my wife, who tried hard to get me to dump my LPs, was blown away by the difference.  Now she tells people that LPs are better.  Not bad for a woman who thought the whole thing was nuts.   

[bastlnut]

hallo,

VPI turntables are known for ease of set up.
the Technics SL 1200 is a plug and play and forget TT that has some real sonic faults but is rugged and can be placed anywhere.
you may also want to consider a Project or MMF TT bought new.
these are also easy to set up and will have a warranty if anything goes wrong.
even a Rega TT will sound good out of the box.

one thing to do is to get a butcher block the size of the TT and place it on squash ball cut in half as the 4 feet.
place the TT on this and start listening......stress free.

regards,
bas

[johzel]

My personal stress is related my work. Not a great time to be working in youth development when you have an expensive hobby...
Also hard to spend the money one a luxury when I see kids that are fighting to stay afloat.   

It seems to me that a hobby that helps support you also supports the people you serve. I don't see anything "selfish" in that at all. Sure sounds like those "kids" are VERY lucky to have you working on their behalf.  I retired from the helping professions and while I didn't work in any environment close to what you describe and while I won't pretend to understand what that level of stress must be like for you I do remember an old saying that essentially goes "helper beware".  This refers to the notion that people in helping positions such as yours are frequently at risk for stress related conditions themselves . . . which brings me to the point that not only do I feel you should spend money on a hobby that helps brings you joy and relief from your very difficult role (if you can afford it) but it is likely a wonderful stress reliever that maybe is more of a necessity than a luxury??

I too was looking for a decent plug and play turntable last year in order to play my old vinyl.  I went with a Pro-ject turntable (Xpression III) - around $699 and includes everything.  It was very easy to set-up.  Piece of cake really.  There's plenty of choices out there - enjoy listening to your vinyl.

[BaMorin]

Here's an idea.........do as Bob in St louis did.........and pick up an AR-XA.  Bring it to Columbus, and I'll show you how to go through it. Maybe the act of actually getting your hands in ahead of the music will help you also. There is a certain ritual about vinyl that can't be replaced with a CD. Just as there is a certain something about vinyl sound that can't be replaced by CD..........BUT There also is a certain something about when you drop the rock and smile to yourself knowing you "built that sum-bitch" yourself.

I just finished an XA early Friday evening. My neighbor came by for a listen. About half was through Sade's  Smooth Operator he made me a pretty generous offer.  An XA can charm the socks off of you.