I want to buy a turntable

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The AT LP120 is about $400 Canadian as are the other Hanpin variants like the Reloops and honestly, that price point is still a bit off-putting to me. I have never heard a proper turntable that has been calibrated, serviced, and has good wow and flutter specs, etc. let a long a decent audiophile system so I have no idea if it's worth spending upwards of $600-$900 for a Technics 1200 or a modern Hanpin variant/evolution (or some would say knock off) like the Reloop 8000 or Pioneer PLX-1000. Is it really worth it? I've never had audiophile gear to compare so the specs aren't something I can really imagine right now.

This is all getting even more complicated. Sigh.

There is an SL 1700 for $260 OBO on Kijiji. If it checks out, I'd buy that before any new models at that price point. If you check it out, look for:

Test it for spindle wear and arm gimbal wear.

(1) The easiest tests are to lift the patter and then with just two fingers try to gently push the spindle back and forth,sideways, etc.

If you feel any movement, the bearings are worn. Then spin it with your fingers (power off) and it should feel silky smooth. If it feels gritty, it has bearing issues.

(2) Tone arm. With it out of the hold-down, try to gently push front to back and then twist sideways both ways. It should not move other than its normal arc over the record. If it moves or you hear/feel a light click it has bearing issues in the gimbal. Walk away.

If the arm gimbal is OK, swing it gently across the play arc with one finger supporting the cartridge area. It should not have any rough spots or hesitate at all. If it does the base bearing has an issue.

(3) If you think these tests pass then spin it up under power and look at the speed. If it's steady, move the speed control and look for big jumps in speed. If it's linear and smooth, you are good to go.

(4) If everything checks out at this point, then the rest will be cosmetics. That's up to you.

It's a good table. In good mechanical shape, it will play nicely even if it looks rough. You could buy another cartridge and a platter mat and you would have a very nice turntable for under $500.00.

It has the same motor as the 1200 so what's not to like? I'd buy it, but I don't need one right now. Hell, I should buy it anyway

Otherwise, check out Audio Spot as they have many turntables for sale, including the Pro-jects and Regas.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by worth

Read an article a week or two ago stating vinyl sales were way up this past year. The vinyl resurgence is on for sure.

I think sales were up 40% or so in the USA compared to the year before.

It would be interesting to know how many sold were re-issues of analog recordings and how many were recorded digitally. The latter kind of misses the point, in my opinion.

I see the founder of Canada Boy Vinyl is set to open a vinyl-pressing plant in Calgary.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...gary-1.2916827

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by worth

Read an article a week or two ago stating vinyl sales were way up this past year. The vinyl resurgence is on for sure.

A little perspective... But vinyl is still awesome! I've collected about 100 records in the past 4 months. The sound quality thing I don't really feel, maybe my equipment is too low end for that...but it builds a bond and physical connection to your music in a strange way. It looks like 2015 is going to beat 1988 in album sales though!



The only unfortunate part in all of this is people are probably playing vinyl on all the low-grade, horrible sounding, chinese made Crosleys, etc. If people's first impression of how vinyl sounds is how it sounds through the terrible cartridge and those tiny garbage speakers on each Crosley, they may never know any better.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

A little perspective... But vinyl is still awesome! I've collected about 100 records in the past 4 months. The sound quality thing I don't really feel, maybe my equipment is too low end for that...but it builds a bond and physical connection to your music in a strange way. It looks like 2015 is going to beat 1988 in album sales though!


The only unfortunate part in all of this is people are probably playing vinyl on all the low-grade, horrible sounding, chinese made Crosleys, etc. If people's first impression of how vinyl sounds is how it sounds through the terrible cartridge and those tiny garbage speakers on each Crosley, they may never know any better.

I made up a pretty good chunk of sales from 1978-87. My friend worked at A&A Records in Red Deer and would call me whenever the new releases came in.

Vinyl has survived cassettes, CDs and iThingies. What are CD sales, I wonder? They seem to be on the way out.

I like vinyl because that is what I grew up with. Much like I prefer older cars, older bikes, older cameras, older music, etc. To me, vinyl forces you to listen to the entire record. If you don't like a digital song, skip to the next one. There is also something to be said about hearing the needle drop onto the record. But, I like to take the time to digitize some of vinyl as well.

A lot of those cheap record players come out of the same factory in China. Ion now makes record players for Dual and Philips. Music Hall and Audio Technica share the same bits and pieces...just badging and cosmetics change.

I am trying to convince my nephew to listen to my records. No dice. He feels that the ear buds from his iThing are sufficient.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium

It would be interesting to know how many sold were re-issues of analog recordings and how many were recorded digitally. The latter kind of misses the point, in my opinion.

I don't see why it makes much of a difference. The things that make vinyl different are virtually all from the playback and not the source. The warmer sound, imperfections, and ritual of playing it have nothing to do with the format of the original recording. Sometimes you'll get a better master on the vinyl release than the CD one, but again that doesn't really have much to do with the format.

Besides, most vinyl that has been cut in the last 30 years has been converted to digital as part of the cutting process whether the source is analog or not. Since the early '80s (and even in the '70s in some facilities) recordings have generally been fed through a digital delay line stage which allows the engineer to preview the transfer by converting the signal to digital and delaying what goes to the cutterhead. With a full analog system like they used before that it all happens in real time and if something gets messed up 20 minutes into Side B of the master, the whole disc has to get thrown out and redone. With the digital delay, the engineer can pick up on any issues and make adjustments before the master disc gets ruined. Because of that, most places started using the digital delay which means almost any vinyl made in the last few decades has been converted to digital at some point in the process.

And really, even with reissues of stuff that was recorded on tape, the source for the vinyl on any major release is still likely going to be a digital master these days.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by opendoor

I don't see why it makes much of a difference. The things that make vinyl different are virtually all from the playback and not the source. The warmer sound, imperfections, and ritual of playing it have nothing to do with the format of the original recording. Sometimes you'll get a better master on the vinyl release than the CD one, but again that doesn't really have much to do with the format.

Besides, most vinyl that has been cut in the last 30 years has been converted to digital as part of the cutting process whether the source is analog or not. Since the early '80s (and even in the '70s in some facilities) recordings have generally been fed through a digital delay line stage which allows the engineer to preview the transfer by converting the signal to digital and delaying what goes to the cutterhead. With a full analog system like they used before that it all happens in real time and if something gets messed up 20 minutes into Side B of the master, the whole disc has to get thrown out and redone. With the digital delay, the engineer can pick up on any issues and make adjustments before the master disc gets ruined. Because of that, most places started using the digital delay which means almost any vinyl made in the last few decades has been converted to digital at some point in the process.

And really, even with reissues of stuff that was recorded on tape, the source for the vinyl on any major release is still likely going to be a digital master these days.

This, this, a thousand times this. I'm interested in vinyl as an experience, but you're kidding yourself if you think it's a path to being an audiophile.. it just makes you pretentious. I love this argument personally because of the conviction that some audiophiles have that just make no sense.

[Saint Troy]

Jumped into vinyl with both feet over the last couple of weeks, picked up a nice Dual turntable & Music Hall phono stage. However they are pressing new albums, the sound quality has been fantastic imo. Picked up the latest War on Drugs on vinyl, and the sq difference on vinyl is staggering (for the better) compared to the digital files I own.

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by Saint Troy

...the sq difference on vinyl is staggering (for the better) compared to the digital files I own.

Oh now you've done it.

[MickMcGeough]

I'm looking for a replacement cartridge or stylus (Ortofon brand, specifically). I've tried a few local record shops but they seem to carry only aftermarket replacement parts. Any suggestions about where else I should look?

[drew24]

Loyalty Sound used to carry Ortofon. I think they might be shut down though?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

I'm looking for a replacement cartridge or stylus (Ortofon brand, specifically). I've tried a few local record shops but they seem to carry only aftermarket replacement parts. Any suggestions about where else I should look?

For what cartridge?

The aftermarket Stylus10 made by Tonar is carried by BlackByrd on 17th and Turn it Up North on 16th for like $35. It's comparable to an OM10. Turn it Up North also has the Ortofon 2M Red. London Drugs carries the Ortofon 2M Red and OM 5E

Axe Music and Long & McQuade carry Ortofon DJ stylii. I wanted an eliptical that tracked under 2 grams so I bought the Ortofon Omega cartridge + stylus for $49 at Axe.

If you want genuine, why not buy online? Locally there are other options if you don't want Ortofon. Shure, Audio Technica, etc.

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by drew24

Loyalty Sound used to carry Ortofon. I think they might be shut down though?

Yup, they're still open and they do sell Ortofon. Thanks!

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

For what cartridge?

The aftermarket Stylus10 made by Tonar is carried by BlackByrd on 17th and Turn it Up North on 16th for like $35. It's comparable to an OM10. Turn it Up North also has the Ortofon 2M Red. London Drugs carries the Ortofon 2M Red and OM 5E

Axe Music and Long & McQuade carry Ortofon DJ stylii. I wanted an eliptical that tracked under 2 grams so I bought the Ortofon Omega cartridge + stylus for $49 at Axe.

If you want genuine, why not buy online? Locally there are other options if you don't want Ortofon. Shure, Audio Technica, etc.

OM5e cartridge. The Tonar Stylus10 sounds perfect actually - I'm hesitant to replace the entire cartridge because my deck (Pro-Ject Elemental) doesn't really support user-adjustment of the counterweight, so I'd need to also buy equipment to measure tracking force I think?

This is probably about to become my backup TT so a $35 investment sounds about right. Any experience with Tonar stylii? Anything I need to worry about?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

OM5e cartridge. The Tonar Stylus10 sounds perfect actually - I'm hesitant to replace the entire cartridge because my deck (Pro-Ject Elemental) doesn't really support user-adjustment of the counterweight, so I'd need to also buy equipment to measure tracking force I think?

This is probably about to become my backup TT so a $35 investment sounds about right. Any experience with Tonar stylii? Anything I need to worry about?

Let me know if you want to borrow an electronic stylus pressure gauge. The counterweights that just move back and forth like on the elemental are a pain for sure!

What are you replacing the Elemental with? I used the Tonar Stylus 10 to replace the vintage Ortofon STD that I broke accidentally but it should replace the Ortofon 5E directly also. It's intended as a replacement for the OM10 which is one step above the OM 5E but they are all interchangeable on Ortofon cartridges.

Blackbyrd Records on 17th Avenue (across from Tim Hortons) has the Stylus10 and also the Elemental so maybe they might let you try it out to ensure it fits. London Drugs on Heritage has the OM2 and 5E as they have more vinyl/turntables out than other stores but I think they wanted like $90 or something for the 5E which I wouldn't do.

When my Stylus10 wears out, I'll probably replace it with a JICO OM20 stylus from Japan.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

I'm looking for a replacement cartridge or stylus (Ortofon brand, specifically). I've tried a few local record shops but they seem to carry only aftermarket replacement parts. Any suggestions about where else I should look?

Have you tried Needledoctor?

http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Ortofon

[Hack&Lube]

Revenue from vinyl sales in the US has overtaken the combined total of revenue from advertising on YouTube and ad-supported Spotify.

https://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=33990

[MickMcGeough]

I'm about to take on a vintage TT restoration project. (A pretty easy one, hopefully.) I've got a Technics SL-D2 that needs a serious cleaning, plays slow, and has a channel out. Spindle and arm are good, dust cover scuffed but not scratched (and missing a hinge tab).

I've got a new cart and headshell cables installed already. The left channel breaks either in the tonearm or the RCA outs. Going to do some continuity tests tonight to verify. Either way I've probably got some soldering to do.

I've done plenty of soldering in classrooms years ago but never owned my own. What should I be looking for, for this type of work? Any guidance the more experienced folks can share about soldering iron attributes to look for, types of solder, and other gear I'll need for this would be greatly appreciated! (Also - where in town can I buy this stuff?)

[Hack&Lube]

Dust covers can be made clear again with headlight restoration kits. You might have replaced the wiring but have you cleaned the contacts inside the tone-arm for corrosion? Are you using the original headshell with rounded pins to make better contact?

Active Electronics and MRO would be best. Princess Auto has good deals sometimes. Tonearm wiring is super thin so be careful. Get an adjustable temp iron if possible. I don't know what type of solder is best, I've never done work on turntable wiring. Maybe a braid or wick to suck up the old stuff too. Don't know about flux either, might be good to avoid oxidization in the solder. Tone arm wiring is seriously so thin and lightweight that you should only need the tinest amount.

As far as turntable speed, it's direct-drive so there should be pitch adjustment on the front, otherwise, there should be tuning POTS inside.

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Dust covers can be made clear again with headlight restoration kits. You might have replaced the wiring but have you cleaned the contacts inside the tone-arm for corrosion? Are you using the original headshell with rounded pins to make better contact?

Active Electronics and MRO would be best. Princess Auto has good deals sometimes. Tonearm wiring is super thin so be careful. Get an adjustable temp iron if possible. I don't know what type of solder is best, I've never done work on turntable wiring. Maybe a braid or wick to suck up the old stuff too. Don't know about flux either, might be good to avoid oxidization in the solder. Tone arm wiring is seriously so thin and lightweight that you should only need the tinest amount.

As far as turntable speed, it's direct-drive so there should be pitch adjustment on the front, otherwise, there should be tuning POTS inside.

Thanks for the suggestion about cleaning the tonearm contacts - I haven't tried that yet but will do that first. Never checked out Active Electronics before - will have to check it out! Thanks for the tips!

[smoothpops]

I've got two of these;

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-a...rive-turntable

I'll sell them both for $250, if you're still interested