Dumont
Active Member
OK, so I post very infrequently BUT this is the only audio forum I frequent so here goes.
I asked 3 years ago about getting into TTs (where did the time go?!). I bought a U-Turn shortly thereafter and sent it back. It was unimpressive to the newb (I'm 49 and grew up with TTs but it was my dad's B&O and I remember nothing about it) and seemed fussy and not great sounding. It was clearly the wrong time for me to learn and explore about TT after not using one since I was a kid.
Short story, after almost 30 years of marriage, wife left me and kids late last year. Details not important, amicable, but crushing.
Why mention that bit? I've now got the living room to myself and music is way more important to me than TV (the 42" plasma is in the corner for casual viewing and for the kids). I've got a great sounding NAD 356BEE (no phono stage though) paired with some Canton Ergo DC900s and a basic NAD CD player. So as I build new furniture and set this room up for regular listening, I'm also buying some vinyl (picked up a Dust to Digital set I'd like to actually listen too!).
I don't have a huge budget, same as last time or maybe a shade more, $300-400 would be comfortable. I'm also going to need a phono stage obviously.
So to be succinct I need buying advice. My preference would be vintage, as we're woodworkers and the 70's aesthetics and my moderately mid century living room would gel better BUT I'm not even close to buying form over function, looking for some direction. I was looking at a Realistic Lab-400 for vintage and briefly considered the AT-120 (just can't do it, just seems too DJ for me), another U-turn, or Fluance for new.
The truth is, I know nothing about TTs and just want to get started. I have no illusions about buying tons of vinyl, but I know I want some (I'd like to hear Sgt. Peppers in mono). Know nothing about MM, MC, headshells, tonearms, etc.
I'm willing to learn and to read but there is so much info it's too much!
Cheers.
I asked 3 years ago about getting into TTs (where did the time go?!). I bought a U-Turn shortly thereafter and sent it back. It was unimpressive to the newb (I'm 49 and grew up with TTs but it was my dad's B&O and I remember nothing about it) and seemed fussy and not great sounding. It was clearly the wrong time for me to learn and explore about TT after not using one since I was a kid.
Short story, after almost 30 years of marriage, wife left me and kids late last year. Details not important, amicable, but crushing.
Why mention that bit? I've now got the living room to myself and music is way more important to me than TV (the 42" plasma is in the corner for casual viewing and for the kids). I've got a great sounding NAD 356BEE (no phono stage though) paired with some Canton Ergo DC900s and a basic NAD CD player. So as I build new furniture and set this room up for regular listening, I'm also buying some vinyl (picked up a Dust to Digital set I'd like to actually listen too!).
I don't have a huge budget, same as last time or maybe a shade more, $300-400 would be comfortable. I'm also going to need a phono stage obviously.
So to be succinct I need buying advice. My preference would be vintage, as we're woodworkers and the 70's aesthetics and my moderately mid century living room would gel better BUT I'm not even close to buying form over function, looking for some direction. I was looking at a Realistic Lab-400 for vintage and briefly considered the AT-120 (just can't do it, just seems too DJ for me), another U-turn, or Fluance for new.
The truth is, I know nothing about TTs and just want to get started. I have no illusions about buying tons of vinyl, but I know I want some (I'd like to hear Sgt. Peppers in mono). Know nothing about MM, MC, headshells, tonearms, etc.
I'm willing to learn and to read but there is so much info it's too much!
Cheers.