Harman Kardon T30C - First Turntable

M

mkd8919

New Member
First Off, let me say I'm %100 percent new to Vinyl. I've listened to it before, and I've bought a few LPs, but I've never owned a turntable. I didn't know if this was the right place to post, but I figured someone would point me in the right direction.

Also, this is my first post, so cut me some slack! :)

Meeting a lot of new friends when I started college, I ended up listing to some records, and was amazed at how much I enjoyed the sound. I decided to pick up a table for myself. I stopped by my local Goodwill, and low and behold, there was only one turntable: A Harmon Kardon T30C. It was stuffed underneath a shelf, with "$20" written in sharpie on the dust cover. I pulled it out and looked it over. It seemed to be in good condition, though the knobs in the front felt like they could fall inside the case at any time. A clerk told me there was a plug in I could use, and I grabbed a record off the shelf, loaded it up, and dropped the needle. Problem though. No needle. The cartridge is there, but the arm instantly went to the center, and the table auto stopped. I went home to research the table, decided it was still worth it, went back and talked them down to ten dollars. I went home a very happy man, with my first record player.

When I got home, I took the bottom off the player, and the nuts holding the speed controls were loose, so I tightened them, and they now feel brand new. I got the sharpie off the lid with lighter fluid, and got the scratches out with some Maguires Plastix plastic polish. Here's where I'm stuck though. The cartridge it has on it now is a Ortofon OM 20, with no needle. How do I know if I need to get a new cartridge, or if i just need a stylus? And where could I find a stylus ( for less than an arm and a leg) for this cartridge? I looked up new OM 20s online, and the sites I was at quoted $200.

I have no idea how this table was treated before I got it. It seems in good condition, but I can't be sure of anything, because I have no way of testing it. It does spin, the cut button works, and the speed controls work as well.

Any help would be fantastic!

Thanks

PS I could post pics if needed
 
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Congratulations on your first turntable! :thmbsp:

You used the right things --the best I know of-- to remove the sharpie ink and polish the dust cover (PlastX works wonders; the longer you use it, the more "liquidy" the finish will become, until it looks like "solid water" or something).

You already know that the thing turns, and that the auto stop works. The knobs are now solidly in place. A great start, for ten bucks!

There is no way to be sure if the cartridge will work, other than to get a stylus for it and try it. You'll either have to buy a new stylus for it, or buy a whole new cart + stylus, anyway. You take the risk of buying a stylus and finding the cartridge is no good, but honestly that is seldom the case; most old carts will still work, unless they've spent long periods in poor environments and/or been badly abused. However, they don't all sound good, and each type will sound different. The question really should be, "Is this the cartridge I want to listen with, or should I be using a different cartridge?"

The easiest way to get started would be to just go ahead and get a stylus for what you have. Lower cost, quick and easy. Listen for a while, and see if you feel satisfied with the sound. OR ask around, listen to whatever carts you can, and decide what you think you will be happy with, and go for that one right off.

Since I haven't owned either that cartridge or your TT/tonearm, I can't really recommend what would go well with it, but I'm sure others with more specific knowledge will chip in.

Letting us know what kind of music you like to listen to, and what other gear (amp and speakers) you are pairing this TT with, may help people to make specific recommendations.

Also, tell us your budget considerations. It's easy to recommend a great US$1,000+ cartridge, but that's useless to someone with a $200, $100 or $50 budget! (If your budget is $50, the answer is easy: get a stylus, because you can't get a good new cartridge for that little, only a very lucky secondhand find! :D)

There is a LOT of info and experiences about different cartridges buried in the archives. I'd suggest you start reading up and make a short list of potential candidates, too. Then come back and ask for opinions on how the ones you are considering compare with each other.

Once you have the cartridge/stylus issue sorted out, read up on how to set up your TT correctly. Proper set-up will make a big difference in the quality of the sound, and also in how long both your records and your stylus will last.

Once again, congratulations, and welcome to the vinyl-spinning madness! :music: :thmbsp:
 
The Digitrack 200 NE stylus at $20 shipped will fit that cart just fine with a simple mod, Jettsales online offers it. It is at least equiv to the OM-20, search AK for the thread on fitting the stylus to your cart.
You should consider checking the proper set-up of the cart with the new stylus and ordering a new belt for it.
You have much to learn about the care of turntables, cartridges, and vinyl records as well as preamps for these things. Take your time and enjoy the rewards of your new past-time!
 
Pio1980 said:
The Digitrack 200 NE stylus at $20 shipped will fit that cart just fine with a simple mod, Jettsales online offers it. It is at least equiv to the OM-20, search AK for the thread on fitting the stylus to your cart.
You should consider checking the proper set-up of the cart with the new stylus and ordering a new belt for it.
You have much to learn about the care of turntables, cartridges, and vinyl records as well as preamps for these things. Take your time and enjoy the rewards of your new past-time!
Click to expand...

+1:yes:
 
Thanks for thee great ideas! At this moment, my budget is kinda limited, so I'm definitely going to pick up a digitrack and try that out. As for what I'd be pairing with, I have my dads old Heathkit amp and preamp for now, with some 80's pioneers. I was looking to get a Marantz 2265b from a local pawn shop, but he wants $150, and though I know its worth that, where I'm living I think I could find it cheaper :) Also, I need to save some money, and expand my very meager record collection!

But again, you guys have helped a lot, and i hope I can do the same in the future!
 
Nice find, and it couldent have come with a better stylus for a starter table. You should get nice sound out of that TT on the cheap.
 
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