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Taking the Vinyl Plunge - What is YOUR Table Recommendation

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sp2062

New Member
Preamp is a Citation I
Amp is an MC275

I mostly stream Qobuz but I have wanted to dabble in vinyl for years. I understand my pre has a very good phono section. Budget is no probably no more than 2k, would be happier to spend less though. What have I read up on? Rega P3 and various Pro-ject models. I don’t care so much about features but I need something that’s not terrible to set up, and I’m also fine going vintage if it’s a maintained/overhauled unit. I’m guessing about 150 hours a year of use.
 
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If you don't mind the effort to get up and flip/change the record at the end of every side, I would recommend a simple, belt drive manual that has good specs on the wow & flutter and rumble (sometimes called signal to noise) specifications. Thorens in good condition was usually a good bet, some Technics were also very good but they also made entry level turntables.

Not a good person to recommend modern cartridges however. All mine are vintage. Right now I'm using a Pickering V15 with a more modern replacement stylus.

Use this site to compare the wow & Flutter and Rumble specs of each unit you are considering:

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable-database.php

Enjoy:

Shelly_D
 
>>Citation I, McIntosh MC275, Dynaco MKIII's, Bozak B302A's
Oh yes ... you could make a fine noise with these. You need a turntable.

And you should probably 'stay the course' & go high-end vintage....... I could see your system with a Thorens, maybe vintage DD. Unfortunately, analog + vintage may not be an easy introduction for you. Consider seeing what is available locally & post back. We can offer recommendations from there.

New turntable? Maybe dip your toes in the water with Technics sl-50c (sale $700 w/Ortofon 2m red). Not a good cartridge, but a good enough package on sale to see if vinyl is for you. sl-50c is good enough to grow with through a couple of new cartridges. Add a Concorde Music Bronze for easy setup & significantly improved sound. (Note: Your Citation only offers a moving magnet (MM) phono section; you cannot use a LOMC cartridge without additional amplification.) Or consider sl-1500c ($1500 no cartridge). Better table w/auto-lift at end of record.
 
sp2062 said:
I mostly stream Qobuz but I have wanted to dabble in vinyl for years. I understand my pre has a very good phono section. Budget is no probably no more than 2k, would be happier to spend less though. What have I read up on? Rega P3 and various Pro-ject models. I don’t care so much about features but I need something that’s not terrible to set up, and I’m also fine going vintage if it’s a maintained/overhauled unit. I’m guessing about 150 hours a year of use.
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Automatic or manual turntable? Moving magnet or moving coil cartridge? Quartz Lock? Direct-drive or belt-driven?

Most importantly, the initial price range. :idea:

I say "initial" because I know you know why. ;)
 
Look on Facebook Marketplace place you can get any one of these for $300 or less used

Audio Rechnica LP120X, LP140XP

Kenwood KD 5070, KD 500, KD 750 KD 3070

MCS 6700

JVC JL A40, QL A2

Realistic LAB 400, LAB 420, LAB 500

Gemini PT 2000, SA 2400

Numark TTX the one with the S shaped tone arm

These are all really good direct drive turntables that are not super $$$ you do not need to spend $500+ plus go the used route you get a way better deal

If you need to replace the needle cartridge get a Stanton AL II Combo $65 to $90, Audio-Technica AT-VM95EN/H combo $160, Ortofon 2M Red combo $170, Ortofon Concorde Music Hifi combo $170, Magaoka-MP-100h combo $180
 
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As with anything, you know you can spend a little or a lot. The other commenters before me covered this well.

I’d focus more on the cartridge you want and build your table from there. If you don’t know, then see what lucky deals come your way, unless you are looking for something that fits a specific aesthetic.

I thought I was done with vinyl until I lucked into a 301 which I traded some EL34s for. That begot spending a lot more money building the right thing around it. Sometimes it’s just that way.

If you don’t want to think much about it, I’d consider one of the very nice later Japanese or B&O turntables, honestly.

If you want to tinker and build something, well… keep a look out for a 301/401, TD124/224 or the 2-speed version I can’t remember the model, some of the nice Russco or Weathers or higher-end Fairchild, Empire (398 and below), an EMT if you can swing it, higher-end ROK (good deal usually imo), Gates, McCurdy…

Best support exists for the Garrards and Thorens from that list, though. That is, someone’s making every part for them to a high standard.

Arms and carts are a whole other kettle.
 
cicada_shell said:
As with anything, you know you can spend a little or a lot. The other commenters before me covered this well.
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It would be nice to listen first. Unfortunately, there are an infinitesimal number of true, low-pressure, Mom-and-Pop Hi-Fi specialty shops anymore. Where the employees actually know what they are doing. A friend's setup will prolly have to do.
 
DJboutit said:
Realistic LAB 400
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DJboutit said:
you do not need to spend $500+ plus go the used route you get a way better deal
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by the time you buy the table, a cart and new suspension(the rubber feet rot, similar to pioneers), new rcas.... $500 is a distant memory.

then fully clean and lube. recap. replace coarse adjust trimmers on the pcb. disassemble/clean or replace microswitches.

a lab 400 is not cheap to get up to spec. i know first hand.
 
Mr Boochie said:
Initially, this is what you tell the better half. But when the dust finally settles, you are pushing toward a total investment of $1K.
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i think i'm in at right around $850

i also bought mine before a certain youtube channel started telling you what the good deals are. the lab 400 no longer fits in that category.
 
I would highly recommend a Mofi Ultradeck. I liked it much better than the Rega P3, or the Pro-ject carbon, that I had prior. It's made in MI. It's been discontinued, and it's been marked down for $1,000 less than when I got mine. Check other retailers, some still have an option to bundle a Mastertracher cartridge.

mofi.com

Mofi Electronics - UltraDeck Turntable (No Cartridge)

Designed to Preserve the Analog Signal and Play Vinyl LPs with Utmost Accuracy: U.S.A.-Made MoFi Electronics UltraDeck Turntable Offers True-to-the-Source Sound FEATURES 33-1/3 / 45.0 RPM belt drive turntable Custom design and manufactured in the USA 10-inch MoFi Ultra Tonearm...
mofi.com mofi.com
 
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$2K will buy you a lot of table, possibly too much. 25% of that will get you a very good table on the used market.

I would not drop that much without getting a chance to use it, and or others before deciding. Automatic features may be really important. Pick up something inexpensive and give yourself a baseline for what you will want.
 
DeadTrader said:
I would highly recommend a Mofi Ultradeck. I like it much better than the Rega P6, or the Pro-ject carbon, that I had prior. It's made in the MI. It's been discontinued, and it's been marked down for $1,000 less than when I got mine.
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A $1K startup table with no cartridge could be a bit steep.

[Edit: Oops! Miss the 2K in the original post. It pays to read, sometimes].

$2K opens a whole smorgasbord of new or used choices.

:)
 
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Up to $2k budget. For you say 150 hours a year use!
One of my tables is a 90's Technics SL1200 MK2. They are pretty sturdy. Not familiar with sub $2k new versions.
I'm wondering if I would bother for those few hours of use.
Do you have any local friends with turntables? That might give you a demo of what they have. Get some experience using and listening.
Record stores around here, sell used turntables with 30 to 90 day warrenties. Could see what they offer, if an option.
Records can blow hundreds of dollars of that budget . At $25+ each if new.
 
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I went down the Rega rabbit hole and wasted a lot of $$ upgrading my P3, which has a great tone arm but the rest of it is MEH... I'm much happier with the performance of my Technics SL-1200GR2 and SL-1300G.... just buy the best you can afford and be done with it:

Technics SL-1200GR for $1800

But for $2200 this SL-1200GR2 is unbeatable... it will play reliably for 30 years or more
 
ListenUp, a local store for me but you can order online, has a partnership with MusicHall going on right now. MusicHall 3.3 with $350 in upgrades and it's $350 cheaper than a base model 3.3. I have friends with Rega P3 and MH 3.3 and I'd take the 3.3 over the much more expensive Rega. The MH will leave you with enough money for accessories and a Vevor Ultrasonic cleaner.
 
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