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Turntable and Cart/Stylus Recommendation Needed

dugn

dugn

New Member
I’m preparing to rip a ton of 80’s electronic/new wave vinyl and hard-to-find remixes I’ve kept in pristine condition over the years. So I’m looking for advice for a turntable, cartridge/stylus to get high quality rips of my 80s vinyl – much of which never released to CD. My budget is $3000 USD for the turntable, cart/stylus and any needed accessories. The turntable will be used exclusively to rip – not listen. It won’t be connected to my home Hi-Fi, but rather digitized directly to computer so I can port the music wherever I want (home Hi-Fi system, mix ‘tapes’ I’ll make, media server streaming, etc.).

I plan on using a Sweet Vinyl Sugar Cube SC-2 Mini/Phono as my phono pre-amp and ADC – which also provides track-splitting, Discogs metadata lookup to streamline tagging. But glad to turn off the pop/click filter if it interferes with the sound. And glad to get a standalone photo preamp instead of the one in the SC. But with my OCD need to get every ounce of metadata correct, the SC will do the job even if I don't use it for click removal/preamp work.

The workflow I imagine is a turntable+cart via RCA to the Sugarcube SC-2 Mini/Phono via USB to my PC. I’m not an audiophile, but I’ve got a good ear for detail – so I’m looking for the highest quality possible within my modest budget. And as counter-audiophile as it sounds, I’m interested in a turntable with pitch control (!) – although not a strict requirement since I know I can adjust pitch post-rip when mixing.

Since my turntable/cart budget is $3000, I’m clearly not going very high end – but trying to do better than a $250 platter with a $50 cart.

I’ve checked into the Lenco, LP12, Pink Triange, Gyrodec and many audiophile decks, but they’re too delicate looking for my aesthetics and a potential source of worry with kids still at home. So, I’m looking at a Technics SL-1200MK7 with an Ortofon 2M Black for something significantly better than a spherical stylus. But I’m all ears for better recommendations and anything I’m missing. Especially humbled since this is not the typical high end ask I see in this forum. Any suggestions or pointers are very much appreciated. Thanks!
 
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I think you’re on the right track with the MK7. I plan on using my MKII fir my digital rips. You’ll want the dead on precision. I’m not versed on new carts, but the 2M Black has a great rep,

I think you’re on the wrong track not listening to your vinyl, but I understand your position. Plus they’re your records, who am I to tell you?
 
Thanks for the quick reply, @zoombrewer77 . I'm going to listen to it, just not 'live' every time. And my listening system needs some serious upgrades before I get there.

And I already saw that $1000 solution thread @tabarddn51 . I'm not really interested in cobbling together a makeshift solution from older TTs, but I appreciate the thought.

Any other insights before I go off with this one? Thanks!
 
Then go for a new Techinics SL1210, add your own cart.
one on E/Bay at present for $2,200, open box.
Item No 113381208917
Cheers
 
dugn said:
I’ve checked into the Lenco, LP12, Pink Triange, Gyrodec and many audiophile decks, but they’re too delicate looking for my aesthetics and a potential source of worry with kids still at home. So, I’m looking at a Technics SL-1200MK7 with an Ortofon 2M Black for something significantly better than a spherical stylus. But I’m all ears for better recommendations and anything I’m missing. Especially humbled since this is not the typical high end ask I see in this forum. Any suggestions or pointers are very much appreciated. Thanks!
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When I interned in a mastering house, they used an SL-1200 mk2 to transfer LPs when they couldn’t get a master tape. So I think that it’s a reasonable choice.

If it was my money, with that budget, I’d step up to the SL-1200GR and get a different cartridge. That may largely be because I’m partial to the Audio-Technica VM540ML, which has an advanced profile stylus and is a third the cost of a Black. Also, the build quality looks a little better on the GR.
 
My only suggestion would be to have more than one cartridge around. By reputation the Ortofon Black is a mixed blessing, and kind of picky. Some records might sound better with, say, a Denon DL-103, even with its conical stylus.

Actually, I have another suggestion for a cartridge, but it is more moola: London Decca Super Gold.
 
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