I seek your guidance - re turntable


You Audiogoners were a great help a few months ago, when I was getting back into music reproduction after many years of doing other things. Thanks to Audiogon, I've set up a system of Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers, Odyssey dual mono amp, BAT preamp, Perpetual Technologies dac. My intent was - and still is - to play most of my music on my Imac, and that is working fine. But, I still have a record collection from the 1970's and 1980's, and I do like the sound of good vinyl.

So I had this 30+ year old Technics turntable, and was using that. The cuing lever didn't work, nor did the automatic return, which would seem to move the arm in random swings when I didn't control it manually. But it did play manually. A few days ago, I decided to play a great old digital 45 recording of the Apassionata Sonata (mastering lab series direct cutting, Ikuyo Kamiya, Bosendorfer Imperial). Well, the Techics got stuck on 45 rpm, and won't go back to 33. My 33's don't sound as good on 45.

I have to either fix the Technics or replace it. I think it would cost more than the Technics is worth to fix it.

So here's my question. If my primary source is digital (computer) but I don't want to throw the records on the ash heap of history, and I don't want to spend too much (would like to spend under $1200), and I do care about what the thing looks like, and I have no expertise and don't want to spend days setting it up, and I expect to buy something used on Audiogon (or possibly on ebay) and I do have an ear that likes good sound, what turntable, tonearm, should I look for?
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Showing 2 responses by waynefia

If it were me, I would look at a used VPI HW-19 JR or MKIII. Both would do a nice job for $400-700 bucks. Most likely would have either a Audioquest or Rega arm. Always coming and going on Audiogon, there are a lot of them out there. Of course you could shoot your whole $1200 on a VPI Scout. But I'm thinking if you were happy with the Technics, why spend more then you need to.

Now I will let the next guys tell you you need a Rega or new Technics SL1200 table.

Wayne
There you as I said at the beginning, I through my 2 cents in with the used VPI HW-19, at $400-700(depending on variations) that would leave you plenty of scratch to spend on a nice cartridge, and still be under $1200.00.

And you also got the SL1200 and of course the Rega picks as I mentioned you would.

So there you go, probably more confused then ever, good luck.