i dunno whether or not a properly set-up technics 1200 is *better* than your typical rega, but i'd say it's at least on the same playing field. regardless of how much $$$ ya end up spending, be sure to purchase a used ' table: *so* much more bang-for-buck, especially if you're patient. on the low-end (pricewise), there's persently a cj walker cj55 w/a decent arm for something like $250. i owned one of these, & it's a very nice 'table - at least as nice as the rega p3. i tweeked it w/delrin armboard, all-corian suspension which i made for it, & some merril springs to deal w/the extra weight, & it got even better. of course, it's not as nice as my present oracle delphi, but again, buying used was a big plus - i got a great 'table, updated to mk-v specs w/exception of motor, w/a decent arm (that i didn't need) for $1250, & this included shipping and buying a brand-new $60 box, cuz the seller refused to ship w/o it... i have seen other similar-quality used 'tables at similar prices. oh, & as far as digital goes, well i guess you can spend thousands, but it won't approach the goodness of analog. doug s. |
bishopwell, i guess that's why there's more than one kinda car, and all ice cream ain't vanilla... ;~) i have excercised minimal care-n-feeding of vinyl in ~35 years of spinning it, and, while i acknowledge surface noise is an issue w/some albums, the overwhelming majority of 'em are emminently musical, w/o surface noise being a distraction, even the *oldies*. and, no edgy digital sound - who cares if the background is perfect, when the main event is irritating? :>) i do agree that, w/quality tubed electronics, and a good dac, the problems of redbook cd are diminishing. it was only w/in the past few months that i finally heard digital that i could *really* enjoy: a food-group, if you will. while i still long for the day that the software mfr's finally decide on a much-needed replacement for cd, so digital audio can lay waste to vinyl once & for all - no reason why it *shouldnt* be able to do so - at least, in the meantime, i can finally savor the taste of my digital software - *almost* as yummy as those big black 12" discs! ;~) doug s. |
hey, jimbo, i use a 3bx, too! also in the tape loop, so it's not in the signal path when not in use. but, i find it more useful for increasing dynamic range, than for suppressing vinyl surface noise. in fact, it seems to get as much, if not more, use for cd's than vinyl, cuz they're so compressed! ;~) it also works great on compressed fm, but, fortunately, the stations i listen to, are relatively compression-free. that burwen tne sounds intriguing, but i dunno if it's really worth it, for the so-small number of vinyl discs where i feel it would be useful> :>) doug s. |
js - go w/the lowest possible output your fono-stage can support - this will generally give the best sound, but there *are* nice-sounding hi-output cartridges... how's *that* for advice? ;~) enjoy, doug s. |
ken, don't let psychic fool ya - dint he mention that he just ordered a trough to further tweek his 1200? ;~) ya, i *am* a bit obsessed w/the di/o - after 20 years of digital, i can *finally* enjoy the music, much in the same way i enjoy my analog rig. and, no, i don't have to worry much about upgrading & tweeking the analog rig. well, no more than psychic, anyway. o-l came out w/a new-n-improved rb250 modded arm that i may have to get, replacing my present o-l arm. well, it's silver, & it'll *look* nicer! :>) doug s. |
pbb, my simple-to-set-up analog rig cost me yust under $2k, cartridge included. platter is a couple pounds, motor tucked snugly underneath, driven by a simple $2 belt from mcm electronics. it will provide a more musical experience than any digital rig at any price. the previous table it replaced, i had ~$350 into it, & while not up to my present 'table, it will still hold its own w/the best that digital has to offer... and, psychic has it correct - cd has the *potential* for wide dynamic range; unfortunately is is not often utilized. even tho my dbx 3bx is not always in the signal path, cuz its in the tape loop, it's always tracking the signal, & it's really easy to see & compare the dynamic range of the program material, by the the way the lights are blinking, indicating the dynamics of whatever's being played. hey, don't get me wrong, i enjoy my digital playback rig. but let's not delude ourselves! ;~) doug s. btw, david99, ya gotta spend a lot more than $4k for a cd to compete w/a $1k analog rig... or ~$350 for a modified art di/o... ;~) |
jimbo3 - *thank* you!!! ;~) perhaps pbb's point to waxcylinder (those cylinders sound *much* better tha 12" vinyl, doncha know?) is: *don't bother* to get into analog. the main argument *against* analog, (which doesen't hold much water for me and my ears) is that analog has more background surface noise. as i said earlier: "...while i acknowledge surface noise is an issue w/some albums, the overwhelming majority of 'em are emminently musical, w/o surface noise being a distraction, even the *oldies*. and, no edgy digital sound - who cares if the background is perfect, when the main event is irritating? :>) ..." there is so much *music* on vinyl, it's easy *for me* to hear around the surface noise of all but the poorest-condition records. perhaps it's due to the fact that i've ben spinning viny since i was seven years old, & i'm used to it. mebbe a vinyl *newbie* couldn't cope. doug s. btw, an aside to bishopwell: invest in a modified art di/o dac, & get the best you're ever gonna get out of redbook cd w/o taking out another mortgage on your house. |
psychic, have yer buddy mikey try a modded art di/o. at $200-$350, depending on who does the mods, he shouldn't have to wait for something used... may not get him all the way there, but it will likely get him a lot closer... ;~) doug s. |
