What is best turntable for listening to Rock from the sixties like Led Zeppelin?


The sound quality isn’t great, so rather than something super revealing, something that is very musical, and can also convey the magic. Sort of the Decca cartridge equivalent of turntables. I am guessing less Caliburn and Techdas, more Linn, Roksan, Denon, EMT 927, Rega, even.
tokyojohn
Raymonda, Wolf,
Not trying to unmask anyone; but I did play or substituted in certain bands below from the Boston Tea Party or Fillmore East. So maybe an old geezer like me /Wolf were on the same stage at the same time. My stage name back then and my real name is not the same. Ironic if it happened, which I would find amusing. Also, saw most of these groups. Lothar and the Hand People used one of the first quasi synthizer, the Condor Electric Modulator.. I first learned about it at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Atmastphere and Wolf are right with comments on this thread.

My time was mostly '68-’70. Here you go: Boston Tea Party play dates circa 1967/70:

Boston Tea Party
53 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA

1967
January 1967
20 The Lost (Opening Night)
21 The Lost
27 - 28 The Lost / The Hallucinations

February 1967
3 - 4 The Lost / Catharsis
7 - 9 Film Makers Cinematique
10 - 12 Chambers Brothers/ The Hallucinations
17 - 18 Beacon Street Union / The Hallucinations
24 - 25 Cloud / Bagatelle
26 Baroque Concert (Afternoon)

March 1967
3 - 4 The Hallucinations / Eden's Children / Bagatelle
10 - 11 Lothar & The Hand People / The Orphans
17 - 18 Lothar & The Hand People / The Hallucinations
24 - 25 Bagatelle / The Growth
31 Ill Wind / Bagatelle

April 1967
1 Ill Wind / Bagatelle
14 - 15 Lothar & The Hand People / Front Page
21 - 22 Lothar & The Hand People / The Hallucinations
28 - 29 David Blue & The American Patrol / Ill Wind

May 1967
5 - 6 The Orphans / David Blue & The American Patrol
12 - 13 Lords & Ladies / Orleans
16 - 18 Film Makers Cinematique / Peyote Queen
19 - 20 Beacon Street Union / Children of Paradise
26 - 27 Velvet Underground / The Ferris Wheel

June 1967
2 - 3 The Hallucinations / Jeremy Steig
9 - 10 Velvet Underground / Beacon Street Union
16 - 17 Ill Wind / The Hallucinations
23 - 24 Grass Menagerie / Beacon Street Union
30 - Jul 1 Lothar & The Hand People / The Shakers

July 1967
7 - 8 The Ragamuffins / The Street Choir
14 - 15 Peanut Butter Conspiracy / 90th Congress
21 - 22 Free Spirits / Shakers
28 - 29 The Paupers / Bagatelle

August 1967
2 Seeds / Cheetah
4 - 5 Peanut Butter Conspiracy / Bagatelle
11 - 12 Velvet Underground
18 - 19 The Hallucinations / Ultimate Spinach
25 - 26 Country Joe & The Fish

September 1967
1 - 2 Catharsis / Mushroom
8 - 9 Canned Heat / 90th Congress
15 - 16 The Wildflower / Bagatelle
22 - 23 The Mushroom / The Hallucinations
29 - 30 Children of Paradise / Beacon Street Union

October 1967
6 - 7 Canned Heat / Ultimate Spinach
13 - 14 The Luvs / The Grass Menagerie
20 - 21 Pluph / Cloud
27 Bagatelle / The Sidewinders
28 The Hallucinations / The Sidewinders

November 1967
3 - 4 Bagatelle / Mandrake Memorial
10 - 11 Sun Ra Arkestra
17 - 18 Butter / Bo Grumpus / Salvation
24 - 25 Ultimate Spinach / Baul Singers & Dancers

December 1967
1 - 2 Kaleidoscope / Chain Reaction
8 - 9 Clear Light / The Street Choir
15 - 16 Richie Havens / Bagatelle
22 - 23 Lothar & The Hand People / Beacon Street Union
29 - 30 The Hallucinations / Children of God

1968
January 1968
5 - 6 Cloud / Ill Wind
12 - 13 Ultimate Spinach / The Colt Brothers Conception
19 - 20 Beacon Street Union / Butter / The Hallucinations / Bagatelle
26 - 27 Tim Buckley / Nazz

February 1968
2 - 3 H.P. Lovecraft / Butter
9 - 10 Eric Andersen / Grass Menagerie
16 - 17 Bagatelle / The Apple Pie Motherhood Band
23 - 24 Peanut Butter Conspiracy / PPMWW

March 1968
1 - 2 Chambers Brothers / South End Hate Band
8 - 9 J. Geils Band / Canned Heat
15 - 16 Beacon Street Union / The Hallucinations
22 - 23 Velvet Underground / United States of America
29 - 30 Ultimate Spinach / Butter

April 1968
4 Muddy Waters / The Hallucinations
5 - 6 Amboy Dukes / Tangerine Zoo
11 Yardbirds / Steve Miller Band
12 Steve Miller Band / Cloud / Earth Opera
13 Steve Miller Band / Earth Opera
18 B. B. King / Cloud
19 - 20 Siegal Schwall Band / J. Geils Blues Band / Cloud
25 Procol Harum / The Hallucinations
26 Howling Wolf / Beacon Street Union / The Hallucinations
27 Howling Wolf / Beacon Street Union

May 1968
2 Traffic / Butter
3 - 4 Clear Light / Tim Rose
9 Blue Cheer / Quill
10 - 11 Bagatelle / The Hallucinations
16 Velvet Underground / The Hallucinations
17 - 18 Velvet Underground / Bo Grumpus
23 John Lee Hooker / The Hallucinations
24 John Lee Hooker / The Hallucinations / Quill
25 John Lee Hooker / The Hallucinations
30 - 31 Van Morrison Controversy / Ill Wind

June 1968
1 Van Morrison Controversy / Ill Wind
6 - 8 Cloud / The Group Image
13 - 15 Quicksilver Messenger Service / The Hallucinations
19 - 22 Bagatelle / J.Geils Blues Band
26 - 29 Jeff Beck Group


July 1968
4 - 6 The Ultimate Spinach / Listening
18 - 20 Lothar & The Hand People / The Hallucinations
25 - 27 Beacon Street Union / Cloud

August 1968
1 - 3 The Nazz / Kaleidoscope
8 - 10 Staple Singers / Bo Grumpus w / Felix Pappalardi
15 - 17 Eden's Children / Velvet Underground
22 - 24 Apple Pie Motherhood Band / Wind in the Willows
29 - 31 Albert King / Jeremy Steig & The Satyrs

September 1968
5 - 7 Ars Nova / Ford Theater
12 - 14 Buddy Guy / Quill
20 - 21 Eden's Children / J. Geils Quintet
27 - 28 Velvet Underground / Fire and Ice

October 1968
3 - 5 Rhinoceros / Quill
10 - 12 Ten Years After / The Listening
17 - 19 John Mayall & The Blues Breakers / Bones
22 - 24 Jeff Beck Group / Kensingtom Market / Earth Opera
25 - 26 Headstone Circus / Far Cry
31 - Oct 2 James Cotton Blues Band / SRC

November 1968
7 - 9 Terry Reid / McCoys
14 - 16 Buddy Miles Express / Dino Valente
21 - 23 J. Geils Blues Band / The Listening
29 - 30 Lothar & The Hand People / The Cloud

December 1968
5 - 7 Pacific Gas & Electric / Quill
12 - 14 Velvet Underground / MC5
19 - 21 Fleetwood Mac / Ill Wind
26 - 28 Charlie Musslewhite Blues Band / The Listening

1969
January 1969
2 - 4 B.B. King / Fire and Ice
9 - 11 Velvet Underground / Holy Modal Rounders
16 - 18 Mother Earth / Insect Trust
22 Velvet Underground
23 - 25 Led Zeppelin / Raven
30 - Feb 1 Savoy Brown Blues Band / J. Geils Blues Band

February 1969
6 - 8 Lothar & The Hand People / Raven
13 - 15 Jethro Tull / Silver Apples
20 - 23 Byrds / Flying Burrito Brothers
27 - 28 Buddy Guy / Woody's Truck Stop

March 1969
1 Buddy Guy / Woody's Truck Stop
6 - 8 Chicago / J. Geils Blues Band
13 - 15 Velvet Underground / Wilkinson's Tricycle
16 Barry and the Remains / The Lost
20 - 22 Nice / Raven
27 - 29 Rhinceros / Ansley Dunbar's Retaliation

April 1969
3 - 6 Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & Trinity / SRC
9 - 10 Jethro Tull / Sweetwater
11 - 13 Family / Sweetwater
15 - 17 Ten Years After / Big Mama Thornton
18 - 20 Albert King / Big Mama Thornton
24 - 27 J. Geils Band / Aum

May 1969
1 - 4 Buddy Miles Express / Howlin' Wolf
6 - 8 Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart / Nice
9 - 11 Poco / Family
13 - 15 Who / Roland Kirk
16 - 17 Joe Cocker & The Grease Band / Roland Kirk
22 - 24 Bonzo Dog Band / It's a Beautiful Day
26 - 29 Led Zeppelin / Zephyr
30 - 31 Velvet Underground / Allman Brothers

June 1969
5 - 7 Delaney and Bonnie & Friends / The Serfs
12 - 14 Johnny Winter / Raven
19 - 21 Dr. John The Night Tripper / Allman Brothers
23 - 24 Savoy Brown Band / Crazy World of Arthur Brown (cancelled)
26 - 28 Chicago Transit Authority / Alice Cooper

July 1969
3 - 5 Closed for Newport Jazz Festival
11 Velvet Underground / Country Funk/ Quill (Last show at the Berkeley Street location)

Boston Tea Party
15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, MA
Picture

July 1969
12 Larry Coryell / Country Funk / Quill
14 - 16 Procol Harum / Blodwyn Pig
17 - 19 Taj Mahal / Blues Image
23 - 25 Jethro Tull / Free
26 Tom Rush / Terry Reid / Free
31 - Aug 2 Ten Years After / Magic Terry & the Universe

August 1969
5 - 7 B. B. King / Teagarden and Van Winkle
8 - 9 Mother Earth / Teagarden and Van Winkle
11 - 13 Byrds / Colosseum
14 - 16 Velvet Underground / The Serfs / Country Funk
21 - 23 Savoy Brown / Santana Blues Band
28 - 30 Spooky Tooth / The Flock

September 1969
4 - 6 The Raven / Tyrannosaurus Rex / Don Cooper
9 - 11 Ten Years After / Stooges
12 - 13 Ricky Nelson / Coasters / NRBQ
18 - 20 Chuck Berry / Bo Diddley / Mountain
25 - 27 J. Geils Blues Band / Lonnie Mack / The Move
30 Mandrake Memorial / Appaloosa / Dirty John's Hot Dog Stand

October 1969
2 - 4 Grateful Dead / Bonzo Dog Band
7 Mocha Chip / Ascension / Boswell (Tuesday Night New Groups & Jam Session)
9 - 11 Spirit / Elvin Bishop / Sha - Na - Na
16 - 18 Steve Miller Band / Liverpool Scene
23 - 25 Kinks / Lee Michaels / Quill
30 - Nov 1 Al Kooper / Aum / King Crimson

November 1969
6 - 8 Taj Mahal / Bloodwyn Pig
11 - 12 Who / Tony Williams' Lifetime
13 - 15 Santana / Grand Funk Railroad
20 - 22 Mountain / Humble Pie / Eric Mercury
23 Incredible String Band
26 - 29 Joe Cocker & The Grease Band / Fleetwood Mac

December 1969
4 - 6 Nice / Allman Brothers
7 Incredible String Band
8 - 9 Jethro Tull
11 - 13 Johnny Winter / Sons of Champlin / Ten Wheel Drive
19 - 21 Sha - Na - Na / New York Rock and Roll Ensemble
26 - 28 Fleetwood Mac / Tim Hardin
29 - 31 The Grateful Dead

1970
January 1970
2 - 3 Mountain / Blues Project II / Dion
8 - 10 B.B. King / Cold Blood / J Geils Band
15 - 17 James Cotton Blues Band / Kaleidoscope
22 - 24 Byrds / Doug Kershaw
29 - 31 Staple Singers / MC5 / Rhinoceros

February 1970
5 - 7 Fleetwood Mac / James Gang
8 - 9 Delaney & Bonnie & Friends w / Eric Clapton
12 - 14 Kinks / Renaissance
19 - 21 Spider John Koerner & Willie Murphy / Erik Mercury
22 NRBQ / Livingston Taylor / The Proposition / Club Wow
26 - 28 Everly Brothers / Sha - Na - Na

March 1970
1 Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Country Funk
2 - 4 Ten Years After / Redbone
5 - 7 MC5 / Family / Stone The Crow
12 - 14 Mother Earth / Argent / Mocha Chip
15 Santana
19 - 21 Youngbloods / Livingston Taylor / Seals & Croft
26 - 28 Lee Michaels / Faces / Zephyr

April 1970
2 - 4 Mountain / Ronnie Hawkins
9 - 11 Quicksilver Messenger Service / Sugar Creek / Roxy
12 Pink Floyd
16 - 18 Van Morrison / Blodwyn Pig / Blues Image
19 Pentangle / Livingston Taylor
23 - 25 Manfred Mann / Cold Blood
29 Chambers Brothers / Youngbloods
30 - May 2 Poco / Seatrain / John Fahey

May 1970
3 - 4 Incredible String Band / Stone Monkey
7 - 9 Buddy Miles / NRBQ / Ambergris
10 John Sebastian / Ramblin' Jack Elliot
14 - 16 John Hammond / Seals & Croft / Insect Trust
21 - 23 Little Richard

June 1970
7 - 8 Traffic / Fairport Convention / Sugar Creek
15 - 17 Ten Years After / Mott The Hoople
18 - 20 Poco / Brethren

July 1970
10 - 11 Jethro Tull
14 - 16 Procol Harum / Blodwyn Pig
23 - 25 Johnny Winter / J. Geils Blues Band


August 1970
11 - 16 The Byrds / Colosseum / Velvet Underground / Serfs / Country Funk
20 - 22 J. Geils Band / Dr. John The Night Tripper / Travis Shook & The Club Wow

September 1970
3 - 5 Butterfield Blues Band / Rig
10 - 12 Fleetwood Mac / Fairport Convention
13 Miles Davis / Osmosis
14 - 16 Mountain / Mylon
17 - 19 Johnny Winter / Tin House
24 - 26 Humble Pie / James Gang
28 - 30 Iron Butterfly / Awakening

October 1970
1 - 3 It's A Beautiful Day / Flock / Chris Smither
4 Tom Rush / Murray McLaughlin
5 - 7 Small Faces with Rod Stewart / Ballin' Jack
8 - 10 Mungo Jerry / Humble Pie / Spider John Koerner
12 John Mayall
15 - 17 Byrds / Mylon
18 Frank Zappa & The Mothers (two shows)
22 - 24 Lee Michaels / Haystack Balboa
25 Pink Floyd
29 - 31 Elton John / Dreams / Rev. Gary Davis


November 1970
5 - 7 Leon Russell / Elvin Bishop / Juicy Lucy
10 - 11 Traffic / Hammer
12 - 14 Buddy Guy & Junior Wells / Cynara
19 - 21 Allman Brothers Band / Brethren


December 1970
4 - 6 Incredible String Band / Doc Watson / Mimi Farina
9 Canned Heat (two shows)
10 - 12 Poco / Jo Mama / David Rea
17 - 19 Love / Sugar Creek
26 - 29 Sha Na Na / Travis Shook and the Club World

Anecdote: I once, while rehearsing at another club on Boylston/Mass Ave, told Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground members, we were sharing rehearsal space, "they couldn't play worth $h...it! Ahh, youth! Best, Rob


As impressive a roster as any. Those shows in that era covered a huge range of different types  and styles of music, and I don't think the audiences were all that different- you could hear soul or boogie one night and go psychedelic the next. 
The sound quality isn’t great, so rather than something super revealing, something that is very musical, and can also convey the magic. Sort of the Decca cartridge equivalent of turntables. I am guessing less Caliburn and Techdas, more Linn, Roksan, Denon, EMT 927, Rega, even
. Original post quoted above.

Actually, to deliver the raw energy with more force it is hard to beat a healthy idler deck.  Choose arms and cartridges to compliment your individual taste. 

This discussion has veered off-course somewhat while musicians speak of the differences between electrified instruments.  And it is worth the discussion.

The point:  we're playing records here, not making them. 

No way can the recording of it capture the live event so that it is anywhere close to the same as being there.  Not the scale of it.  But you can play the record in the privacy of your own listening room. 

In that venue (listening room) and for playing rock records, I'll choose an idler deck like a healthy TD124.  Choose tonearm and cartridge that best synergize with the deck to reproduce rock.

-Steve

td160- and attention to the pressings, which vary considerably in what is emphasized.