Inexpensive Good Vintage Turntables?


I'm considering buying a turntable again. I've been without one for going on 10 years. This time around, could you recommend some really good inexpensive models (prefer belt but DD OK, too). And carts (preferably modern) that will work with them? And who are good online sellers of restored models? I know very little about vintage turntables ...

greg7

There’s a Basis w/ Vector arm & nice cartridge for $4400 on Audio Mart. Probably much better than anything mentioned so far 

teoaudio hit the nail on the head---many, many options.  Thorens, Linn both great--when i got back into vinyl i went with a Lenco as my old TT was a Garrard and i wanted an idler arm design--now that i have the Lenco i think their design is better than Garrard but the latter tend to run expensive on used market--you can get a Lenco 75 cheap and those Swiss are great mechanical engineers---someone mentioned building your own plinth and that could be fun also--Lenco heaven has detailed instructions and is a wonderful website.

I use a Luxman, PD-121 w/ADC, LMF-1 arm & Rega, Exact & Van den Hull, The One carts. Have to say, I prefer this vintage deck to every Thorens, 160 & AR, The TT I've used over the years. Simplistic design & directness of purpose. Terrific presentation on every level. Just my opinion... 

 

@lohanimal

new decks - a lot of Emperors New Clothes IMHO. Harry Weisfeld of VPI once said in an interview to produce a Technics SP10 would require £30k - for tooling - the motor etc.

In TT design the pinnacle of high tech relative to market usage/penatration was the 70’s. Magnetic strips for speed control on platters can only be done by companies with real manufacturing economies of scale. Most belt drives are far more low tech than DD’s of the 70’s.

 

 

Kind of puts it into perspective doesn’t it?

The Technics SP10 is a standard for the ages.

It was an almost criminal dereliction of duty that the hi-fi rags that I grew up with somehow forgot to mention its existence amidst all those endless column inches devoted to the Dual CS505, Rega 3, Roksan Xerxes, and especially the notorious cult like worship of the Linn LP12 back in the day.

Even today, many so called reviewers seem to forget about outstanding turntables from yesteryear.

I guess it’s understandable when you’re solely pushing copy in advertising/PR.

As they say, buyer beware.

 

As I mentioned earlier I bought an AR XB deck mainly for the charm and it’s history.

Charm can be a big part of any buying decision, and as long as you are aware of that, there’s little wrong with that.

Recently I’ve taken a liking to the skeletal Rega 8/10 decks for a similar reason.

 

However, if I was buying for performance first I’d focus mainly on a Technics.