Entertainment For Lively Minds
I want to buy a record player
Posted by Patrick Crowther on 5 November 2009 - 6:44pm.
I was in a market in Oxford a couple of days ago and spent some time flicking through stacks of second hand vinyl. I suddenly realized that I really missed records and wanted to buy a turntable.
Is there a good and reliable one on sale for £400 or less?
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Difficult to beat these at the money
http://www.richersounds.com/product/turntables/project/debut-iii/proj-de...
Top Man!
Good to hear that you're buying a turntable. Mr Rimmer is right, the Project decks are great but if you've got £400 to spend, why not go for the original and IMHO the best - a Rega?
http://www.rega.co.uk/
I bought a Rega 2 around ten years ago and it's never let me down
record player
Hi Patrick - I can also recommend the Rega 2, I bought mine from Audio-T in Headington about 4 years ago.
Excellent!
That's my nearest Hi-Fi shop! When I next get paid I shall pay them a visit.
buy some vinyl
before hand so you can hear what tunes you like sound like on the table of your choice.
I don't have this model
but I do have a ProJekt and have nothing but praise for it, sounds really good through a decent amp and speakers.
In fact, we're moving house soon, so I'm planning to use the family room as the itunes room, whilst I'll get this down from the loft and have it in the front lounge with my vinyl. Brilliant.
Does it come with a cover?
This might be a stupid question!
Yes
Manufacturer site says so.
http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=debut
Beware the lairy colours though.
Lairy is right!
I think I shall opt for 'black'.
That looks rather fine and it's very good value. I shall investigate further. Thanks for your suggestions!
Living colour
I've got a bright yellow one and it looks as good as it sounds. Most hifi equipment is black, so why not go a little bit bonkers with a turntable?
yep
its big, slightly shiny and you can see through it!!
I'm really excited now!
I am genuinely looking forward to rediscovering the joys of vinyl! Gatefold sleeves ahoy!
Vinyl rules
Digitised music is really convenient, and keeps me sane when I'm travelling.
But nothing beats vinyl : I've got a ProJect Debut Mk and it's an absolute joy.
Welcome back to proper listening - you'll be poring over sleeves again!
and because of this thread...
I cleared the oddments that had gathered on top of the deck and I'm currently blasting out Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band's Clear Spot.
Senora Malo came in to the room and asked "is that the record ? Sounds better".
So it looks like it's a choice between a Project Debut 3...
and a Rega P2. I'm probably heading towards the Rega as I know that's a highly regarded brand.
Any more feedback would be most welcome...
I love my Rega 2
It's a 70s model but still topping (especially after having been reconditioned a few years back). I did have a Linn cartridge and stylus but they're killingly expensive, so I've downsized to a Goldring. Sounds fine.
Owned a Rega 2 from 86 to about 90--in the era
when they had a waiting list (!) and only traded it in for a Linn, in the days when these were a bargain second hand and dealers would do such deal ...
My brother subsequently had a Rega 3 for many years.
Fantastic decks, and while I have nothing against Pro-ject, why not support Southend's finest (or even get a P3 in British racing green
http://audioenz.co.nz/2005/rega_p3.shtml
...)
I bought a rega planar 2
15 plus years ago and it's the most reliable machine I own. I was playing just to day using and it is just a simple pleasure. They are a tad more expensive I think than the pro-ject but well over 20 years that's nothing. I'd go for the rega manly because pro-jects are well common!!
Wondered if one of these might suit you ?
http://www.musicmatters.co.uk/rega_rp1_turntable_with_cartridge_11.asp?b...
I must admit
I'm jealous. We still have marauding 22 month old destruction machines running around at the moment. Give it a year and the long deserved upgraded entertainment installation (along with serious decorating) will happen to the living room. A turntable is on the list.
Rega
Every time. The P2 is a fantastic deck.
The beauty of it is that it has a lifetime guarantee and replacement belts are only a couple of pounds.
I've got a P Deb 3
and am currently playing Richard Hawley's newie on it which sounds immense. Whoever cut this is a bloody genius.
Apparently My Hawley sent the 1st pressing back cos he thought it wasn't up to par. Hats off, sir!
Elys cartridge, acrylic platter
Yep, I've got a Rega P2 as well, and very nice it sounds. That RB250 tonearm certainly is a winner. I believe you get a RB251 on the latest model.
For a cartridge I went for the Rega Elys. Certainly does the job OK if you decide to go for a moving magnet as opposed to a moving coil.
Also, I swapped the standard platter for an acrylic one, which looks like this:
Mmmm ... nice.
A vynilista advises..
Patrick, it'll need a dedicated table to site it on, you can't just put it on the sideboard and expect it to work you know. But don't let this eat into your budget too much, go for the very best turntable you can, spend silly money, more than you think is sensible (or do you already know that £400 will do the trick for you, it might not), you won't be changing it for quite some time. And the general character of the cartridge you choose should suit the general character of your existing system. Good luck.
What you want
is one of these
Now that would be great...
do they come with a small dog?
Quite a close approximation ;-)
http://www.rega.co.uk/html/planar78.htm
His master's Pod
but this is better imo
http://www.scienceandsons.com/ph2.php