Who Still Uses A Turntable?  What kind?

seabiscuit · Dec 29, 2003

I still have about 400 records and spin them on a 1978 vintage Dual 704, automatic, direct drive, with an Audio-Techinca ML-440 cartridge.  It still performs well and although it does not match my former Rega Planar 3/Sumiko MMT/Bluepoint rig, vinyl is still important to me.

And you........?

Yamahaluver · Dec 29, 2003

Over 360 LP and around 55 78rpms, two TT, one a Technics SLDD-33 and one the famous SL-1200Mk-II, both fitted with Shure V-15 Mk-IV.

Rob Babcock · Dec 30, 2003

What's a "turntable?"

Just kidding!

Rip Van Woofer · Dec 30, 2003

Lots of old '60s and '70's vinyl, mostly classical. I play them on my  Thorens TD 160, bought new back in the day. Right now I have an Audio Technica cartridge; probably upgrade to a Shure eventually.

Have you guys seen these megabuck turntables these days with platters nearly a foot thick? Freakin' ridiculous! Talk about products for people with more money than brains!

Chuck · Dec 30, 2003

seabiscuit : I still have about 400 records and spin them on a 1978 vintage Dual 704, automatic, direct drive, with an Audio-Techinca ML-440 cartridge. It still performs well and although it does not match my former Rega Planar 3/Sumiko MMT/Bluepoint rig, vinyl is still important to me.

And you........?

Some of the old vinyl is irreplaceable; So are some of the shellac and metal recordings. I'm not one of those who enjoys the rituals that go along with vinyl, but we have two turntables, four tone arms, and a selection of phono cartridges and phono stages to choose from, plus a nice NItty-Gritty vacuum record cleaner, precision SFG, stylus microscope, test recordings, and all the other stuff it takes to get the most out of the formats. We have wide-groove recordings from the 20's and 30's that require a special stylus, rotational speeds other than 78 RMP (80 RPM is common), and non-RIAA equalization. Getting the most out of old vinyl can be non-trivial, but it can also be quite enjoyable.

Newer vinyl recordings can be interesting as well. Making a listenable recording on vinyl is a lot tougher than making a listenable recording using a digital format. Making a good vinyl recording is as much art as science. Add to that the fact that all current vinyl releases are targeted toward and mixed for the "perfectionist audiophile" and what we end up with is a group of people with musical and artistic talent cutting vinyl that is mixed for optimal reproduction (within the limits of the format) on upscale audio systems. CD's on the other hand tend to be mixed to "sound good" on more typical home and automotive audio systems. Good "modern" vinyl recordings, reproduced on good equipment, almost always sounds stunning, in spite of the limitations of the medium. The primary reason is the target customer, the skill and taste of the recording engineer(s), and the mix. Vinyl attracts the cream of the crop.

If it weren't such a pain our turntables would get a lot more use, but we're rather be listening to music than cleaning vinyl and constantly tuning the mechanical playback setup. My guess is that vinyl probably has at least another 50 years before it will be seen in the same way we see wax cylinder recordings today.

Dan Banquer · Dec 30, 2003

I still have a turntable. It's a heavily modified AR turntable with a Rega Arm and a Shure cartridge. The only reason I still use it on occaison is that some of the music I love dearly has never been put on CD, and probably never will.

goodman · Dec 30, 2003

I have a Technics linear tracking turntable from the early1980s, and a collection of vinyl from the 60s and 70s. Every Thanksgiving, we spin Arlo Gurthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" to everyone's amusment. However, any time I put some serious music on the turntable, I am disappointed by the sound quality. Give me SACD in two, four or five channels any day.

jeffsg4mac · Dec 30, 2003

Goodman; I agree. I too have long since moved passed vinyl. Give me DTS 96/24, SACD and DVD A any day of the week. I have had and heard some superb vinyl recordings, but I never thought we would have access to the formats we enjoy now. They are quite simply astounding. I loved vinyl in it's day, but that day is long gone. However, I have about a dozen albums that I need to get onto CD somehow

seabiscuit · Dec 30, 2003

Rip Van Woofer : Have you guys seen these megabuck turntables these days with platters nearly a foot thick? Freakin' ridiculous! Talk about products for people with more money than brains!

For a guy with zillions of great vinyl these newer "super tables" are probably well worth the $.  I hail back to the Oracle, VPI, and SOTA days which when factoring in inflation were far more expensive than today's units.

Besides 'tables are more fun to fool with!

seabiscuit · Dec 30, 2003

Dan Banquer : . The only reason I still use it on occaison is that some of the music I love dearly has never been put on CD, and probably never will.

By far the best reason to retain your 'table.  I cannot part with mine for the same reason.

Guest · Jan 6, 2004

I still have a turntable for my wife's old vinyl that she loves.  But I'm having a problem with my new A/V receiver and the turntable.  The sound is so low that you have to crank the volume almost to 95% just to get an audible sound when playing vinyl.
The turntable sounded loud and clear on my old Sony rack stereo with  a turntable input.  But on my new Pioneer VSX-D811 the same turntable in an AUX input requires the volume at 95% to get any sound.  The turntable is just a basic Kenwood unit.  Nothing fancy.
I saw at a web site where there is some type of pre-amp unit for a turntable to plug into to boost the signal for a pre-amp in on a receiver.  Is this what I need or might there be a setting I'm missing on the receiver somewhere?  Has anyone else experienced something similar?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

mustang_steve · Jan 9, 2004

1fldave:

Are you using phono inputs, or just regular inputs (aux, cd, etc)?

If your not using phono inputs, get a phono to line level adaptor.  You can get a decent one for $30 ( iave one from radio shack that uses a single 9v batter, got it for $24).  All it does is a slight amount of pre-amplification as well as RIAA equalization, so your records sound like they should.

1fldave · Jan 9, 2004

Thanks for the info.  Thats exactly what I did and it sounds great.  But when I went to Radio Shack and asked for a phono preamp they looked at me like I had three heads.  I eventually found one at Circuit City.

MerlinMacuser · Mar 4, 2004

I use an Elac Miracord turntable and a Stanton cartridge to spin old vinyl into digital gold using my Apple G5 computer. I redo the album art too. I have a one of a kind collection of cds like Ford Theater, Buckingham/Nicks and some others that'll likely never become commercial cds.

frkuhn · Mar 5, 2004

I don't listen to LP's anymore (altough I still keep mine, AND my turntable, in my closet, just in case), but this topic reminded me a very good scene in a recent brazilian movie called "Durval Discos".

Durval is a guy who keeps a shop selling exclusevely LP's, and refuses to start selling CD's. In this scene he's arguing with a potential customer, who's trying to to convince him that selling CD's would be a better idea. The guy says:

"Durval, you have to admit CD's sound better!"

To wich he replies:

"Well, the sound in the CD may be better, but the MUSIC in the LP is better!"

stiletto pat · Mar 5, 2004

I have a 1975 B&O 4002 tangient tracking table, which I had silver wired in the late 70's, with a B&O MMC 20 CL cartridge.  Love it because it takes wonderful care of my vinyl.  Probably about 300 albums, many irreplaceable for all intents and purposes.

I agree with the last post, many of the CDs, SACDs and DVD-As sound wonderful, but just an overall lack of good music these days....

Pat

fdrennen · Jul 2, 2004

I am using a Miracord Elac 50H that I bought at a thrift shop with the manual fo $8 about a year ago it came with a stanton cartridge. That is a horrible match for the TT. I have since replaced it with a shure, Much better the TT performs flawlessly and I am more than happy with it. I seldom listen to my CD player anymore.

Dan · Jul 2, 2004

I have a Bang and Olafson linear tracking turntable with a I bought in the mid eighties. The need B&O cartridges which are fortunately still available.I use a Parasound phono preamp. The B&O replaced and old AR with a Shure which was a great table for the money but totally manual. I got tired of running over to it every time the side finished.

I did not get into the CD game until 1989. I bought about 300 albums prior to that. There is one good used vinyl store near me that I occaision. I agree there are many things not available on CD I would never do without. I do think digital sounds better and it is far more convenient. I was thrilled this year to finally once again store my vinyl in the same room as my audio gear.I am too cheap to replace my vinyl thus my CDs are complementary to the vinyl. Captain Beefheart spins again!

Yamahaluver · Jul 2, 2004

As a matter of fact I am using two turntables, one Techincs SL1200 Mk-II and other a Technics SLD-33.

Rip Van Woofer · Jul 2, 2004

Thorens TD160 and AudioTechnica cartridge for old vinyl.

Who Still Uses A Turntable? &nbsp;What kind?

seabiscuit

Enthusiast

Yamahaluver

Audioholic General

Rob Babcock

Moderator

Rip Van Woofer

Audioholic General

Chuck

Enthusiast

Dan Banquer

Full Audioholic

goodman

Full Audioholic

jeffsg4mac

Republican Poster Boy

seabiscuit

Enthusiast

seabiscuit

Enthusiast

Guest

Guest

mustang_steve

Senior Audioholic

1fldave

Audiophyte

MerlinMacuser

Enthusiast

frkuhn

Audioholic Intern

stiletto pat

Audioholic

fdrennen

Audiophyte

Dan

Audioholic Chief

Yamahaluver

Audioholic General

Rip Van Woofer

Audioholic General

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Who Still Uses A Turntable? What kind?