If you’re just getting into vinyl, budget may be your primary concern and that $40 garage sale/thrift store deck seems like the greatest deal on Earth. But it also may need a ton of work to be play ready, and that could leave your head spinning at 33RPM. When dealing with a used turntable, it’s always what’s inside that counts. It’s probable that this $40 deck is 15 years old or more. Trust us, it’s only getting older. There is no such thing as a free table.
And it may already be suffering from one or more of the following issues: worn out motor, shredded stylus, stretched belt or out of whack balance. Before you know it, that $40 steal has turned into a $300 repair job—and you may not even be able to find the part you need to get your deck up to snuff. Repairs - This is a no-brainer—another “win” for a new turntable. There are just too many potential problems involved with a vintage table potentially breaking down. If your turntable malfunctions, you want to know that you can fix it—and fix it for a reasonable price.But again, you get what you pay for.
We know that those $149 decks dotting big market store shelves along with the ones that come in suitcases with speakers that you can't pack to go on holidays are appealing, super easy options to beginners, but the quality of construction and sound production are just not where they need to be - let alone the tragic destruction they bestow on your precious vinyl as they grind the grooves with a ton of weight on the tonearm.
If you’re looking to invest in a brand new deck, you’ll want to give yourself a slightly larger budget and start looking at entry level quality performance turntables. The good news is that companies like Rega, Pro-Ject Audio and Audio-Technica have a few outstanding options in this price range that offer the clear, warm sounds that vinyl lovers strive for.
New Turntable – Construction is everything for a new vinyl record player as well. With Quality decks using a mix of particle boards, carbons, alloys and a variety of metals, there’s no shortage of quality construction for this market. With some truly amazing cartridge/stylus packages available, there’s no shortage of great sound either. Where new decks really set themselves apart is with motor sound. Even at the lower end of the quality turntable set, it’s almost impossible to hear one of these decks spin, and that leaves sound both warm and crystal clear.
We also have the advantage of over 30 years of technological development that deliver more of the music from the record at an exceptionally affordable price. A critical element of great vinyl sound lies in the quality of the tonearm and how well that tracks the grooves of the record. Much focus has been put into research and development of finer tolerance tonearm bearings that allow the tonearm and cartridge/stylus to track all the record groove. The detail has always been there but we have learnt how to better extract it at a more affordable price.
Another major advancement has been in vibration and noise isolation through better absorption feet and motor and main bearing isolation and refinement. This results in less noise and more of the music and just the music. The cartridge/ stylus is another critical element as it is the start of the process and with such a small, detailed signal being extracted and converted into an electrical signal it is a case of garbage in - garbage out. Current cartridge techology has again improved and value for performance has never been better.
New Turntable – Speaking of sexy, it’s almost impossible to find an new table that isn’t attractive. With distinctly modern, minimalist designs, most record players also come in a variety of colours so you can easily find an intriguing look to match your personal styles and taste.
New record players are the ultimate in convenience and reliability, plus the expectation of a new 30 year life span. You know exactly what you are getting and more often than not, you can even listen to them before buying. The initial investment will ensure years of trouble free listening and enjoyment. We have a section on our website that will help in the decision process.
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