Turntable recommendations, please

[Hugh Newbury]

I need a new turntable 33/45. No speakers, but a simple stereo preamp to plug into a Cambridge system. Price not necessarily a problem. What do people suggest?

Hugh

[meow2222]

One of the better Duals, not the plastic deck ones. Good quality with low price.

NT

[Huge]

Well, I was going to suggest buying a Thorens on ebay, but I've just seen the prices.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Quite. Not so many years ago at Thames TV we put a load of EMT pro ones in the skip... There were also a few TD 124 which were sold for a fiver each.

[RJH]

You need a preamp too? You're certain the Cambridge doesn't have a phono preamp built in?

Depends how much you have to spend (as ever), the look you like (wood-plastic-space age) and quality of sound reproduction. No shortage of opinions in today's Guardian:

I'd go with the Dual/Thorens recommendations, and add Project if buying new. Ultimately, though, for sound/convenience/engineering I'm happy with a s/h Technics SL1200 mk2. I got one (ex minor DJ, but scrubbed up well) on ebay a year or so back for £200.

And don't forget a cartridge - wise to factor in a new one if buying s/h.

[Hugh Newbury]

Thanks all.

Hugh

[newshound]

See also this one

Full of metaphors which belong in Pseud's Corner!

[RJH]

Truly a load of cobblers - not least because he's tested each turntable with a different cartridge.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I have a Trio KD-2055 here going spare. They're a pretty reasonable belt drive type. Good looking too. No pre-amp, though.

[Andy Burns]

They didn't seem to like the Li-Ion impact driver wine opener

ok, ok it's not an impact driver :-)

[Mark]

Go to a hifi shop and listen to as many turntables as possible (with a similar Amp/speakers as yours). Buy the one that sounds the best to you.

[meow2222]

then you'll be buying a turntable for the cartridge If you do a listen test, tap on the deck and on the outer case.

NT

[cd]

I've had a Rega Planar III for about 30 years now. Works for me. Thorens are just stupid money now. I got a circuit for a RIIA preamp off the net and built it. Sounds absolutely fine (esp. for a fiver!) but decent polystyrene caps for audio filters are getting harder and harder to find now. That's the limiting factor if you're building your own pre.

[Bob Eager]

My TD160 is still going nicely after about 30 years too!

[The Natural Philosopher]

what wrong with mylar, polyropylenene, polesters...etc etc.

Just because they dont melt at solderung temps like polystyrene doesn't mean they are no good,.

>

[meow2222]

nothing :) Ceramics are more controversial

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Depends on the design of the ceramic. But easily obtainable types these days ain't the best choice for audio filters.

[The Natural Philosopher]

They never were. Ceramics were always cheap, low tolerance and not hugely temperature stable. You used then in non critical applications. Typically RF decoupling/coupling. Bit like paper condemnsers - OK up to a point..

Polystyrene were the first and worst of the 'plastic dielectrics'. Orribly prone to melting when soldered.

Superseded by better plastic films in the 70's.

[jrwalliker]

COG/NPO ceramics are very good indeed, but not widely available for values above around 100nF.

John

[meow2222]

s above around 100nF.

Ceramics include a very wide variety of properties. The best are great perf ormers, the worst lose most of their capacity as their voltage limit is app roached. Which btw is very different to the mfr's voltage rating, which for these types is far below their limit. So in some cases it is possible, sho uld you ever need, to run some baby ceramics at 200v.

NT