hi all
just lucked out and purchased about 80 old LPs of classical music from a garage sale...and realized, i don't have a record player.
i'm looking for a good player, and am willing to shell out for it, if only to hear my classical music better. any recommendations?

thanks,
joshua

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die

Technics SL1200 (or 1210, color is the only difference) or Numark TTX.

The Technics is the king of durability, while Numark is a futuristic gadgety one. However, both of these have DJing as their primary purpose, and I'm not sure how they match you spec sheet.

If you're just going to listen to classical at home, don't get a Technics or other DJ-style model. You'll want a belt-drive turntable with a high-quality, low-pressure cartridge. DJ models are made with an emphasis on durability and torque, instead of audio fidelity. Similarly, make sure to get an audiophile cartridge; the DJ style ones are more concerned with tracking than fidelity or record wear. Could you be more explicit about how much you're willing to shell out? You can spend anywhere from nothing to over $100,000 on a turntable, so without getting a better idea, it's hard to make any specific recommendations.

unless you have one of those great hi-fi systems, i wouldn'tworry about getting a high-quality belt-driven turntable. is classical all you're going to listen to on lp? are you really into hi-fi stuff? if yeah, get one...

sure the technics is a good table (i got a pair of mkIIs myself), but does nox really want to shell out 200-500 dollars for a turntable? probably not.

your best bet is to get one of those cheap "dj in a box" type turntables, the kind that gemini or numark make, because if you look around you can find one for about 70 dollars, and they might even include the cartridge. sure, it won't be the best, but it'll do its job.

d00d. i was thinking something like a few hundred dollars... i didn't realize you could spend that much...i picked up audiophile magazine today, pretty crazy.

anyways, let me clarify. i would ike the best sound for the least price, and am looking NOT to dj, but to just listen to classical on an analog system. I am will to pay up to $500 on a player, but i would like to see cheaper options as well.

~nox sorry about the confusion.

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die

Yeah, those ridiculous audiophile ones with the space-grade ceramic platters just go to show that audiophiles will throw money at anything... go look at some of the "amber tweaking" websites if you want a laugh..

I'm much more up on the DJ models, but there seems to be a consensus that the Rega line are very good. They come in a range of prices, starting at around $500 new (although you'll also need a cartridge and pre-amp to go with it, which would probably be another few hundred bucks depending on what you get). Unfortunately, the impression I get is that the lower end of the turntable market (i.e., sub-$500) consists of only DJ models and cheap crap (the $20 ones you see at yard sales). Probably because there isn't a big enough market for turntables anymore. In which case, it might be best to ignore my previous suggestion and get a Technics, but with an audiophile cartridge (the Shure M97XE is a good choice) instead of the usual DJ cartidge. While you will be paying extra for rugged construction that you don't really need, it does have the benefit that the thing will last the rest of your life. Alternatively, you could track down a used hi-fi turntable and put a new cartridge on it.

on the subject of crazy idiots... googled amber tweaking, and check this link:http://www.1388.com/articles/10_decade.htm

and i quote:

One acronym. WTF? I like music as much as the next guy, but i think there's a point where it's all placebo effect.

anyways... if i were to use a technics record player (ie $20 @ garage sale), do i just need to replace the cartridge and needle?
if so: 2 questions, a) do you know of any faqs/manuals how to align/install cartridges/needles, and b) what do you recommend for classical listening?

also: would you recommend this one?
http://www.panasonic-europe.com/technics/products/product_detail.asp?range=turntable&prodid=SL-1210MK2


thanks a lot dude
~nox

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die