Hello -
Can anyone help me understand what I want to look for when buying a record player?
I have a cheap one, but it’s missing a part, plus from what I hear it needs the stock needle changed because it tears up records quick. So, I’m just going to buy a new one.
I have no idea what to look for when buying one, so if you have any advice I’d appreciate it.
cotton
Biggest question is what is your budget? Audio Technica AT-LP60 is a decent ~$200 turntable. For ~$350 the Audio Technica AT-LB120 is a solid Technics 1200 clone. For an entry level deck, you’re probably going to want to look for belt drive. Depending on your amp, you’ll want a turntable with a built in preamp. If your amp has dedicated phono inputs (it will be labeled ‘phono’ and have a grounding post close to the RCA jacks) you don’t need a built-in preamp. Auto-stop is a nice added feature, which can be found on entry-level through high-end turntables. Most importantly, replaceable needles/cartridges. 33/45 selector is pretty much standard, but if you have 72’s (not very common tbh) make sure it has that. Basically anything that’s not Crosley…
Depending on your exact setup the “this record player ruins records” is a little bit of Audiophile FUD. What they’re trying to say is that the tonearm isn’t adjustable and puts more pressure on the record than it needs to. The turntables they’re talking about have been on the market since the 80’s and there were plenty of bad options on the market. This is a physical medium, every play causes wear.
The Audio Technical AT-LP60/LP60X are regarded as good entry level turntables, even though they don’t have an adjustable tonearm, a ground connector, or detachable headshell. The cartridge is common, inexpensive, and reasonable quality. Everything else is “fine”.
If you’re “serious” about a turntable the Pro-Ject Debut/Debut Carbon is probably the last turntable you’ll ever need for 45s and LPs and “Affordable” for an “audiophile” turntable. The same goes for an AT-LP120, but that’ll be more affordable.
Now if you’re talking used specifically, or just general tips:
Bottom Line TL;DR:
Personally, if I had to do it over again, I’d keep eyes out for a deal on a used AT-LP120, they can be had for less than a new AT-LP60X. I’d pair it with a Shiit Magni and a pair it with Beyerdynamic DT 990s or used Sennheiser HD600s. For maximum value (and total cost under a new AT-LP120X) the Phillips SHP9500 are a phenomenal choice, I still reach for them quite a bit because they’re incredibly comfortable.
Honestly, I’d be happy with a used AT-LP60 (non-X) with that stack too, you can pick them up under $50, that with the Magni and Phillips and you’re looking at possibly getting away around $200 - I don’t think it’s possible to get better value than that.
If you’re more into speakers I have less advice to offer but for an amp either a Yamaha A-S301 or Sony STRDH190 would treat you well for years to come.
LOL, I called them 72’s XD XD. Obviously I never use them…
Also second this choice. I have a pair and I love them. Lightweight, but not cheap; super comfortable for long periods. Awesome sound for not a lot of money.
And to go off what you are saying, IMO carts/needles are more important than the turntable itself. The carts/needles are really where the ‘magic’ happens, and that’s where one can really invest in over time to change the sound quality/signature of a turntable.
Also worth stating, I’m a turntable DJ, so my use/experience with turntables is a bit colored versus an ‘audiophile.’
I love my records and my record player, but technically (and this is a largely technophile forum) it represents an inferior technology to lossless digital audio. There are religious wars over it.
I won’t go much deeper into that than saying that beyond a certain quality level of your audio chain, you will be able to hear the differences in how the original content is mastered. The technical deficiencies of analog record players become obvious.
On the other hand, some recordings are simply superior on vinyl compared to their poorly converted digital counterparts.
When selecting a record player you will be looking for
After this you need a phono-specific pre-amp that can transform the electronic signals produced by the needle/cartridge into something the rest of your audio chain can use (optimally). Again - lots of options and opinions here.
Finally, there are largely comfort features such as automatic arm movements, direct drive/belt drive, etc. Most will be argued to “enhance sound” as well, but most, at best, affect overall sound quality negatively.
The slower and manual nature of listening to vinyl records IMHO leads to a more focused, concentrated listening experience when compared to radio or spotify-style streaming.
Here’s what I decided on getting.
I got this one because it has bluetooth, so I can pair it with my speaker and listen to it upstairs/outside.
I’m going to hold off for a few months, but then I’ll get a cheaper receiver and some speakers. In a year or so I’ll buy a nice receiver and speakers, but for now this should do.
Nice! That should last you for a longggg time. And the headshell is easily swapped out for higher-end parts as you wade further into the depths of vinyl XD. Learn how to balance the tonearm (there’s a TON of YouTube videos) and set the tracking weight correctly for your needle (typically 3-4 grams), get the tonearm height set, and you should be good to go.
I’m pretty happy with my Pro-ject. I just wish I had auto return. I think you could get buy with buying an older one and just swapping the stylus out to something in the $100-$200 range. I paid $75 for my old player and stuck an expensive stylus on it.
For me, the upfront cost is a bit steep, but I’m hoping like you said I’m hoping to get a lot of life out of it. My plan is to start off by pairing my $10 bluetooth speaker and in a year I’ll buy a receiver for $100 bucks and some cheap speakers.
From there I’ll just keep saving up, and upgrading everything around it and on it until I have a super cool setup. It may take 5 - 10 years, but I have a lot to learn, like what is a head shell lol!
Have the same and it’s been great. The cartridges are a little pricey so be careful with the counterweight and don’t stress that needle too much. (Learned the hard way) Otherwise it’s been a great turntable and it’s been in service for about 3 years with only one cartridge change.
Way to go. I always wanted a great ‘high fidelity’ setup when I was young. It took me more than 30 years to reach the point where I am satisfied. Not meant as discouragement, just sharing my journey.
I started with Edifiers where sound great for the price. I then bought a pair of older Kefs off craigslist. I now have these. I got these 2 years ago and love them. KLH Model Five Floorstanding Speaker with Acoustic Suspension
I don’t think I’ll buy anything else unless my amp just dies. Very happy with the sound vs the size of the room. I’d keep an eye out on Facebook marketplace and craigslist though. Some people just want to get rid of stuff no matter what they have.
Got the turn table today. Hooked it up to my bluetooth speaker. First album spun was Boston’s self titled album.
Thanks everyone for the advice!
cotton
As a longtime audiophile, I find that stylii can last around 2500 hours max – and that’s with vacuum cleaned LP’s treated with Stylast LP treatment and Stylast (for stylii) applied to the stylus before every LP side play. Beyond 2500 hours, damage to the LP’s midrange (which carries the highest energies) can occur. Untreated LPs and stylii will last around half that if not less. This is mostly a concern for people running $1K+ moving coil cartridges which do not have user replaceable stylii (you send them to a specialist to get re-tipped). Cost notwithstanding, vacuum cleaned and treated LPs have a silent jet-black background ( no hiss, clicks, pops) and much better pitch definition in the bass. Even new LPs often have residues of mold release from the stamping process and vacuum cleaning removes this. The resulting better sound is worth the trouble for many. Just my 2 cents…
if you want a good idea of what a good turn table is.
look up linn
my old man had one of there sondec series back in the 80’s/90’s
i cant say ive heard anything even close since.
yeah not cheap. they were more reasonable back in the day…
but at least you get an idea of state of the art and what just works…
(they still sell the sondec in its original spec)…
Quality products. I am surprised they’re still around.
I remember them being costly, but this is outright pricy 
Can anyone recommend a record cleaning machine?
Quick backstory:
I’ve had my record player for about 6 months. I have around 20 records of my own. Because of the cost, I only buy records which I can play front and back and like all the song (maybe 1 or 2 ‘meh’ songs are okay). Therefore, I’m pretty picky about what I buy.
However, it’s hard to find albums which I like because you have to listen to it before you’ll know if you like it. Therefore, you may have to “go out and discover” albums you like because you may not even know the band.
There are a few people I know which have collections, but they haven’t listened to them for decades.
In order to find more albums I like, I’m going to offer to clean, play, and document the condition of all of their records, if they’ll lend them to me while I do it. That way they’ll get a cleaned collection with the current condition of all their albums, and I’ll get a chance to find albums that are worth buying.
My guess is that there are several hundred albums in total, between all the collections.
I’d rather have a cleaning machine do the deep cleanings. Obviously, I don’t want to break the bank with this machine, but I’d like to get one which cleans the records well, and puts it in a condition I’d be proud to return them to their owners in.
Please let me know if you know any solid record cleaners.
cotton
its not that hard to find full albums…
youtube has a lot, vimeo other sites like soundcloud and spotify.
you can listen to whole album’s decide if you like em, and go buy the vinyl.
as for cleaning them… machines tend to scratch vinyl over time. the pads pick up dust and grit off the first record and every record after adds there own detritus.
so the best option IMO. is as its always been. use your sleeve’s and album covers correctly.
use a lint free cloth.
if your wanting to remove fingerprints and grease then use a vinyl cleaning gel (it dry’s and you peel it off. taking the dirt and grease with it).
when your playing and if your turntable has one. close the lid. it will stop atmospheric dust settling on the record while its playing and your listening.
The LP cleaner that I use is a Nitty Gritty model 2.5 This will rotate the LP for you, while you need to apply the cleaning solution manually. I chose this model as I use cleaners from the like of Record Doctor and others. I choose the cleaner solution depending on the condition of the LP – some of which are not suitable for pump dispensers. I’ve removed everything from dirty smudges to grease pen/crayon markings. Nitty Gritty also sells replacement “brush” stick-ons for the cleaner, which I’d recommend getting. I’ve used my Nitty Gritty 2.5 for many MANY hundreds of LPs and other than the occasional “brush” replacement – it’s rock solid. I wish I could say the same for some of the turntables I’ve had…
Cleaning vinyls used to be a topic of a religious debate. The arguments against cleaning were that the cleaning fluid unlocks and binds dust and particles and then “bakes” these back into the grooves as it dries.
There used to be tools to be mounted onto the record player that will allow playing the vinyl “wet” as these had a separate arm loaded with cleaning fluid that would clean the record as it’s being played.
Not taking sides here, just providing awareness.