Mason Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 My old Sony basic turntable (like the kind you got with a starter home component system in the 80's) died on me, and since my family's budget is a little tight we went with the turn table below, the reviews on Amazon seemed good, and it wasn't too expensive. My wife wants to keep our budget for a turn table under $100, which is really hard to do to get a nice one, so yeah, I ended up getting this, hope it works out well. http://www.amazon.com/Jensen-Turntable-Encoding-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B004G08OO4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I hope it works out too and you guys can still enjoy your records! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 The horrible, horrible sound coming out of this thing, it burns us my precious, guess I gotta save for something better. I really don't want to pay $150-300 for something I use only on weekends when I have the time (very busy schedule unfortunately). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 You don't say? Unfortunately there are no shortcuts here. Either you decide you like records enough to spend $300 for something you only use on weekends, or you take the time hunting through yard sales and goodwills to find a good working vintage table for $20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I'd say with a very low budget you have to go second hand. May take a bit more hunting around and a bit higher risk but you'll get a lot more for your money. I went second hand with my Dual CS-505-3 and i'm very happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 you don't need to spend a fortune but regardless of the badge they put on these things be it Crosley, Jensen, Pyle, Beijing Poo Poo etc.etc. they are all utter crap, possible record wreckers and should be avoided at all costs. If you can't change the cartridge, adjust anything on the tone arm and it's platter and most of the rest of it for that matter is made out of cheap plastic chances are you are not on the road to audio nirvana. As slinch said there are no short cuts here so if your budget is tight get up early at the weekends and trawl the yard sales for something decent and spend the rest of your budget on a new needle/cartridge and if you get a belt drive one a new belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforkevin777 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Or get an Audio Technica AT-LP60 for $70. Sure, they're not the best, but good for a super casual vinyl collector or broke college kid. It did the job well enough for me when I first got into this stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Or get an Audio Technica AT-LP60 for $70. Sure, they're not the best, but good for a super casual vinyl collector or broke college kid. It did the job well enough for me when I first got into this stuff. Sorry to tell you but that's only slightly better than the thing he has already bought, although it's a bit better made, has an alloy platter and uses a slightly better cartridge you still can't replace the cartridge and it suffers from the same issues with not being able to adjust the arm in any way and running with a high tracking force. Most of these things are made to make a quick buck by jumping on the vinyl band wagon and separating those who don't have any experience or knowledge to tell them to avoid them from their hard earned and much needed cash. They are all made badly in China and there are two or three basic designs ranging between the Crosley and the Audio Technica and you can put whatever makers name you want on them. It's nothing new and previous generations would have been duped by similar things back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforkevin777 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I'm not claiming the LP60 is any great turntable, but you can hook it up to a receiver and speakers and it sounds just fine for most casual listeners who are looking for something cheap that sounds good, and short of spending $300 on a table to spending weeks or more looking, this is the best you'll get. It damn sure sounds better than a Jensen or Crosley. I'm not saying this is the best table or something everyone should have, but he said he wanted something cheap and effective for listening on the weekends. It's his business if he wants to spend $300 on a table, I just did the same thing, but I was just throwing out an idea that would only cost $70 plus tracking down a receiver and speakers. GalacticMelt and Alice in Chains 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Sorry if it came across that way as there was no insult intended as the LP70 obviously did what you needed while you had it but you've still upgraded from it and yes it is a step up from some of them but it is from the same family as the others and it suffers from some of same limitations, with a little research that $70 could be better spent. I understand the reason people buy them, "$70 or $300 is a lot of money either way and I don't really know if I'm going to stick with this". A decent turntable is a superbly engineered piece of equipment so it's very easy to make a bad one and I know a lot of people are uncomfortable with going vintage so this sort of thing is a very easy way to get a turntable but with some research and digging there are some good buys out there. The good thing is kazillions of turntables were sold in the US in the 60's, 70's and 80's and if 10% were good ones that is still a rich seam to be mined, also the good ones cost money so they tend to get looked after and survive the records going in the trash because they cost a lot of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforkevin777 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 There's always something like the Orbit basic. $179 with an upgradable cart and adjustable tone arm. Nice middle ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 I've seen the Orbit Basic, my wife thinks it's beautiful and it looks like it's an amazing turntable. This is the turntable I currently have that stopped working, and I talked to a repair shop here and the guy said, it's just old enough to attempt a repair, but if the "tone arm bearing" is gone, then to just get a new one. So yeah I'm gonna have them check it out. http://www.vinylengine.com/library/sony/ps-lx100.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 The Orbit basic is a good call for the money and probably where I would put my money if buying new for under $200, mind you there really isn't a lot of choice worth having at that price. Suggestions for going 2nd hand are: Sansui SR222 there are several versions that all look a bit different Dual 505 again there are several versions that all look a bit different Pioneer PL12 old looking so might not be to taste Pioneer PL512 again old looking so might not be to taste Or for a bit more money an AR EB101 All very competent turntables that will give the Orbit a run for it's money for less money, the AR and some of the Sansui's are harder to find for a decent price but are out there. There is a lot more choice but those are the ones that came to mind this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcguirk Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 As Allen knows I also highly recommend older Thorens stuff. As long as you get a clean one, they're built like tanks. I would not trade up my TD166 mkii unless I were starting to look at $2000+ tables. I bought my table for $200ish, threw on a Denon DL110, and a cork mat. It's heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 As Allen knows I also highly recommend older Thorens stuff. As long as you get a clean one, they're built like tanks. I would not trade up my TD166 mkii unless I were starting to look at $2000+ tables. I bought my table for $200ish, threw on a Denon DL110, and a cork mat. It's heaven. Granted all the older Thorens are superb pieces of Teutonic engineering and something for a noob to aspire to but you have to be lucky if you get a good one for the price of one of those cheap plastic things, 2nd hand you are really spoilt for choice in the $200 range. the tables I suggested above should be available in most cases well below $100, some harder than others but they are about and some with a bit of luck and a chase for below $50, with a thift store set of speakers and amp all will easily out perform those plastic record wrecking shit sounding pieces of crap. And all the above can be sold on with ease if the upgrade bug does hit. All those plastic things should come with a big sticker on the box asking you to consider the environment as they are future landfill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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