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Amazon sold more turntables than any other audio product this Xmas


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Imagine this, people are playing so many records on their Crosley's they actually need to buy a replacement stylus

 

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I'm trying to work out whether this is good or bad but keep coming up with the same sequence of events when someone buys a new generic Chinese made plastic turntable.

 

1. My new record player sounds shit and keeps skipping

2. It must need a new needle, I'm sure I read that somewhere

3. Get on the internet ad purchase a new needle with all required haste

4. New needle arrives, fit needle with exited anticipation

5. Sit back and enjoy the full sonic experience this level of equipment can deliver.

6. Nope still sounds shit, can't see what all the fuss is about with these vinyl things, I'm going back to mp3's on my phone and a Beats speaker.

 

Perhaps if step 3 wasn't followed when purchasing the turntable in first place step 6 wouldn't be so obvious

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Since I was finally brave enough to list my set up in my signature, can you please tell me which piece you would replace first Allen? I want to upgrade but am not sure which place to begin...

 

That looks to be a pretty well matched system quality wise and I'm sure sounds fine but if pushed I would say the turntable is the best bit so cartridge or speakers or receiver could all be upgraded before the turntable starts to show it's weaknesses. If it were me I'd probably go cartridge or speakers first, also I'd be interested to see whether an off board phono stage like those from Cambridge might be a cheapish improvement, you don't have to buy new and would help with a better cartridge.

 

Also is it properly sited and connected together with half decent cables? The basics can be more important than the equipment

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That looks to be a pretty well matched system quality wise and I'm sure sounds fine but if pushed I would say the turntable is the best bit so cartridge or speakers or receiver could all be upgraded before the turntable starts to show it's weaknesses. If it were me I'd probably go cartridge or speakers first, also I'd be interested to see whether an off board phono stage like those from Cambridge might be a cheapish improvement, you don't have to buy new and would help with a better cartridge.

 

Also is it properly sited and connected together with half decent cables? The basics can be more important than the equipment

 

I was wondering about a separate phono stage as well, as one of the few reasons I picked up the receiver was that it was readily available and already had a phono stage. What would you recommend me to move to cartridge wise while still maintaining the $100 or less price tag? I do have all my elements sitting separately and nothing is stacked, and my speakers are about 9 feet apart so they project well. 

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Who gives a shit?  At least people are getting into something outside of single MP3 tracks found via mass radio and iTunes.  Stop being elitist for two seconds and remember that for every Clash song you can name, you can name ten times as many pop-punk songs that allowed you to discover them.  Remember that you guys didn't always love Brand New.  If people want to buy low tier record players, let them buy low tier record players.  

Don't be that kid in the "cool" band that looks down on the kid playing a Squier guitar. 

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Who gives a shit? At least people are getting into something outside of single MP3 tracks found via mass radio and iTunes. Stop being elitist for two seconds and remember that for every Clash song you can name, you can name ten times as many pop-punk songs that allowed you to discover them. Remember that you guys didn't always love Brand New. If people want to buy low tier record players, let them buy low tier record players.

Don't be that kid in the "cool" band that looks down on the kid playing a Squier guitar.

There's nothing wrong with MP3s. Stop being elitist.

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Who gives a shit?  At least people are getting into something outside of single MP3 tracks found via mass radio and iTunes.  Stop being elitist for two seconds and remember that for every Clash song you can name, you can name ten times as many pop-punk songs that allowed you to discover them.  Remember that you guys didn't always love Brand New.  If people want to buy low tier record players, let them buy low tier record players.  

Don't be that kid in the "cool" band that looks down on the kid playing a Squier guitar. 

 

Anybody whose ears work gives a shit. The vinyl record contains a lot of music but it needs decent equipment to get as much of that music as possible out, the same is true of the compact cassette, 8 track cartridge or reel to reel tape

 

You don't have to have deep pockets to get a nice sounding system but you do have spend a bit more time and effort than it takes to order some cheap plastic crap from Amazon. That said you can just lay out an enormous wad of cash on some exotic high end hifi but where's the fun in that?

 

I'm very happy that people are discovering records again as I like being right, I've been right since 1986 and sadly the rest of the world is only just catching up with me but it annoys me that they are completely missing just how good they can sound buying these things, It's good that they are buying them because hopefully they are a gateway product but I also worry for every person that hears one and says that's ok but I want better there are the others that go well that's shit I'm going back to my MP3's

 

Good sound can be very addictive but sadly like anything that you can spend a shit load of money on it does produce a few elitist pricks and also quite a few inverted snobs, we all have to justify to ourselves how we spend out money but some feel the need to justify it to everyone else

 

By the way I like my Squier Strat but then I'm not that good a guitar player but I am lucky enough and old enough to remember the Clash before all the pop punk bands were a twinkle in their collective daddies eye's, that said I still much prefer the Sex Pistols, a bit more quintessentially British.

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I was wondering about a separate phono stage as well, as one of the few reasons I picked up the receiver was that it was readily available and already had a phono stage. What would you recommend me to move to cartridge wise while still maintaining the $100 or less price tag? I do have all my elements sitting separately and nothing is stacked, and my speakers are about 9 feet apart so they project well. 

 

If you can go a bit higher the AT440, Slinch has posted some links on a few posts about good deals on different versions of these. If not the AT100E would be a good choice under $100 or cheaper still the AT95 is amazing value for money.

 

That said you might find it takes a while to get the Ortofon sound out of your head as it is quite distinctive and you might not like the AT sound at first, it depends what your thoughts are on the way your system sounds now but if you are looking at upgrades then I'm guessing you think you are missing something somewhere?

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If you can go a bit higher the AT440, Slinch has posted some links on a few posts about good deals on different versions of these. If not the AT100E would be a good choice under $100 or cheaper still the AT95 is amazing value for money.

 

That said you might find it takes a while to get the Ortofon sound out of your head as it is quite distinctive and you might not like the AT sound at first, it depends what your thoughts are on the way your system sounds now but if you are looking at upgrades then I'm guessing you think you are missing something somewhere?

 

If the extra $50 really makes the difference, I will just wait a bit longer and get the AT440 instead of wanting to upgrade again later. I find that no matter how good a record is pressed, I still get slight sibilance at elevated volumes, although no where near as much as I had with the cart that came with the table. And the low end feels weak to me, though I'm not sure if the music I prefer is recorded that way on vinyl vs. how it sounds on a digital file. The speakers I have now I picked up for $10 from Craigslist, and they run circles around the Sony towers I had before which work better as front end for my home theater receiver. 

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