Quality Turntable?

[mmuhlenkamp]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a high quality (but not necessarily most expensive) turntable for my boyfriend. It's going to be a birthday/christmas gift and I want to get him something that will give great sound and last quite a few years.

He has a great surround sound system already and a high quality amp, he's a musician for a living and really knows sound quality and can pick up the difference. I, on the other hand, know very little about this stuff. So I'm asking for suggestions (I know there a few audiophiles out there). I'm comfortable spending somewhere in the $500-800 range, but not much more than that. I'm finding a lot of "DJ turntables" out there, but he's not interested at all in that. It needs to be precise, with a good cartridge, and the various speed settings.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Quality Turntable
$500-$800
Analog inputs
7.1 output?
durable/longevity
not a lot of bells and whistles (no DJ controls)

Thanks!

[Rson]

After I snickerd a little....

Denon makes great turntables.

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/Turntables.asp

[johnastovall]

There's only one to look at Thorens.

[mmuhlenkamp]

Originally Posted by Rson

After I snickerd a little....

Denon makes great turntables.

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/Turntables.asp

Am I underestimating in price? I know this stuff can get REALLY expensive, but there has to be a point of diminishing returns. I can't afford the $10,000 table with the $1,000 cartridge and neither can my boyfriend.

I did help with credit on getting his Denon amp last year though, so I know he likes them.

[kenw]

stepping into the wayback machine, I recall my short list of requirements when I had one. It has been pre-inherited by my musician son....

I see that Best Buy has several in the mid-range ($500-$1000) category that would meet most real-world requirements. Certainly other places have similar units.

What you will find is that there are 3 classes: cheapo, mid-range and snob. The real world discernable differences are between the cheapo and midrange. Above that, it's the old specmanship game...now usually played by old geezers with tin ears and too many magazine subscriptions or weblinks....

[d2creative]

The BEST value in a turntable today is the SAME turntable from the 70's! That's how awesome the design was/is.
http://www.panasonic.com/Consumer_El...ult_analog.asp

I just got one after fooling around with a supposedly entry level audiophile turntable from Pro-Ject Audio. The Technics is soooo much better! Your bf can upgrade cartridges later, which is what is really going to change/upgrade the sound. Mine is the Technics 1210 m5g which is the highest end model but the others are just as good. The only thing it doesn't have is an auto return tone arm but typically that is only found on the junk tables. This is the table to get if you want a tried and true design that will last forever and it's easy to find parts for if you need it.

[toverman]

Originally Posted by kenw

What you will find is that there are 3 classes: cheapo, mid-range and snob. The real world discernable differences are between the cheapo and midrange. Above that, it's the old specmanship game...now usually played by old geezers with tin ears and too many magazine subscriptions or weblinks....

For a minute there I thought you were talking about photography.

A decent turntable from Best Buy should be enough. We're talking analog here, after all!

[kenw]

Originally Posted by toverman

.....We're talking analog here, after all!

actually the player makes more of a difference in analog than digital: tracking force, wow, s/n ratios, stylus mass and response, perpendicular tracking force compensation, etc. Lots of the real science of a good turntable has become scarce. Often it is replaced by pseudoscience like the green magic markers on CDs, oxygen-free wires....or $20,000 turntables for the pseudo-intellectuals with tin ears and gold wallets.

[toverman]

I don't like precision in a turntable. Several of my favorite platters came from my dad's DJ days at a Virginia radio station in the 1960s or secondhand from Half Price Books. I'd be happy with just about any turntable to play them right about now! Snaps, crackles and pops, oh my!

[studiocygnet]

I think you'll find that the main separation point between the cheapo to the midrange is direct drive, versus belt drive. Just make sure you get direct drive and you're probably doing ok. When I first got to Austin in 1979 I worked for a place called Circle Stereo repairing turntables. I've still got a Technics from back then. As well as an old Yamaha. And some wood cabinet thing that I put a preamp in to just play 78's. If I remember correctly I'm using Stanton cartridges.

[venchka]

Here you go. The Needle Doctor. More turntables than you can stir with a stick. Thorens even in your price range. I have been very pleased with Ortofon cartridges over the decades. I am also very pleased with a rebuilt Dual that I bought a few years ago. From Circle Stereo even. Small world.

http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-S...FSXyDAodtyP5rA

Good luck!

ps: Nothing like shopping early, hey? Grinning.

I won't argue the belt vs. direct drive issue. I have had better luck with belt drive. YMMV.

[studiocygnet]

Hey, that's a cool site, Wayne. I was checking out all those tables. Hey, hey, at Clearaudio you can get just the turntable stand for only $9000.
Actually, that Stanton ST-150 at $499 with S/PDIF outs sounds pretty nice. The review quote at the bottom says it beat out the Technics in tests. But what I really need more than a turntable is a cassette to digital converter. The old vinyl doesn't deteriorate anywhere near as quickly as all those cassette tapes I accumulated in the 80's.

[mmuhlenkamp]

Jeeze Wayne! That's a lot of options.

I've decided after looking some of this stuff up I'm going to bring my bf into it and let him choose (within reason). I'd rather it be something he really wants and not a surprise than a surprise and not getting what he really wants.

Like if he got me a Sigma 105 macro instead of the Canon 100L macro. The Sigma is still good, but not what I really want...

Thanks for the suggestions, keep 'em coming!

[venchka]

You learn fast.

Tom,

I had Dyna preamp and amp rebuilt at Circle out in Dripping Springs and bought the Dual to complete the set. It's all good!

[janikphoto]

He'll probably go Technics... safe, solid choice. A lot of improvement is made with a great needle/cartridge and a great preamp. And +1 on the Denon comment at the top of this thread. They made a great unit about fifteen years ago for around $500.