Secondhand Turntable Advice

[n4d5]

Hi

I'm new to Turntables.  I want to buy a quality secondhand turntable, however I don't know what to look for as in features etc!  I would like to spend about £500.00. Can anyone educate me to what to look for in a turntable, and recommend any turntables that I could look out for? 

Genre I like is Pop, R&B, Jazz, Bhangra, Hindi, and instrumental.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

n4d5

 

[DIB]

You've got a budget of £500, you could buy a really nice new deck for that money. Have you considered new, and does your amp have a phono stage?

.

 

[John Duncan]

500 quid will buy you a tremendous deck second hand though. You could get a Linn LP12 or a Technics 1200 for starters (depending on your view of the aesthetics of either. Don't think it would quite stretch to a gyro though,which is a shame...

 

[n4d5]

Hi DIB

I will be using this on Pioneer A400 Amplifier, which has a phono stage.

n4d5

 

[n4d5]

sorry forgot to mention I would consider new and I could stretch the budget to £600.00 if it's worth my while. So please give me some options to consider.

Also what should I look out for when buying secondhand, as in the Do's and don't etc.

Thanks

n4d5

 

[n4d5]

Right, I've been looking around some manufaturer websites etc, and came across the Project USB turntable, are they any good? Does the USB part of the turntable have any adverse effect of the sound quality? Also is there any external accessories you can attach to a turntable say such as a Linn LP12 and have the USB facility?

Thanks

 

[shooter]

I would look at a Pro-Ject RPM 5 or 5.2 with a speed box. Arguably one of the best £500 decks around. If you went pre-owned you could get them for around £400 and spend the rest on some vinyl.

Just a note the RPM 5 or 5.2 will take a good cartridge up to the Ortofon Rondo range, it's that good.

 

[jerry klinger]

REGA P3-24 with TTPSU and Rega cartridge!!

 

[chebby]

+1 on the Rega P3-24 + TTPSU.

Also your budget will easily get you a brand new Technics SL-1210 MkII.

(Second-hand ones are very likely to have been used - or abused - by DJs so probably best to pay for brand new.)

 

[Anonymous]

Buying a second-hand turntable is simply not a thing to do for a beginner.

Unless you've got an expert to check what needs to be fixed, and to set it up properly, that is.

 

[oldleodensian]

n4d5: Also is there any external accessories you can attach to a turntable say such as a Linn LP12 and have the USB facility?

A phono stage that has USB output as well as standard RCA out connections will connect to any TT (except those with built-in amp, like the Project Debut USB ); Project make one, for example. Unless your amp has a built-in phono stage, you will need a separate phono stage anyway.