Starting out with Vinyl - help and advice needed please

[nlanks]

Everywhere I go, there are people/posts about how magnificent vinyl is, the warmth, organic sound etc.

So, having only ever owned CDs and latterly a streamer, I though I owe it to myself to give it a go and see how it sounds.

My system is as below, and the 8000A has an Mm/Mc phono stage built in.

1st question - can I get a starter turntable of half decent quality for about £50 on eBay? And if so what would you recommend? Project Debut? (can't afford to spend much more than that to start with). What should I be checking for, and do I need any accessories?

2nd question - I listen to a wide range of classical and jazz. Where is the best place to pick up good quality LPs, and is there a website somewhere that has maybe a Top 50 all time must have LPs list, or a "recommended for sound quality" list? Again don't want to spend a fortune as I'll just be trying this out. If I love it I can always upgrade ... 🙂

Thanks

 

[The_Lhc]

Seriously, if you've got NO vinyl already, I really wouldn't bother. I love my vinyl but I've had most of it for years, if I had to start again I just wouldn't. It does sound great but it does need commitment and there are pitfalls everywhere you turn (I've bought brand new vinyl that was unlistenable it was so badly pressed).

 

[chebby]

1st question - can I get a starter turntable of half decent quality for about £50 on eBay?

Trio KD-1033 for £52.50 'Buy It Now' (+ P&P)

Pioneer PL12D. Currently £33 at auction. You might get lucky but these attract 'collectors' nowadays.

Look for good (as in 'good working order' rather than shiny*) Dual CS-505s and Sansui SR222 Mk 2s and the less fashionable budget direct drives from the 1980s (Sony, Pioneer, Hitachi or any big Japanese name.)

Be prepared to spend more on at least a replacement stylus or cartridge.

Scour charity websites and shops and Gumtree too. You never know.

*You won't get working and shiny for £50.

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Superfi are doing the Project Genie 3 for £99.95 (half price) You could recoup most of your money on ebay if it doesn't work out.

 

[nlanks]

Thanks for the replies guys, very helpful

The_Lhc : I know what you mean, I don't even have any relatives collections I could borrow. Have you any experience with 96/24 FLAC files, as there are posts around here that say it gets closer to the vinyl sound, and would obviously fit straight into my system?

Chebby : thanks for those recommendations, I'll watch a few on eBay and see what happens. Is it a given that a new stylus and cartridge would be needed, and if so how much are you looking at for ones that will do a reasonable job?

Raves Gravey Davey: does look a good deal but I need one with a lid really, as we have cats and they will try and sleep on anything! Plus keep the dust etc out.

 

[The_Lhc]

The_Lhc : I know what you mean, I don't even have any relatives collections I could borrow. Have you any experience with 96/24 FLAC files, as there are posts around here that say it gets closer to the vinyl sound, and would obviously fit straight into my system?

No, never tried them I'm afraid.

Raves Gravey Davey: does look a good deal but I need one with a lid really, as we have cats and they will try and sleep on anything!

Leave it switched on then, at least if they try to sleep on it then you'll get an amusing video for youtube out of it...

 

[mattmeer]

regular CD's and 24 bit don't make a massive difference in my opinion, yes 24 bit is a bit better. But vinyl is a lot more different than anything digital, if you are not a detail-freak and are prepared to change LP side every 15 to 20 minutes then it is worth to try it. Turntables are better value compared to midrange and higher digital dac's/cd players, but the medium (LPs) are more expensive than cd's. Even highend cd players dont sound like vinyl, whatever they say. Digital and vinyl is a different taste, while differences between digital sources are much more subtle. You just have to ask yourself if you would mind to stand up very often to change LP sides...if you listen very actively then it might not be a problem, but for background music you wouldn't want to change LPs every 15-20mins.

I have nothing against digital, so no need to discuss about digital, just stating vinyl is quite different from what you are used to with digital.

 

[nopiano]

I'd second Chebby's recomendations. But I'd add a caution. If you've never heard vinyl and have next to no LPs then spending just £50 - £100 even if you get lucky, may turn you off forever.

It would be very much bottom-rung compared with the rest of your kit. A bit like saying I always wanted a motorbike, and ending up with a 20 year old moped. :doh:

Can you borrow a Pro-ject or Rega to try in your system? Or as already suggested, splash out a bit more then sell it on if you don't like it?

 

[entrails]

I agree with the points already made.

From my own experience when I got back into vinyl I was very lucky to have kept the most of my vinyl from my teens and I'm glad to say most of it was in good shape. I do think if you want exceptional audio performance you are talking about a big outlay particularly if you want a wide range of music to listen too as well rather than a poxy 8 or 9 audiophile discs.

I started off with a project debut, OK at the time but limited upgrade options and would with hindsight have got a rega instead as much more potential. I didn't really hear the exceptional performance of vinyl compared with CD until moved on to modded technics sl1200.

You don't have to get audiophile discs for great sonics but you need to be prepared to get some duff discs along the way for the second hand gems.

As you are into jazz and classical it is possible if you're lucky to hit paydirt as far as coming across a collection of vinyl for sale. I'm into jazz and have found that there are a lot of jazz obsessives who have built up collections so large that discs have been infrequently played and in near mint condition although a bit dusty. My greatest ebay buy was 52 Duke Ellington LP's in a lot all barely played for £48 including postage, absolutely fantastic but luck like that is probably a once in a lifetime experience. I'll keep looking and hoping thoug!

From my own limited experience in classical vinyl the quality is more variable but it is possible to get lucky. Oxfams in posh middle class towns I find are good hunting grounds for good quality cool records rather than piles of cliff richard shirley bassey etc. No longer get the really cheap bargains of yesteryear but you can get the record out and have a look at it compared with ebay. Dealers on ebay will accept returns if the grading is inaccurate but usually you do lose out on return postage.

Audiophile vinyl is good although you can still get duff pressings and at £20 minimum costs a lot to get a viable collection.

You also need to consider are you able to put up with the occassional click crackle if you are used to CD sound. Some of the favourite records I own do have some background noise but the sound quality is so fab it doesn't matter.

One of my valued tools for vinyl is Nagaoka rolling 152 to try to remove groove dust, doesn't get it all but brushes often just seem to push dust round and round instead. I then have a listen and at that point decide whether to send off for a professional clean or leave at that.

Hope my comments are useful, probably with classical and jazz interests in your position I would if had no initial range of vinyl collection lean towards SACD's or HD downloads but would agree with other comments that they can be seriously mullered by a good quality equivalent LP on a £1000+ analogue system.

 

[nlanks]

Thanks to everyone for their responses, very grateful for the level of detail everyone went to, very helpful.

Having taken all that in, my considered decision I think is to stick with what I've got for now. I'm somebody who likes to do things right first time, and I don't want to end with something substandard that I have to put a decent amount of work and upkeep into, as I don't really have the time at the moment. As I also have absolutely no vinyl it would be a huge mission to start piecing together a collection.

Thanks for the help though, it's given me a good starter insight into the world of vinyl.