Turntable-based system recommendations?

[davedotco]

What do you guys think of the Pioneer PLX-1000? Seems to be getting extraordinary praise for a 'DJ' turntable.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-4

That said, I have a 'audiophile' friend in work who uses a Technics SL1200 over his other, more expensive tables. He was almost embarassed to tell me.

This is entirely at odds with my own experiences but is in line with the current 'fashion' for such players.

Personally I would give neither houseroom, but then I am not a vinyl 'hipster'. I simply want vinyl to sound as good as it can be, which can be superb. Sadly such performance does not come cheap though my previous post gives a reasonable summary of what can be done for your kind of budget.

 

[drummerman]

...turntable setup and support, speaker location and mounting are all critical, particularly in a vinyl based system, you need to be aware of this to avoid disapointment.

Have you any more advice on this? My turntable is placed on a long coffee table which is a solid slab of walnut or something similar (it is a two-person lift to move it). The amp will sit on the coffee table shelf, about 10" beneath the turntable. My speakers are on metal stands at either end of the coffee table, about 6' apart and toed-in slightly to my listening position. I can move the speakers around to a reasonable extent. The Turnable's placement is slightly behind the speakers. The room is a slightly 'live' small living room, about 13' x 10' with painted brick walls, hanging pictures, two sofas, hardwood floor with large rug, big window with vertical blinds.

Well, between and behind the speakers is probably not the best place for anything that can suffer with microphony, including turntables, valve amplifiers and, as some would argue, other electronics too though to be honest, no place in the same room is ideal if you listen loudly.

For something like your non-suspended Project (or other fixed plinth TT's) an elevated wall rack is probably a good idea in a small'ish space with solid walls short of moving the system out of the room, which, I would assume, is not exactly practical for the majority of people. Sorbothane feet are another good idea if you can't go down the Townshend route.

As to your question to what we hear when we drop the stylii on our systems, I have no problem with rumble with any of my TT's, some suspended, some not. All of them are older than 30 years!

Had I to buy a (new) mid priced player today, it would probably be a RP6 or AVID Ingenium.

 

[seandynan]

I have no problem with rumble with any of my TT's, some suspended, some not. All of them are older than 30 years!

Funny enough, I connected up my old, VERY entry level Goldring GR1 and there is zero rumble from that, no bearing noise, no motor noise. Just good, old surface noise and crackle. Sigh...

I'm now very tempted to just get a Clearaudio Concept or even its second hand equivalent. At least (I assume) I would be starting with a quality deck. i can't find anywhere local to audition one, though. And I'm going off Pro-Jects and Regas because of build quality: they just don't look like they'll still be working in 10 years time. And my cat would simply eat every external belt on those Pro-Jects anyway.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[CnoEvil]

There are some experienced and knowlegeable dealers in NI, who have a reasonable range of TTs between them....though as you have said, I don't think any do Clearaudio; but one of them may be able to get one to try, if you ask.

http://www.ardhowenhifi.com/

http://www.mooreshifi.co.uk/products.html

http://www.lyrichifi.com/

http://www.kronosav.com/

 

[lindsayt]

Seandynan, when I drop the needle onto clean vinyl I hear nothing but the music. No motor noise. No rumble, no vinyl roar, no hiss, no crackle.

On dirty vinyl I hear the needle hitting the dirt. The type of sound it makes depends on the type of dirt.

There are alternatives to £1500 turntables bought new from dealers. You could try 2nd hand ones for about £300. Like the Pioneer PL-51 or Sony PSX6750.

 

[seandynan]

There are some experienced and knowlegeable dealers in NI, who have a reasonable range of TTs between them....though as you have said, I don't think any do Clearaudio; but one of them may be able to get one to try, if you ask.

Thanks CnoEvil.