Recomendations for cheap turntables please!

I am thinking of selling my Technics SL1200 turntable and am considering buying a secondhand Thorens TD 160 as it seems like a quality turntable for the price when coupled with a decent tonearm. I have been looking at the Grado cartridge dj100 and a Grado black cartridge i was wondering which would be best suited to the Thorens deck would the dj100 be better for bass which has a heavier tracking weight than the black cart which has a lighter tracking weight?

My budget would depend on how much i can get for the Technics deck which im not really sure as i live in Cyprus and the Hi-Fi market is completly different to the UK/Europe and USA. My budget i guess would be a maximum of £350 including (including the tonearm) any postage fees to Cyprus which would be an ebay purchase.

I have looked at other turntables including a Linn LP12 and have read that that the Linn LP12 can lack a bit bass which the Thorens 160 (probably out of my price range anyway) has a stronger bass i mostly play rock and pop and dance records. I ideally want a better turntable for vinyl rips.

Are there any other turntables i should consider that offer good value for money?

Lastly how if any difference is there between a Thorens TD160 MK11/Super against a TD 160HD as the 160 new retails for about £1000.

 

I'd definitely keep the Technics ....

I don't like any belt drive stuff much .... especially LP12's which are all very over valued.

Maybe, in the low cost arena, you could use a Lenco deck with an arm of your choice, maybe Rega .......

...... but personally I can't see the point of selling your Technics.

JC

 

Cyp, what arm and cartridge have you got on your SL1200?

 

I have a stanton 500al with a cheapo cart and the arm that came with the Technics when i bought it new. Yes i know i could upgrade my amp or get a phono pre amp. I have a Arcam Alpha 8 intergrated amp.

I really dont want to buy a arm for the Technics and would prefer buying a different turntable.

 

At this price level I'd keep the Technics and fit a decent cartridge.
The arm will take something like a Denon DL110 MC with no problem, and that will give substantial boost in performance.

The Denon is around £120 these days and works into a standard MM input.

 

Good advice imo Rob.

Perhaps cyp21 has got 'belt-drive fever', caused by too much forumeering or infection from hifi mag reviews.

If that is the case, then a dose of TD160 might be the only cure. You're still probably going to need to change the arm and cart, ..... but ......

Don't sell the Technics.

JC

 

i used technics t/t since day one , even in the 80's when it was suplied with out an arm but with a sme base board, don't sell it , sumiko make a great high output moving coil that will go superve with it, i have used it,

 

Hi Cyp.

David Price of Hifi World magazine highly rates the humble technics deck.

Its caused quite some controversy, mainly due to people claiming it rivals this or that high end turntable which costs thousands.

In Davids article in hifi world (I read it) he reccomended a rega rb250/300 (very cheap on ebay) and of course a decent cartridge.

Seems perfectly sensible to me, and frankly I dont think a Thorens TD160 is going to be 'better' - just different.

If I had £200 in my pocket and your system - I would be 'borrowing' a £200 phono stage from my friendly hifi emporium. I do not know the phono stage in your amp. I have had 3-4 similarly priced amps with inbuilt phono stages, and have never been happy with the mediocre results. Naim amps do come with decent phono stages, and are rare for that,. not an exception, but rare.

Knowing what I already know, I would not do what I've just suggested and borrow a phono stage (as I said I would!) well..its late... that was just so you can make the 'discovery' for yourself.

I would instead get a used one from Ebay -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dynavector-P7...K_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers

seriously, thats your ''bang for your buck'' right there.
really.... it is.......
...no it is!!


NB David made a visit to PFM a while ago and everyone had a protracted Technics to-do...

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=55156&page=3

 

I have had a tinker with a couple of 160s, including a very nice example with TP16 arm and thought they were nice with a decent 'period' cartridge fitted. It was easy to see why they are loved. However I have to say that a move from a sl12xx assuming in decent condition is not an upwards move. It would be difficult to argue it was a sideways move even if I loved bouncy belt drives (I do) so I do wonder if you are hoping to be better off financially after the move. Certainly your musical taste suggests keeping the Technics, as it will do your taste in music very well.

If you saw a 160HD up close, you would probably conclude it was not worth £1000. Nostalgia can have wealthy old men dipping into their pockets to re-purchase a new version of the deck they listened to their glam rock on back in the day but there are much better ways to spend £1000 on a turntable!

Look at your cartridge and phono stage if you are looking for improvement.

 

Thanks for the advice its nice to hear from someone has had a Thorens deck before. I just thought it would be better to sell the Technics and buy a used turntable and new arm & cart with the funds.

I think i will buy a new cart for the Technics when i have enough money and just keep it for now. If i sell a few things on ebay i might consider replacing the arm. I have looked at upgrades for the Technics and the mat upgrade is £90 compared to the Thorens mat for £50 and a cheaper simlar mat for £20 for the Thorens deck. I know a Phono pre amp would be a good upgrade too the Cambridge phono amp sounds a good amp at £100.

 

There's nothing much wrong with the Technics arm. If you wanted to run low compliance MCs on it I'd recommend you get the arm damper thingy from KAB. I happily ran a DV17 and AT33PTG this way.

 

Interesting link thanks!