What turntables are good for rock/pop?

Hi,

After the last 10years on a fruitless mission to make CD sound like vinyl, I have bitten the bullet and decided to buy a TT. I have about 100LPs, so I figure it is time to get serious and get a deck to play them on!

The music I mostly listen to 60s/70s/80s rock such as Lou Reed, Led Zep, The Who, Stones, Floyd, Queen, Deep Purple, Dire Straits, AC/DC etc, plus modern metal acts such as Megadeth, Rammstein etc. So I really need a deck that is going to be generous with the often less than good recordings I like to listen to.

I am running an EL34 Leben, currently with Rega RS1 speakers (due to space constraints). Once I move to a bigger room I will get some more appropriate speakers.

So far I have listened to a Clearaudio Performance/carbon arm and a Linn LP 12/Attok both running the same Clearaudio MM cartridge.

The clearaudio was more transparent and open, the Linn sounded slower and more shut in around the vocals, but with a bigger bottom end. To my ears, the Linn was more coloured, the extra warmth helping some less good recordings. However, it did sound a but leaden compared to the Clearaudio.

I liked the openess and pace of the Clearaudio, but missed the vinyl warmth the Linn brought to the party.

I would like some recommendations on some other decks would be worth trying and what would best suit the type of music I listen to. I would also prefer something that is not too fiddly to maintain and I also prefer more traditional looking desks so will not consider Funk et al.

Budget is 2k ish, but happy to consider second hand and also happy to spend less if I can get the result I want.

Many thanks,

Graham

 

Have a listen to the Needledrops on Pink Fish Media Forum

Quite a variety of decks to choose from - some of the drops have been discontinued but there are still plenty & lots are surprisingly good

2K for 100 lp's seems a bit OTT - I'd spend budget of £250ish on the deck with an absolute max of £250 on the cart & the rest can go on the vinyl

I'd be looking at a Lenco or Thorens in that price region

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66381

 

A vinyl front end should surely not care what you play on it and give everything a fighting chance of sounding at least decent.

There are lots of option including:

Plug and play solution that will work well almost straight from the box. decks like the Rega P7 and some of the Projects will fall into this category.

Then there are those that require some knowledge to get working really well such as the LP12 you mentioned or perhaps the Michell Gyro.

What are your views on a vintage deck?
Many swear by classic direct drives from the likes of Pioneer, Micro and Techncs while others like idler models such as the classic Garrards.

Perhaps tell us what you really don't like or wouldn't consider in order to narrow the (very large) field .

 

hi Rob,

thanks for your reply and helpful questions

I am after a deck that does not require lots of maintainance, and plays not so good recordings well, has good dynamics and possesses some of that vinyl magic that some players seem to sacrifice in the name of neutraility.

As for vintage, yes I would consider them for sure, as long as they are reliable and do not need lots of tweaking once set up.

I have to admit I don't know much about idler decks, but sure like the look of a 401!!!

Sorry for the delay in replying, have been unable to find time for forum surfing last few days.

Many thanks,
gk

 

I have just spent the last few months deciding what deck to move to, and trying to make sense of what you hear is a real problem. The presentation on each deck changes as the carts and phono stages change, never mind the arm.

From what you have said about the comparison between the Linn and clearaudio can I suggest that you try and find a dealer that is prepared to lett you listen to a Rega P7, with a few different carts. through the same stage. Hard to do I Know. May be you can one that has the deck, and maybe Ortofon, Dynavector and 1 other available.
________
Medical marijuana clones wholesale

 

just totally agree with the cost comments.

it's tempting to blow loads on a turntable, but it's just gob-smacking what you can get for not too much.

Slightly contraversially, I'll say the sound quality will be just shitty if you don't get a good phono stage.


I'd go -

Second hand Nott Analogue Interspace and Rega arm - about £400-£500 (if you can find one used, the problem)

A new decent cart -

this is a nice one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Clearaudio-Au...rntable_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35aa7f076c

contact ''needles and spins'' - google them. That's uncle ants who posts on this and other forums. Talk to him, he can sort you a new cart if you need one.

The thing about LP12s, they are just so plentiful. I had a look on Ebay just now and there's loads!..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Linn-Sondek-L..._HomeAudioHiFi_Turntables&hash=item2a08331e77

Stuff a new cart on, if you buy from a dealer they'd probably fettle your TT and make it right for nothing.

You'd be quids in for well under £500.

Phono stage - here's a few

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dynavector-P-...rntable_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4cf02578aa

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Early-2003-Cl..._HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3a5c669fd9



It is definately worth spending £200-£300 on a phono stage ... when thought of as a ''small amp'' which they are, it becomes obvious why one costing £50 is gonna sound crap...

make sure the cart matches the phono stage, and also complies well with the arm on the TT you buy...

Seriously though -

£750 all in, cart, TT, phono stage - and £1,250 on records will give you a better experience I think.

 

The requirement that the deck should not be 'fiddly' rules out suspended subchassis and trough-type damping (Rock variants).
That leaves Rega 3 types and vintage battleships (TD124, Garrard etc).
Im not impressed by the flimsiness of the former and they would be prone to vibration.
So I recommend a TD124 or Garrard 401 in a marble, or similar, plinth. £600 and have it fettled by Martin Bastin; or a Nottingham analogue deck. A Rega-derived arm (but not a unipivot - too fiddly) with a s/h MC (Ortofon Rondo Bronze).
With my TD124 I have cut a granite plinth and sat it on 4 Atacama SE24 speaker stands acting as legs - Solid as a Rock!

 

Nothing flimsy about Rega.
Certainly low mass but this combined with good rigidity and structural simplicity actually helps them reject the effects of vibration.
I was suprised as how little my P9 picks up when sitting on a floor stand near the speakers.

 

worthwhile doing a needledrop with speakers blaring away & without

 

Did something along those lines recently:

https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?t=25139

I have the sound files if anyone wants to listen.

 

I can only comment on my own experiances, but I can not say that any of my Rega decks have been prone to vibration in normal domestic circumstances. They have included a P2, P3, P25 and P9. They have gone down a very different route to some makers for sure. Listen to them, and you may find that Rega's sometimes off the wall thinking is for a very good reason.

In addition they are about the most plug and play deck around. I must have spent all of 30 minuted setting mine up, including a shim under the arm when I changed carts last week. It's not going to go off song, and need a service in the few months, It's just going to sit on the unit, and play beutiful music. Whatever genre that happens to be.

I should, to be fair point out that I keep my hi-fi stand at the other end of the room from the speakers. I have never been that keen on having the electronics dumped between the speakers if it is at all avaoidable. In my current case that means using 10m speakers cables, but I find that far better tha 2m cables and the gear stuck in the middle of the speakers.

 

Maybe look out for a Townshend Rock II. Very good turntable IMO.

 

And for a cartridge the MM shure mx15vr i have for sale would be absolutely ideal. Shameless plug but i really think it would suit your tastes well.

 

Some time ago, someone on pfm did exactly this, and with a Rega P9 too. With the stylus on a stationary record the music was clearly audible (though at a much lower level) when played at the turntable through the speakers.

I have built both solid plinth and suspended designs (remember, the suspension Linn use is only one method of applying a suspension, there are others). In my experience, all non-suspended designs suffer from some level of feedback (though this is subtle and often only noticed when it is removed). Suspended designs are not guaranteed to remove feedback - they may just shift the frequency; it very much depends on the specific application.

A turntable should not be genre specific and should allow equal access to all types of music.

 

My proposal is based on my limited experience with plates would go to a new Technics 1210, Whack a Denon 110 or so for it to have an external power supply mounted and there you go. Also a morsel to pass on some tunes.In my new book perfect for the songs you listen to the sound velocity and, consequently, in the grave. It is deffo what i am going back to the next when I get a hub sorted .... it can not be too long if I play my cards right.

 

Sorry, that doesn't make sense at all .

 

I suspect it was a thinly veiled attempt at posting spam, but decided to give him the benefit of doubt.

 

Technics 1210 plates cleans up. Rega arm mounted. Tasty titbits. You're in the groove Jackson, yeah! Needle better Denon 110 even better too. Maybe need won at cards 4 dat cash in hand, one in the bush.

1210 kool!!! Jive on!
Other plate spinners hot babies too. Maybe me post-em up too?

 

HI rocket,

thanks for the post - you must be reading my mind. After doing some digging around have decided to go down the 401 route. I like the engineering approach, it appeals to the part of me that restores old british cars! I want this to be a bit of fun so do not fancy some sterile acrylic deck.

I have not decided on an arm but am thinking of either a Rega derived arm (technoarm, origin live or audiomods), or maybe a 12†arm for a retro look such as the j shaped SME Series M2-12R or perhaps the S shaped Jelco SA 750. Probably with a MM cart.

Next step is to decide on a plinth.

Many thanks!!!