New Here. Couple Questions.

[Max727]

Hey im new here. Im 17 and recently have gotten into LP's.

My questions are:

Whats the best turntable for under $200 or a little over.

Whats the best needle/stylus available?

How long do records last for and how can I prolong the record so it lasts forever?

Can records be "restored?"

Why does vinyl sound better then digital and how big of a difference is there?


I love LPs but I am scared to play them because I heard that they can wear out. So I get to scared to play it cause I feel like If I do, I'll lose that beautiful music forever once it wears out. So I try to keep it to a very minimum.

[sjam]

Hi Max, don't want to be a paternalist, just advice, but you ask lots of questions, that are hard to answer without being biased. Maybe you should search the site with these questions with the search machine first and find out a little more about your new hobby. It will give you an insight in a lot of opinions that can help you to find out what its all about. When you know more about the subject in general, you can ask more specific questions that can be answered to your content. Sam

[kalypso]

Hi Max,

Around $ 200,00 it its probably the best to get something vintage, like thorens, dual, garrard, technics and others, since brand new tables are clearly more expensive as $ 200,00. The only good new table for approx. $ 280,00 is the pro-ject essential. Be aware of all those plastic-bombers going for prices lower than this. Also make sure your systems has a dedicated phono-input. Otherwise you will need a phono-preamp.

Hard to say what is best needle/stylus available. Prices for cartridges vary from approx. $ 30,00 up to unlimited.

Records last very long if handled right. That means, do not play them with worn, dirty or damaged needles or with a misaligned cartridge. Keep them dust-free and avoid humidity and exposure to direct sunlight and heat.

My oldest vinyl records are more than 40 yers old and still sound good. I've got no doubts that will continue for another 40 years or even longer.

Records cannot be restored, once the modulation is damaged, due to needle wear f.e. But dirty records can be cleaned efficent with several methods like special washing machines.

The question analog/digital sound was discussed many times here. You will find a lot of statements using the search function.

regards, kalypso

[bubba45]

Hi there
Type 'newbie' and / or 'newbee' into this sites search facility and you will see quite a few posts / threads from people like yourself just starting out who want to get an idea of the basics.

For $100 - $250 2nd hand or 'vintage' is the way to go to get best bang for your bucks.

Technics, Dual, Thorens, Rega, Pro-ject, (Goldring) Lenco are good makes of turntable you may pick up on eBay or Craigslist. When you've read a few posts and threads take a look at these 2 sites and your local ads, post the ads / listings in this thread you've started and then some of the members here should be able to give advice on what to buy.

Sounds like you have already been listening to some records? Where and how?

[mickb69]

Don't worry about wearing out records, just play and enjoy them, life's too short, if you're buying them from garage sales and flea markets they will be in varying degrees of record condition and recording quality, I have records from the late sixties/early seventies that play mint as owt, and newer stuff that sounds like gravel.
Even brand new reissues can sound terrible if they have been badly recorded

It is said that when you buy a second hand or vintage turntable you should budget for at least a new stylus, unfortunately I have also learned this to be true.

You can hand clean records but you have to be careful with what you use, some people use just use warm soapy water, I am also looking into this as I have just bought a load of old records in poor condition

[Dinohyus Hollandi]

Cleaning used records is very helpful indeed. I clean every record, new or used, that enters my collection. The Disco Antistat manual record cleaner is cheap and produces acceptable results, but ditch the original fluid in favour for some quality stuff (or brew up your own, there are plenty of recipes around).

[E.Man]

When washing records rinse rinse with distilled water.

Search record cleaning.