Turntable advice?

[Chris1234]

Very new to this all and need some advice on a turntable to buy. I'm finding it really hard to narrow down what is good and what is bad.

Sony PS-LX300USB, had been looking at this but after looking into detail people had only bad things to say about the needle and arm weight.

I'm looking to spend around £150 ish tiny bit more if it's worth it.

If anyone could point me in the right direction i'd really appreciate it!

[cafe latte]

Please dont buy a USB turntable they are junk. For your very modest budget something used is the way to go and Alec is your man for advice good used budget stuff.
Regards
CL

[Chris1234]

Yeah the more research i've done, the more i've been put off the USB turntables. Yeah from the topics ive browsed Alec does seem be extremely helpful, i'll wait and hope that he replies at some point. Thanks for your help

[cafe latte]

Yeah the more research i've done, the more i've been put off the USB turntables. Yeah from the topics ive browsed Alec does seem be extremely helpful, i'll wait and hope that he replies at some point. Thanks for your help

Why not drop him a PM?
Regards
Chris

[Chris1234]

As i've recently registered i don't think i have access to that feature yet haha, so not much i can do about that really haha.

[cafe latte]

I sent him a link to this thread.
Regards
CL

[Alec124c41]

You rang?
Look for an older turntable on the used market. I'm not sure what was common in UK, but there were a number of decent British turntables, as well as European and Japanese.
Ariston, Heybrook, Dual, Technics, Pioneer, Yamaha, and a few more, all made a lot of turntables that should bereasonably priced. OK, I don't know what the market is like for the first two over there, but you might get lucky. Avoid anything light and plastic.
If you can find a shop with one from around 1980, and compare it to the new USB things, just by picking it up, you will know immediately what I mean.
You will need a phono pre-amp, and possibly a new cartridge or stylus. If you have an older amp or receiver with a phono section in it, you should not need another phono pre-amp.
Turntable ==> phono preamp ==> amplifier ==> speakers. (This may seem obvious, but not to everybody.)
You might find something at a boot sale or thrift shop, second-hand shop, or online. Feel free to ask about what you find.

Cheers,
Alec

[Chris1234]

Well i've been searching around more since i started this thread, i've come across two make which are Rega and Pro-ject. Now these are obviously very new models, basic, but for my price range have extremely good review.

What's your opinion on these makes? Specifically the Rega Rp1 and the Pro-ject Essential.

The only issue i have with these is that they look very, um basic? i quite like the aesthetic look of an older model of turntable.

[Alec124c41]

The Rega RP1 has been getting decent reviews on here. It will be far better than the USB things. I still have an old Rega Planar 2.

Cheers,
Alec

[totomatic]

A good working Pioneer PL-12D!

[rdavenport]

I was in your position last year. I bought a Dual 505-4 and I couldn't be more happy with it. They sell on Ebay for between £50 and £100.

Other used tables you see a lot on Ebay:

Pioneer PL12D, about the same price as the Dual 505.
Rega Planar 2 or 3 - these are more expensive, typically £150-ish
Technics SL-1200 are popular and plentiful, but they usually cost £200+

I don't pretend to be an expert - just based on what I found when I was buying my turntable last year. I looked in charity shops,second-hand shops,car boot sales, Cash converters etc but never found anything. Gumtree and Ebay are IMO your best bet.

[Squiffything]

The Rega and Pro-ject are entry level TT's and as said the rega gets good reviews. Going for something older/used will get you a better quality but will need to be slightly upgraded/serviced. A new belt, replacement stylus possibly re-oiling the bearing.

I picked up an Ariston Qdeck from the local pawn shop trading it against a couple of used TV digiboxes and it is a lovely TT Keep your eyes open look through the charity/thrift/pawn shops, register on the freecycle site for your area and stick up a wanted add. You will be suprised what can come up. Don't forget that you will need to budget in a pre-am/amp and a set of speakers.

Ebay is ok for TT's but you ideally need to check them out before buying unless the price is low.

[cafe latte]

I was in your position last year. I bought a Dual 505-4 and I couldn't be more happy with it. They sell on Ebay for between £50 and £100.

Other used tables you see a lot on Ebay:

Pioneer PL12D, about the same price as the Dual 505.
Rega Planar 2 or 3 - these are more expensive, typically £150-ish
Technics SL-1200 are popular and plentiful, but they usually cost £200+

I don't pretend to be an expert - just based on what I found when I was buying my turntable last year. I looked in charity shops,second-hand shops,car boot sales, Cash converters etc but never found anything. Gumtree and Ebay are IMO your best bet.

I am an ex pat now living in Aus so a bit out of touch with UK prices, but if you can get a Technics sl1200 for 200 pounds find beg or steal the extra 50 quid and get one as they are far from a budget turntable. I have a Technics sl1210 (same thing only black) set up next to a Commonwealth idler which is in a 32kg plinth with a Jelco 12 inch arm. Commonwealth sell for over 3500 dollars without a plinth or arm and the arm I fitted costs almost as much as my Technics cost new. Anyway my Technics sounds no worse than the Commonwealth so this is how good the humble Technics really is so it is a steal if you can get a good non abused one for 200 quid.
Regards
CL

[gazatthebop]

I'd go for an ebay UK Pioneer PL 12D change the belt, upgrade the cartridge /stylus with new. The price on ebay seems to depend on the condition of the lid, which obviously you don't need to play vinyl. I changed the bottom panel on mine from thin plywood to 3/4 inch mdf too. The only common fault i have found with it is it plays ever so slightly too fast...i'm talking about 33 1/3 in 59.6 secs. That doesn't matter to me. It's obviously better to collect in person than have it delivered. If you do that hopefully you'll have enough left of your £150 to get the new double John Cale album!!!