Building - but not a guitar. Advice needed on a vinyl setup.

domhatch

I'm looking at putting together a good(ish) component system for vinyls, and start collecting again. Do not even ask what happened to my original collection - it's an evil memory.

I know some of y'all must be clued up on this jive, so these are the parameters: I really, seriously, do not want to spend a fortune up front. I do, however, want to get a decent system together to start with.

I'll put the system together piece by piece over a few months and save up to replace the components piece by piece for better ones over time again.

There you go. Whatever advice y'all can offer would be much appreciated.

Spank you
dh|

studmissile

domhatch wrote: Do not even ask what happened to my original collection - it's an evil memory.

:'(

domhatch

studmissile wrote: :'(

Ja boet. There were things in there I now have on CD, and have subsequently imported into iTunes, but, you know, it ain't the same. There were also things in there I will simply never see again. Styx - Paradise Theatre; where you gonna dig that up, eh? Eh?!?

Vengeance shall be mine, sayeth the forthcoming collection
dh|

studmissile

domhatch wrote:
studmissile wrote: :'(
Ja boet. There were things in there I now have on CD, and have subsequently imported into iTunes, but, you know, it ain't the same. There were also things in there I will simply never see again. Styx - Paradise Theatre; where you gonna dig that up, eh? Eh?!?

Vengeance shall be mine, sayeth the forthcoming collection
dh|

Yeah, i know the feeling all too well... but fortunately just before the big vinyl comeback, a little secondhand record/cd shop that I frequented was letting a whole bunch of cool pristine records go for R2-R5 a pop. I didn't even have a turntable then but felt it too good a opportunity to pass by. I even picked up some great stuff still vacuum packed from the early eighties with Dion price tags!... A year later the guys prices suddenly jumped to R50-R300 a pop???

studmissile

domhatch wrote:
Styx - Paradise Theatre; where you gonna dig that up, eh? Eh?!?

on bidorbuy?
http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/239994871/Styx_Paradise_Theatre_LP_First_Laser_etched_Record_in_South_Africa.html

you'd be surprised what gems pop up now and then on bidorbuy!

daveo1977

Hi Dom!

I quickly gandererd at Gumtree. There's a guy selling 2 x Gemini direct drive turntables for R2500. I have two Gemini belt drive turntables that have served me well for approx. 20 years now. In my view it's a good price, and you can always flog the spare.

Here's the ad: http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-turntables/centurion/2-x-gemini-tt02-direct-drive-turntables/1001728510410910166967309

Here's more about belt vs. direct drive: http://thelimitedpress.com/turntable-basics-belt-drive-vs-direct-drive/

I plugged the turntables into a basic 2 channel mixer, and from there into the line in on a standalone Tedelex amp/CD player. I got acceptable sound on a student budget (this was in the 90's).

I wonder if Kevin at Recordmad in Linden would be of any help to you. Never dealt with him personally, but found a contact number on Google: 083 419 5912

Happy building!

domhatch

studmissile wrote: on bidorbuy? you'd be surprised what gems pop up now and then on bidorbuy!

You, sir, are a genius.

daveo1977 wrote: Hi Dom!

I quickly gandererd at Gumtree.

And as for you, I have a few of those basic components already. A 4-channel mixer, a spare set of powered, albeit somewhat beat up studio monitors that ought to do the trick for now, so all I really need is a turntable. I might even have an idea where to mooch one without having to shell out at all.

You are a bona fide genius also. Thanks for the gandering, the info, and the contacts. :bopping:
dh|

JGP

Hi Dom, I can only suggest that you steer very far away from cheap DJ turntables which are designed with very different strengths to hi-fi products. The ability to scratch, quick start and high tracking forces are not what you want, sound quality and long record life are what you need. Stick to belt drive, look for used turntables from specialist manufacturers such as Rega or old Pioneer belt drives and the like. Plastic chassis, wobbly platter assemblies and arm bearings are out. The arm and cartridge/stylus assembly should require a tracking force of less than 2 grams to give reasonable record life.

You will of course also need an amp with a proper turntable input for any of the older turntables.. There are some OK modern turntables such as the Teac TN300 and the Lenco L90 which include a phono stage so will plug into a line level input

Amp wise look for used Rotel, Yamaha, Marantz or Nad units from the eighties, also good options from the same time period are Kenwood, Sansui and some of the other (but not all) big Japanese brands. Stay away from anything that uses IC chip type output stages. Any of the older amps will have a phono stage.

Join a forum such as AV Forums SA which is full of Hi-Fi boffins and a few guitarists as opposed to a guitar forum full of guitar boffins and a few who may have some hi fi knowledge.

singemonkey

Yeah. This avforum:

http://www.avforums.co.za/

People are selling cheap, reliable gear on a very regular basis. I bought a wonderful amplifier for under R1,000 and a superb pair of old speakers with 12" drivers for R1,300.