Record player/Vinyl

[Sugar Ape]

Struggling to come up with something I want for Christmas so I'm thinking of getting a turntable and collecting a bit of vinyl.

 

I know some of you on here are bang into it, I'm looking for something decent but it doesn't have to be top end. Probably looking to spend a couple of hundred on the player though I'll spend more if it's worth it. Apart from my parents having a record player when I was a kid I'm not massively up to speed on it all.

 

Anything I should avoid when looking? Any suggestions on which one to go for? Where is the best place to buy the albums, Amazon?

[Pureblood]

What sort of vinyl are you looking for?  Old stuff or new?

[Sugar Ape]

Probably new stuff first, just try and pick up some of my favourite albums but I'll have a good look round the second hand shops once I'm set up.

[Pureblood]

Sound.  Most online places are probably much of a muchness for new vinyl.  It's when you start going for old/collectibles where you can get hideously ripped off.

[Sugar Ape]

Yeah I was looking on eBay at some of the older items and the prices were ridiculous. There is plenty of new stuff available to get me started, just need to sort a player out.

 

I might be tempted to pay more than I normally would for a copy of Definitely Maybe though. The older albums are meant to sound better because they weren't recorded digitally, right?

[stringvest]

Get yourself to record fairs rapey - you'll find loads of quality, and often you'll be able to haggle on some of the more collectible stuff.

[Adebisi]

I bought this for when I moved out for uni. I wanted to take my records but not my player in case any student tomfoolery ended with it broken. It does a job and the sound quality is pretty good for what it is. Got a few mates in bands who released their music on tape too so it's always handy for that. I mostly listen to stuff from the 60s-90s mind you, not sure what the quality will be like on the more recent records. Might be an idea if you don't know if it's something you're serious about yet and plays other formats. Just a shame there's no USB connectivity and use other speakers on it. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wooden-Retro-Turntable-Cassette-Player/dp/B001EZPI02/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1384353896&sr=8-5&keywords=record+player

[stringvest]

fucking hell - where did you go?  Hogwarts?

[Adebisi]

Close enough 

[Sugar Ape]

I was looking at something like this to start off with but feel it's probably best to buy something a bit better:

 

• Plays 331/3, 45 & 78rpm records
• USB 2.0 Port and SD card slot for MP3 playback (from 512MB upto 4GB max)
• MW-FM Radio – Frequency Range: Am (Mw) 540 - 1600 KHz / Fm 88 - 108 MHz
• 45rpm spindle adaptor supplied
• Vinyl leather look covered cabinet with front facing stereo speakers

[Pureblood]

I might be tempted to pay more than I normally would for a copy of Definitely Maybe though. The older albums are meant to sound better because they weren't recorded digitally, right?

I'm not a sound fascist so i don't know about the difference between analogue/digital. But i do prefer the sound of vinyl to digital music. All i know is that everything sounds fuckin great played through my 7.1 surround system.

 

If you do get into collecting old vinyl the best thing to do is just watch auctions on ebay until you get a feel for price. It's easy to get drawn into bidding wars when you start out. If in doubt search for finished auctions on popsike.com and then you can find out a record's true value.

[Bjornebye]

I was looking at something like this to start off with but feel it's probably best to buy something a bit better:

 

• Plays 331/3, 45 & 78rpm records
• USB 2.0 Port and SD card slot for MP3 playback (from 512MB upto 4GB max)
• MW-FM Radio – Frequency Range: Am (Mw) 540 - 1600 KHz / Fm 88 - 108 MHz
• 45rpm spindle adaptor supplied
• Vinyl leather look covered cabinet with front facing stereo speakers

 

How much you looking at for that mate???? 

 

 

 

I want to get one at some point, probably when I buy my new place late next year, i've got some vinyl here, mostly 90's singles shit but got a great De La Soul album I always take round my mates when he has a BBQ in the summer. Sounds brilliant, he keeps offering me 50 quid for it which considering I haven't got a record player I should take but nah, fuck him. That album belongs to me, myself and I. 

 

Agreed, Definitely Maybe would sound boss on vinyl, it was mixed using what Owen Morris called 'The Brick wall Method' as you no doubt know, hence it is a louder album on juke-boxes than any other. 

[stringvest]

This is a decent turntable for the money, and it has USB.  

 

http://www.richersounds.com/product/turntables/sony/pslx300/sony-pslx300

[Sugar Ape]

£93.99 with free delivery http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steepletone-SRP1R-11-1960s-Record-Player/dp/B004LSBY5C/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1384359828&sr=1-1&keywords=Steepletone

 

Or there are ones like this for £89.99 with detachable speakers, for that price you might as well give it a go:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steepletone-SRP025-Record-Detachable-Speaker/dp/B00EAM1X4G/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1384359828&sr=1-4&keywords=Steepletone

 

 

 

[Bjornebye]

100 quid for that first one isn't bad at all mate. I like it

 

Might get my bird to get me it for Xmas actually 

[Sugar Ape]

This is a decent turntable for the money, and it has USB.  

 

http://www.richersounds.com/product/turntables/sony/pslx300/sony-pslx300

 

I've just been looking at that on their website. Problem I've got is I've already got an AV Receiver with 5:1 surround sound in the living room, but it hasn't got the space to take a record player, it's already full with my Mac Mini, TiVo boxset and PS3.

 

So it's either get one like I've posted above with built in speakers, which I know won't sound as good, or start fucking around and buy another sound system and try and fit it all in my living room.

[Sugar Ape]

100 quid for that first one isn't bad at all mate. I like it

 

Might get my bird to get me it for Xmas actually 

 

You can't really go wrong for less than £100. I'll enjoy building a little collection up as well, for some reason even though I've never owned a record player I've got one LP. You know, I don't even know where I got it from, but It'll be good to finally hear it.

 

[stringvest]

good album to start with.

[razor]

Ok, vinyl fans, what record is on that black Steepletone turntable....?

 

I'm going for Eat to the Beat by Blondie.

[Pureblood]

It's definitely a major label and not an indie.  You can tell from the shit they've printed all over the label.

[stringvest]

It's definitely a Chrysalis record, so it could be Blondie or World Party or someone like that

[razor]

That's the beauty of being a vinyl owner.  I think of bands as soon as I see a record label.

 

Atlantic....?

 

Polydor....?

 

You can't do that with an anonymous disc of silver.

[Kemlyn King]

For what it worth mate I wouldn't bother with any of the above turntables. Take your £100 and put it towards a Project or a Rega brand new.

Richer Sounds are good for a budget set up. You'd get a project from about £200. They'll sound well better than any USB version.

Or the other option is to go vintage and have a mooch on Ebay.

One thing for certain is Vinyl will only go up in value. My massive CD collections worth buttons

[Carvalho Diablo]

That's the beauty of being a vinyl owner.  I think of bands as soon as I see a record label.

 

Atlantic....?

 

Polydor....?

 

You can't do that with an anonymous disc of silver.

 

Although that's true, I just think the Shuffle option on a CD player can keep an album fresh for years longer.

 

Was gonna pull the trigger on a Michell Gryo SE a few years ago but I backed out at the last minute because I would have had to send my amp back to Arcam to get it chipped. With hindsight, I'm pleased I didn't buy it, an expensive dose of nostalgia.

 

The easiest (and best) way to improve your sound system is to buy some fucking killer speakers. Exactly like these beauties...

 

 

Award winning Quad 11L bookshelf speakers. Sound seriously amazing, all play in, fucking mint condition, £250 ono (mates rates and all that. PM me if you're interested)

 

That said, that's just me. If you do get a turntable then I hope you really get some enjoyment from it mate.

[Sugar Ape]

Yeah, I think I'm going to buy seperate speakers to go with the turntable. Not too sure about it all yet, still need to do a bit of thinking.

 

FIrst LP I'm going to buy is Turns Into Stone though. Deffo.