Which turntable should I buy for dad?

[[email protected]]

Hi, I'm looking to buy dad a small 3 speed turntable.

All I'm looking for is:
1) It must play 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM.
2) It must have external audio jacks so records can be copied to
CD or tape.

I found these two so far but don't know which has best sound
quality for copying to CD and which is best overall:

http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Turntable&product=4211180

http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Mini+Shelf+Systems&product=4213000

In addition to these, I'd also to like read comments from other 3
speeds turntables out there.

Tony

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> Hi, I'm looking to buy dad a small 3 speed turntable.
>
> All I'm looking for is:
> 1) It must play 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM.
> 2) It must have external audio jacks so records can be copied to
> CD or tape.
>
> I found these two so far but don't know which has best sound
> quality for copying to CD and which is best overall:
>
> http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Turntable&product=4211180
>
> http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Mini+Shelf+Systems&product=4213000
>
> In addition to these, I'd also to like read comments from other 3
> speeds turntables out there.
>
> Tony

I have a Dual 1210. Idler drive from the 70's I think. Plays all
speeds, good sound quality, massive German build quality. Much better
than that craptastic fake plastic thing you found at Circuit City, and
you can probably find it cheaper on eBay.

[Sander deWaal]

said:

>Hi, I'm looking to buy dad a small 3 speed turntable.
>
>All I'm looking for is:
>1) It must play 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM.
>2) It must have external audio jacks so records can be copied to
>CD or tape.
>
>I found these two so far but don't know which has best sound
>quality for copying to CD and which is best overall:
>
>http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Turntable&product=4211180
>
>http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Mini+Shelf+Systems&product=4213000
>
>In addition to these, I'd also to like read comments from other 3
>speeds turntables out there.



Apart from the turntable, that has to be able to play the 3 different
speeds, it may come in handy if the play speed is adjustable as well.
Some 78-ers from the early days are not really 78, but sometimes 75,
72 or 80 rpm.
Playing them on 78 may result in unnatural sounding voices and
instruments.

If you can get it, an old Lenco L75 or L78 turntable would be a good
choice.


Also, you'll need different stylus radii, as well as different
playback characteristics on the preamplifier.

If you're serious about dubbing your father's collection on CD or HD,
you'll need to get something better than a Walmart record player.

--

- Never argue with idiots, they drag you down their level and beat you with experience. -

[Sander deWaal]

MD > said:


>The 78 and ext jack is the hard part. Old Duals or Thorens would work.
> As far as recording I assume the old man has a receiver or amp? If so
>is there a tape out? if not find and old Pioneer (SX series) or Marantz
>(2000 series) on Ebay and get him that. he will then have something
>that solves the issues you address and sounds OK.


Actually, I find your advice a bit short-sighted.
You're assuming that all 78-ers are cut according to RIAA standards,
that all 78-ers are made at 78 rpm exactly, and that all 78-ers can be
played with the same stylus radius.

I can assure you, they are not.

I have some experience with playing and dubbing 78-ers, and I found at
least 10 different playback characteristics for electrical recordings
alone, *none* of them following the RIAA curve,
Then there are the Russian recordings, the acoustical recordings,
hill- and - dale recordings...........

To seriously dub 78-ers onto CD or HD, one *will* need a turntable
with speed adjustment, a *stereo* cartridge with various stylus radii
(Shure M75/95 with green and white stylus assemblies come to mind,
although Stanton also makes/made a range of different styli on
request), and a preamplifier with RIAA as well as a straight position,
and a very good equalizer, preferably multiband parametric.

Also, use the best arm you can find.
The modulation amplitude as found on some recordings may in some cases
exceed 100 uM, almost twice the amplitude of most dynamic LP records.

Of course, a lot of correction can be done in software as well, but I
suspect this isn't what the OP is looking for.

--

- Never argue with idiots, they drag you down their level and beat you with experience. -

[MD]

wrote:

> wrote:
>
>>Hi, I'm looking to buy dad a small 3 speed turntable.
>>
>>All I'm looking for is:
>>1) It must play 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM.
>>2) It must have external audio jacks so records can be copied to
>>CD or tape.
>>
>>I found these two so far but don't know which has best sound
>>quality for copying to CD and which is best overall:
>>
>>http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Turntable&product=4211180
>>
>>http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Mini+Shelf+Systems&product=4213000
>>
>>In addition to these, I'd also to like read comments from other 3
>>speeds turntables out there.
>>
>>Tony
>
>
> I have a Dual 1210. Idler drive from the 70's I think. Plays all
> speeds, good sound quality, massive German build quality. Much better
> than that craptastic fake plastic thing you found at Circuit City, and
> you can probably find it cheaper on eBay.
>
These are wretched solutions. So bad in fact I wonder if someone was
trying to razz you for the fun of it

The 78 and ext jack is the hard part. Old Duals or Thorens would work.
As far as recording I assume the old man has a receiver or amp? If so
is there a tape out? if not find and old Pioneer (SX series) or Marantz
(2000 series) on Ebay and get him that. he will then have something
that solves the issues you address and sounds OK.