Basic Turntable Recommendations

wesimmo

wesimmo

wesimmo

Soldato
Joined
19 Mar 2012
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Looking at a cheap, RCA out into amp solution for my better half who enjoys vinyl but, if I'm honest, doesn't necessarily appreciate the finer things in hifi.

She currently listens to music via a Google Home in the kitchen or a single Bose1 bluetooth speaker in the bedroom as a point of reference. Also, before it died she was using a 90s Sony midi system with integral TT.

I've got an old NAD AV amp that cost a fair bit back in the early 2000s and some Tannoy mini speakers from an old 5.1 set up.

I was going to donate those to the project and add this

https://www.richersounds.com/marantz-turntable.html

Which seems to be a decent option from a company i like to support.

Before i press the button, are there any other options?

Cheers.
 
For what you've described as he use I think it's good match.

If you wanted on improve he performance sometime in the future then go for a stylus upgrade. That's easy to do and inexpensive.
 
wesimmo said:
Thanks both, I cant think I'd ever want to use USB, so I'll get the Marantz and £20 of record vouchers, proper old school. :D
Click to expand...

No. What you should get her with the balance of the cash is something that she'd never get for herself, and something that she'll use every time she puts on an LP, and that will make a big difference to her enjoyment of vinyl...

Get her a record cleaning brush.

I'm going to be very specific here and say get her one designed exactly like this with both carbon fibre bristles and a velvet pad: Milty Super Exstatic Carbon Fibre Record Cleaning Brush: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

I'm old enough that I started my music collection on vinyl because CD wasn't yet invented. In my case I started buying over forty years ago. I've had a carbon fibre record cleaning brush for almost as long. The same one. It has lasted that well. I never play a record without going over it with the brush first; even brand new records get the treatment. It's part of my little vinyl ritual: Pop the record on the platter and start it spinning. Then, with one hand I put a finger on the label to help keep the record spinning whilst applying the brush to the playing surface with the other hand. Two or three rotations is about all it takes before I gently lift off the brush from the still-rotating record surface. Simples.

All my LPs live inside anti-static record sleeves too. These are the ones I use, but there are now cheaper alternatives available as well. This and my cleaning ritual is why my vinyl sounds almost as clean as CD to the average listener.

From time to time I buy the odd used LP. If they're in good condition then I'll just use the brush. For those discs that are more heavily soiled I give them a 'face mask' treatment with wood glue. It might sound a bit extreme, but the wet glue is excellent at getting down in to the grooves of an LP or single and sticking to all the dust and fine grit. When dry enough, the water-based glue can't stick to the oil-based vinyl and so it can be peeled away cleanly lifting all the crud away with it. Peeling it off in a single sheet is remarkably satisfying. The donut-shaped ring is a perfect imprint of the record playing area.

What's left is a beautifully clean surface. This can't fix the damage already done to the groove walls by the stylus running over dust and grit from dirty plays, but it can reduce surface noise significantly and help prevent further damage.
 
That's a good idea actually, a lot of the vinyl is from our parents' collections or my own collection from buying stuff that was limited edition or coloured vinyl in the 80's / 90's.

My personal favourite is a Black Crowes - Hard to Handle picture disc, i love the vinyl itself and the song is one of those that makes our list of great covers every time.
 
I have had that marantz turntable for 5 years (chose as was on offer snd goes with my marantz amp and cd player that is even older) never had one issue with it. Paired with ny KEF speakers music sounds very good
 
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