Vintage Turntables

http://uturnaudio.com/turntables/

No affiliation and no experience with them, but these look interesting for a pretty low investment. And easy to use out of the box, presumably. Pretty much a Rega clone: probably not as nice, but also much cheaper.

I use and really like a heavily modified Lenco, but I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point based on the time, money, and experience needed to get it where I want it performance wise.
Brent
 
Thanks for the U-Turn page, I have never heard of them before.

I see 35 years old as vintage as well for that Planar 3.

The main reason I want vintage tables is because of the fact that so many of your entry tables seem to be much more limited as far as how you can upgrade them. Atleast when you look at getting a new table like the Project Carbon Debut for instance.

I want to be able to mod/upgrade whatever I wind up with which is why I was looking at vintage.
 
that (limited upgradability) would probably be true for the u turn too. just throwing it out there 'cuz it's so cheap but probably decent enough to get a feel for the vinyl experience.

i obviously like vintage tables too  :) . FWIW, it's possible to get a Lenco that's ready to run for maybe $300 or so, but it's a real crap shoot between a seller's description, knowledge, and what happens during packing and shipping.  & i've no experience with the arm that usually ships with them: mine came with a much less common s-arm that i used for a while before i went completely nuts disassembling and reconfiguring the turntable.

anyway, good luck.  if you're into bottlehead gear, no doubt you have at least some idea of what you'd be getting yourself into and are willing to (or will just plain enjoy) getting it to work the way you want it to.

Brent
 
If you do go the VPI HW route, think seriously about going up one step from the Jr so you can have an armboard.  Shouldn't put you over the $1K mark I think though I haven't looked recently.  It is nice to be able to upgrade the tonearm later if you want to and still be able to use the rest of the turntable.  The lack of an armboard on the Jr. is what kept me away from it as I was always planning on using a linear tracking arm on it.  Anyway, gives you more flexibility later.

By the way, my first turntable was a DD Realistic and cost $15 at a garage sale.  Worked fine.  Then I went to Thorens, then the VPI.

Also, if someone mentioned this and I didn't see it I apologize, but a cleaning system is going to be absolutely necessary to really enjoy your records.  It can be as cheap as a Gem Dandy (I build my own) or a Spin Clean or you can get a vacuum cleaning machine for $200 on up (unless you build your own).  As was indeed mentioned, this can get real expensive very quickly, but my personal experience is you have to have a record cleaning system.
 
Paully went from the Rega (unsuspended) to the Thorens TD-150 (suspended).  He moved his Rega 300 arm from one to the other.  He strongly preferred the Thorens.  I don't think it was a slight to the Rega table or arm, more a preference for the suspended sound.

But it was the begging of problems with inner groove distortion.  So he went to a Souther arm very similar to the one I have had for 20+ years.
 
Yea, it was inner groove distortion.  No matter how much I screwed with the anti-skate I couldn't get it fixed.  Aligned the cartridge, realigned it, and realigned it.  No good.  Putting the tracking weight up to something like 5g was the only thing that helped.  Not a long term solution.  I don't want to condemns all Regas.  Mine could have had a one off issue I couldn't locate.  And plenty of people have regular tonearms generally, and Regas specifically, that don't have this problem.  I couldn't get it licked.  Knowing Grainger I was familiar with his 80s Souther linear tracking tonearm and like it and I could afford it.  So I saved my pennies and bought VPI with the armboard so I could mount the Souther on it and knew IGD was not an issue with his.  At this point it is doubtful I would bother with anything else soon.  To better it would cost a lot, I love the linear tracker, and I personally wouldn't want a turntable without a nice screw down record clamp like the VPI has.
 
That's interesting Paully, I have had no trouble like that with my current arm and cartridge set up and have the tracking force set at 2.13g I could probable knock it down a fraction lower as well.

Fingers crossed switching to the new stylus which has a boron cantilever and Micro Ridge stylus, tracking should be further improved and tracking force reduce to 1.25
 
Absolutely, I don't condemn Regas or regular tonearms.  I always wondered if my anti-skate mechanism was just messed up.  Regardless, the linear tracking tonearm didn't even have a counterweight mechanism so I felt comfortable with the whole concept of align it and call it good.  So I am darn happy with my current setup.  Works for me!
 
Jamie,

I was selling audio gear when 1/4g tracking first came into being.  It has been my experience that it is tricky.  I keep my cartridge(s) set at the high end of the range.

YMMV! 

Let us know what you think.
 
Ditto on the vpi hw comments. I own an hw19 Mk iv with TNT platter parts. VPI is a great company too, family owned (I still think) based in New Jersey.

If you want to spend a few hundred less, look at the systemdek iix. I owned one before upgrading to the vpi.



 
I am firmly in the DD camp. I have a relatively high end JVC from the late 70's and it sounds incredible. I have compared it to multi thousand dollar tables that revolve through my friend's house and every time it comes out on top. Also, being automatic has its perks. Check out the Quartz Lock tables from JVC. You won't be disappointed.
 
I have the luxury of paying nothing for the table as it was my father's since it was brand new. It is a JVC QL-F6 and it sounds fantastic. After nothing more than a thorough cleaning, tuneup, 12 lbs of plasticine,  new phono cable and platter mat, and a well setup DL110, I am loving the sound this table makes. It is absolutely wonderful and the money I have saved has been spent on a step up device, a Seduction, a Quickie and now a SEX to run my Klipsch Heresies. Now, I don't pretend to know everything about this incredibly subjective hobby of ours but I love the music it is making more and more every day. I guess that is what it is all about. The reason I endorsed the JVC tables is because they are great value and the prices aren't as high as the Technics tables these days.
 
I started off with a Technics SL-Q2 - direct drive, quartz lock, semi-auto.  It worked and sounded great - and importantly I found out I don't mind the extra care and side flipping that vinyl adds.  I finally stepped up to a VPI Classic and I've got to say - I don't think I will ever have to get another turntable.  There is always something epic about plopping down a record onto 25lbs of platter.  Still - sometimes I do miss the auto arm return on the Technics!  *Sniffle*  :)
 
Yes JM, I do believe you... :)  JVC is very often overlooked as a viable choice in favor of other brands, but they DO have great engineers as well... I agree... and nice to hear your review as well.. This is what I meant as "quite a statement"..
 
Thanks Chris. I wasn't sure what you meant so I wanted to clarify. I am a DD er for life just like I am now a Bottlehead for life. I've always loved music but my discovery of vinyl and DIY tube gear in the last two years has really made it so much more fulfilling and enjoyable. I try to talk about my JVC whenever I can, just so people know there are other options out there.
 
I will certainly look at the vintage JVC turtables a bit more.

I have to say, I am very curious about Vinyl as a playback medium. If anything I can see it as a way to sit down and enjoy it more.

Like when you take the time to cook a nice meal. You take the time to clean your record and drop the needle. You dont WANT to do multiple things when you take the time to do something you enjoy. Forcing yourself basically to slow down and relax.

Just like not taking a cell phone, tablet, or laptop on vacation!
 
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