Im looking for a turntable and phono preamp to go with my Adcom gear that wont break the bank. Aside from the turntable and phono pre, Id like to get a good cartridge to go along with it as well. Can somebody point me in the right direction? Im completely clueless when it comes to turntables. My budget for everything would be somewhere between $200 and $300.

Please don't shoot, Bob. :D

There are inexpensive new preamps (Phonopreamps.com possibly), and inexpensive new decent cartridges, but as for the turntable it would have to be used. For the tt maybe look at thrift shops, yard sales, and craigslist for turntables and then run it by us first before buying. Ebay is a problem because tts are so difficult to pack and ship successfully. Many sellers don't have a clue. For the cartridge, hold off until you have the tt first. It might come with a cartridge, and although you'll probably have to replace the needle, often the carts are good vintage ones that are no longer available new.

Here is a phono pre from a thread i posted about plus a review.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=191109

Don't under-budget the cartridge, if you decide you need a new one......It's awfully difficult to replace vinyl's in this day and age, as well as expensive.

Take a look at the Denon DL-160 cartridge.

Not sure how much they are in the US but a DL-160, while a fantastic cart (I just bought one and love it) would kinda break the bank budget wise. Should be able to get a Audio Technica AT 95e, considered by many to be the best value cart on the market around at around $50. Ortofons OM 5E is also quite good at that price point

How far are you from Reed City, Pioneer PL-1000 $200, CL, central Mich, "High End Stereo..."

Reed City is on the Northwest side of Michigan, Im in the Southeast near Detroit. Ive been looking at the Denon carts...namely the DL-110. Ive heard its a pretty musical and involving cart, something I feel i could enjoy. As far as carts go, are they pretty universal, or their different types depending on which TT I get? For the preamp, I was looking at the Rolls VP29, Parts Express has it for $50. Does anybody have experience with that particular one?

If you looked at my link about the AT phono pre it can be had around the price of that Rolls.
If your looking to get a Moving Coil then I would opt for the Cambridge 640P It has many satisfied buyers.

The Audio Technica PL120 sells for about $300 (Needle Doctor) and includes a cartridge and built-in phono preamp. It got a favorable review in the online magazine Tone Audio, and the publisher of that magazine has said in recent posts that it continues to be his budget turntable of choice. Over time, improvements can be made by getting an outboard phono preamp and a different cartridge, but it is possible to get started with a complete, new package within your budget. It also plays 78's, which can be great fun to collect and play, and so would make a good long-term keeper even if you eventually upgraded to a better turntable.

I recently got a Grado Green cartridge: great, warm sound for well under $100. As mentioned above, used record players aren't hard to come by, just do some hunting and research and you'll find a good one soon enough!

I'm also using older Adcom gear (though my GTP500 has a phono stage), records sound great though it - which power amp have you got?

Craigslist for the TT. Avoid ebay unless your uncle moneybags...though that being said deals can occasionally be had, but I have watched prices skyrocket over just the last year.

The Audio Technica PL120 sells for about $300 (Needle Doctor) and includes a cartridge and built-in phono preamp. It got a favorable review in the online magazine Tone Audio, and the publisher of that magazine has said in recent posts that it continues to be his budget turntable of choice. Over time, improvements can be made by getting an outboard phono preamp and a different cartridge, but it is possible to get started with a complete, new package within your budget. It also plays 78's, which can be great fun to collect and play, and so would make a good long-term keeper even if you eventually upgraded to a better turntable.

Seen these for under $200 shipped on fleabay, should be fine as it's factory packed NIB. Just add insurance to be safe. If it were me I'd not use the built-in preamp and get a better cart. Still could come in for less than $300.

I recently got a Grado Green cartridge: great, warm sound for well under $100. As mentioned above, used record players aren't hard to come by, just do some hunting and research and you'll find a good one soon enough!

I'm also using older Adcom gear (though my GTP500 has a phono stage), records sound great though it - which power amp have you got?

Im running the GFA-535II right now, and love it. Its very musical and detailed, great soundstage too. I think a decent vinyl source will let me enjoy it even more.

Ive tried, and have never been able to get any vinyl sounding good with a solid state amp. Or at least the ones I have tried.

Take a look at audiogon.com

That SL-1200 w/KAB mods on the audiogon looks nice. Seller has original box.

That SL-1200 w/KAB mods on the audiogon looks nice. Seller has original box.


If you can get deal on one of those, snap it up. (I sure would have if I'd have had the opportunity). I paid retail for my 1200 w/ KAB mods and still feel like I got a bargain. I don't need a turntable that sounds better than this--I really don't. It's simply beautiful to my ears.

Ebay is a problem because tts are so difficult to pack and ship successfully. Many sellers don't have a clue.

Every time I see that, I wonder what your postal staff do with things in America. Here in Australia, I've bought stacks of turntables on Ebay (and other online auction sites), and never had any of them arrive damaged. I do sometimes instruct sellers how to package them up if their feedback indicates that they haven't sold and shipped turntables before, but that's all I have to do. Almost all of them have been shipped by Australia Post, and the only one I haven't received was shipped by a freight company, who lost it somewhere between Perth (West Australia) and Melbourne (South East Australia) - luckily the insurance paid for it! It must have fallen off the back of the truck!:D

-Don

As someone who's owned a fair number of turntables, both belt drive, and direct drive, get a belter in that price range. Pick up something used, replace the belt if needed, and get a new cartridge. The infinite continuity of sound inherent in analog beats the pants off of fragmented and subsequently reconstructed digital. Think about it........

Every time I see that, I wonder what your postal staff do with things in America. Here in Australia, I've bought stacks of turntables on Ebay (and other online auction sites), and never had any of them arrive damaged. I do sometimes instruct sellers how to package them up if their feedback indicates that they haven't sold and shipped turntables before, but that's all I have to do. Almost all of them have been shipped by Australia Post, and the only one I haven't received was shipped by a freight company, who lost it somewhere between Perth (West Australia) and Melbourne (South East Australia) - luckily the insurance paid for it! It must have fallen off the back of the truck!:D

-Don
Don, it's not the shippers. All I can say is that you've had better luck with sellers than most of us. I instructed every seller and kept it simple to just four things--remove platter, remove counterweight, secure tonearm, use plenty of cushioning. One seller forgot to remove the counterweight and it did a number on the plinth and broke the arm rest. One guy forgot to remove the platter and it scratched up the dust cover--that it didn't destroy the arm was a miracle. I asked another guy to please use bubble wrap with the large bubbles. He balked because it was more expensive. He used the thin stuff and the dust cover arrived shattered. They're in a hurry, they're cheap (and offering to pay more doesn't help) they aren't focused, and most of all, they don't care. It's not all of them, but it's a crap shoot.

Don, it's not the shippers.

That sounds like it is the original shippers - before it even gets to a post office!:D Yes, I suppose it depends on who you're buying off.

-Don

Every time I see that, I wonder what your postal staff do with things in America. Here in Australia, I've bought stacks of turntables on Ebay (and other online auction sites), and never had any of them arrive damaged. I do sometimes instruct sellers how to package them up if their feedback indicates that they haven't sold and shipped turntables before, but that's all I have to do. Almost all of them have been shipped by Australia Post, and the only one I haven't received was shipped by a freight company, who lost it somewhere between Perth (West Australia) and Melbourne (South East Australia) - luckily the insurance paid for it! It must have fallen off the back of the truck!:D

-Don
Because here in america you have more jerks who sell crap on ebay and don't give a rat's you know what once they get your money. Plus they will most likely blame the shipper. Also what little brain matter they do have couldn't light a 2 watt light bulb. Bottom line is either they just don't care or don't want to take the time to pack it rite.

Because here in america you have more jerks who sell crap on ebay and don't give a rat's you know what once they get your money. Plus they will most likely blame the shipper. Also what little brain matter they do have couldn't light a 2 watt light bulb. Bottom line is either they just don't care or don't want to take the time to pack it rite.

That's why perhaps it pays in the long run to buy from a seller who specializes in turntables.

I bought my Dual 1219 from a seller who basically just sells Duals, and I couldn't be happier going on 2 years now. I'm pretty sure other makes have sellers that deal mainly with them as well, so choose what you like then find a quality seller.

I'm sure I could have gotten one cheaper by looking locally, ie CL but besides getting quality, tested packaging of the table, it also was serviced to be working as it should.

Like you I really knew nothing about turntable mechanics so I didn't want to get one that needed more from me then to plug it in and connect the audio cables.