How to buy a vintage turntable

[kuruvilajacob]

A totally unscientific method to test stylus - lightly (and I mean lightly) brush the tip of the stylus on the skin of the back of your palm, or your cheek. See to it that the tip still has prick.

PS: this doesn't work for cartridges with really tiny tip.

The seller may not allow you to do this check fearing you may break or damage the stylus

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

You might too!

This I learnt long, long ago about cleaning stlyli: always front to back, and never side to side. I guess the same thing applies.

Another objection to skin/stylus contact is that skin is always greasy, even if it doesn't seem to be.

 

[reubensm]

Today's tip:

A quick check on the tonearm: Place a record on the platter, lift the arm off the arm rest, move it gentle up and down (you should have free movement here also move it side ways so as to reach almost the starting point of the label, again the movement must be smooth. Check the tonearm for wobble. It should not wobble on its pivot. A wobbling tonearm is a straight discard. Assume you would have got the model number of the turntable from the seller and run a google check on how the TT looks. Examine if the tonearm has all its original parts.

Of course, there are many more checks that you can run in details but this is the basic one. Ensure that the turntable is not switched on when you run the movement test. For semi automatics and automatics, a turning platter will engage the auto-mechanism

 

[aks07]

Today's tip:

If a seller offers you a turntable with an expensive cartridge (magnetic) but without stylus. Don't pay extra for the cartridge. Pay extra for the cartridge only if it comes together with a good or new stylus. A cartridge without a stylus or with a damaged stylus is worthless. A new replacement stylus costs almost as much as the cart itself.

This is a very important piece of advice and often overlooked in the flush of things. A replacement stylus may cost Rs 5,000 or more (landed in India) and this should be factored into the final cost.

A similar case is with Belts too.

 

[omishra]

You might too!

This I learnt long, long ago about cleaning stlyli: always front to back, and never side to side. I guess the same thing applies.

Another objection to skin/stylus contact is that skin is always greasy, even if it doesn't seem to be.

Small correction Thad, direction of cleaning no front to back -> back to front(towards tip)

 

[reubensm]

Today's tip:

Check the platter for wobble. The platter should turn freely on its pivot which is the bearing assembly but should not wobble sideways. If it does then the bearing assembly is gone. A turntable should never be transported with its platter in place. This will almost surely ruin the bearing assembly. (note: if the turntable has a breaking mechanism, the platter may not turn freely. in such circumstances, don't try to force it to turn)

 

[reubensm]

from my childhood, I recall a very respectable seller/repairer in Trivandrum telling my father - a turntable novice is the easiest to fool, but it the most difficult to satisfy

 

[kuruvilajacob]

from my childhood, I recall a very respectable seller/repairer in Trivandrum telling my father - a turntable novice is the easiest to fool, but it the most difficult to satisfy

Reuben,
You are right Reuben. It is very difficult sometimes to satisfy a turntable novice. May be their expectation far exceeds the ground reality.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Small correction Thad, direction of cleaning no front to back -> back to front(towards tip)

I can see the point (hah, no pun intended) in that, but most of the fluff and dust that comes from playing records necessarily accumulates at the back of stylus. Back in the old days, this was often removed with a thumb (and often done without turning down the volume too).

 

[Record Player]

A great tip I read quite sometime back which really makes a lot of sense.

Price Range As with most things in life you get what you pay for. However, the great thing about vinyl is that it can be experienced with abundant pleasure even with a very basic setup. You have to start somewhere and many audiophiles and sound enthusiasts with systems in the tens of thousands of dollars look back fondly at their initial turntable/stereo setups as the birthplace of a lifelong passion.

 

[reubensm]

today's tip:

Never underestimate the need for a good turntable mat. A good mat is key for a good sounding turntable. Some older models like Garrards have the mat glued to the platter, some of the newer models have removable mats. Whatever be the case, a decent turntable mat can cost upwards of $50 online so ensure that you get a decent mat with your turntable purchase.

 

[reubensm]

A great tip I read quite sometime back which really makes a lot of sense.

Price Range As with most things in life you get what you pay for. However, the great thing about vinyl is that it can be experienced with abundant pleasure even with a very basic setup. You have to start somewhere and many audiophiles and sound enthusiasts with systems in the tens of thousands of dollars look back fondly at their initial turntable/stereo setups as the birthplace of a lifelong passion.

how true, this is what i remember from when I could recognize things around me (and still remember fondly)

 

[Saket]

how true, this is what i remember from when I could recognize things around me (and still remember fondly)

That is the HMV Calypso! Suitcase styled HMV!

 

[reubensm]

That is the HMV Calypso! Suitcase styled HMV!

yes, indeed, the older model with a metal arm, my father's first record player. There was a later model with a black plastic arm which was available right up to the early 1980s

 

[reubensm]

Today's Tip:

Examine the cosmetics carefully, worn paint near controls and near the tonearm area indicates murderous use, worn paint overall suggests that the table was probabaly in un-protected storage for a long period. Look out for original labels and branding. If this is missing, there is a possibility that the cabinet may have been replaced or rebuilt (especially if the turntable sits in a wooden plinth). Check for signs of paint spillage, this would indicate a re-painting job. One may argue - how does it matter if the cabinet is repainted or repaired - well, when you invest in audio equipment, always keep an eye on the return on investment potential and re sale value. Not that this is required for you to make money but at a later stage, if you chose to upgrade, you can recover decently on your investment. Also a good looking piece of equipment always adds to the beauty of your rack.

 

[reubensm]

In relation to the cosmetics, never ignore the feet of the turntable. Some basic models have molded or plastic feet (some even have regular bushes screwed to the wooden plinth). However if you turntable model has rubberized or adjustable feet, ensure that they are in good order. Un-healthy feet can cause your turntable to wobble. You will also find it hard to keep your turntable as flat as possible, leading to tracking problems. Replacements are either expensive or hard to find so you have to be open to alternatives. Changing rubber feet to solid ones can result in less dampening and more feedback, if your turntable is placed near the speakers.

 

[Saket]

In relation to the cosmetics, never ignore the feet of the turntable. Changing rubber feet to solid ones can result in less dampening and more feedback, if your turntable is placed near the speakers.

Very true. Many Technics TTs have spring dampened feet which help reducing the feedback from speakers while other turntables have have their own technique like rubber or some other dampening tool. I can vouch for them that they are very effective in cancelling those unwanted feedback which can be really awful to listen and tough to eliminate otherwise.

 

[greenhorn]

today's tip:

Never underestimate the need for a good turntable mat. A good mat is key for a good sounding turntable. Some older models like Garrards have the mat glued to the platter, some of the newer models have removable mats. Whatever be the case, a decent turntable mat can cost upwards of $50 online so ensure that you get a decent mat with your turntable purchase.

How do felt mats compare to rubber mats? I understand that DJ's prefer them, but will they reduce the sound quality a lot? I got a felt mat along with my sl1210.

 

[jls001]

How do felt mats compare to rubber mats? I understand that DJ's prefer them, but will they reduce the sound quality a lot? I got a felt mat along with my sl1210.

Soft rubber mats will provide damping. Hard rubber mats that comes with most turntables will give a fairly rigid support for the record to rest on, while providing some quantum of damping. Felt will provide a damping midway between the two types of rubber. Acrylic mat will liven up things quite a bit and will provide almost zero damping.

So usage should depend on what you want to achieve. If your setup sounds too lively, soft rubber or soft felt will help tame some of that extra energy. If your setup needs some injection of liveliness and openness, try acrylic or copper.

Caveat: some types of mats like acrylic will have less friction with the underlying platter and you may end up losing some of the torque/drive due to the slippage. Rubber mats and felt mats fare well in that department. Personally I enjoyed acrylic but stopped using it due to lack of friction. I thought of using double-sided sticky tape to glue it to the platter but the tape itself will dampen the interface. Need to find a nice solution.

 

[reubensm]

How do felt mats compare to rubber mats? I understand that DJ's prefer them, but will they reduce the sound quality a lot? I got a felt mat along with my sl1210.

I have never used a felt mat and personally prefer rubber mats anyways. I was somehow brought up to believe (old school) that felt tended to attract dust. I have seen this happening on old Garrard RC series changers as some of these had felt mats glued to the platter.