Need a TT upgrade

[tek]

Hey everyone

Just wanted to see what ppl here thought. I am a complete noob when it comes to TT's and setting them up. I live in Mumbai. I had bought a Project Genie 2 from Nova Audio over a year back. I upgraded the cart from the stock Ortofon to the 2M Red.

While I am generally happy with the sound of the TT, there's a couple of things I'm not too happy with. Firstly, (this isn't the TT's fault), I get a lot of buzzing when I plug into the Project Phono Stage. So something with a built in phono stage would be good.

My main gripe, however, is the lack of a dustcover. I live in a house not even 100 meters away from the sea, plus I have 2 dogs and a cat, so there is a lot of dust that gets attracted to my player and recs. I am constantly brushing and cleaning records, and having a dust cover is a no brainer.

The other gripe is with the lack of auto stop/return. I find this feature would be useful as sometimes I fall asleep while listening to a record, or if I step out for a minute. In the past I have some records where the needle skips over the run out groove entirely and jumps on to the label. You can imagine my horror when that happens.

Cost wise - I'd like to spend as little as possible. I've heard from many people on the boards bout successfully buying awesome TT's from chor bazaar and the like, but I don't know enough and I may get duped. I like to know that something is working 100% before buying it, and god knows what condition those needles are in!

I would be open to selling my Genie and putting a little bit more towards getting a brand new TT, or alternatively buying a very good used one cheaply and keeping both TT's.

Any suggestions? As I mentioned, I am very noobish when it comes to these things, but my requirements are simple..

oh and also... IT SHOULD SOUND FRIGGIN AWESOME!

Using a Yamaha amp and B&O speakers I inherited from my parents. They also had a great Beogram TT but it's completely dead and just whirrs aimlessly when plugged in.

All help appreciated.

 

[avidyarthy]

Catch hold of Hemantwaghe for the used Sansui TT @ 4.5k.
That has the auto-return feature on it.

 

[malvai]

why don't you look at getting the Goldnote Valore? It is one heck of TT. Lemme know and i'll hook you up with the distributor.

 

[tek]

hey bro..

how much is that one for?

Also re: sansui, won't that be a step down from the sound of the Project Genie?

 

[stevieboy]

I'd second Avidyarthy,

Hemantwaghe had two good tts for sale. Check if he still has them. Cheap and should work well. Forget 'friggin awesome' sound and 'cheap' in the same sentence

edit: just saw you want to move up from the genie, then bout 40k here or there would be a realistic budget, preferably hunting for a good second hand deal on good brands.

 

[tek]

Valore seems about 700 pounds.. doesn't look like it has a dust cover or automatic return though..

 

[malvai]

Sansui will be several steps down the the genie....

Also, bro how about upgrading the Phonostage? Maybe that'll do the trick for ya?

The Valore costs about 72k + taxes.

I have a spare phono stage, you can try it out and if you like it, you could buy it. Its a Musical surroundings phonomena. Pretty well regarded in the analogue circles. I have upgraded to the pricier Nighthawk so this one is just lying around.

 

[tek]

@stevieboy : I understand, but how would it sound in comparison to the Project Genie? Could I put my 2M red on it and will the difference be much? Don't really want to downgrade in terms of sound.. if not, then it will be perfect.

 

[malvai]

None of the turntables have auto-return, except for the Technics.

You could try the technics 1210 if that is what u really want. I believe that one can source it here in India for about 53k.

 

[G401fan]

Auto-return was a popular '70s convenience feature with the Japanese mass market models, but an absolute no-no for any TT with audiophile pretensions. This was because of the need to attach the tonearm base with a lever mechanism that was calibrated to raise and swing back the arm once it reached the label area, in the process adding mass and energy dissipation/reflection that interfered with the sensitive bearing designs of boutique tonearms that were typically used on pricier TTs. You'd be going several steps downward with auto-return. An option is to attach one of those end-of-side lift devices (made by Thorens and others in the old days) which are positioned on the top of the TT close to the tonearm pivot. Using a simple lever that swings upward once the tonearm touches it (at the label end), it ensures that the tonearm is lifted, even if the motor continues to run. Not sure if any one makes them any more, but if you scout around ebay, they do come up now and then. Pricy tho', about $100+ as they're much sought after.

Dust covers are another problem, as not many manufacters make them, because of the audiophile hoo-ha about the sound quality being affected with the cover down, which I personally think is a load of crock. No matter, even if you do buy a new player that comes without one, you can always get some local acrylic shop to make one that sits perfectly on top, even if you have to have it without hinges. In India, such things, thankfully are cheap. After-market acrylic dust covers, in the UK, cost upwards of 100 pounds.

 

[square_wave]

Please look at all this from a system perspective.

Generally from the information I have got from folks who have decades of experience with TTs, you have to spend at least 2.5 times the same amount you spend on a cd player to gain similar quality. More if you want superior analogue sound. Otherwise you will end up with a romantic analogue Toy to play with. It is fun but from a sound quality perspective not a wise investment. A good friend of mine realized this last weekend when he picked up a denon TT for 11k from the Pro fx showroom. His Marantz cd player sounds far superior. Now he is looking for an upgrade.

Now you may also want to look at your Yamaha amp if you want to invest in a hi-end player. Can it do justice to a 60k plus player ? I do not know much about the BO speaker. So cannot comment.

Look at all this in a holistic manner and take a wise decision.

 

[hemantwaghe]

Please look at all this from a system perspective.

Generally from the information I have got from folks who have decades of experience with TTs, you have to spend at least 2.5 times the same amount you spend on a cd player to gain similar quality. More if you want superior analogue sound. Otherwise you will end up with a romantic analogue Toy to play with. It is fun but from a sound quality perspective not a wise investment. A good friend of mine realized this last weekend when he picked up a denon TT for 11k from the Pro fx showroom. His Marantz cd player sounds far superior. Now he is looking for an upgrade.

Now you may also want to look at your Yamaha amp if you want to invest in a hi-end player. Can it do justice to a 60k plus player ? I do not know much about the BO speaker. So cannot comment.

Look at all this in a holistic manner and take a wise decision.

right said as first a weak link needs to be established

 

[mksharan]

Sansui will be several steps down the the genie....

Also, bro how about upgrading the Phonostage? Maybe that'll do the trick for ya?

The Valore costs about 72k + taxes.

I have a spare phono stage, you can try it out and if you like it, you could buy it. Its a Musical surroundings phonomena. Pretty well regarded in the analogue circles. I have upgraded to the pricier Nighthawk so this one is just lying around.

Please give us your impression about the Nigthawk.

 

[malvai]

Please give us your impression about the Nigthawk.

I surely will write out a detailed review in the next few weeks... I am kinda caught up with work between Mumbai (home) and Delhi for the next 10 days. But, surely, by the next weekend i would be free! Hang tight till then!

 

[stevieboy]

@stevieboy : I understand, but how would it sound in comparison to the Project Genie? Could I put my 2M red on it and will the difference be much? Don't really want to downgrade in terms of sound.. if not, then it will be perfect.

Hi tek,

If you're referring to hemant's tt's, forget em. Would be many steps down. The price point I mentioned earlier would roughly be it.

regards

 

[anilva]

None of the turntables have auto-return, except for the Technics.

You could try the technics 1210 if that is what u really want. I believe that one can source it here in India for about 53k.

Technics SL-1210 is not an automatic and does not have a auto-cue or auto-return.

 

[malvai]

Technics SL-1210 is not an automatic and does not have a auto-cue or auto-return.

Oh! My bad... I thought that since the SL 1200 was an automatic, this one would be too!