Need help in choosing a LP player
- Thread starter rajnair74
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audiofreakss
Active Member
i have an rega rp1 for sale . pm me if u r interested
Mayank Shah
Well-Known Member
@rajnair74 , the Rega Planar 1 (RP1) for sale above is a fantastic way to start your TT journey.
Before buying the marantz, I suggest you also check the denon DP 29f which to my untrained eye looks almost the same as the marantz and its available at approximately half the price. we often get good deals at some of the online AV stores on Amazon have seen it available as low as 12000 rupees and you should definitely get it within fourteen thousand rupees. prior to buying other morang sorted in you should check if the cartridges can be changed and if having interchangeable cartridges is a big deal for you you may need to check if this feature is available, although I think the denon sounds good anyway and it's a really great price if you can get it for 12k. Another option is to see if you can get any of the less expensive direct drive tts like a stanton t92 or a numark ntx1000. A stanton t92 for 17000 is a good deal according to me. Amazon used to occasionally of these kind of deals on turntables however I haven't seen them for a very long time now. both the numark and the stanton are way better than the overhyped entry level offerings from companies like rega or project. keep in mind that the newmark will come without a cartridge and you have to buy 1 separately while the stanton will come with the cartridge. Finally please ignore any advice to buy a used turntable and make sure you buy a brand new deck so that you don't inherit other people's problems (unless the used deck is available at a very low price like a quarter of the price of a new one)
Sushant Sharma
Well-Known Member
Both the marantz and the Denon tables mentioned look very ordinary to me though I must admit I have never heard or used them. I am no expert but I would definitely look at an older turntable whether belt drive, direct drive or idler etc and not be averse to it. To me they seem more value for money. Good luck and I hope you buy something nice and to your liking.
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Hi Raj,
Would recommend something from ProJect. They have a reputation for a reason. Good build, good tonearms. Their expertise building higher end tables trickles down to the entry level models both for the TT itself as well as the tonearm. I don't know the current prices but I think some models would be available within your budget. You'd do well to avoid the Denon and Marantz. If your budget was half then yeah they'd be ok, but you've got more to spend and it can buy you better performance. If you were in the same city as the Rega owner that would be worth a listen for sure. There's very little that can go wrong with a TT. A spin for an hour or two should let you see if there's any motor issues or weird noises. My first one was a second hand Project RPM 9 which allowed me to get a far higher performing table than a new one for the same price.
All the best choosing!
Regards
Would recommend something from ProJect. They have a reputation for a reason. Good build, good tonearms. Their expertise building higher end tables trickles down to the entry level models both for the TT itself as well as the tonearm. I don't know the current prices but I think some models would be available within your budget. You'd do well to avoid the Denon and Marantz. If your budget was half then yeah they'd be ok, but you've got more to spend and it can buy you better performance. If you were in the same city as the Rega owner that would be worth a listen for sure. There's very little that can go wrong with a TT. A spin for an hour or two should let you see if there's any motor issues or weird noises. My first one was a second hand Project RPM 9 which allowed me to get a far higher performing table than a new one for the same price.
All the best choosing!
Regards
sreejithsreedharan
Active Member
Hi Raj,
Before you jump into conclusions please reach out to experts like @reubensm or @kuruvilajacob . They will be able to guide you.
I don’t think Denon or Marantz you have quoted are best value. Please wait for expert opinion.
Thanks,
Sreejith
reubensm
Well-Known Member
Thanks for mentioning me, i am more of a vintage guy and usually dig into vintage turntables (a bit crazy at times with vintage exotics) but I can tell you for sure that its always a gamble. I go in to each adventure with the blind faith that if all the parts are original and in place (or in the bag), I can get a vintage turntable to sing. This is a risky approach as the turntable may cost 10k, and the repair job 20k, if you really want to achieve factory specs with OEM parts 
If you are cool with the mechanics (and electronics in some cases), and know how to find your way even if/after the thing works, vintage is the way to go. If you are new to the format and want to get off to a good (and safe) start, then the Projects and Regas are definitely the way to go. Avoid those plastic fully automatic turntables with p-mount carts. An investment in these will lead to you wanting to upgrade very soon anyways.
All the very best!
If you are cool with the mechanics (and electronics in some cases), and know how to find your way even if/after the thing works, vintage is the way to go. If you are new to the format and want to get off to a good (and safe) start, then the Projects and Regas are definitely the way to go. Avoid those plastic fully automatic turntables with p-mount carts. An investment in these will lead to you wanting to upgrade very soon anyways.
All the very best!
Lizard King
Well-Known Member
For some reason, turntables have a huge mark up in India. Pro-ject/ Rega are absurdly priced. If possible try to buy abroad and hand carry. I have done the same with the table and may dozens of LPs.
Somehow I didn't like any of the Pro-ject upto £500 mark. I know I am a minority.
I bought a cheaper stop gap (Denon DP400 - £350) to taste the waters. After a year upgraded with separate phone stage and cartridges (another £550
)After a happy few years I'm on the verge of spending 3 to 4 times as much and retire with it.
Turntables are tricky business. Don't pour in a lot of money initially. Vintage/ 2nd hands may require lots of upkeep. Mentioned Denon/Marantz are not so great. You may consider some Audiotechnica or Sony in £200 to £500 range. They come complete with phono stage. AT models can take cartridge upgrades very easily, not so easy for a novice with Pro-ject/ Rega.
Every day new models are coming up. Won't lose anything by waiting a few months.
Turntables
www.richersounds.com
vinyl
Active Member
Go for either Project Debu Carbon DC or Denon DP300f. Don't opt for Regas, for upgradation you will always have to stick to Rega accessories.
What existing components do you have? If your existing gear is entry level, a Rega RP1 or Project Debut (RP1 is better than Debut) or the Marantz 5005 is good enough. It is true you might need to stick with Rega accessories if you bought RP1, but once you have graduated from your existing setup, you have a lot more components to worry about for an upgrade than just a cartridge or a phono-stage for your TT.
Both @audiofreakss and @sydney have good RP1s for sale to get started with. I have seen Sydney's and it is pretty much as good as new. The TT5005 'must' be in the same bracket but it would take longer for you re-sell them as compared to a Rega/ProJect.
Thats the rest of the system especially the cartridge and Phonostage ? Also what kind of LPs do you have ie newer releases or the older ones ?
While the source is the most important , in the end its practical to match it with the rest of the chain and your budget.
Bhaskar Jyoti Talapatra
Well-Known Member
Hello
You may go for audiotechnica LP 60 which is much lower than your budget. Though an entry level player , it is a very good VFM product. You may also check some vintage TTs available. BTW what is your complete chain? And also what kind of music do you like?
Regards
Bhaskar Jyoti Talapatra
Well-Known Member
You have a good set up. But be sure whether your amplifier has inbuilt phono or not. If it has a phono input then you can hook up any TT sans phono of its own . If your TT has inbuilt phono then you can connect it to your amplifier even if it doesn't have a dedicated phono.
Regards
Regards
Offtopic, but did you upgrade your stylus to Ortofon Blue 2M ?
Bhaskar Jyoti Talapatra
Well-Known Member
Hello
Mine is a TT with out any upgradeable cart so far. Therefore there is no chance of using that ortofon Blue 2M. I have been using audiotechnica LP 60 for about four years.
Regards
sandeepmohan
Well-Known Member
You can't go wrong with the Denon DP-29F as a starter turntable. The same design can be seen as a Marantz as well as a Audio Technica. The latter now sells it with a bluetooth option for personal listening or for pairing with bluetooth speakers. The auto start up is nice for someone new to records and if you are not confident in handling the tonearm. Buy the brand that sells it for the cheapest. Its after all one and the same unit with a different name plate up front. Keep in mind that there is no option to improve or upgrade this turntable.
you will need a TT + Phono and ideally, for your budget with one built in so do take care of that .
eg -https://hifimart.com/product/marantz-tt5005-turntable-with-built-in-phono-equalizer/
I am not sure if this is the best option so just showing one option...
Buy from India's official online dealer!
