2. best-of
  3. 151098-136232

Best used turntable(s) around $1500.00 for playing metal and rock

     I am looking for opinions and advice. I Have a Carver CT-17 pre-amplifier, and (2) Carver PM 600 main amplifiers wired in mono off each channel (left and right) to capture the full 600 amps from each. I am driving (2) Klipsch chorus speakers and (1) Sunfire True architectural 8"  (claimed 1800 watt) self powered subwoofer. I am always looking to increase the headroom that accentuates "metal", as well as get the best sound. (departing from the title of this turntable discussion I will add), ... I am planning to add (2) more speakers and another powered sub. I figured sticking to Klipche and getting a larger sunfire was the direction, but always look for input and educational information.
       I presently have a Onkyo CP-1150F, and for a low end turntable, it's spec's, performance and sound are decent, but I really want to upgrade using good information to guide me, and haven't found many metal guys who are on these high-end audio conversations that are helping. I get all my metal information about audio for my home from metalheads in bands that love the headroom great equipment provides at home. Unfortunately, most of the guys I know aren't Vinyl fans, ....  but I am. Any suggestions welcomed.
willymontana
tooblue
1,889 posts
 
There was an Origin Live Calypso with a Zepher arm on here and might still be for under $1,400.00, that's a lot of bang for the buck also a VPI Scout used would be a good fit. Enjoy the music.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Regarding your speakers: I prefer vintage Altec's (Santana 1's and Stonehenge 1's) and JBL's (166's and 4312's) over any Klipsch for hard rock/metal. And I don't use subwoofers - plus I limit amp power to 100/200 wpc. Remember that ear-bleeding SPL's will only hasten deafness!
tooblue
1,889 posts
 
I would also like to add that as long as you have a good foundation( turntable ) the cartridge would be where the different styles of music would be better served. Just sayin.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
+1 Origin Live table. Simply based on how good my OL arm is. And +1 tooblue, when it comes to styles of music your best bet for that is the cartridge.

But also you mentioned speakers and subs. By far your biggest improvement there will be to add three more subs. They can be bigger or smaller, self-powered or separate-amped, all the same or all different. Relatively speaking, such details hardly matter. What does make the difference is how many. More subs distributed around the room creates more smaller bass modes and results in much smoother, faster, more articulate bass that goes way deeper and more powerful than you can get from any one single sub. Or even two. 

The only downside, if you can call it that, is that you will find a lot of your recordings don't have nearly as powerful/deep bass as you thought. What you were hearing was the lumpy bass emphasis from the single sub. With four it will be flatter, genuinely deeper, and a whole lot faster and more articulate. I know the crappy aGone search can be frustrating but look for Swarm or distributed bass array, read the comments, and see what I mean.
kommanderkurt
14 posts
 
For rock and metal, you should consider a Technics SL-1200 turntable and find a NOS Stanton 680 EL cartridge.  IMO this is THE best and certainly the most classic combo for rock and metal.
More to discover