2. analog
  3. 162801-527

Dirt cheap set-up

Short story:

Found a $10 Pioneer PL600 (black, not silver) on facebook marketplace. Discovered after I bought it that it needed a serious cleaning and new belt and cartridge. Took it apart, replaced the belt ($8.99); cleaned all contacts; slapped a Stereophile-recommended AT-VM95E MM cartridge ($49) on the arm; Feickert measured the overhang; set up the VTF and adjusted the VTA. Bam! After a thorough cleaning/detoxing and adjusting/installing, placed an  original pressing of Getz/Gilberto "Girl from Ipanema" and pressed "play".

Yes, compared to my VPI HW-19 MK4/Hana SL/Jelco 850, the sound was thin and the depth was much more 2D; more crackles and such. But for a $70 (total) turntable, it wasn't bad at all. It'll be in the family room system where my boys ( 9 and 7) can use to learn the joys of handling and listening to vinyl.
128x128simao
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,633 posts
 
Happy happy joy joy.
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,831 posts
 
@fuzztone.  Trying to detect irony. Or, at least, signs at hopefully you are not miserable with life too much
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,860 posts
 
Sound should fill out when the cartridge is run in.
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,831 posts
 
@noromance That's a good call. I'm thinking 50 to 100 hours of running, at least according to stereo file.
reubent
7,037 posts
 
@simao  - Great find! I hope you and the boys enjoy it. Have they bought any records yet? Will be interesting to see what they choose to buy as their first albums. My son is a bit older. His first 2 LPs were AJR - "The Click" when he was 15 and Neutral Milk Hotel - "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" when he was 16. His musical taste improved tremendously over the course of a year......
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