Where do I start?


I am looking to get back into vinyl. I say back because I had albums in the late 70's and 80's when I was a teen. Obviously things are different now. My processor has a phono input, but do I still need a phono pre-amp/stage or can I just hook up the table to my processor? And what about all the set up? Would a dealer set it all up as far as weight, anti-skip, etc? If I were to buy used, which I would like to do, how can I be sure I or the previous owner got it right?
I greatly appreciate any and all advice.
Thanks.
gobulls32
If your processor has a phono input, all you probably need is a functional turntable and the associated cabling / ground wire.

As far as setting the table up, you can take it into a dealer and they can cover the basic install for you. Having said that, my experience is that they'll do the bare minimum to get the arm / cartridge / table working, so don't expect wonders or pay too much for this service.

If you're in the Chicagoland area, which i'm kinda guessing at going by your moniker, try contacting Bes at Music Direct. Depending on what you want done with your table and what you need, he can typically help you out at a reasonable cost and turn-around time. Sean
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A little more information might help... How many albums do you currently have? What is your budget, for TT setup and are budgeting for more album purchases, rcfs and rc machines? What equipment do you currently have? What kind of music do you listen to? Be aware you are opening a big can of worms here!
Make sure that your processer's "phono" input is a real phono input and not just a line input labeled phono. If it really is phono it's almost certainly a moving magnet input so make sure whatever table you get that the cartridge is MM, or if it's MC get either a step up or just a seperate MC phono stage. Happy listening!