Looking to start a vintage jazz collection,

I've been a jazz enthusiast for well over 40 years. I am sure that a lot of people out there love to hear jazz played on their P3s, but I don't think I'd be one of them. According to even their most ardent supporters, the sub $1K Regas evidently run about 1% fast. That may not sound like much, but it means A-440 is playing at 444, and I can hear that difference in pitch. More important, some of the great figures (e.g., Count Basie and Quincy Jones) in jazz had/have an uncanny ability to pick a tempo that is PERFECT for the music, and if it's sped up or slowed down by 1% it changes the mood of the song. I proved this to myself with a Basie album about 30 yrs ago on a turntable with pitch control. If I varied the speed the slightest bit, the song just wasn't the same.

Me, I'm happy with a Technics SL1210 for its dead-on speed control, very low noise, and transparent and honest midrange where saxes, vibes, and piano solos live. I think some "classical" oriented turntables (and other audio equipment) have a slightly recessed midrange to increase the illusion of depth, and that tonal balance is just not right for jazz. With the Technics, the midrange is *right there*. Not forward, but not recessed, either. It also has excellent image depth. Transparency in the midrange is really nice and the overall presentation is propulsive and rhythmic.

no offense, but now is a lousey time to start a jazz lp collection. most great jazz lp's will never be reissued on vinyl, and a few thousand mint originals can set you back a summer home.....get japanese mini lp cd's before they dry up and go through the roof......the tunes are the tunes.

Jaybo, I'm really puzzled by your response, unless are trying to discourage competition when hunting for jazz LPs.

I just came back from a used record store yesterday with two Modern Jazz Quartet albums, one for 99 cents and one for $5. In the past 5 weeks I've bought a Milt Jackson, a Wes Montgomery, 4 Quincy Jones (2 of which are 2-LP sets), two Pat Metheny's (one sealed and $3.99), a sealed Atlantic collection, a sealed Kenny Burrell at $5.99, a sealed Hank Crawford/Jimmy McGriff for $4.99, and a used Dave Grusin on Sheffield Archive in pristine condition.

Go to eBay and do a search for any jazz artist you're interested in--Bird, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, Basie, Oscar Peterson, Monk, Miles, Mingus, Buddy Rich, Scofield, you name it, and you'll get a screen or two's worth for any artist.

As for LP reissues, I think there are plenty, especially if you're willing to pay $30 a pop at http://www.elusivedisc.com. But you don't need reissues if you have a reliable way to acquire and clean used LPs, and it doesn't have to be a vacuum machine.

As for turntable choice, of course it doesn't have to be a Technics, but I do believe that for jazz the TT should have really accurate speed with low wow and flutter.