Clueless Analog Newbie, Looking to Buy

If you are serious about this, as others on this thread have said, you probably want to save up around $2k to make this a good experience from you. Even then, if you don't have someone there helping setup the table, etc, it is likely to be an exercise in frustration, as making turntables sound as good as CDs is not easy to do with all of the setup variables involved.

But - if you want to just jump in, buy the Audio Technica table and cartridge that has been recommended. Take the table and the cartridge to a reputable hifi dealer who can properly set it up, and pay them to do it.

You'll be in for about $400 at this point, and you'll need to buy some records to of course. You'll need to find a phono stage as well. This would be a good time to decide if you want to take things seriously, or if it was just a fun experiment, or maybe nothing will go right, and you will hate everything about how high maintainence analog playback is. Either way, that would be a good place to start.

The Audio-Technica turntable makes things even easier because it has a built-in phono stage. You can just plug it right into today's line-stage-only receivers and integrated amps.

Of course you can get a better phono stage by buying separately, but the AT-PL120 can get you started without that additional complication.

I want to add one more thing: different people hear things differently. It's why some languages have five different versions of the letter "p" and English has only one, why only a very few languages have a "th" sound at all.

My point is this: some people will never be satisfied with LPs regardless of how much is spent, while others will hear a marked and preferred difference even with the humblest of turntable/cartridge setups. Digital excels at the boom and sizzle--the sharp transients, dynamic contrasts, and frequency extremes. LP playback gets expensive to achieve the very best of that, but even my $2 (garage sale) belt drive Yamaha turntable with included conical stylus P-mount cartridge gave me the magic of the music between the bits that you can't capture via redbook (or even 24/96) no matter how much you spend.

So this idea that you have to spend $2K and up to begin to sound better than CD is highly subjective; it comes down to what you hear and what you listen for. If you hear the "music between the bits" you'll hear it right away on any turntable, even if it sounds compressed with a limited frequency response.

After all, it's the iPod generation who have been bringing back vinyl. They want something meaningful and involving to listen to when they get home and take off their earbuds. Do you think most of these new pressings are being played on Rega P7s with an Exact cartridge? They're either being played on Dad's old direct drive, B.I.C., or a new $150-300 Denon or Yamaha belt drive with cast aluminum platter.

Johnnyb53-
What an excellent post.

Just wanted to update--
Got myself the Audio Techinica PL120. It took me about a half hour to setup and I spent the rest of the evening listening to records. I can't even begin to express how happy I am with it. The warmth of the vocals and acoustic guitar is so remarkable! Even dad, the once nay-sayer, had kind words to say about the table.

The counter weight seems to be the most confusing piece. As mentioned, this is my first time using a turntable and this piece seems to be the most difficult to get a hang of.

Anyway, thanks for the help! Joining the ranks of vinyl enthusiasts,
knot

Just read this thread for the first time... Congratulations on having the perserverance to take the vinyl plunge in spite of all the stuff written in this thread.

But count me as one of those people who thinks a dirty record played on a crappy turntable still sounds better than CD. Your setup should be immensely enjoyable.

Cheers, and welcome aboard!

Tom