Trying a turntable-it sounds crappy, what's up??

Hey guys Thanks for the input.

Twl- no worries: I am just trying to learn here.

I am in a bit over my head. Have spent all of my time on my digital front end on my stereo setup and on my pro audio/digital workstation guitar recording setup.

I guess a couple questions right now:

1) Is it worth putting a different cartridge on this Technics just for fun (<100$).

2) How much does it really cost to get into a decent TT/cartridge setup that introduces one to decent LP playback? Maybe I can do a search on this question?
I was hoping something like 4-500$......

I tried a couple other LP's last night and some of them sounded OK. Still a bit dark and slightly lean sound, and not a great soundstage, but some of the LP's had their moments of midrange warmth that is hard to get on a digital front end.

In my opinion, it takes about $2000 for turntable, cartridge, and phono stage combined for a minimum dollar investment to get decent sound. You may find something used for less though? One can certainly spend much more for sure and get much better sound. But much less than $2k investment and I think you are kidding yourself.

Just my two cents. I used to have a Dual years ago and some of the other cheaper tables, and they are cheap sounding. No way around it.

R.

Red2-
Ouch! That is a big investment:)

I was hoping it would be like digital front ends- there are some pretty decent sounding 4-500$ used CD players out there. Yes, to get higher end sound you typically need to spend well over a grand in a one box or transport/DAC, but the used $4-500 player is still not too bad.

Anything comparable to that type of paradigm in thinking?

Lkdog,
Some answers for your questions.

1) Sure it can be a fun thing to put a new cartridge on your existing turntable, and it will get you by for the short term, while you look for your upgrade path. Nothing wrong with that at all.

2)I think you could get into a decent level of analog playback for around $1k, if you look around and get some good buys on used equipment. For new equipment, it probably will take close to $2k, by the time you get a new phono section/TT/arm/cartridge/cables/etc. There are some good new turntables coming into the affordable range now, from a variety of quality manufacturers, and the $1k TT market is becoming quite competitive. I'm sure you could find something satisfactory in that range now. Maybe a little more for a better tonearm/cartridge wouldn't hurt any.

As you go up the performance ladder, the advantages of analog become more and more apparent. Many users on this forum even feel that a Rega Planar 3 with a basic Goldring cartridge exceeds their more expensive digital players. But I'd consider the Planar 3 to be the bottom rung of the audiophile analog ladder, in real terms. Anything up from there would be better. If you could go up to $2k or more, then you are really getting into what analog can do. Beware, it is addicting.

What you are hearing now is only the tip of the iceberg. You have a mass-market TT, and it can only give you a glimmer of what is there.

Twl -
Thanks for the info. I guess you are a right; to put it in perspective I have well over $1000 in my digital front end (I bought the CAry used and it was $1500 new). Once you add cables and power cords, and various tweaks it really adds up.
Even with all of that I have an entry level audiophile front end.
I appreciate your input.
Was kind of hoping I could get something fairly decent for 5 bills, but maybe that is not realistic.