Turntable/Vinyl/2-channel Stereo/Vintage thread

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Turntable/Vinyl/2-channel Stereo/Vintage thread

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Hey there, I'm somewhat of a newbie at vinyl and vintage stereo equipment. Until recently I owned an old Kenwood KD-5077 belt driven turn table. It had horrible buzzing problems despite being grounded and the left channel would cut in and out all the time, making listening annoying.

Today however after dropping some junk off at good will I wandered in and found a Technics Direct Drive SL-QD3 for $30. It powered up and spun, so we took it home and tested it out.

It's a pretty decent beginner turntable. It came with an Audio Technica AT402EP cartridge. I'm not quite sure if I want to replace it yet. If I did, I'm not sure with what. It uses a P-mount cart system. I'm looking for something in the $30-$50 range to start off with.

As for amps, I'm still looking for a cheap vintage one. At good will I noticed a Pioneer SX-XXXX receiver and fiddled with it for a bit. The volume crackled and the input selector nob would cause more crackling and something a channel would drop out. At $20 I would have grabbed it and tried to fix it, but they wanted $50 and I couldn't justify that to myself. If any of you can justify it for me I might just go and grab it.

# ¿ Apr 8, 2009 02:11

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:24

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Helvetica Sucks posted:

Although it's hard to say from your description, a crackling volume control is simply the result of it being dirty. This happens with many old amplifiers and is relatively easy to fix. You can just unscrew the top panel of the amplifier and spray something like Caig Deoxit Faderlube into each potentiometer that crackles (like balance, bass, treble, etc). This explains it pretty well: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-13956.html (MCL is now called Faderlube, fyi) There should be a hole in each potentiometer that you can spray the stuff into. I would use only as much as you need.

It's up to you, though. It sounds like this is an easy fix, but YMMV.

I might consider it. Good Will doesn't let me hook up speakers to test stuff and I'm slightly afraid that at $50 and no return I'll get it home to discover the speaker output sucks.

I found out the model number too. It's a Pioneer SX-5560.

# ¿ Apr 8, 2009 04:36

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Impatient as I am, I wasn't satisfied with what I was finding at my local thrift shots when it came to vintage receivers. So I started scouring ebay and found a guy who was selling a Pioneer SX-525. What attracted me to his ad was that he stated he had recently cleaned all the pots and the multitude of photos. $40 later and today I find it at my doorstep.

My god, what a world of difference this makes compared to the crappy AV Receiver I was using. I am hearing things I never used to hear before. The best part is that the AV Receiver I was using cost something like $350 new when we got it many years ago.

Also good is that this receiver is breathing new life into this crappy bookshelf speakers I was using. They still don't sound the best and I do want to replace them, but I can safely delay that for now.

I'm also planing on sticking a Grado Green Prestige Series cart in when I replace the speakers.

# ¿ Apr 15, 2009 05:08

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

I hate LP storage boxes because they're not conductive to showing off your collection. Properly spaced bookshelves remain my favorite method of storage.

# ¿ Jun 19, 2009 06:40

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

I was on a bit of a vintage audio lull for a while, having a system that sounded decent and no real desire (Or money) to upgrade. That recently changed when I had to give my PC speakers to my boyfriend and hook up my computer to my SX-525 and Bic speakers. Once I had those speakers in front of me (As opposed to across the room) I realized how lovely they were and immediately began the hunt for new ones.

While my local good will sometimes has decent speakers, for the past few months they haven't had much to write home about. The speakers were either A)Over Priced for what they were or B)Needed serious work to get moving. Usually it was a combination of both which kept me away.

Desperate to get something that sounded nice I decided to head to Hawthorne Stereo here in Seattle. I chose Hawthorne because they have a huge selection of vintage gear that they test and refurbish and also provide warranties for. While I might have paid way more this way then waiting for a good deal at good will, I also knew I would be walking out with something good.

After a bit of searching, the manager pointed out a set of B&W DM110s to me and asked me if I wanted a listen. One song later and I was sold on the set.

These guys sound amazing. The bass is loud and present, but not over powering.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2009 01:35

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Watermelon City posted:

I picked up a Sanyo DCX3000K receiver today from Goodwill. It sounds good except for some background hiss. Any ideas on how to reduce the hiss?

Do all inputs have a hiss? It might be your component itself.

# ¿ Oct 5, 2009 05:26

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

I found an 80 lb box sitting on the top of my steps today.

For those that don't know, this is the Concept 16.5 receiver. Made in the late 70s with a run of somewhere between 1200-2500, this is probably one of the best solid state receivers built by man. 165 watts per channel, dual mono. Each channel has it's own power transformer, creating the best stereo image outside of running two separate amps.

This fucker is LOUD and sounds absolutely amazing. If you ever find one, you should get it.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2009 20:27

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

^$100 is a bit steep, but if it's in good condition it's a fine player.

Look what was on my doorstep when I got home from work.

Pro-Ject Debut III with Ortofon 2M Red. I am in love.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2009 01:30

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Not an Anthem posted:

About the GEM cleaner, what part of the PVC pipe + screws and wingnuts is worth the 150$+S&H?

The craftsmanship

# ¿ Dec 1, 2009 04:44

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Animale posted:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/1491831942.html Is this a good value? I'm tempted but I'm not all that knowledgeable on older items.

If you're not a collector this will be absolutely worthless.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2009 03:15

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Just Deoxit it. It solves 95% of all problems with old equipment.

# ¿ Jan 8, 2010 02:53

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

stizu posted:

Those are not rca plug caps, the are push button wire retainer thingies. Basically, you push the button down and put the wire through the exposed hole, release the button and the wire is held in place. I have a slightly newer pair of pioneers that have the same grill but more features (go go useless triamp ability!). If they are anything like mine, they are pretty decent. On the other hand, they are 175, I paid 20 for mine. If you are patient and look around thrift stores that are not in major metropolitan areas, you will find some steals.

Since you are in portland, have you tried the red white and blue at 19239 SE McLoughlin Blvd? There is also a decent goodwill nearby in OC where I got my speakers. I also got nice pair of vintage pioneer headphones as well from the GW. I have spotted some good stuff that I passed up, there was another pair of pioneer speakers like mine at rwb for about thirty dollars, I saw a harmon and kardon dual mono receiver at GW for 20, then found another dual mono HK of slightly lower stature at RWB for like $30. I don't know about GW, but RWB is pretty good about testing their stuff too, they will even put a sticker on the item if it is missing something, something doesn't work on it or just that they haven't tested it.

It is also interesting to note that those pioneers have a 1/4" input as well. It is possible to find an amp, probably not a receiver, in a thrift store that has 1/4" speaker outs, but unlikely. The thing about going to a thrift store to get good deals on old stereo equipment is to research what equipment was any good in the first place and sometimes at what point did a company turn to poo poo and stop making worthwhile products (see: altec lansing)

One small drawback with this vintage by way of thrift store is that you sometimes have to deal with gear horders or people who just want to flip it on ebay. When I was looking at the HK at GW, there was a dude breathing down my neck while he was checking his blackberry for the price of it on ebay I assume. After I was done, he did a cursory look at the thing and ran off to the register. I felt kind of bad for some reason, even though my buying it wouldn't have made things much better.

On final tip for thrift stores, always grab a cart first thing. I have been lucky so far, but I have heard many stories of people spotting awesome/heavy stuff and going to get a cart only to see it grabbed by someone else. Another side tip is to check out audio karma, somewhere on there is a thread about portland craigslist deals and there is also a thread or two about thrift store finds that have interesting info as well.

The true secret of any major area good will is that the really good audio equipment never, ever makes it to the floor. Every good will in my area has a guy or two whom everything is set aside for so he can pick through it, and the leftovers are then put on the floor.

# ¿ Jan 9, 2010 16:47

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

iamthejeff posted:

I picked up a $5 turntable from a kijiji ad last summer. It's a JVC QL-A5. Nothing spectacular, but better than nothing. It's been sitting in my closet until a few weeks ago when I finally broke down and bought a new cartridge/stylus and a preamp for it. I went with an AT110E cartridge and an ATPEQ3 preamp. Did I do good?

Turns out something was wrong with the gears inside the turntable, and all its automatic functionality was not working. I removed a single spring and adjusted some levers inside so that as long as it was plugged in, the platter spins and I can manually place the arm onto the record surface. The quartz lock works spot-on, and it sounds very nice. I need better speakers, though. I am currently using a set of 5.1 logitech's. Shameful, I know.

My one gripe is that it skips very very easily if I walk by the table it sits on. I have hardwood floors, so a lot of vibration travels up into it, I guess.

e: looking at the vintage receivers in this thread makes me want one very badly. The problem is my living room setup doesn't really allow for any more electronics what with video game consoles, dvd players, satellite receivers and the such.

If it's skipping so easy it probably means the counterweight isn't adjusted properly.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2010 02:03

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Chumpion posted:

Stole a full turntable/amp/speaker set from my girlfriend's dad today, saved me a good investment as now I can upgrade it slowly bit by bit. Have no idea how to gauge if it's any good, it sounds pretty loving sexy though. I really do like the sound of vinyl and I can't explain why, it just feels nicer, maybe it's psychosematic mind.

Whatever, either way anyone got any idea where would be the best place to start upgrading such a piece of kit. I've been gifted with the option of now not having to go full whack and buy everything all at once, but now face the dilemma of where to specifically start.

Giving us no information on what you got will give us no idea on what to suggest for upgrades.

# ¿ Apr 4, 2010 23:22

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Despite what people claim, soundcards built in on motherboards are quite horrible and are very susceptible to receive interference due to being unshielded. A good soundcard will usually fix that problem.

# ¿ May 18, 2010 02:34

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Look up white van scam and get those off your system before they catch on fire.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 01:58

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

White van speakers tend to be poorly wired and some have reported they cause damage to equipment and may catch fire.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 02:35

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

captain_g posted:

Does anyone have opinion of the Pioneer elite series from 80s and 90s?

Looks like these things go pretty cheap compared to real vintage stuff from 70s, which are really, really expensive.

That's because that's when Pioneer started to turn to poo poo.

There are some gems but the best stuff is from that 60s-70s period.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2010 15:44

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

captain_g posted:

Prices have really inflated, which is a shame. Paying 150-350 for a 30-50w bottom barrel amp, which needs a ton of interior work done isn't really my cup of tea.

I've been looking at amps with dual mono build like the A-757. It seems like all manufacturers seem to have almost identical lineups. Perhaps I'll wait for a cheap Pioneer/Sony/Technics/Akai/Sansui to show up and check it out.

I am trying to find something with a darker sound to complement my Yamaha NS-1000ms.

Paying collector prices for a vintage receiver is not the way to do it (Unless you go for a very specific model you know you want, like I did with the Concept 16.5). The best way to get vintage stuff is garage sales, estate sales, and the surprise goodwill find.

Also remember wattage back then was different. I have a 15w Pioneer SX 525 that got louder then a 300w Pioneer receiver I had brand new in the late 90s.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2010 06:56

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

InsomniakV posted:

Planning to start garage sailing for a cassette deck. What should I be on the lookout for? Good brand names? Good vintages? Common problems? Things to try before I buy?

I'm handy with a screwdriver and a soldering iron so paying $5 for a high quality but ostensibly broken piece of equipment is right up my alley.

screw cassette and go reel to reel.

# ¿ Aug 26, 2010 17:08

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

aerdil posted:

Is $300 a good price for an original model Tehnics SL-1200 in good condition? Trying to determine whether it's a decent deal but I can't find any price ranges for the old models.

does it come with a cart? If it's a decent hi-fi cart instead of a dj cart and the turntable looks to be in excellent condition, it's a pretty decent price.

If it comes with a dj cart, try to talk the guy into a lower price since you'll want to spend around $100+ on a new one.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2010 14:14

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

It's not a difference of "audiophile quality" or not. All set top box turn tables like that are utter poo poo and will most likely damage your records in the long run. If you are cheap, you need to start researching the vintage market.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2010 01:23

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Bill O'Riley is GENIUS posted:

This is the kind of post I wasn't looking for. If you have something helpful and/or informative rather than disparaging and/or elitist I would like to hear it.

Hint: calling my self-acknowledged lovely record player a piece of poo poo is not helpful or informative.

Your record player is lovely and causing all sorts of damage to your records. You need to replace it as there is nothing you can do to the record player to make it not poo poo.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2010 02:14

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

vault dweller posted:

I ended up buying a Stanton T.62 turntable recently. After the announcement that Panasonic is discontinuing the Technics brand, the MK1200 tables that were left for sale in local shops skyrocketed in price.

Question regarding my turntable: What's a good, reasonably priced preamp to buy for it?

I have a M-Audio Fast Track Pro that I'd like to hook up to it for recording but I still need a preamp with RCA jack input.

This is the one I'm eye'ing lately as I've seen it reasonably priced around town a few times: http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp?type=90&cat=13&id=109

Thoughts?

Technics isn't discontinuing, they just got rid of one model in japan and the press blew it up. Every single year there is a huge rumor that technics is shutting down and every year it turns out to be completely false.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2010 21:08

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Dr. Lenin posted:

I guess this would be a much better option then?
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-M97xE-High-Performance-Magnetic-Cartridge/dp/B00006I5SB/ref=pd_luc_sim_01_04_t_lh

Of course, I would like to find one that is a bit cheaper so if anyone has a recommendation that would be great.

No, go with that. It's a great cart and at that price you can't go wrong. Anything cheaper won't be near as good.

# ¿ Nov 23, 2010 20:11

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

1) Pioneer

2)I used a SX-525 and it's wonderful except for the speaker connectors. They use an old propitiatory Pioneer made input, and it's hard to get anything that will seat in them. Look for some spade bits to terminate the end of your cables and use a bit of tape to hold them in place.

# ¿ Nov 29, 2010 22:39

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

MichiganCubbie posted:

A friend of mine is looking at selling his Technics SL-1200. I'm only interested in using it as part of my home theater system. Would it be considered a good turntable just for listening? Is it just overkill? I've been hunting for direct drive turntables that haven't been used as DJ turntables, and I know this one has to some extent.

I don't care at all about DJing, I just want to listen to my records. I do want to get the best that I can get, though.

The SL-1200 was originally manufactured as a audiophile turntable. Stick a new, non-dj cart on it and you'll have a great record player.

# ¿ Apr 12, 2011 17:44

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Atreyu posted:

Some serious help needed. The only options I have on Turntables so far have both got very sparse and/or mixed reviews online.

My requirements are a hassle free player that does not require a preamp.

The first is the Lenco L69
http://bit.ly/g0lUIF

And the second is the Reloop RP1000
http://bit.ly/gqhVjy

I don't intend using the USB function much and have no intention of becoming a DJ. As of now, I'm leaning slightly towards the Lenco because I stand to get it at a more reasonable price and it ships with a cover. I live in a fearsomely dusty place and so I can see that being a distinct advantage. Which one of these is better? I wouldn't mind paying a price premium and investing in dust protection for something that's really good. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

That first one is definitely a no go; You're paying for the recording technology they have (Which is lovely) and all of the turntable parts are bare bones.

The second one looks a bit better, but mostly because it's clearly a technics SL-1200 mk 2 ripoff. If built decent, it should serve you much better. You will need a pre-amp with that though, but you should get a pre-amp.

If I were you, I'd do one of the following:

-Save up for a better setup. You won't need much more to get a Project Debut III or Rega P1 (They come with a dust cover) and a starter pre-amp will only run you an additional 25 or so euro.

-Get the reloop and a starter pre-amp. Use a cardboard box as a dust cover (Seriously).

-Start digging in the used market. I take it you're european so there are probably a ton of great turn tables floating around.

# ¿ Apr 17, 2011 07:42

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Hippie Hedgehog posted:

So, what do you think about this amazing new record cleaning technology?
Sounds ludicrous, looks like a lot of work, reportedly works fine.

It's not new, it's old. I've tried it, and unless you've perfected your technique you're going to ruin the record. For the most part it works okay, but wet cleaning works just as well, takes far less effort and doesn't ruin your records if you gently caress up.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2011 15:21

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Paperweight posted:

I'm seriously thinking about trying my hand at resurfacing LPs to try to lower the noise floor from surface scratches. My neighbor has a bunch of junk LPs to test it out on. I have various 1-8k grit wet sandpapers and several polishes to try. Follow that up with a cleaning and vacuuming cycle then see what happens. It couldn't hurt to experiment on something that's going to be tossed anyway.

That's not how records work. You'd pretty much just destroy the record and kill any stylus placed on it.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2011 02:11

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

Mederlock posted:

Yeah I check Discogs and other audio nerd forums for reports on pressing quality before I waste my money on new vinyl releases.

the problem with this and boutique records is you either pre-order it or pay 300% markup on the secondary market.

# ¿ Aug 8, 2023 23:49

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

evobatman posted:

xpostin' from GBS

My home office is done, so my Sony stereo finally got its forever home:

The tape deck is connected to the minidisc player, which is connected digitally to the Powernode, which powers the actual speakers. The Sony amplifier is just for looks right now. It really is ridiculous just how versatile and good the Powernode is.

Hell yeah. I'm running a NAD C368 with a BluOS controller, and it seriously made listening to music fun again.

# ¿ Sep 25, 2023 17:48

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

There�s a reason when I buy vinyl I tend to buy it on bandcamp, due to them adding the digital version to my library. The vinyl is there when I want it, but I�m finding that to be less and less often.

# ¿ Nov 13, 2023 21:49

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

mariooncrack posted:

Hello!

I've been tasked with helping my friend fix a vintage turntable. It's a Technics SL-B3. At the very least, it needs a new belt. Where would I find a new belt and other compatible parts? Is there anything else we should replace while we're refurbing it?

Turntableneedles.com has you covered. You might want to look into replacing the needle if it's old and used. The page linked has a couple options depending on what you have already.

# ¿ Nov 16, 2023 19:03

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

EC posted:

Is there such a thing as a tiny amp that just takes output from a turntable and can power two speakers? Everything I'm seeing are like, AVR receivers with HDMI and it makes me think I'm not looking up the right search terms. Basically we have a small space for a turntable setup in our kitchen, and to keep it ~aesthetic~ I just want the turntable and speakers to be seen.

yes. There are a few high end brands making them Such as this NAD, and all the rest are aliexpress sixletters. Here's a random one I found on amazon.. Note this doesn't have a pre-amp, so your turn table either needs one or you need an external one. Or you need to find one with one built in like the NAD.

HKR fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Feb 25, 2024

# ¿ Feb 25, 2024 20:27

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:24

HKR: Jan 13, 2006; there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally

oXDemosthenesXo posted:

I'm back with some more questions about the Zenith console record player I'm trying to get working.

Previously I'd thought it needed a full restoration, but I misremembered and it has in fact been nicely cleaned and lubricated.

I played around with it for awhile and it seemed to work as intended, but both of the old needles I had on hand didn't seem to work right. One was clearly broken and didn't work at all, the other worked just barely but sounded awful.

Where's a good place to source replacement needles? I don't have the first clue what I'm looking for so I'm hoping this machine uses fairly standard ones

The back of the package one of them came in looks like this:

e: added pic

Forgive if I get a bit too basic here, but you said you don't have the first clue on what you're looking for so I'm gonna roll with that.

That's a 78RPM needle, which will only work with shellac 78RPM discs. For the most part, getting good sound out of those discs and needles isn't really feasible, because they didn't sound all that good ever. For example, listen to the internet archive's 78RPM archive here https://archive.org/details/78rpm

This also means they won't work on more "modern" records, which are 33 1/3rd or 45rpm and take a completely different type of needle. Hopefully you didn't try to play a 33 1/3rd rpm with it, you might have damaged them.

I would directly contact the folks over at https://www.turntableneedles.com/ and tell them what you have. They'll likely be able to tell you what you need, and might even stock it.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2024 00:35

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Turntable/Vinyl/2-channel Stereo/Vintage thread