(Very) Late Bloomer: Starting My Vinyl Journey and in Need of Guidance
 

Hi all,

I have finalized the setup of my system a few months ago and am ready to take my first step in the vinyl world.
I have been lurking and reading a lot here and on the internet in general, and know that there is A LOT I still don't know and understand about turntables.

Do I want to go ahead and buy an MT5 or MT10? Sure, but I don't want to spend so much money before I get to experiment with turntables and see how I like it.
I have a big collection of LPs that haven't been played in years, many belonged to my parents.

I am looking for guidance as to which turntable + cables I should buy and start my journey with. I am looking for high quality without breaking the bank at this point. Rega? Pro-Ject? Others? MM? MC? I have no idea what makes sense.
If I could keep the whole thing under $1000 it would be great.

My current setup:

Pre-amp: C2600 which will be connected the turntable (they will be about 8 feet apart)
Amps: MC601
External DAC: PS Audio DS
Speakers: B&W 802D

Thank you in advance for all your help!

(Very) Late Bloomer: Starting My Vinyl Journey and in Need of Guidance
 

Under $1000? Maybe an entry level Rega/Pro-ject and an entry level MC cart (Denon DL103) to begin with, because you want to practice cart installation and TT adjustment anyways.

BTW, DL103 is not bad at all. My first setup was Pro-ject essential+Denon DL103. At $300~$400 price point, I enjoyed them a lot.

Your first challenge is going to be with the distance between your TT and your C2600. Most phono cables are 1.2 - 1.5 meters. Anything more than that and there is a law of diminishing returns. The only optimal thing I would recommend is a phono stage that you connect to your C2600 via interconnects.

B

Thank you for this. I can re-arrange my system if necessary and keep the turntable at 1.5m-2m distance from the C2600.

Use a string to measure an accurate cable run of 1.2 Meters. That is what most cables for phono are.

B

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I had not had a turntable in over 25 years. I found a used table at a dealer I trusted. My thought was that if I didn't like and want to continue with vinyl, I could always sell the table for around what I had in it. Also by buying from a dealer, he would set the table up properly. That way I could learn as I go and not be overwhelmed.

That was a few years ago and I am a vinyl convert. I now listen to vinyl around fifty to sixty percent of the time. For me, vinyl sounds more three dimensional and holographic than either CDs of digital files from my computer. But I have a top of the line vinyl rig. I think it might be closer with a less expensive table.

Vinyl is more work than just putting on a CD. More of a ritual and there is also record cleaning. But for me it is worth the extra work.

For $1000 or under, your best bet is probably a gently used Rega, Pro-ject, entry level VPI, or similar. Go overboard on the cartridge and arm, they determine what you'll ultimately hear. Buying from someone who will set it up for you is also really important.
Tom

In the last 2-3 years two friends of mine started their audio--and vinyl--journey with Rega and both are very happy. I don't see how you can go wrong with Rega, really. Especially for a first turntable. They're well made, they're in the right price range, and you can get them practically ready to play right out of the box with a factory installed cartridge. If you're in the L.A. part of California I can recommend a dealer who handles Rega, McIntosh and others, and who would be very helpful sorting all this out. Sometimes you just need a bricks and mortar guy.

Tom R.

You will lose interest quickly if you do not budget for cleaning all those records. Or find a friend or dealer with a decent record cleaner who will clean some for you.

I second a used Rega. There is a dealer online that has gently used trade-ins. For a Rega an Rp6 May fit your budget.