First Turntable -
Having no prior experience with a turntable, I need your
help in understanding what are involved in setting up and playing a turntable. I’ve
been contemplating an analogue front end that has a good synergy with my existing
digital music playbacks and provides a music experience that excels what my
current ARC CD-7 tube CD player could offer.
Here’re the components in my existing system:
Audio
Research CD-7 Tube CD player (I much prefer a tube-based CD player than a
non-tube based one)
Ayre K-1xe
pre amp (without phono)
Pass Labs XA
30.5 power amp
Harbeth
Compact 7ES-3 speakers (Sound Anchor stands)
Audience Au24e
balanced interconnects
Audience Au24SE
speaker cables
Kind of
music listening to: symphony, chamber, strings, vocal, pop songs, jazz
FYI, I have no
of collection of LPs.
First, where
do I start collecting LPs? Buying new (expensive) or getting used? FYI, I’m in
NYC area and I think there’re some LP stores around. Second, do I need a decent
record cleaner to achieve a reasonable level of LP playback experience? Moreover,
how do you store your LPs? Any suggestion for a good quality shelf/storage for
LPs?
Trying to
understand the output from a turntable. I read somewhere on the forum that the
output of a turntable is inherently balanced. What’re the typical output
connectors off a turntable – balanced, RCA or other? My pre amp has balanced input/output and power
amp has balanced input. Should I get a phono stage that has a balanced input/output
to take advantage of the pre and power amps?
If a
turntable (i.e. Technics SL-1210GR) has a RCA output, how to connect it to a
phono stage? Turntable RCA output > Phono RCA input > Phono Balanced
output>Pre Amp balanced input?
Any
recommendations for a high quality, less maintenance First Turntable around $2K
(new or used? Thinking about the Technics SL-1210GR? Is its playback more
digital like than analogue?
Lastly, I
need recommendation on a moderately priced, solid rack for a turntable. FYI, I
currently do not have a rack and I put all components on the floor. A rack that
will house a turntable, pre-amp and CD player would be ideal. Or, they could be 2
separate low-profile racks.
Thank you!