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

Twl -
Not much help guy. I never said I was an expert on analog gear or that this was great stuff, just trying to gain a perspective. You may be correct but your delivery is a bit harsh.

Sbank- Thanks for a helpful response.
I will pick up a decent cleaner and give it a little time.
I am listening to Joe Pass -Portraits of Duke Ellington, and the LP is in immaculate condition. Now this sounds pretty decent. Still a little dark but the guitar sounds live, and the tube amp sound he is playing comes through well.

Thanks.

Hey Frap-

Well, this is good news. Glad to hear it is not a paperweight.
I know he had it serviced about two years ago to fix something on it.

ANy recommendations on a decent new or used cartridge that I could put in it for my buddy?

I am still confused about the MM or MC thing?
Which is this player?

OK, one last question for now....

Will this tonearm cartridge mount take any cartridge?
Is their a certain type of cartridge it will not work with?
Thanks.

Hey thanks guys.
I was warned by a buddy (a recovered TT guy)that the analog forum is passionate and knowledgable.
I will do a little research on some of the models you have mentioned.

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.

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?

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.

Shersta - Any recommendations on $150 (I assume used) cartridges?
I kind of like your suggested upgrade path of getting a decent cartridge to throw on this table and then go from there.

"I almost threw up when I connected my turntable for the first time after a 15 year hiatus"

That is the best line of this thread :>

Psychicanimal/Inscrutable-Thanks for the info. So there may be hope to try this Technics table with a well chosen cartridge to at least help me get started to get the idea of what reasonable analog sounds like again.
If I like what I hear, I can get my own table, but will no doubt need some guidance. For instance, I was at the local midfi/semi-high end store here in town and they had a Music Hall that looked just fine to me, but what do I know.

All you guys have all been very informative.

I just found out from the owner tonight that he thinks he bought the turntable in mid 70's!!!!
He may be wrong as he was high most of the 70's, but at any rate it is an older model.
It was serviced here locally about five-six years ago but I cannot vouch for what they did.
He thinks the AT cartridge was bought about the same time but he cannot remember.
I took off the shell mount and cartridge and found out it is an AT12SaPQ model. I did a Google and it does not show up anywhere so I have no idea what quality it is/was.

Will contact Kevin for more info.
Thanks.

OK, I have a little more info FWIW and also wish to share a little experience I had today.
I got some info on the cartridge from Kevin at KAB and also an A-goner in another thread.

Anyway-will maybe try a different cartridge to see what things sound like. Kevin at KAB beleives that the SL-1900 will provide pretty decent sound with the right cartridge and if things are set up correctly.

In order to learn a little more firsthand I went to a local midfi, sort of high end store today. They had four different turntables set up with different systems.
An entry level Music Hall, a Music Hall MMF 5 with the stock cartridge, a Project 1 Xpressions, and something else.

Out of curiousity I asked to hear the Music Hall MMF 5 that was running through a midfi Denon receiver and was playing through some average monitors, no sub.

The sound was smooth, but boxy, and small soundstage. Not real impressed.

I then went to another room where they has the Project
1 Xpression TT with a Sumiko basic cartridge. It was running through a Musical Fidelity A308 Integrated Amp and was playing through some multi driver large JM Labs speakers. The sound was smooth, but again the soundstage was small and I was not thinking this is great or anything.

In fact it was not that much better than this Technics with this mystery AT cartridge that I am borrowing.

For yucks, I also listened to the Musical Fidelity A308 CD player hooked up to the system. That was impressive-huge soundstage, depth, clarity, extension on both ends, blah, blah, blah.
Slightly edgy compared to the turntable as the source on the same int amp/speakers but that was only element that might have been better from the TT.

Anyway,the Music Hall TT may have been hampered by the basic system it was hooked up to. The Project 1 Xpression should have performed better as it was in a very nice system. I think the Music Hall was listed a $629 and the Project 1 at $400+ something.