Turntable getting back to vinyl

You can do very well with used gear (and I'll surprise you) for that price or less.  Do this.

Find and buy a Dual 701 or 704 turntable in good condition.

Find and buy an ADC XLM II or III or a Shure V15III.

Install cartridge in arm.  Track at 1.25grams.

Enjoy.

Cost:  $300-400.

I have a lot of TT setup gear, my sole claim to fame in audio is I'm good at setting up .
The mounted come-with carts are often misaligned from factory if it costs 400$ or 4.000 $ .

I've heard the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC. It surprised me that so much musical value could be extracted by a $399 turntable. You can do a no-brainer upgrade by swapping in an Ortofon 2M Blue nude elliptical stylus. No need for readjustment or realignment that way.

I have seen good reviews on the Pro-Ject line of inexpensive tables. They  definitely looks like cost-effective solutions.  You might also do some research to score a pre-owned Denon or Sony Direct Drive table.  A neighbor has the Denon with a Zu cartridge that sounds amazing.

"Lets take a listen" Eddie Murphy


jhv

Used Rega turntable is a no brainer built like a tank!.

Thank you for all the advice!

@paladin 

This should fit very nice for around $300 + cart.

But it's $2750 (not $275)  

This should fit very nice for around $300 + cart.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-well-tempered-labs-versalex-and-ltd-tonearm-2017-11-06-...

@brianwillson
This is all you need (all in one), for your budget you can have this turntable for $400-500 if you’re lucky along with p-mount Technics 205c mk4 cartridge or with Technics 310MC cartridge, there is a build-in MC/MM phono stage and LINEAR TRACKING tonearm, they are easy to ship (compact size). You don’t have to mess up with set-up and so on ... Amazing design, fully automatic. Nothing can beat it in this price if you will count the cost of turntable, decent cartridge, linear tracking tonearm, phono stage. Check this out:
http://www.thevintageknob.org/technics-SL-10.html

I would recommend a Technics SL1700mk2 or the SL1800mk2. Both excellent sounding turntables. Basically the home version of the technics SL1200mk2. 

I heard that the PHONO STAGE is the heart of the vinyl system, and if there’s one place you shouldn’t scrimp it’s there.

Turntable gives you a quiet background and stable speed, and therefore low distortion. Or not.

Tonearm allows your cartridge to track properly and give its best performance. Or not.

Cartridge accurately converts the information on the groove into electricity, when it's allowed to. Or not.

Turntables don't wear out. Tonearms don't wear out. Cartridge styli (in your price range) wear out faster than toilet humor. Where to spend the money? I suspect you know.

Also a table like the Carbon D will have decent resale value if you decide to upgrade. something always to keep in mind. 

I recently decided to revive my Vinyl collection and didn't want to spend a bundle.  I purchased the Project Carbon Debut with the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge and I am loving it. I may upgrade in the future but for now I am totally satisfied. 

Buy a used Rega within your budget.

All great replies. Let me caution you on "vintage" turntables which can often be relics from Grandpa's attic that have had no TLC for many years. I've been down that route and now I stay away. Good values in a TT that all satisfy you in your system would be the U-Turn (I own the tricked-out version) or a Rega 1. Sure, if you want reference quality sound then be prepared to spend a lot more. Then again, that applies to any element of all systems. Personally, I'd buy new and forget trying to find a diamond in the rough from Craigslist etc....

Perhaps run a 'wanted ad' on Craig's list or other local media site.  Perhaps calling some of the local Pawn shops in the area for leads on used vintage tables dropped off by the grand kids.

Check out the Orbit at www.uturnaudio.com. Everything you need from one source, and the reviews are good!!!

+1 on those older Pioneers. Use them with medium compliance cartridges and you are fine. However, with these older turntables first check if the roller drive wheel or the belt if it is a belt drive can still be had. You will probably need to replace them.

Does that NAD have a phono section?  Check out the orbit tables!

https://uturnaudio.com/collections/turntables

At the lower price points best to look in the used market for mid 70's to early 80's workhorse tables that can often be had for reasonable prices in decent shape. If you're not confident in looking for yourself, perhaps you could enlist the help of a friend who is knowledgeable in your search.  

In a secondary system I have a belt drive Pioneer PL 12D that I picked up for a song at a garage sale quite a few years ago and put an AT 120E on. That running through a DB 8 Systems phono preamp that I bought used for $55 provides quite decent sound quality. Pioneer PL 112D or 115D is also worth seeking out.

I also helped a friend set up a Technics SL D2 direct drive a few years ago and thought that it was quite a decent budget table. 

FWIW, my front end in my main system is a Michell Gyrodec with a Sumiko FT3 and rebuilt Ortofon MC 20 Super strapped for mono and a Jelco 750D with upgraded mounting collar and headsheall with another rebuilt MC 20 Super (sapphire cantilever and microridge stylus) for stereo. 

No, the above budget tables are not going to be as refined or as resovling as the better gear, but they are suprisingly good in terms of the amount of money invested in them and certainly capable of providing a reasonable experience if properly set up. They would also give the modern day budget Regas and Projects a run for their money IMO at a fraction of the price if picked up reasonably. 

Yes the cartridge is the most important part for sound quality, but if the arm is not good enough the cartridge cannot track properly (not to mention other issues). As for the drive system, you want it to be quiet (no rumble) with a stable speed (no wow and flutter). None of this is mechanically easy. Digital represented a real leap in quality (whatever romantic audiophiles may claim), and for a lower price.

Brian, Not recommending them because they are DJ tables but because they are good. Pioneer and AT have the resources to develop a good table at a good price and these fit that bang for the buck. If you are put off by the aesthetic, there are lots of pretty decent budget tables like the Rega RP1. Your other point about cartridges: a cheap good cartridge in a top tier table will sound better than an expensive cartridge in a cheap deck. It’s the physics. As you have lots if vinyl, my prediction is you will want to upgrade your possible budget table to one you are unwilling to invest in at this time.

audio gods bear with me....why would i want a dj turntable? it is an aesthetic and philosophical turn off to me. I'm a pro musician (with serious high range hearing loss - but that is another story)

And isnt the cartridge more of a deciding factor for sound? 

I realize i am way out of my depth on this forum but i appreciate any advice.

I worry a lot about getting into vinyl at too low a quality point. I visited CAF over the weekend and the show was dominated by vinyl systems -- some of them were outstanding. The MoFi setup with the TADs was particularly amazing at "only" $2k for the table and cartridge, and $425 for their little phono stage.

But these 11-14 lbs turntables for under $1k are highly suspect to me. Are they really going to provide the resolution, sound stage and drive of these better tables?

I also recently had a dealer tell me that $4k is the approximate "bang-for-the-buck" target for a vinyl setup (table, arm, cartridge, phono stage and interconnects).

But idont care about speed adjustment or dj things....

thanks no romance....i would have to look at he project carbon then.

Yes I have a lot of records. I worked at ao ne stop and record stores for many years and i think im the only who saved their records! Ireally do wantt ohear them again but idont have $100 for a turntable setup.

Unless you have a significant vinyl collection, my answer would be no.

Would telling you make it so?! Consider saving a little longer for a Pioneer PLX1000 at under $700. Add a Shure M44 or Nagaoka MP110 for a really good TT that will give you more fun than anything cheaper. Failing that look at the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon at around $400. If you want to low-ball yourself the Audio Technica AT120 is okay at $300. You will need a phono amp with all but the cheapest unit.