turntable madness


Ok I need the help of you folks who have in the audio game forever. I'm interested in buying a inexpensive turntable, emphasis the word INEXPENSIVE. I have been looking on e-bay but I must admit it is mind boggling. What do I look for in an oldie but a goodie? I'm looking at turntables such as, Marantz, Technics, Dual, Garrad, Pioneer, Thorens and Gemini to name a few.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these older tables? A particular model # would be very helpful. I don't need something that is going to send me into audiophile heaven, just something to wet my whistle in the never ending quest for better sound.

thanks in advance
kt_88

Showing 2 responses by revvrun

While the used market for turntables, especially older ones seems to be a good place to save money, it can also be a nightmare. Turntables in general DO NOT travel very well, no matter how well they're packed, and it is extremely disappointing to find a nice older one only to have it destroyed in shipping. For the budget conscious, perhaps the very best tables that can be had for very little money are the Music Hall MMF series, many of which are sold by dealers here on Audiogon. Talk to Stephen @ Quest for Sound. He's a great rescource and a terrific dealer.
Yo KT, my comment about older turntables not traveling well was only to point out that, being the relatively delicate mechanisms that they are, without extreme care in packaging, damage is a high probability. New turntables on the other hand, have been factory packed, and are well protected from the elements (UPS, Fedex). I would'nt hesitate to buy a new one, but I would be very certain that if I were buying an older one, it would be very well packed for shipping.