Hello Everyone:
Nice topic. I am glad that I have found this thread. Now, for a brief background for my case of audiophilia. I have been into audio since 1978 (and has started out with a Sears "8 Track Component Set" with a BSR Turntable...... so don't laugh...... sometimes, we have to crawl a little before we can walk, right??), and since I have became of age in 1983 (I will turn 40 years old in 2003!!!!!! WOW!!!!! What a revelation!!!!!), I have been putting my own systems together (systems to be listed below shortly). But when I have started out buying audio components in 1983, all of the records I have had as a teenager were either scratched up, broken up, or turned up missing altogether. And to add to that, back then, CD was just coming out then. So instead of trying to buy records then, I just started out with CD from jumpstreet, and that was what I was listening to exclusively since then. And now, since I am thinking about adding "classics and oldies" to my repretoire of music genures that I listen to (I currently listen to R&B, Rap and Hip-Hop, Jazz and Fusion, and some Light Rock....... but I want to add some Older Jazz (1950's to 1970's) and some 1960's and 1970's R&B (which may mean stuff that was recorded by record labels such as Stax, Atlantic, and Motown)), I also realize that what was out on LP back then will not ever come out on CD now, which gets to what I am talking about now...... Turntables. And guess what!!!!!!! This lifelong "DIGITAL" audiophile WANTS A TURNTABLE!!!!!!! And I have been looking at some Phono Stages (I own an Adcom GFP-750..... remember???? And if I could recall correctly, the flagship Adcom does not have a Phono Stage...... which means, I will have to get me a Phono Stage as well as a Turntable/Arm/Cartridge setup), as well as two Turntable/Arm Systems and three Phono Cartridges based on a brief phone call at "Music Direct" (an analog specialist..... the candidates will be listed in a moment). What I want to know is for me to be starting out in vinyl like I am beginning to do, do you think it is wise for me to get me a brand new turntable, or go ahead and get me a used vintage turntable instead??? I am going to list the candidates I am interested in below, and if you like, you could add some other suggestions for me to check out as well.
Okay, here are my systems from the beginning to the present.
System #1 (1983-90):
Speaker System: Polk Audio Model 4 (purchased in 1983)
Stereo Receiver: JVC R-30 (received as a Christmas Present from Mom back in 1983)
CD Player: NAD 5225 (purchased in 1985)
Cassette Deck: Luxman K-220 (purchased in 1984.... and to be quite frank, it was a piece of shit...... it stayed in the shop more than it stayed hooked up to my system..... finally got rid of it in 1987)
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (purchased in 1987, which I still have today, and is used in my present system as well. It's been repaired only twice in 15 years. Now, that's what I call a great deck)
Cables: Monster Cable
System #2 (1990-97):
Speaker System: KEF Reference 102 with KUBE Equalizer (purchased in 1988, but was installed and put in use in 1990..... I still have this Speaker System today)
Power Amplifier: B&K ST-140 (purchased in 1990)
Stereo Receiver: NAD 7225PE (purchased in 1989...... used as a receiver for the balance of 1989, and then used as a Tuner/Preamplifier when the B&K ST-140 arrived in 1990. It was used that way until 1993 (see below))
Preamplifier: Perreaux SM2 (purchased used in 1993)
CD Player: NAD 5225 (used until it died in 1994)
CD Player/Changer: JVC XL-M509TN (purchased in 1994...... and was used as the main playback source until I transferred it to the current system and then it became supplanted by the Pioneer Elite DV-37)
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (holdover from the previous system)
Cables: Monster Cable (and then MITerminator 2 and MITerminator 3 in 1996)
System #3 (1997-Current):
Speaker System: KEF Reference 102 with KUBE Equalizer (holdover from previous system)
Power Amplifier: Adcom GFA-545 MkII (purchased used in 1998)
Preamplifier: Adcom GFP-750 (purchased in 1999)
FM Tuner: Magnum Dynalab FT-101 (purchased used in 2000)
CD Player/Changer: JVC XL-M509TN (holdover from previous system...... served as the main playback source up until this year, when it was finally supplanted by my Pioneer Elite DV-37. It is now relegated as a secondary source).
Progressive Scan DVD/CD Player: Pioneer Elite DV-37 (purchased in 2001...... has first served as the DVD Player to my home theater system (which will not be listed here), then I discovered that it sounded good with music as well. So then, it was transferred to my audio system, where thanks to its superior sound, it became the main playback source for my audio system. It has supplanted the JVC XL-M509TN CD Player/Changer, and has relegated it to secondary status. Eventually, I had to purchase a Toshiba SD-2700 in order to replace the Pioneer Elite DV-37 the DVD Player in my home theater system)
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (holdover from previous system (AGAIN!!!!!))
Cables: MITerminator 2/MITerminator 3 Interconnects and MITerminator 2 Speaker Cables (these have been my cables since 1996....... and have absolutely no regrets either)
Power Conditioner: Monster Cable HTS2500 Power Center/Conditioner (purchased over the last two months or so)
And now, here are the Phono Stages I am currently looking at:
(01). Lehmann Audio Black Cube Phono Stage with Cube Power" Power Supply.
(02). Monolithic PS-1 Dual-Mono Phono Stage with the matching HC-1 Dual-Mono Power Supply.
And lastly, here are the Turntables:
(01). Rega Planar 25 with RB600 Tone Arm (my FIRST choice!!!!!!! That is SUCH a pretty looking Turntable. More importantly is, will it sound as good as it looks??? But the problem here is that it costs $1,200.00. This is brand new by the way).
(02). VPI HW-19 Jr. also with a Rega RB600 Tone Arm (my second choice. What I like about it is that it could sound just as good as the Rega Planar 25, but unlike the Rega Planar 25, the Jr. is upgradable in so many ways. Depending on how far I want to go later on, I can turn the Jr. into a MkIII or a Mk IV if I want to).
OR
(03). Either a used Thorens TD125 (any designation...... from I to III........ but I would prefer to get the latest designation possible), or a used Thorens TD126 Electronic (and I believe that the 125 is electronic too, if I am not mistaking).
And in either case, my choices for a Phono Cartridge will be either:
(01). Clearaudio Aurum Beta-S (first choice).
(02). Dynavector DV-20XH (second choice).
OR
(03). Sumiko Oyster Blue Point Special (distant third).
So basically, what I am asking either of you is should I go with either a brand new Rega Planar 25/RB600 or VPI HW-19 Jr./Rega RB600??? Or could I go ahead and try to pursue a used Thorens TD125 or TD126 (both in their latest designations if at all possible)???
What do any of you think??? And would you care to add some other suggestions??
--Charles--
Nice topic. I am glad that I have found this thread. Now, for a brief background for my case of audiophilia. I have been into audio since 1978 (and has started out with a Sears "8 Track Component Set" with a BSR Turntable...... so don't laugh...... sometimes, we have to crawl a little before we can walk, right??), and since I have became of age in 1983 (I will turn 40 years old in 2003!!!!!! WOW!!!!! What a revelation!!!!!), I have been putting my own systems together (systems to be listed below shortly). But when I have started out buying audio components in 1983, all of the records I have had as a teenager were either scratched up, broken up, or turned up missing altogether. And to add to that, back then, CD was just coming out then. So instead of trying to buy records then, I just started out with CD from jumpstreet, and that was what I was listening to exclusively since then. And now, since I am thinking about adding "classics and oldies" to my repretoire of music genures that I listen to (I currently listen to R&B, Rap and Hip-Hop, Jazz and Fusion, and some Light Rock....... but I want to add some Older Jazz (1950's to 1970's) and some 1960's and 1970's R&B (which may mean stuff that was recorded by record labels such as Stax, Atlantic, and Motown)), I also realize that what was out on LP back then will not ever come out on CD now, which gets to what I am talking about now...... Turntables. And guess what!!!!!!! This lifelong "DIGITAL" audiophile WANTS A TURNTABLE!!!!!!! And I have been looking at some Phono Stages (I own an Adcom GFP-750..... remember???? And if I could recall correctly, the flagship Adcom does not have a Phono Stage...... which means, I will have to get me a Phono Stage as well as a Turntable/Arm/Cartridge setup), as well as two Turntable/Arm Systems and three Phono Cartridges based on a brief phone call at "Music Direct" (an analog specialist..... the candidates will be listed in a moment). What I want to know is for me to be starting out in vinyl like I am beginning to do, do you think it is wise for me to get me a brand new turntable, or go ahead and get me a used vintage turntable instead??? I am going to list the candidates I am interested in below, and if you like, you could add some other suggestions for me to check out as well.
Okay, here are my systems from the beginning to the present.
System #1 (1983-90):
Speaker System: Polk Audio Model 4 (purchased in 1983)
Stereo Receiver: JVC R-30 (received as a Christmas Present from Mom back in 1983)
CD Player: NAD 5225 (purchased in 1985)
Cassette Deck: Luxman K-220 (purchased in 1984.... and to be quite frank, it was a piece of shit...... it stayed in the shop more than it stayed hooked up to my system..... finally got rid of it in 1987)
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (purchased in 1987, which I still have today, and is used in my present system as well. It's been repaired only twice in 15 years. Now, that's what I call a great deck)
Cables: Monster Cable
System #2 (1990-97):
Speaker System: KEF Reference 102 with KUBE Equalizer (purchased in 1988, but was installed and put in use in 1990..... I still have this Speaker System today)
Power Amplifier: B&K ST-140 (purchased in 1990)
Stereo Receiver: NAD 7225PE (purchased in 1989...... used as a receiver for the balance of 1989, and then used as a Tuner/Preamplifier when the B&K ST-140 arrived in 1990. It was used that way until 1993 (see below))
Preamplifier: Perreaux SM2 (purchased used in 1993)
CD Player: NAD 5225 (used until it died in 1994)
CD Player/Changer: JVC XL-M509TN (purchased in 1994...... and was used as the main playback source until I transferred it to the current system and then it became supplanted by the Pioneer Elite DV-37)
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (holdover from the previous system)
Cables: Monster Cable (and then MITerminator 2 and MITerminator 3 in 1996)
System #3 (1997-Current):
Speaker System: KEF Reference 102 with KUBE Equalizer (holdover from previous system)
Power Amplifier: Adcom GFA-545 MkII (purchased used in 1998)
Preamplifier: Adcom GFP-750 (purchased in 1999)
FM Tuner: Magnum Dynalab FT-101 (purchased used in 2000)
CD Player/Changer: JVC XL-M509TN (holdover from previous system...... served as the main playback source up until this year, when it was finally supplanted by my Pioneer Elite DV-37. It is now relegated as a secondary source).
Progressive Scan DVD/CD Player: Pioneer Elite DV-37 (purchased in 2001...... has first served as the DVD Player to my home theater system (which will not be listed here), then I discovered that it sounded good with music as well. So then, it was transferred to my audio system, where thanks to its superior sound, it became the main playback source for my audio system. It has supplanted the JVC XL-M509TN CD Player/Changer, and has relegated it to secondary status. Eventually, I had to purchase a Toshiba SD-2700 in order to replace the Pioneer Elite DV-37 the DVD Player in my home theater system)
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (holdover from previous system (AGAIN!!!!!))
Cables: MITerminator 2/MITerminator 3 Interconnects and MITerminator 2 Speaker Cables (these have been my cables since 1996....... and have absolutely no regrets either)
Power Conditioner: Monster Cable HTS2500 Power Center/Conditioner (purchased over the last two months or so)
And now, here are the Phono Stages I am currently looking at:
(01). Lehmann Audio Black Cube Phono Stage with Cube Power" Power Supply.
(02). Monolithic PS-1 Dual-Mono Phono Stage with the matching HC-1 Dual-Mono Power Supply.
And lastly, here are the Turntables:
(01). Rega Planar 25 with RB600 Tone Arm (my FIRST choice!!!!!!! That is SUCH a pretty looking Turntable. More importantly is, will it sound as good as it looks??? But the problem here is that it costs $1,200.00. This is brand new by the way).
(02). VPI HW-19 Jr. also with a Rega RB600 Tone Arm (my second choice. What I like about it is that it could sound just as good as the Rega Planar 25, but unlike the Rega Planar 25, the Jr. is upgradable in so many ways. Depending on how far I want to go later on, I can turn the Jr. into a MkIII or a Mk IV if I want to).
OR
(03). Either a used Thorens TD125 (any designation...... from I to III........ but I would prefer to get the latest designation possible), or a used Thorens TD126 Electronic (and I believe that the 125 is electronic too, if I am not mistaking).
And in either case, my choices for a Phono Cartridge will be either:
(01). Clearaudio Aurum Beta-S (first choice).
(02). Dynavector DV-20XH (second choice).
OR
(03). Sumiko Oyster Blue Point Special (distant third).
So basically, what I am asking either of you is should I go with either a brand new Rega Planar 25/RB600 or VPI HW-19 Jr./Rega RB600??? Or could I go ahead and try to pursue a used Thorens TD125 or TD126 (both in their latest designations if at all possible)???
What do any of you think??? And would you care to add some other suggestions??
--Charles--