Hey there. My name is Eric. I love artists like DJ Shadow, Qbert, Cut Chemist. I would like to get into this art. I was looking at turntable packages and trying to find reviews. I came across the American Audio Vinyl 101 but couldnt find very many reviews. I don't have too much cash at the moment. But I do want vinyl turntables. This is the package http://www.audiolines.com/American-Audio-Vinyl-101-p-20509.html Thanks for any help.

-Eric

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Turntablist Fan,

It is a very basic package. If you stick with your new found hobby, you will want to upgrade in the future to some 1200's (industry standard) or American Audio's now retired HTD 4.5's (phenomenal turntable)

I'm actually going to spend a little extra cash on the Stanton DJlab2. Two Stanton T60's. Read that it's good more mixing and scratching. Read some positive reviews. I'm sold. Now I just need to sell some old stuff and I should be golden.

-Eric

just some advise. only worth what you think of it, but do your homework. do not buy just because of reviews. everyone is different, in how they like their equipment to work. go hands on on many different tables, then you will see what tables work for you the best.

My recommendation is always spend what you can to get the best you can afford. It's always good to "grow" into a product. So, it's best to go with a better turntable.

Since I'm not doing the DJ thing, I needed to get a turntable to do record transfers. I ended up going with a Numark TTX. The thing that sold this for me was the stable clock crystal in the S/PDIF output as well as S/PDIF output: I don't have to waste time calibrating each record, I just go direct to digital into ProTools The selectable Line/Phono outs is a nice feature, but isn't something I needed.

Buying "starter gear" is often a waste of money because you'll end up replacing it soon if you're serious. If someone isn't serious, starter gear is fine.

If others agree, there are two things to look for as a minimum:
Direct Drive. It works better than belts.
Get a really good diamond stylus that's nice to records. Scratching is hard on gear, hard on stylus, hard on records. Do what you can to reduce this wear.

Enjoy!

agree. scratching is part of my mixing, so my records are getting carved. i use top of the line sure needles, so im not worried too much about them. my records do get a beating, and you know how hard it is to find records these days, especialy records that were only pressed once back in the early 80s. but hell, its damn fun. most my records i use are recorded into a hardrive, so if i lose the record, I still have the song.

I know this is an American Audio forum, but I got a question.

Of course, I do transfers, so quality is the most important concern. I'm using a Shure M78s stylus for transferring 78's(For those who don't know, 78RPM records also use a wider groove), while I'm using Ortofon Night Club for 33 and 45's.

What qualities are the Shure stylus giving you? I heard their top of the line stuff for 33's and 45's and they just dind't do it for me.

I've been told I could scratch with my Night Club needles, but I'd never do that because it's not my thing.


You can always replace a stylus. Sometimes it might not be cheap, but you can definately replace those. Records? Not as easy.

But if the scratch quality of CD's is pretty much equal to that of vinyl on decent quality scratchable CD players, why stick with the old stuff?

One of the things I like about optical digital is the "no touch" aspect of it. Unlike records or other magnetic media, which requires friction to be read and reproduced.

I have ortofons, sure m44-7, stantons, and other needles. i compared them all in multiple tasks. ortofons are good needles, but in the end I go with my sure. i played records at 78 and the quality is still good. ok, here you go... sure needles sound louder, more clear, cheeper, and last longer than the ortofons. the ortofons have less weight and are not as rough on the records. i ran other experiments on them, i just cant remember all of them at this time. but i do remember that i liked the sures in the end.

about using the old stuff( records and turntables).
i guess it would be like trying to explain to you why a 1940's car is better than your 2009 whatever. you may not know the feeling of finding a record that you have been looking for, and after soooo many years, it is there looking at you, waiting to be played and enjoed. its the feel of the record, the back cueing as you are waiting for the perfect time to drop it in. im not sure, its just a feeling. like...zen.