What Decks Do You All Use?

[Paul Byford 1]

Thanks for all your input.I think I may have to go with Technics for durability and reliability.Paulquote name='Paul Mooney' date='Feb 25 09, 09:41 PM' post='1012023']

You really can't beat the SL 1210 Mk II for quality, build and reliability.

I got a new one recently and I still have an old one which has more than 100,000 miles on the clock.

It still does 0 to 45 rpm in less than a second.

How many cars can beat that?

[Guest Awake 502]

Roksan Xerxes with Rega RB300 Tonearm rewired with Silver Litz cable / Roksan Offboard Power Supply.

Goldring 1042 Cartridge.

Good choice just picked up a second hand SME Mk V arm for mine, BIG improvement.......

[Guest wigantojapan]

....

[Sweeney]

....

amazed that no-one has mentioned a Rega planner 3 for home use,Fantastic sound and value for money and i have seen them on e bay for 100 quid an absolute steal

An absolute classic design and a bargain second hand. Some may find the speed change mechanism a little fiddly though. Mind you at a ton apiece you could have one for 33 and one for 45.

Edited February 26, 2009 by sweeney

[Guest Neil Taylor]

Get your Little Gi Gi okay?

YEAH MATE.....AND SOUNDS SUPERB ON THIS SET-UP.

[Quinvy]

Just changed mine recently. Tried a Pro-ject deck, but the sound level was very low. Finished up with the ubiquitous Technics 1200 SLMK2 coupled with the Shure White Label cart. Also use these at my allnighter. In my humble opinion you won't get better for playing 60's 7inch vinyl.

Some of those old decks look gorgeous, but the tone arms must weigh a ton?

Phil.

[Guest SteveJohnston]

Just changed mine recently. Tried a Pro-ject deck, but the sound level was very low. Finished up with the ubiquitous Technics 1200 SLMK2 coupled with the Shure White Label cart. Also use these at my allnighter. In my humble opinion you won't get better for playing 60's 7inch vinyl.

Some of those old decks look gorgeous, but the tone arms must weigh a ton?

Phil.

quinvy as you say Shure cartridges are by far the best for 60's mono and stereo records the sound seams to come alive .

One of the many good things about Transcriptors decks is the tone arms are filled with hydraulic oil so you can get the exact weight on the styles you need, the Hydraulic Reference tone arm was years ahead of anything on the market at the time they even supplied the Hydraulic reference turntable to SME in kit form, which they fitted their 3009 tone arm.

Steve J

[Guest Adrian]

More than happy with my Project at home, really decent deck I think for under 200 quid....

Got it with my home made amp and sounds great!

[Gene-r]

Just changed mine recently. Tried a Pro-ject deck, but the sound level was very low. Finished up with the ubiquitous Technics 1200 SLMK2 coupled with the Shure White Label cart. Also use these at my allnighter. In my humble opinion you won't get better for playing 60's 7inch vinyl.

Some of those old decks look gorgeous, but the tone arms must weigh a ton?

Phil.

Not the case with my Garrard 4HF and the TP12 tonearm Phil. It has an effective weight control and counter-balance on the back of the arm, which means that mine can still play at 2 grams (despite the 'bulbous' looking headshell!). I think this was the first UK tonearm to feature its own weight controller.

Garrard called it the TP12 because it was the first hi-fi tonearm to measure 12 inches in length. The first one was made as early as 1957.

Edited February 26, 2009 by Gene-R

[Guest]

You havent mentioned a budget, theres lots of brilliant tt's around, £50 will get you a decent budget Dual, £100 brings in at least one of the Pro Jects, and theres also some silly priced Garrard 401's around too.

I recently sold my Thorens TD 160, with an SME 3009 s2 improved arm, and a Shure V15 2, for £170, and then saw just an arm alone on e bay for £50 more! The standard TD 160 is a good deck that can sometimes be found at a reasonable price

But anyway, theres usually a fair selection in the classifieds in the various hifi fora, such as Hifi Wigwam.

Usually 1200/1210's have been used in a pro situation, so will have been subject to far more use than a domestic one.

Just make sure it doesnt rumble (pick up bass frequencies and feed it back thru your speakers) and that it runs at a constant speed without wow and flutter ( variations of pitch)

The above are used price examples btw.

Oh, and Phil, the Pro Ject you tried is not responsible for low, or indeed high levels of sound, the culprit there (assuming there isnt a wiring issue within the arm) is the cartridge. It might be a lower output than the one you tried on the 1200, or If you are using the same Shure white label cart on the 1200, and its ok, that really does point to a wiring fault.

[Guest]

I USE A LINN-AXIS TURNABLE(BELT DRIVE).WITH A GOLDRING CARTRIDGE.

PRE & POWER AMPED ROTEL AMPLIFIERS

MONITOR AUDIO SPEAKERS.

FANTASTIC SOUND,ESPECIALLY WHEN POWER AMPED RECENTLY.

NEIL

Isnt it a bit of a malarkey though when wanting to play a different speed record? Fab for home hifi, but a bit of a bugger if you go both ways!!! (33 and 45!)

[Mark B]

Pro-Ject Xperience turntable with Ortofon Red Rondo cartridge.

I have the same one as Brett.

mark

[Neiljon31]

I agree got to be a 1210 for me, the hardest working deck in the world. Mine takes some hammer only domestically and I love it. Got the one plus CD going through mixer for now.

What I did get recently after much cajoling from a mate who is seriously into Hi Fi were some Quad speakers, I was scared to put a record on and hear no sound difference and curse wasting my money but blimey what a difference !! I now find myself glaring at my amp thinking I wonder what will happen if I change that too

Neil

[Guest gordon russell]

used to use sk&f.......nowadays evans

[Guest James Trouble]

I love my Rega P3, amazing sound.

I've just invested in a new pair of Technic 1210s today with mixer in a lockable coffin flight case for the new Soul Revolution night starting next Friday at The Bassment in Chelmsford. It's got to be a nice pair of Technics for in a club. Much better decks available for the price for home use though.

[Guest Neil Taylor]

Isnt it a bit of a malarkey though when wanting to play a different speed record? Fab for home hifi, but a bit of a bugger if you go both ways!!! (33 and 45!)

THATS THE ONE DRAW BACK ON THESE,IT`S A PRESS AND LEAVE DOWN BUTTON UNTIL IT CHANGES TO 45.I WONDER IF THE LINN SONDEK AS THE SAME SET UP,WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF THE LINN DECKS.

[De-to]

ive had my trusty technics sl-d3 for years and would not change it, ...

Edited February 26, 2009 by de-to

[Guest Paul]

Thanks for all your input.I think I may have to go with Technics for durability and reliability.Paulquote name='Paul Mooney' date='Feb 25 09, 09:41 PM' post='1012023']

You really can't beat the SL 1210 Mk II for quality, build and reliability.

I got a new one recently and I still have an old one which has more than 100,000 miles on the clock.

It still does 0 to 45 rpm in less than a second.

How many cars can beat that?

Hello

Make sure you search around for the best price.

I got another new 1210 Mk II in December for the bargain price of £290, including courier charge. It was a very limited offer from Empire Direct who went bust shorty after.

Paul

[Godzilla]

I'm thinking of taking a leaf out of Gene's book and using turntables contemporaneous to the records in question. This is what I've come up with so far:

R&B

60s

70s

funk

'soulful' house

Y2K

But like many on here I'm sticking with my old faithful

[De-to]

i like this record player, ,

[De-to]

this made me laugh, ,

[Guest Paul]

this made me laugh, ,

brilliant

[De-to]

ive recently tried saving on my leccy bill by using this er record player thingy, ,

[Quinvy]

quinvy as you say Shure cartridges are by far the best for 60's mono and stereo records the sound seams to come alive .

One of the many good things about Transcriptors decks is the tone arms are filled with hydraulic oil so you can get the exact weight on the styles you need, the Hydraulic Reference tone arm was years ahead of anything on the market at the time they even supplied the Hydraulic reference turntable to SME in kit form, which they fitted their 3009 tone arm.

Steve J

I don't have a clue what you are on about Steve. [looking for an over my head smiley] But I bow to your superior knowledge . I just find the Technics very easy to use and 100% reliable, and the sound more than acceptable for 60's 7inch vinyl.

Phil.

[Quinvy]

You havent mentioned a budget, theres lots of brilliant tt's around, £50 will get you a decent budget Dual, £100 brings in at least one of the Pro Jects, and theres also some silly priced Garrard 401's around too.

I recently sold my Thorens TD 160, with an SME 3009 s2 improved arm, and a Shure V15 2, for £170, and then saw just an arm alone on e bay for £50 more! The standard TD 160 is a good deck that can sometimes be found at a reasonable price

But anyway, theres usually a fair selection in the classifieds in the various hifi fora, such as Hifi Wigwam.

Usually 1200/1210's have been used in a pro situation, so will have been subject to far more use than a domestic one.

Just make sure it doesnt rumble (pick up bass frequencies and feed it back thru your speakers) and that it runs at a constant speed without wow and flutter ( variations of pitch)

The above are used price examples btw.

Oh, and Phil, the Pro Ject you tried is not responsible for low, or indeed high levels of sound, the culprit there (assuming there isnt a wiring issue within the arm) is the cartridge. It might be a lower output than the one you tried on the 1200, or If you are using the same Shure white label cart on the 1200, and its ok, that really does point to a wiring fault.

Again I bow to your superior knowledge Craig. It must have been the cartridge then, can't remember what it was, but it did have an eliptical stylus fitted. I had to turn the volume up to almost double what I use now, to obtain the same volume, and I didn't like the tone at all.

Phil.

[boba]

You can`t go wrong with one of these Brett,

Dave f..............

are those ads from cashbox on your wall? the tyrone davis one is pretty nice

[Agent45]

These are my funky ones i love em

Where the hell can I get one of these!!!!????

[Guest]

Where the hell can I get one of these!!!!????

In a skip when the booter as finnished.

[Djmelismo]

Hi there!

What decks do I use? Well, at home listening to music I use a beltdrive Dual turntable. When making my podcast mixes (https://melismo.podomatic.com) and ripping vinyl in order to post Refo-Soul clips on here, I use a cheapie Lenco USB-turntable with an inbuilt amplifier, and connect it to my computer, which works a treat. In professional radio studios or out at clubs I´ve always used Technics.

Cheers,

Mel

[Mark B]

Again I bow to your superior knowledge Craig. It must have been the cartridge then, can't remember what it was, but it did have an eliptical stylus fitted. I had to turn the volume up to almost double what I use now, to obtain the same volume, and I didn't like the tone at all.

Phil.

hi phil it would probably be the output of the cartridge the one on your old turntable was probably 3 or 4 milli volts i think the out put on the sure is about 7 milli volts so your amplifier has less to do.

mark

[Guest]

I tried this and ended up a couple of days younger.............

Ian Burt uses this system; it doesn't harm your records apparently - they remain M- condition

Edited February 28, 2009 by mikecook