£100 system

[MarginWalker]

I have been asked by a friend of mine if it is possible to get a full system (turntable, amp and speakers) for £100 to give her Dad for Christmas so that he can ressurect his record collection. What do you guys reckon? Can it be done?

I probably have a cartridge knocking about that she could use so wouldn’t need to worry about that at least.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Cash Converters.

[Macca]

The problem is the turntable, getting a half decent one for £100 is getting to be tricky. Then you really need a new needle on the cartridge since you don't want him wrecking his records. That will be £20 at least.

An amp and speakers you should be able to get for nothing (cost of collection) off of freecycle or similar site.

Cash Convertors are overpriced for hi-fi and don't seem too interested in haggling. Nor do they check stuff properly to make sure it is fully working.

[Scooby]

I'd say hit the boot sales and go early. There's every chance of a Jap DD or something like a Pioneer PL112 or PL12D. I've had bits like that for a fiver upwards over the years. If you don't see amp and speakers, don't worry: You can easily get something on EBay. Look for "collection only" items on auction near you, especially if they finish on a weekday morning,

[helma]

I don't know about UK, but over here you should be able to get a decent Pioneer/Technics/Yamaha/etc. japanese 80s mid-fi system for that kind of money and still have money for new stylus. The TTs bundled with those weren't exactly stellar, never mind the speakers, but usually well above the record chewer variety in quality. The 80s japanese consumer TT lines usually had a belt drive model or two at the very bottom, then moved to direct drive and increased features as you went higher up the range. If the turntable is a DD, that's usually a good sign it'll be ok. But even the cheapest models usually had tonearms that are passable if in good condition. I'm under the impression that japanese hifi was a bit rarer in the UK than continental Europe / Scandinavia because of having more domestic manufacture.

[Macca]

I don't know about UK, but over here you should be able to get a decent Pioneer/Technics/Yamaha/etc. japanese 80s mid-fi system for that kind of money and still have money for new stylus. The TTs bundled with those weren't exactly stellar, never mind the speakers, but usually well above the record chewer variety in quality. The 80s japanese consumer TT lines usually had a belt drive model or two at the very bottom, then moved to direct drive and increased features as you went higher up the range. If the turntable is a DD, that's usually a good sign it'll be ok. But even the cheapest models usually had tonearms that are passable if in good condition. I'm under the impression that japanese hifi was a bit rarer in the UK than continental Europe / Scandinavia because of having more domestic manufacture.

You can buy what were quite tasty at the time 1980's stacking system for around £100 on eBay - or less. Good suggestion. Loads of Jap hi-fi and mid-fi was sold in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s, domestic manufacture of mid-fi was pretty much over by 1980 I think.

[paulf-2007]

On eBay there are record players with built in speakers some with radio from about £100 some better about £170, new.

[Beobloke]

I did exactly this for an article in Hi-Fi World a few years ago - Dual CS505-3, Yamaha AX-300 and Wharfedale Diamonds. Total cost was £48 and it sounded far better than it had any right to!

[Macca]

You'll pay more than that now for the Dual alone.

[walpurgis]

I bought a serviceable Pioneer PL-12D with decent Shure M75ED cartridge for £40 recently. That leaves £60 for speakers and amp! Could be done.