WTB: Entry level Turntable ready to go

[Vinyleyes]

I'm looking for a 1st vinyl turntable for my son. It must be set up and ready to go with a good cartridge, arm and cover. Technics 1600,1700,1800, Pioneer PL-71.. all considered. Cosmetic condition not the first priority for a well set up and good sounding deck.

Thanks
Brian

[DSJR]

Not a techie (sold that, sorry), but I do have a Pro-ject Debut II belonging to a cousin going cheapish if you're interested. I spun it up this week and it sounds fine with good tracking from the OM3e fitted. I also have an OM3e of my own which I have in a headshell and would respectfully suggest that much of the Debut's raw and lively presentation is in the supplied cartridge. The counterweight can be adjusted to take the playing weight to 1.5g and if you do this, an OM20 stylus will make a fab upgrade. Project make an acrylic mat for their old decks, but not sure if this can be readily retro-fitted to the Debut II, although I've seen cheapo Achromat clones for £20 or so.

Just thought I'd mention it. Wanted around £50 but think this is rather too much, so any sensible offers considered. Deck is mint and lid has no breaks, although could do with a polish-up.

[Vinyleyes]

Not a techie (sold that, sorry), but I do have a Pro-ject Debut II belonging to a cousin going cheapish if you're interested. I spun it up this week and it sounds fine with good tracking from the OM3e fitted. I also have an OM3e of my own which I have in a headshell and would respectfully suggest that much of the Debut's raw and lively presentation is in the supplied cartridge. The counterweight can be adjusted to take the playing weight to 1.5g and if you do this, an OM20 stylus will make a fab upgrade. Project make an acrylic mat for their old decks, but not sure if this can be readily retro-fitted to the Debut II, although I've seen cheapo Achromat clones for £20 or so.

Just thought I'd mention it. Wanted around £50 but think this is rather too much, so any sensible offers considered. Deck is mint and lid has no breaks, although could do with a polish-up.

Thanks for that Dave .. let me think about it and see if anything else comes in. I am not a TT expert by any means so can you tell me what you would do to it to get the max performance from it. And how would it then stand up to the Tech 1700 or the Pioneer. I was ready to pay a couple or thre hundred for something worthwhile to get him going.
Cheers
Brian

[ourdogmax]

I've got a Sony psx-4 on ebay at the moment.
And it really is excellent.
If your not happy I'm willing to refund.

[Vinyleyes]

Hi Darryl ...... can you PM me some details ,,,,,,,

Thanks
Brian

[DSJR]

A couple of hundred will buy you an SL12001210 mk2 before the great unwashed discover that new ones have almost run out.....

[MCRU]

I have a Rega P3 with RB250 arm and decent cartridge boxed ready to go for £200 (on e-bay for £250).

The SL1200/1210 is no use as a starter turntable as it needs too much money spending on it to make it good!

[Reid Malenfant]

The SL1200/1210 is no use as a starter turntable as it needs too much money spending on it to make it good!
:scratch: Are you dead sure about that? They sound pretty good as standard i thought :)

[DSJR]

In the late eighties, Ken Kessler took a gold 1200mk2 to see what all the fuss was about, fitted a Lyra Lydian B (IIRC) to the standard headshell and was blown away by how civilised it sounded. This was years before the tweaky brigade adopted it and must have stirred much interest, the rest, especially in recent years, being history.

A P3/RB300 is a good and sensible choice and the spares and service backup are second to none. On past performance, in a few years, Matsushita will run out of parts with no desire to make any more and the spares market will be on the used side. having said that, there are loads of SL1700's and earlier out there doing fantastic service still and there are enough upgrades available too as long as the motor units are kept good.

Speaking of the SL1700 and siblings, they're very good indeed with what I regard as superior tonearms to the current model. The 13/14/1500mk2's had the quartz locking, but the novel cueing devices failed and this was re-designed. You can do some things for them, but an external supply etc may or may not work without modification. The transformers on some of these are under the deck plate, so may not affect things like the current model transformer does with MC cartridges..

[Vinyleyes]

Dave .. is the 1700 series better than the 1200's ... I am a bit confused now with everyone's good knowledge pouring my way about which way to turn. :eek:
Would the Rega with arm and cartridge be the better buy .. or stick for a good used 1200 and build it up.

Seriously .. thanks for all your comment's here ... I will have to do some googling and learn something about the Rega that you are offering David. I honestly do not know if I should go with it or buy a good used 1200. Could you give me some thoughts as to where it stands agains the 1200's .. or even 1700,s

Thanks gents ..

[hifi_dave]

The new Rega RP1 is £225 including an Ortofon cartridge. It is ready set up and all you have to do is push on the c/weight as far as it can go, put the platter in place and polish the lid.

Even DSJR in his usual drunken stupor could do it.:drunk:

[Vinyleyes]

Thanks for all the generous input gents ... I have made a purchase ... and learnt quite a bit along the way too :)

Cheers :cool:

[DSJR]

Even DSJR in his usual drunken stupor could do it.:drunk:

Bloody cheek, chance would be a fine thing. I can't remember the last time I could afford to get drunk, let alone actually consuming that amount :(

So, which deck did the OP go for?

[Vinyleyes]

Well I decided to stay out of the Technics maze ... lots on Ebay but most had been DJ'd around .... and as it is a little xmas surprise and not for me I wanted something ready to go. Darrell kindly offered a setup and new starter cartridge so I plumped for the ......... Sony !! ....
and this is the young man and would be vinyl afficiando who will benefit ....... can be spotted around York and Scarborough with his bands Connor & The Flames and La Petit Mort while at a York music college :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpDWgLakurU

and he sneaked up on my bloody roof, the cheekly little blighter ..... :lol:

[ourdogmax]

Hey Brian, He's good.
Wish him luck from me, :guitar: I hope he makes it.