VC - Turntable Buying Guide

I created this video to help people with their questions about buying a turntable.
Link to preamp removal video on the AT-LP120 Turntable:
• Preamp Removal - Audio...

[@jonp3272]

That turtle is extremely well behaved.

[@michaellongobardi7725]

If you had an electric cord connected to your ass you would be too.

[@pierrick420]

This being the top comment is so great XD

[@Moondoggy1941]

He had to lock the cat away. Cats and turntables do not mix.

[@thegarlicbreadman]

It's a lamp. I have one just like it and it's awesome

[@mikekarpaty3871]

Excellent video. Thank's 😊

[@FuneralMoon]

Miss the old days of KZbin with such quality content like this. Best regards Craig.

[@aldrinsyahluddin2325]

00:00 Intro 01:40 Price and what you get for it 06:25 What are you going to use your turntabke for 09:38 Belt drive V.S Direct drive 14:20 Tone arm differences

[@jamessouthworth1699]

I love 70's high end stereos. After the arrival of technology, but before the decline of quality. 70s were the golden years of stereos to me.

[@georgedoughly6344]

James Southworth Yes, I really like vintage high end home audio, too. It is Much Better than the new Crap out there these days.

James Southworth agree

[@joshualewis5394]

What specific stereos do you like from that era?

[@jeremyclayton-travis1991]

Hi Craig, I spent most of my life working in Hi Fi stores in London and it is refreshing to hear you say exactly what I told my customers. I know that a lot of people get lost in arguing about the type of cables and which way you should have the cable connected. They were telling people that elections flow better down a cable one way rather than another. personally I thought it lost the objective of listening to the music rather than the equipment. I used to liken it to cars that a lot of people wanted an Mercedes AMG but could not afford the tyres and gas when they would have been much happier with a Honda or Toyota. One thing I used to tell my customers is to isolate the turntable from the sound waves coming out of the loudspeakers as the sound coming out of the speakers can have a significant effect on the tracking of a cartridge and produce distortion. Great video and sound advice.

[@rabarebra]

As an employee it must have been hell back then, having to follow a manager, and be told to (at least try) and sell these unnecessary overpriced expensive snake oil cables to people. I once argued with my manager that I won't sell these humbug power cables, those EU/three-pin normal power cables you use on PC's etc. Gold-plated. Wtf, it does make no difference at all. I don't like to fool people. Ask them this: what is inside a e.g. speaker cabinet? Which type of cables? Or what is inside your house wall's? Exactly. So, I quit.

[@fabioemerim]

Man, seriously, you deserve a statue! Thank you for all the teaching! You're a real teacher!

[@JurassicTrance]

Around 6 years ago I first purchased an SL-1600 turntable and started buying records. It shipped with an AT PRO11E cartridge, and I didn’t spent any time aligning the cartridge, and I didn’t have a digital gauge to determine VTF. It was enjoyable nonetheless, but I couldn’t help but think I could get more out of the experience. I haven’t used the TT for almost 4 years probably, though I’ve still bought records here and there - and finally I bought an AT440mlb cartridge and HS1 headshell, spent a solid few hours aligning it, and I’ve started thoroughly cleaning my records, housing them in higher quality inner/outer sleeves, and cleaning the stylus after each side. It sounds FANTASTIC! Love the content, just figured I’d share.

[@richardmarriott-smith9517]

Thanks so much mate. I'm getting back into vinyl and your KZbin videos are really helping me out. This is what KZbin was created for and why the Internet is changing the world.

[@Rosalies_]

Gotta make more videos, Craig. Subscribed after one video. Currently getting into the vinyl scene, and this channel has really made it a more-comfortable transition.

[@VinylTV33]

Thanks for watching. Cheers!

[@sunilkolte]

Great Video. I like the neutrality in your advise while you do mention a brand or two. Clearly, the focus is on brasstacks and getting to a basic understanding of how a turntable functions. Having said that I echo your perspective on audio technica stuff..it's great without a wink 🙂. Cheers and keep your videos coming. They are inspiring!

[@yanickduchesne2267]

Go to your local vinyl shop. Most of them have older turntable that work just fine! I went to one close to where i live, told one of the seller my budget and he directed me to a whole setup for 280$ can. A DC servo automatic turntable SL-BD26 2 Realistic speaker and a system to plug it all in. He also pre set the whole turntable for me since i told him straight up i was a new comer to this. Its been 3 month and it seriously change how i listen to music. Its a blast! (Im french sorry for mispell)

[@smallsthetimelord4066]

That is my plan. I'm lucky enough to have a local one with some of the best customer service.

[@robertzeurunkl8401]

I hit up craigslist and bought a Technics SL-1300 (1974 era), Technics SA-5360 Receiver, and two Kenwood JL-630w speakers, all for $125!! Incredible deal! Unbelievable sound! Just fantastic.

[@JurassicTrance]

Robert Zeurunkl SL-1300 should be quite nice, I have an SL-1600 and it’s great. Amazing that these old automatics still function flawlessly today.

[@georgedoughly6344]

That is an Amazing Deal! Even if it was $125 for the Sweet Technics Turntable it would still be a Great deal, but for an amp & Speakers 🔊, Too! That is Awesome!

[@HKT-4300]

I'm so glad i found your channel, i could listen to you talk all day

[@williamsmith9194]

I think you are the turntable expert. You also have an awesome set up in the background, I could spend hours with your background set up alone. Good job.

[@Datsun510zen]

This vid is well thought out and gives valuable advice for choosing a turntable. I made the jump to digital home theater equipment years ago and I'm stoked that I didn't have to go broke to get absolutely amazing sound. In terms of affordable ridiculously high fidelity equipment, 24bit 192khz audio and modern DSP technology totally rewrote the law of diminishing returns. That being said, I still listen to vinyl to hear music the way I was introduced to it. About a year ago, I started paring down my record collection to those few 150 or so albums I've developed a meaningful relationship with. My Technics SL-10 was pushing 40, so I decided that with the proceeds of selling off a bunch of records I haven't listened to in years, I would buy one last turntable. Turns out records aren't as valuable as I thought, but the advice of my DJ son was to get an Audio-Technica AT-LP120USB for $250 and spend that much again upgrading the cartridge to a VM540ML. Instead of hooking the new table up to the home theater system like the old one, my son lent me a Behringer 32bit mixer and a pare of QSC KW153 Active Loudspeakers. Sporting 80s era Klipschorns driven by mono Heath UA-2 amps my old stereo system was no slouch, but I must confess. At a fraction of the cost my worn out records never sounded this good. If you are in to sound, it's a good time to be alive.

[@hragan76]

As always I enjoy watching your videos. Love the way you explain everything while keeping it simple. I just upgraded from my At lp120 to the At lp1240 much quieter and sounds a little better I think.

[@TheMjphoto45]

great job. i have the pro ject 2 experience with Sumiko Blue Point and love it

[@Tom-yd5lg]

Hi, a very good video. Most people think the more expensive the better and then save on the pickup system and the needle. I'm just in love with my two vintage turntables from Saba from the 70s, the PSP 244 with two systems. Once the sumiko Pearl and the other is an Audio Technica 12e original. This old turner you get for 100-200 euros in good condition and those were already middle upper class. They are driven directly. Greetings Tom from Cologne Germany

[@mz5222]

Craig, excellent video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@stevedundee866]

Thanks so much for this clip. You made something that seems so difficult make sense. Am armed with more knowledge now to help me choose not only a good turntable but the associated gear to run it. Cheers from Australia Steve

[@ryanfoley4123]

Hey Craig, love your videos started with the ones on wine now I'm here. :)

[@tomas8323]

Hello Vinyl person, I couldnt figure out how to PM so here it goes. Thanks to the vid, now I have a clear picture of what player to aim for. My interest started as a way to research the accordion rock stars, has branched a bit to something else. Disc storage is just so cool! Gonna be Carl Jularbo in no time :)

[@TheSnapdad]

Great video, I started out with the ATLP60 for the reasons you stated. Once I was hooked I research and researched. then researched some more.Ultimately I purchased a Pro-ject due to Analog Planet's videos with Pro-Ject's founder Heinz Lichtenegger. While other representatives show off their super high end equipment, Heinz is always excited to show off the turntables under a grand, and he sounds passionate about making high quality equipment at a reasonable price.

[@booobtooober]

Thanks for this unbiased video and the excellent points.

[@rich_b1982]

Great video, recently got myself an Audio-Technica AT-LP120 and watching this was valuable to make sure I had it set up correctly.

[@leon9021]

Rich B think you mean his other video.

[@H.A..]

Awesome video, super informative and you're such a good presenter/speaker... Wish me luck on my first ever purchase, I've had records for 2 decades with no means of playing them and I'm finally getting around to it.

[@arthurdanielles4784]

Hi ! Over 40 years of radio SW, Marine band, MW, AM, UHF, VHF, FM, FM Stereo, DAB radio, reel to reel, cassette tapes, dat tapes, mini disc, compact disc 😊 I think most of our gen will agree tech today is just crazy re how fast it changes YET to me VINYL still represent a real feel good era in my adolescence where putting aside money to buy that album could be ecstasy. 😊 Advancing from the radio gram to the music centre and hifi stack to separates enhanced the experience further. In the 80s I spent a heck of a lot of my monthly wad on a Marantz system with amp, deck and decent Stanton cartridge plus speakers et et and never looked back, it was AWESOME ! Removable head shells not only gave you as you say flexibility but also let's not forget those fiddly wire connectors and if the head was fixed and you had to fiddle with putting the connectors to the cartridge ? Oh yes been there 😒 a few times where the connector metal end came away and had to be re soldered et whereas with the head shell removed turned over and so easy to now connect up.👍 Horses for courses and don't mix up I say, a track pony with a racehorse et 😊 If you're going to dust off and play your parents Vinyl whatever was there buzz back in the day, you might not want to spend a sizeable wad of your cash ? So don't ! A cheaper turntable that is still good value with a decent magnetic cartridge WITH DIAMOND stylus will give good results properly set up, Let us remember a decent AMP or unit to play it through AND as you rightly point out to a musician😊 is where you have it set up. Sound during the day time can sound different at night with prob less volume et Pick a turntable with computer USB out if you want to copy over your vinyl BUT there are good all in units with turntable, cd recording AND USB recording built in such as the Teac LP-R550USB USB/CD Recorder with Cassette and Turntable for around $400 HOWEVER this guy shows you how to record to computer and I use a RIAA pre amp unit connected to my deck to computer. The RIAA response curves give a decent recording from my LPs et whilst using my Rotel record deck with Stanton cartridge. Also you don't need mega bucks software to record stereo tracks onto USB or hard drive or CD et Good range of FREE software available. Cheers and have fun! 👍😊

[@JohnDoe-uq3mx]

just bought a used 1200 for like $40, they're the best out there

[@Snail_Nailz]

Wow I can’t thank u enough for this!! I love the sound, feel, & nostalgia of vinyl but have always felt overwhelmed anytime I tried to get enough info to buy a table… Other YT vids have things like “best vintage turntables” or “top 5 for beginners” but all the lingo leaves me lost & just as confused about what to buy. You completely nailed the 101 & I can confidently say I’m ready to being my search thanks to you!

[@ramblinginmeath4950]

I’m planning on unboxing my old JVC QLY66F that I bought new back in 1985 and it’s been with me ever since - have been kept in its original box for the past 20years - had to buy a Preamp which arrived today - now it’s time to find some speakers 👍 enjoy your videos and thanks

[@onlinetechnologytoday674]

Another really good review/education on turntables, love it.

[@codyreadinger6065]

This guy’s kickass. He probably listens to a lot of Alabama and 38 Special.

[@Smokdeel]

Thank you Sir for sharing your Vinyl Wisdom

[@dixielandfarm]

Great job, Craig. I always suggest buying a table without a preamp and getting a separate phono preamp if you need one - this way if you do upgrade your turntable you don't have to go through the preamp question again.

[@snowpuppy77]

Enjoyed your perspective on this. I think the Audio Technica turntable you have is a good one for the price with a full feature set. You mentioned Pro-ject turntables. I really researched and stressed over what to get and I ended up with a Pro-ject The Classic. It is a little pricey perhaps but not really when compared to how expensive some are getting. It has a great vintage living room friendly look which enhances the experience. And yes it does sound very good. I am very happy with my Pro-ject turntable.

[@kelvintymwaura5075]

I was about to make bad choices while replacing mine to pursue DJing an boy did this video help me out. Shukran

[@JGofBEWA]

Speaking about direct drive turntable motor noise. My Technics sl-1900 rubber mat started breaking down with age. Due to all the KZbin recommendations I bought a cork mat. Months later I plugged in a pair of headphones and noticed a very annoying hum once the stylus touched the record😱. I was about to buy a different turntable and dish out a good amount of cash. Fortunately I saw a video where a kid had an acrylic mat one a Dennon plastic turntable and he mentioned how tapping the plastic transferred the noise to the stylus while playing records. It got me thinking🤔, so I tried the thick rubber mat from my Pioneer pl-117d. This solved the problem so I ordered a new Technics mat on Ebay. What a relief. 😁👍

[@djbhe]

I still have my pair of 1200MK2's from 1993. I've never had a problem or had them serviced and they still play and look brand new. I paid $750 for the pair.

[@skywalk553]

Vintage Pioneer PL 7. Like 80 bucks with shipping. Replace cartridge ( I go with the AT VM-95C)- 40 dollars. For receiver, go on Letgo or Craigslist and get any one with a phono input. You can usually find them for 20-70 dollars. Speakers can also be found DIRT cheap, or offensively overpriced on CL and Letgo. About 2 weeks back I got a pair of Kenwood JL 1090AV for 30 bucks and they kick ass. Goodwill and other thrift stores are also great places to find audio equipment. So for 150-250 you can get an entire setup for casual listening.

[@mercurialmagictrees]

these guides were helpfull for me however I think my local record shops and antique shops provided me with an excellent venue to purchase records and turntable. I bought a garrard gt25 ap 1980s made in England silver turntable . it had a stanton d51 cartridge and stylus included. last month I decided to buy a back up turntable that is direct drive, It's an 1980s technics sl QD33, IT has a audio technica p mount cartridge At3482P. I've really enjoyed both.

[@parthabhatta1963]

I Have two extremely cheap turntables, both Pyle PLTTB1 belt driven S shaped tonearm , changed the cartridges to AT95 and they play quite well without any listenable hum at normal volumes. I am enjoying them. And now after viewing a couple of your videos on turntable, i think i have made a right decision. Thanks for your turntable videos.☺

[@BribedStudios]

Thanks Craig, very informative video, really looking forward to getting into the vinyl scene :)

[@achillesStar]

Good advice, I have Pro-ject 2 its about 10+ years old and is still going strong, I've just recently upgraded the cartridge to the AT440MLB. One thing that wasn't made to clear is the phono outs on the Turntable are not line level and require pre-amplification. Unless the turntable has a pre-amp built in, you're going to need a separate phono stage amplifier just to get the thing up to line level. Quite a number of HiFi stereo amplifiers do not have a phono stage and still require a pre-amp. If it says phono on the input selector then you're good to go.I notice most high end audiophile turntables are belt driven presumably because of the noise issue you mentioned.Good vid, keep them coming

[@dbacks2023-]

Finally someone who knows what they're talking about. I didn't know a lot about record players but I know how deceptive amazon reviews are from either being fake or from young people who've never had a turntable before and don't know any better. Then there's KZbin turntable "top 5" and review videos either from robot voices reading product descriptions or actual people trying to review things they've never owned or used.

[@leeharveyorwell2653]

just found your channel last night. watched a bunch of your vids. cool stuff craig. i'm guessing you're in canada. i bought the project debut carbon with the red ortofon, was using an old harmon kardon receiver without a phone input. bought a project phono box SEII preamp. .sounded pretty good but the cables were the weak point. had a stock project cable that shorted out after a couple years, and basic rca cables running from the phono preamp into the tape input on the receiver. obviously not the best solution. recent upgrades made a huge difference. i bought a yamaha RX-a780 receiver with a dedicated phono stage, and upgraded the phono cable to a Hosa Stereo Intercon Dual RCA-Same with Gr Wi 2m from amazon for 17 canadian bucks. wow, night and day my friend. best sound i've ever heard from a turntable that ive had. played thru focal chorus 716's. DAMN. currently trying to wear out the red ortofon so i have an excuse to upgrade to the gold ortofon (LOL) Thanks for the videos.I'm on to the next vid. cheers

[@alejoniux]

Greetings from Cuba, thanks for the video and all the explanations, very helpful.

[@mosinatic2011]

I bought a technics sl-q30 right before i got out of the navy, so its like 35 years old, and it still plays great. It does have a straight tone arm and a p mount cartridge, but its good for 10-30khz, it is direct drive but its dead quiet, no motor noise period. I think i paid around $200 usd when i got it. So a nice condition used turntable might be an option where one could get a unit with more features than a new model may have for a lot less money.

[@neilspector9221]

I am using a very basic Audio Technica AT-LP50 that I bought for 50 dollars. I upgraded the stylus a little as there is not much out there and I bought it used. I am very happy with it and at this point I want to focus on building my vinyl collection.

[@kzhu4211]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@babyjesus2025]

Thanks for the education. Good stuff. Keep On Rocking In The Free World..

[@homerbunker-simpson2702]

Great job man. Really enjoying your videos and getting a lot out of them. Like you, I've been thru vinyl in the 70s but never took much time with the technical parameters. One thing that you touch on here is the preamp. You mention that a preamp is needed,. the output of the phono cartridges is very tiny and needs to be stepped up significantly for the main amplifier to deal with it. I think it helps to point out that there are three ways the preamp can be implemented. 1. Built into the turntable. Generally easier but generally not going to be a good preamp sonically. 2. Preamp is part of the amplifier...or in this case. receiver. If the receiver has a PHONO input, this is what's happening. Depending on quality of the receiver unit, the quality of the preamp should be decent. 3. Separate preamp. Here's where there will be a tremendous variation in quality , price and sound...but I think a lot of people would recommend even a fairly inexpensive decent stand-alone preamp if you are not dealing with a pretty good receiver. You then would NOT go into the PHONO input but into a (line level= 0.7 volt) AUX or TAPE input. Thanks again and look forward to more. Correct me if I'm off-base on that stuff.

[@renevw5812]

Great reaction: Thank you and greetings from The Netherlands, and its now 2022 :) I started with a very standard but very very good turntable (Pioneer PL-120D from the 70s) and still have it. What i advice: if you start .... go for a 70s turntable, you will almost never be dissapointed. I bought it for 150 dollar including a good needle. Now i have also a great great turntable (Dual CS-5000). Also bought it second hand. Now i had good JBL speaker with the PL120D, but with the Dual CS-5000 i bought some MB-Electronic GMBH Quart 280 speakers. And it sound so fantastic. And i have a Harman/Kardon HK3400 receiver. That is one thing i still want to change. It is fantastic for a backup. So im going for a search. But maybe i get even other speakers....BBC LS3/5a

[@cmj20002]

I have an older Onkyo Linear tracking turntable that I restored. It works well, but the direct drive system is really complex. It used 8 transistors that have to fire at the right time to activate the electro magnetic coil at the right time to maintain the correct speed. This is done by a control IC. If anything goes wrong it screws up the works, so not the easiest to trouble shoot either, but I got it working again.

[@bradjones1977]

Replaced my decade old Project Debut III with a Rega Planar 3 recently. The speedbox was a definite buy, too, as the glass platters on these things are very heavy, and you don't want to keep lifting them on and off to switch between 33 and 45. Great video as usual, by the way!

[@georgedoughly6344]

Brad Jones Nice! The Rega Planar 3 is an Awesome Turntable!

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Great advice Craig

[@beninski707]

Hi Craig. This is a great video for the new vinyl enthusiast. You address many important points here. I would just like to make a comment on the straight vs curved tonearm issue. First off, I own a Denon DP 60L TT from 1980. It comes with both curved and straight tonearm tubes that are easily swappable. The straight arm is ultra low mass which is suited more to high compliance phono cartridges, most of what's available today. The higher mass curved arm works with these as well but is very suited to a more low compliance cart like my Denon DL103R. The overall performance of this cart is noticeably better on the curved arm. Great video!! Keep them coming.

[@slavikcc]

The Denon DP-60L is one amazing looking turntable and its specs are truly excellent.

[@RockinAtheist]

Thanks Craig - all good stuff. I'm 75 and I still play my old vinyl which is in great condition. I used to have more than 4,000 LP records but I sold most of them years ago when I ran into a bit of a financial problem. Boy do I regret that now. I got a dollar or maybe two dollars for near mint condition records, such as Frank Zappa's 'Freak Out'. I got two dollars for it and saw it on sale for $80! Ah well, fortunately I hung onto about a thousand of them. That'll do me for the rest of my life. Best wishes from Sydney Australia.

[@vaughntonkin539]

Back in 89 I sold Verdelle Smith Tar & Cement EP and Slim Dusty's Trumby EP which I later regretted (getting into CD at that time),those were Dad's records, It cost me much more to retrieve them on ebay, I never saw them in op shops or treasure markets

[@mikemadden2729]

What were you buying?

[@AlexanderLecard9167]

4000+ here, capt beefheart sealed.

[@c.brionkidder9232]

Good video, great advice. Wish you had covered ceramic vs moving magnet cartridges tho. Otherwise great advice all.

[@jazzkatt7083]

Very good detailed information. Glad to have found this channel. Thanks, Craig! P.S. might wanna check on that turtle.

[@goldenvinylspin]

Great advice. I did a video like this too. I agree with all your advice.

[@moejaime2654]

Hi Craig ! Have not seen any more videos . When can we expect a new video of your cool Vinyl channel ?

[@edkinna8269]

Nice done Greg.

[@merledoughty5787]

Interesting video, I picked up a Lenco L833DD years ago however the head shell was missing it took me years to find one, eventually I purchased one from Holland and then fitted my audio tech cartridge which was purchase years ag but never used, I used to find turntables at op shops and gave some away so only now have the Lenco and a Pioneer I still find that the direct drive a better unit the belt drive seemed to give more wow and flutter and agreed the direct drive can be the same my lenco is old and still plays nicely, the Pioneer also plays smoothly no noise that I can decern again at nearly 70 I still believe that the amp is as much a part of the whole and at the ned of the days when you get older your hearing loss is greater, I am lucky that I still can pick out many parts of a song, so to me it comes down to you as the listener, just enjoy the vinyl anyway.

[@sheikhyaboooty]

I`ve a 30 year old Linn LP12 that is very overdue for a service, a good clean out, some fresh oil and most of all a new cartridge. One of my first tasks when the lock down is over is to get my trusty old turntable sounding as sweet as it shoud.

[@robertcartwright8165]

A Linn, eh? Those are nice!

[@DaveSpagnol]

I have a Lenco L-3808 turntable, which is similar to the new AT-LP120USB's. One immediate improvement you can make, if you don't want to be a DJ, is to change your felt slipmat for a GRIPmat. Rubberised cork is used to make motor gaskets, and as long as the piece is big and flat enough, 300mm square, 1.5 to 3 mm thick, you can cut it out using the original felt mat as a template. And if you alternate between DJ and home, the mats are even easier to swap over than the cartridge! Salespeople want you to pay extortionate prices for a tonearm, because it's a little heavier and less prone to vibration. Well as you have a removable headshell, it's easy to put some 8mm o-rings around the shaft of the arm. This gives you the same effect for £2.50 ($3?) pack of 10. Have you thought of doing a video on tweaking your deck? It can be fun!

[@pedaleurdecharme1023]

Every sales man should be as well behaved and helpfull as you Craig :-)The AT looks the same like the Technics 1200 and a current cheap Lenco. I like Lenco, Dual and Teac because of the wooden base.

[@VinylRescue]

Excellent talking points!

[@kellyomera9629]

Thank you for a fantastic video.

[@3cheaptrick]

Craig ' Great video I hope you are still happy with your AT LP 120 Turntable I am getting mine shipped and will have it on Tuesday my question is I do plan on moving the pre amp out and plan on hooking my AT 120 up using the ARTcessories DJ Pre ll that I have been using my Sony turntable for the last five years I have been happy with my pre amp is it ok to hook my AT 120 turntable up to this pre amp and keep up the good work . Rich .G

[@thomasacheson1625]

I went for basic middle of the road. I found a technics sldd22 in decent shape. I really didn't know until after I got it how basic it is. All the adjustments are pretty much already done. So for me it was a win win.

[@Zockopa]

Well,lots of information for beginners in this video. Very good. Anyway,a couple things might be added. The first one is that no - not one - new turntable in the mentioned price class is as good as a decent middle class deck from the late seventies/early eighties. New decks generally pale in build quality and comfort functions. The second one is that a lot actual new turntables are money dumps. You buy the basic version which look fair priced at first impression,but while you using it make you want to upgrade it to better the sound quality. Another platter,a better mat,a better power supply and motor servo,etc. etc.. Have in mind that this is intentional.

[@rabarebra]

Great video. I subscribed today!

[@petarpan8176]

Thank you sir, great video for us humans!!👍

[@Mrong65]

Hi. I'm emanuel frm India. Though late your information grt help for me to learn about Turntable. I'm planning to buy so it's great guide. Thnks. Waiting for more information.

[@ucookinwithbutta956x]

Thank you Craig! I am just getting into record’s and analog sound. I recently came across a sansui sr 222 for free and decided to take a shot, now I’ve watched your other video on setup and my mind was blown as to how much is involved with vinyl. Do you have any recommendations for pre amps or amp /speakers for beginner start up, with decent sound? like I said I’m new to this and want to learn good habits from the start! And thank you for your videos they are knowledgeable and very informational

[@stevenpotter69]

Thank you very much, great info

[@nmcproductions5037]

Thanks for the help, Craig! I am 13 years old and have been collecting vinyl for about a year and a half now. My first "turntable" was a Philips all-in-one stereo from 1991. It wasn't a good turntable and destroyed 3-4 of my records, as I was much more of an amateur back then, so I didn't particularly know what to do. My Dad gave me some Pioneer floor standing speakers, Pioneer Amplifier, and a Pioneer PL-12R Turntable (All from circa 1976) I am currently still collecting vinyl and I still use all of that equipment, however I am going to buy another turntable, as mine is failing mechanically and electronically. I have decided on the Audio Technica AT-LP60. It fits my price range (As I am Australian, it is $245 AUD), it plays 33 RPM and 45 RPM which is all I need, as I do not intend to play any 78 RPM (By the way, do 78s play faster than 45s or slower?), and it is also smaller that my current turntable, which is necessary for me as I use a small table for my equipment. I was wondering however, will I need to use a pre amplifer? and also, can I use my Pioneer speakers and amplifier still? (Yes, my amplifier does have a grounding post, and it does still work, as do the speakers.) Thank You! Kind Regards, one of your fans, Nick :)

[@nmcproductions5037]

The speakers are CS-T3, and the amp is an SA-6300, and like I said the turntable is a PL-12R

[@VinylTV33]

If your old turntable worked on you current amplifier, then you'll have no problem with the AT-LP60. You won't need to use it's built in pre-amp. I don't believe it uses a ground, but just plug it in to the same place you had your old one. Turn off the built in pre-amp. It's a nice little deck and sounds very nice. Enjoy.

[@VinylTV33]

Those speakers are very cool Nick. I bet they sound superb. Great Dad you have there. and a great system indeed.

[@nmcproductions5037]

Vinyl TV Thanks for the help!!! Yeah my Dad is great, and yes the speakers most definitely sound superb

[@pjd4268]

hiya, rega rp1 or rp2. If you can swing it get a used rega p3-24 or rp3. Great sound, no fuss. Easy to use. pjd (35+ years of knowledge).

[@Keziapurrs]

Thanks so much for this video. Actually i watched it after i made the purchase of my LP120. But luckily i made the right purchase. Your videos are very informative and intuitive. Thanks!

[@germusic2022]

Good advice cheers

[@daniellionius5180]

Top work mate!

[@FoxRivers778]

Craig, of all the presenters I've seen in videos on buying a turntable, you're the easiest to watch. What a great speaker and presenter. That being said, I am seriously considering the AT LP120 you mentioned. I am simply looking for a companion to my Technics 1200 which I never used for DJ'ing because I could never afford the second deck. By the way how did you get it for $175 when it retails everywhere for $299? Maybe you got a used or refurbished one? Anyway since the 1200 was discontinued in 2010, the tables coming out now, like the AT is modeled after it, are more affordable, and I decided maybe it's time to get back to it. One problem with the AT though. I watched a video where a guy demonstrated motor noise from it. Have you experienced that with yours? And everybody complains about the preamp and talks about removing it. Okay, I understand the engineering in that makes for poor sound, but if you have a old school receiver or mixer, can you just use the phono input and not even mess with removing the preamp? By the way I love those old Sony and Pioneer analog receivers you showed. I would love to have one of those. Vinyl is final. I love it.

[@edgelite]

Too funny, my old pioneer is acting up. One side cutting out. So I thought time to upgrade that's why I'm watching this video. Then you mention the AT LP60. Turns out I have one. I forgot I had it. It was given to me in March of 2020. I know it's not much of an upgrade but at least it will do until I find something better. Thanks

[@KevinKohlhase]

I use 3 tables, AT-LP120, AT-LP5, & U-turn Orbit plus. The Audio-Technica's are both direct drive. The U-turn is belt driven. Now the AT-LP5 is new and I use an Ortofon red mm. The AT-120 has an AT cartridge which I bought, the cartridge that came with tracked at about 4-5 grams. I prefer tracking at 2 grams. The U-turn came mounted and set with a good Ortofon and is a straight arm. The AT are s shaped. I run both AT turntables thru my Technics receiver. One has to thru a line in and the other to direct phono hook up. The U-turn is run thru my Onkyo digital receiver. I do prefer my AT-LP5 over the others has a much better and crisper sound. But the Red MM Ortofon sounds so good. The other 2 tables sound but not like LP5.

[@sonnieandjacob]

Craig, you taught me how to make beer and smoke hookah, I even sent you a beer stein once that was unfortunately broken to pieces and now you are teaching me turntables. Thanks for being a reliable source sir.

[@ad8857]

great help thank you

[@faresoros07]

Great video thank you!!!

[@TTMAcademy]

1210's and pdx2000's are pretty sick tables.....the pdx has +50/-50 pitch control and a reverse button

[@aadam-kz5my]

If entry level turntable has no counter weight you risk damaging the stylus as well as your record. My advice is, if you are serious about getting into this type of playback format then do not throw away $100 by buying crap, instead put it towards a $300-$500 equipment. Good video full of useful information. Thanks!

[@slavikcc]

That is correct. Also, a cheapo turntable from the likes of Crosley or an Audio Technica LP60 do not have upgrade options as mentioned by Craig.

[@mshelfer1]

I GOT A pROJRCT TURNTABLE AND IT IS FANTASTIC!

[@craighille837]

I'm watching and trying to learn...and then I see the turtle. I have the same turtle. Now I can't take my eyes off of it!! (lol) Very informative videos ...Thanks!!

[@tedvanderburgt196]

Good advice

[@cerap1]

Thanks for your guidance and interesting tutorials. I am collecting records and planning to purchase an Audio-Technica LP120 turntable. My question is: Will I need the built-in phono pre-amp in the LP120 if I have an external Power amplifier in my sound system? My idea is to remove the phono pre amp from the turntable. Thanks

[@glumfish6862]

Hi Craig I suggest that you fix the typo on the title as it will make the video more searchable. Great video by the way.

[@kgray041983]

You are an expert

[@ReggaeWise]

There are some great vintage turntables of 200 euro's that compete with modern TT DD of 1000- 1500 euro e.g. the Sansui SR 525. Still undervalued you still can get it at good prices. One of the last undiscovered TT that will be a classic.

[@jz5748]

very honest information thnx

[@JorgePerez-gp1ce]

thank you .

[@trondam]

Hello 😃 I got lucky and got a ITT HiFi 8012 Automatic Direct Drive turntable for only 60 USD. It's a TT from 1978 and it looks fantastic and it weigh over 11 kg, massive. Wow and flutter 0.03%😍👍🤘

[@codybroken]

THANK YOU!

[@weav0303]

I have a story about my LP-120. I used it a lot for casual listening and used it daily. One day when I turned it on it didn't spin at the speed I set. It spun at, what I apporoximate, to be over 200rpm. I sent it to one place, they couldn't fix it, then sent it to a place that specializes in repairing electronics like that and it's been two weeks and they're still waiting for a part. So just an example of what can go wrong with a direct drive turntable.