Best Buy re-vinylized

[rockinrob]

I have an audio technica turntable that I bought at best buy 5 years ago for 80 bucks. It has a built in preamp, and I plug it into the line in on my stereo. It isnt great, but it does its job good enough for me for now. when I get a real job though...

[The High Heat]

I think Nice Price Books might be in Carborro... it's right there at the line. Not sure, though. It's on the way to the Cat's Cradle on the left.

Okay, thanks. I didn't think that was the place as I've never noticed records in there. I'm sure I would have noticed.

[bleedorange]

Yeah, my advice would be for you to jump in with both feet and smack that music snob upside the head. Of course you can spend over 1k on turntable/cartridge/etc. You can also spend that much on speakers. Or on a cd player. Or on a amp. Did you? I am guessing you didn't, and you like how your CDs sound.

 

You can certainly find a turntable that will make you smile for 200-300. I would suggest you do some research. You can probably find a used Rega p1 on ebay or some other site for that amt. I think Regas are generally considered the low-end of the high-end. You can also probably just get a new Technics, and be perfectly happy.

 

One bit of advice. Depending on which turntable you get, you will have to check to be sure that your Amp has inputs for Phono. Lots of the newer Amps don't, simply because folks just don't use turntables that much anymore. If your Amp doens't have Phono inputs, you may need to buy a seaparate Phono Pre-amp (which is what I had to do). The Phono pre-amp operates basically, as an amp for your turntable if your amp can't.

 

It's all worth it in my mind. Nothing beats vinyl (in any form). And as others have mentioned, you can find pretty great cheap vinyl so it's an easy way to check out new music. Good luck, and feel free to ask questions.

 

 

What pre-amp did you buy or would you recommend? Or are they all fairly standard?

[LouieB]

Since I don't buy new hi fi equipment, have the companies that do still produce amps put turntable inputs and ground wire connections back on their amps, since they so thoughtlessly took them off a few years back?

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

What pre-amp did you buy or would you recommend? Or are they all fairly standard?

 

The one I have is a black box with four connections on it. It is like the one I had in the 1980s - it came from Radio Shack. I don't know if they still make them or not.

 

My stereo is a made up of a 1970s JC Penny receiver, a multi slot cd player from the 1990s, an equalizer from the late 1980s, a turntable from a radio station, and a set of speakers off of my old Sony stereo system.

[jff]

Since I don't buy new hi fi equipment, have the companies that do still produce amps put turntable inputs and ground wire connections back on their amps, since they so thoughtlessly took them off a few years back?

 

LouieB

 

I had to buy one about a year ago. I just wanted a basic model since it's for the stereo in my basement which I don't use very often. I was looking to spend ~ $150. I went to Best Buy and the only models with a phono jack were super high end models or the lowest low-end store brand (Tru-Tech, or something). I bought the Tru-Tech, which does the job adequately.

[MattZ]

What pre-amp did you buy or would you recommend? Or are they all fairly standard?

 

I did a ton of research on this topic before I bought, and unfortunately, it's impossible to tell the differences. Here is what research will tell you: on price alone, there MUST be a huge difference because you can spend anywhere from $20 to $2000 (prob even more) on a phono pre-amp. However, as with all audio equipment, you usually can't listen to them to compare/contrast, and even if you can, it's usually in a store on a turntable much better than the one you've got through an amp that's much better than you've got through speakers that are much better than you've got. In a room configured completely differently than where you will be listening at home.

 

So, that's basically a long way of saying that I don't THINK they are all that standard. There are price levels and most music snobs will insist that you get what you pay for.

 

You can slot me in at the low end of the high end on just about everything I've got. Which means I am either buying stuff used on ebay or from a local shop, etc. I ended up with a used Rega Phono pre-amp because I've got a Rega p2 turntable and my research led me in circles and the guy at my local shop said it was a good combo. I have no idea whether something else would sound better, but I am not going to find out any time soon either.

 

My turntable was $500 new and the phono preamp I bought is $300 new. I bought neither of them new, but as was said earlier, you probably want to match components. So if your turntable was $100 (new), you should not be buying an expensive phono pre-amp. You might not even need one if your turntable was that price (new).

 

What kind of turntable have you got?

[bleedorange]

I did a ton of research on this topic before I bought, and unfortunately, it's impossible to tell the differences. Here is what research will tell you: on price alone, there MUST be a huge difference because you can spend anywhere from $20 to $2000 (prob even more) on a phono pre-amp. However, as with all audio equipment, you usually can't listen to them to compare/contrast, and even if you can, it's usually in a store on a turntable much better than the one you've got through an amp that's much better than you've got through speakers that are much better than you've got. In a room configured completely differently than where you will be listening at home.

 

So, that's basically a long way of saying that I don't THINK they are all that standard. There are price levels and most music snobs will insist that you get what you pay for.

 

You can slot me in at the low end of the high end on just about everything I've got. Which means I am either buying stuff used on ebay or from a local shop, etc. I ended up with a used Rega Phono pre-amp because I've got a Rega p2 turntable and my research led me in circles and the guy at my local shop said it was a good combo. I have no idea whether something else would sound better, but I am not going to find out any time soon either.

 

My turntable was $500 new and the phono preamp I bought is $300 new. I bought neither of them new, but as was said earlier, you probably want to match components. So if your turntable was $100 (new), you should not be buying an expensive phono pre-amp. You might not even need one if your turntable was that price (new).

 

What kind of turntable have you got?

 

It's just a basic $100 Sony that I got about 6-7 years ago. So, nothing great and I would assume I don't need an expensive preamp to go with it. Hopefully, this will hold me over until I can justify buying something better.

 

Thanks for all the help.

[LouieB]

I had to buy one about a year ago. I just wanted a basic model since it's for the stereo in my basement which I don't use very often. I was looking to spend ~ $150. I went to Best Buy and the only models with a phono jack were super high end models or the lowest low-end store brand (Tru-Tech, or something). I bought the Tru-Tech, which does the job adequately.

Good to know they have gone back to this.

 

LouieB

[jff]

Good to know they have gone back to this.

 

LouieB

 

Yeah, I hope that their new "we sell LPs" policy will result in them offering more models with phono jacks, and also encourage more manufacturers to make a phono jack a standard feature of a stereo receiver.

[HungryHippo]

went to Best Buy tonight and they had like 4 lps... i wasn't in the mood for U2, Elton John, Guns and Roses or Bruce Springsteen. anyone know when all of the stores will get vinyl in? i should have asked but i didn't. i was too busy gushing over that new 3d My Bloody Valentine movie...so crazy!

[LouieB]

Clearly not a lot of vinyl trade in your area....

 

LouieB

[nodep5]

About 7 years ago a buddy got me a huge gift card from best buy for a wedding gift. I just bought a sony reciever, cd player, tape deck (WTF) and basic Sony turntable. The reciever which was between 1-200 bucks had numerous alternate inputs that work for phono or satelite radio, whatever. The basic sony turntable which I believe is still avaialable has a builit in pre amp. If all you need is a reciever and adequate turntable you could probably do this for 300-400 bucks.

[Guest Speed Racer]

A thrift store near me has a ton of old, old stereo components in the back for cheap (think your dad's average receiver, for $10; HUGE speakers for $5/pop). It has been my intention for a long time to spend $50 getting something up and running (I already have a turntable), and then replacing the components as I can afford it. If that route is an option for a newbie, I don't see why they wouldn't take it.

[gabepride]

Greg, did you ever name that store in Richmond? Apologies if I missed it.

 

Consider me another vinyl disciple. Today I tried to listen to an mp3 of Sleater-Kinney's Light-Rail Coyote. It was a VBR mp3 encoded with the LAME plug-in on EAC, which at the time was pretty much the height of mp3 encoding. But it was utterly unlistenable through my Sennheiser HD555s. Too tinny--the cymbals especially. It sounded like I was listening through a tin can connected with string to another tin can. I threw on the vinyl copy and had a much nicer experience.

[LouieB]

A thrift store near me has a ton of old, old stereo components in the back for cheap (think your dad's average receiver, for $10; HUGE speakers for $5/pop). It has been my intention for a long time to spend $50 getting something up and running (I already have a turntable), and then replacing the components as I can afford it. If that route is an option for a newbie, I don't see why they wouldn't take it.

This is an exellent suggestion. Most resale stores and some used record stores carry older hi fi equipment. I needed a CD player and picked one up a simple Nachamichi at Recycled in Springfield for $60, but I know they also have many turntables and tons of tuners, speakers etc. But many thrift stores get in unwanted turntables that can be rehabed and used successfully. Also the dude who fixes hi fi in your town will also have lots of older, referbished equipment for reasonable prices.

 

LouieB

[jc4prez]

If this sounds like a dumb question forgive me I know nothing about receivers.

 

I have a record player with a red and white rca output and I have two sbl-75 technics speakers with wire out puts that clip in, on the back it says 150watt input. Anybody know what kind of receiver I'd need.

[gabepride]

I went to the store in Richmond mentioned upthread. Deep Groove Vinyl, at 317 N. Robinson. Lots of great stuff. I picked up David Bowie's Aladdin Sane and Joni Mitchell's The Hissing of Summer Lawns, the latter for only a dollar.

 

They also have a bunch of rare Hendrix, for those of you who mentioned you were looking for some of that.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

I went to the store in Richmond mentioned upthread. Deep Groove Vinyl, at 317 N. Robinson. Lots of great stuff. I picked up David Bowie's Aladdin Sane and Joni Mitchell's The Hissing of Summer Lawns, the latter for only a dollar.

 

They also have a bunch of rare Hendrix, for those of you who mentioned you were looking for some of that.

Hmm. I will have to check that place out once I move back to Richmond. Other than Plan 9, and this tiny place on Pine St, I haven't been to any other record stores in Richmond. This Robinson St one sounds promising, though. How affordable is it overall?

[gabepride]

Hmm. I will have to check that place out once I move back to Richmond. Other than Plan 9, and this tiny place on Pine St, I haven't been to any other record stores in Richmond. This Robinson St one sounds promising, though. How affordable is it overall?

It varies with quality and rarity. He doesn't sell stuff that skips, not even in the dollar bin. The Joni I got sounds great, for a dollar. The Bowie I got is new, virgin vinyl for $20. They had a bunch of Who stuff between three and nine bucks--and on the nine bucks end, they were U.K or Japanese pressings of Who's Next, for example. You can find cheaper stuff at other record stores for sure, but it was all reasonable, and they have a great selection of stuff I actually want to buy, which is more than I can say for Plan 9's basement on Cary St.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

It varies with quality and rarity. He doesn't sell stuff that skips, not even in the dollar bin. The Joni I got sounds great, for a dollar. The Bowie I got is new, virgin vinyl for $20. They had a bunch of Who stuff between three and nine bucks--and on the nine bucks end, they were U.K or Japanese pressings of Who's Next, for example. You can find cheaper stuff at other record stores for sure, but it was all reasonable, and they have a great selection of stuff I actually want to buy, which is more than I can say for Plan 9's basement on Cary St.

Ok. I'll check it out once school starts, and I'm back in Richmond. It sounds worthwhile.

 

I've only seriously looked through Plan 9's record stash once, but I ended up leaving with six very good records for $16, so it was worthwhile.

 

My vinyl collection is built on good records I found for $1, so this should be worth checking out. Thanks for the address!

[gabepride]

In my experience, it's hard to find good vinyl at Plan 9. The guy who used to buy their used vinyl off people now runs this new place on Robinson. I'm based in Charlottesville, and the vinyl selection at the Plan 9 out here is just pathetic.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

In my experience, it's hard to find good vinyl at Plan 9. The guy who used to buy their used vinyl off people now runs this new place on Robinson. I'm based in Charlottesville, and the vinyl selection at the Plan 9 out here is just pathetic.

Meh. I'm not at all picky with records, and I really only buy vinyl if I see interesting looking albums for cheap prices. I've had no complaints with Plan 9.

 

Does this place on Robinson sell CDs as well? They are still the large majority of my music purchases these days.

[gabepride]

Meh. I'm not at all picky with records, and I really only buy vinyl if I see interesting looking albums for cheap prices. I've had no complaints with Plan 9.

 

Does this place on Robinson sell CDs as well? They are still the large majority of my music purchases these days.

Nope, no CDs at all.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Ohh, shame. I'll still check it out, though. I've been pretty pleased with Plan 9 when it comes to CDs, so it's no big deal.

 

Speaking of, when I first went, I was expecting Plan 9 to be quite expensive with new CDs, and while the new releases are a bit much (but still reasonable), they have some random older albums that are very cheap to get new. I once got new, remastered copies of The Who Sell Out and the Band's Stage Fright for a total of like, $12. And the used CD selection is pretty worthwhile. I've gotten some good stuff from there for pretty cheap.