Record Collecting and Record Players?

[johnsmith222]

Hi guys.

I am looking for some advice in getting into collecting records. I'd mainly be looking for rock music and buying them for the enjoyment of listening to them rather than to keep them good.

I went to a market today and picked up a fleetwood mac and bowie records cheap and think that collecting records is something that I'd like to get into.

I'm looking for advice on record players which may be suitable for putting in my room as a beginner.

I have seen that you can get some second hand ones which are going quite cheap but tbh I don't really know what I'm looking for. I don't want to spend a huge amount of money so would be looking at second gear.

I understand that there are lots of records that cost a lot of money including led zeppellin and the likes, but it wouldn't be this kind of collecting that I'd be doing.

I guess there's something enjoyable about hunting for music you like cheap and getting a nice presentation and not having digital perfection.

Having a radio and CD player as well would be a bonus. I've seen the stacks of seperate unit towers. Are these any good?

I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks guys.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

For vinyl - car boot sales (be early) and eBay.

As for turn tables I think it's best to go for belt drives, rather than direct drives (shafties, if you like!). Belts are quieter - less extraneous bearing noise. Don't go for DJ types - look instead for "hi-fi" efforts; names to look for are Project (e.g. the Project Debut II). Or for a bit more money, the Rega Planar 2 or 3. The latter may be as much as £200 used, iirc. But can be found cheaper. My minter was five quid, boxed (car boot sale)!!!!!!!!

Also remember that your amp will need a phono pre. Which is to say, if you only have inputs for e.g. CD, tuner and aux you won't be able to hook a turn table up without an external phono pre amp. Which kind of sucks, tbh. So what you need is an amp with an inbuilt phono input if you haven't already got one. Something cheap would be a Rotel RA-921. But finding old, cheap, usable amps with phono pres is piss easy on ebay and elsewhere. An old decent one might be something like the Creek 4040.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Very personal thing a record player.

Project do some very good turntables. Do some research.

My friend Dr Darren likes the best.
https://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net///Review%20images/Hi-Fi%20Choice/HFC%20338/HFC338.test.project_6perspex-900-75.jpg

I didn't want the faff of changing pulley size when I play 45s and needed something more robust with lots of features like reverse and quartz lock so went for a TT03.
https://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/howlingterror_2006/DSCF1774_zps625f9eae.jpg
think it was £150 when new.

The stylus cost me more than the deck...then there's the amp...and speakers and the all important placement of speakers.

Loads of audiophiles on here..So hang about and they'll fill you in.

[edit] See. Pipped to the post.
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[Nick 50]

Second-hand shops can be a gold mine and if you have one local even better.

The Mrs goes in our local one quite often for books and is on first name terms. Some LP's came in and she had already asked them to keep an eye out as the daughter has a record player and is always on the look out for LP's.

She hit the jackpot as someone's collection came in. They kept them in the back for the daughter till she could have first dibs on what she wanted.
She got about 30 in total, with many being rock like Aerosmith, Guns n Roses etc etc oh and a pretty decent condition (with posters) Beatles White Album all for a princeley sum of £5

She got someone else's collection a few weeks back for £20 of Albums and Singles. There was 3 boxes full.
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[Carl_steveo]

I inherited my dads collection but haven't got a player yet. I don't want to spend a lot of money because tbh I'd hardly use it. Just the occasional play of the ones I like.
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[map]

This thread is not fair.
My Linn turntable is in the loft.
I promised myself it will return but realistically that'll now be when the kids move out (or should that be for the kids moving out? )
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[johnsmith222]

Very helpful posts guys!

HT, your setup looks fantastic but it's maybe just slightly over my sort of requirements of adjustability.

Trevor, good tip about car boot sales. That would be my main source I would think although had to sift through some amount of rubbish to find anything good.

I've been looking at second hand setups like this sort of thing:

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDYwMA==/$T2eC16dHJGQE9noMbUMzBRM4JC(yrQ~~48_80.JPG

I take it I'd need to buy a new stylus if I was going second hand?

I would be aiming for perhaps the £80 area (those towers seem to go for a lot cheaper).

There's a record player like this in the living room. (parents). I'm happy with how it sounds but can tell it's probably the sort of thing that audiophiles despise.

https://radioattic.com/images/martin/Martin_Thomas_Pacconi.jpg

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

It's a lovely thing to do. The whole process is good. Plus you can actually enjoy the artwork whilst listening.
Last week I got the new Robyn Hitchcock album delivered. Gatefold LP that comes with a copy on CD and a link to a mp3 download...Yes, I did get the T-shirt.

They also rekindle memories...Not the music so much, but where you bought them, the wine stained inner sleeve on a Santana LP or a hot-rock burn on Screamadelica side B.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Ed Case]

Regarding turntables one of the best was the Pioneer PL112d, usually a couple on Fleabay at giveaway prices and the drive belts which tend to be the only thing that wears is available cheaply over the 'Net'

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Buy cheap, pay twice.

Go for quality 2nd hand separates and keep clear of plastic-stacks. At least you'll still be able to get replacement parts for a Technics SL1210 (including copies).

[edit] The DK logo is probably my favourite logo in the world ...Ever!
I paid £20 for 2 and got one delivered to my mate. I'm his best mate now.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

^^^Currently got 'Eye' on the turntable.

If you get the time have a look for 'NextdoorLand' by The Soft Boys. One of the best comeback albums I've listened to.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[johnsmith222]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Nah - not really. Just don't use 'em as frisbees innit. Handle them at the edges, etc.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Say you've bought a copy of 'Warriors on the Edge of Time' and it has what appears to be icing sugar on it you can rinse them under the tap and dry them with a soft cotton cloth (follow the grooves Maaaan).

Fancy cloths and carbon fibre brushes are available.
I use the 'Parostatik' Disc Preener before every play

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9223/parostatik1.jpg
I actually do.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[swampy]

That's it, I'm officially old.....

I have witnessed a conversation where other old people have to tell someone how to use a record

Logans Run seems a good idea now...

EDIT: I should say I have about 250-300 80s and 90s house/rave and indie 12"s in my mums loft alongside christ knows how many 7" singles.
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[johnsmith222]

[Bomberman]

[johnsmith222]

[Bomberman]

What's your budget? Spend as much as you can on amp, speakers, turntable - in that order. Pick up a second hand separates tuner for pennies on eBay.
I don't know the Denon you mention (my first amp was a Denon PMA 250-II and it's still going strong some twenty years later ) but I'd not buy a receiver for stereo tunes. As far as 'decent' stereo goes, 'built-in' or add-ons tend to be bad things.
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[johnsmith222]

[Fizzer Thou]

I admit to having over 250 LPs in my front room,many of which were bought and only played the once and recorded onto cassette for when I was in the Navy.

I also admit to owning 'Rumours' by Fleetwood Mac on vinyl,cassette and on CD,as well as 'Sticky Fingers' by the Rolling Stones where the zipper on the album cover still works.

When Barry Sheene was being sponsored by Akai to race bikes my brother and I bought an Akai Hi-Fi stack from Rumbelows on the drip and I still use the amp and tuner,with a CD player connected into this amp.The direct drive turntable went belly-up a few years ago so Mrs.Fizzer bought me a new turntable for Xmas about 6 years ago.I must agree that it is good to listen to a few of my oldies that go back to the early 1970s.I still have the very first 45 that I bought in 1969,which was 'Let it Be' by the Beatles.Just a bit scratched now
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[Wonko The Sane]

My record player is an old 1960's Ferguson portable with a little valve amp built in. It didn't run when I got it from my grans where it's been in storage for a few decades, a bit of light oil got the speed selector working properly but now it sounds like it's speeding up and slowing down slightly / increasing decreasing in volume.

any ideas?

I'm on the look out for a proper radiogram to play my 50's rock n roll on!
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[The Shaggy D.A.]

You want a player with one of these, you do

https://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/themes/recordplayers/images/dansette/dansettedetail_3.jpg
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