Best Buy Turntables - article discussion

im interested in getting a turnable to connect to my receiver, can all these best buys be connected to receivers? i know absolutely nothing about modern turntables. and is there any other "bits" you need to get them up and running? or are they all plug ad play?
 
im interested in getting a turnable to connect to my receiver, can all these best buys be connected to receivers? i know absolutely nothing about modern turntables. and is there any other "bits" you need to get them up and running? or are they all plug ad play?

You have to look into the user's manual of your AVR/Amplifier. It will say with which cartridge is compatible with (MM = Moving Magnet or MC = Moving Coil).
The cartridge (or pickup) is the part you mount on the turntable's tonearm.
The choice is up to your tastes (ask the dealer... ;) )
Plus: if it has a Phono IN (the AVR/Amplifier) most likely it's compatible with at least an MM cartridge (usually MM pickups have a little more output power and they don't require a turntable pre-amp if a Phono IN is present in the AVR).
For example: I had an Yamaha AVR (21 year old) that was compatible with both MM and MC pickups and had a Phono IN. My new Denon AVR-7200W has a Phono IN but it's compatible only with MM pickups. Since my Technics SL-1200 has a MC Ortofon Cadenza Bronze pickup, I had to buy a RIAA/step up transformer.
There are many different type of transformers/RIAA/pre-amps (and different prices).
I got myself a Cambridge Audio 651P which can be used with both MM and MC pickups (has a selector switch in the back) and works pretty damn good.
Just remember that the line out from the turntable pre-amp MUST NOT be connected to the Phono IN of the AVR (even if present); it must go to any other analog in (i.e. AUX, CD or whatever...)
 
That's all sound advice there. I'd go further and add that an off-board phono stage is likely to be massively superior to any integrated circuit inside any AVR and most stereo integrated amplifiers. Most don't even bother these days, and that's where the Audio Technica really scores as it's built-in.

One more thing: I truly hope that all this isn't just fashionable and stays with us for some time. This isn't something I can jump into right now (for budget and practical reasons), but I hope to within the next few years. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the round-up Ed.
 
Just ordered the Audio Technica and dust cover today, looking forward to getting back into my vinyl collection.
 
Just ordered the Audio Technica and dust cover today, looking forward to getting back into my vinyl collection.
How did you get on with the Technica? I'd be very interest in your comments
 
You have to look into the user's manual of your AVR/Amplifier. It will say with which cartridge is compatible with (MM = Moving Magnet or MC = Moving Coil).
The cartridge (or pickup) is the part you mount on the turntable's tonearm.
The choice is up to your tastes (ask the dealer... ;) )
Plus: if it has a Phono IN (the AVR/Amplifier) most likely it's compatible with at least an MM cartridge (usually MM pickups have a little more output power and they don't require a turntable pre-amp if a Phono IN is present in the AVR).
For example: I had an Yamaha AVR (21 year old) that was compatible with both MM and MC pickups and had a Phono IN. My new Denon AVR-7200W has a Phono IN but it's compatible only with MM pickups. Since my Technics SL-1200 has a MC Ortofon Cadenza Bronze pickup, I had to buy a RIAA/step up transformer.
There are many different type of transformers/RIAA/pre-amps (and different prices).
I got myself a Cambridge Audio 651P which can be used with both MM and MC pickups (has a selector switch in the back) and works pretty damn good.
Just remember that the line out from the turntable pre-amp MUST NOT be connected to the Phono IN of the AVR (even if present); it must go to any other analog in (i.e. AUX, CD or whatever...)
Like you my personal preference is to go with a separate pre-amp, currently a Pro-ject Tube Box S.

I have a Yamaha A2040 and while the phono input sounds OK-ish with a cheap MM cartridge, once you hook up something decent (I'm currently using a Shure V15 VxMR) it starts sounding really thin and flat.
 

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