I've got the vinyl itch and I need to scratch it. I have a receiver/speakers and a few records but i need a good turntable and any accessories you think I may need. Any suggestions would be great.

Oh and any albums that are crazy good on vinyl would be nice too.

I don't no my exact model, but my turntable is made by ion and it's supposedly a very good first turntable. I got it for 85 dollars, marked down from like 150, so it's affordable.


classic rock sounds amazing on vinyl, especially the Who and Led Zeppelin. Nine Inch Nails' Downward Spiral sounds great, as does Radiohead's OK Computer.

The Band.

Make sure you get a belt-driven turntable unless you are going to be doing any DJing, in which case you would get a direct-drive turntable. Belt-driven decks cut down on motor noise/vibration.

Although a Technics 1200 is pretty quiet and has excellent resale value should you decide to get rid of it.

Neutral Milk Hotel's Airplane Over the Sea is fantastic on Vinyl.

If you are looking for something danceable, Robert Palmer's "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley" is great and you can find that cheap at any used record store. The Meters are the backing band on that one.

Wilco's A Ghost is Born on 180 gram vinyl is awesome.

Even the Morman Tabernacle Choir's Christmas sounds better on vinyl!

I've only had my record player for a year and I am constantly blown away by how great it sounds. The lower levels are so much fuller and add so much to the music. Each part seems distinguishable but it all gels together so well.

Presuming you're receiver already has the phono input then I would stay away from new TTs like the ION and go for a proper vintage setup. Try to find an old Pioneer or Technics TT from the 70's or 80's. Belt driven is fine. They're solid and require very little specialized setup unlike some vintage audiophile stuff which you need a PHD to figure out!

Have a look at your local thrift store, salvation army, goodwill, whatever.

I'd be vary of a used/older belt-driven turntable. The belts could be worn and records might not play at the correct speed.

Thanks for all of the help so far everyone.

Well I guess I shouldn't say I have a proper receiver...it's just a newer Samsung surround sound system with hdmi etc but i'm assuming I could hook a turntable up with no problem. Will that make a difference with the type of model/brand I should be looking for?

Oh and are there any massive online sites that sell new vinyl versions of newer albums?

YES

also, probably my favorite-

The Velvet Underground - Live at Max's Kansas City.

Make sure there is a phono input on the receiver. If you try to plug it into the CD/line-in you might blow it out.

insound.com

has everything mentioned in here so far.

Honestly that is far from being a concern. New belts cost about $10 max. Back in the day they knew how to make a proper turntable, and they were built to last. That Ion USB TT is handy for someone looking to get into vinyl, but it's all plastic with a subpar cartridge. I would stay away. Even mid-to-high range turntables from the 70's can now be had for under $20. I paid $12 at a garage sale for a Pioneer deck that was in pristine shape. I changed the belt for $6.99 and was up and running.

my suggestion is also go vintage on the TT. you can pick up refurbished older decks on ebay for good prices. I personally would recommend a dual as a starter. once you get your feet wet, then you can trade up for a better brand. The analog sound has much to do with the amp, speakers, and stylus just as much if not more than the table.

as for records, start with used vinyl for the classics. but be careful of the condition. most places should allow you to play it at the store before you buy it. look for shine, if its dull and scratched dont buy. also pick up a quality wet cleaner and brush and always clean your records before playing. i like the mobile fidelity solution and wet/dry brush. most of my records have very minimal pops and thats what you want.

You may need a preamp.... I know I do...

You could have either one of my turns, if you lived in town. I never get around to using them anymore, and the vinyl is pretty much just there to decorate the walls of my studio now (it's pretty great having stuff like Times They are a-Changin', Tea for the Tillerman, Rain Dogs, Yanqui U.X.O. and Yield looking down at you while you make music).

I'll check my setup and post the results

Well Paradigm, if you wouldn't mind shipping one...

nin's pretty hate machine also sounds great on vinyl. the fragile is freakin' amazing, but impossible to find.
siamese dream is also a winner.

as far as the turntable itself goes, i have one of the Sony units that you can still find at Best Buy (the model is PSLX250H). it's nothing fancy, and i'm looking to upgrade to a nice vintage deck, but i discovered last week that one of it's big advantages is that it has a built-in preamp, which would let you hook it up to your receiver if it doesn't have a phono-specific input. alternatively, i think a phono-preamp should let you plug in a deck without a built-in preamp to a receiver without a phono-specific input...

Ok so just checked the receiver and no phono input

Just hdmi, optical, component and red/yellow/white

Probably going to need a pre-amp then huh?

yeah unless you get one of the new TT that have built in preamps; however, i would recommend not getting a new TT.

as for preamp, i'm pretty happy with the nad pp-2. you can find for $100 if you're lukcy.

here it is on ebay