Double Bass Audiophile Turntable Recommendations for a Reasonable Price?

[CryingBass]

A very small portion of just the "A" albums ( by artist name ) that I have in Roon. Each Album if the FULL album, and I almost always listen to them in Track-order and for the full Album.

While I totaly respect all comments above, I find myself very engaged when I listen to an album in Roon.

 

[TroyK]

Agree. Streaming is a game changer and it is the present and future, but I won't be getting rid of my albums any time soon and I still crawl for new acquisitions.

<Look away at this point, if you don't want to hate me>
I've never quite connected with Bill Evans. I don't dislike him and that trio with LaFaro and Motion can't be ignored, but that's never been my true north for jazz. I've been streaming his Riverside albums from Spotify this week and I'm hearing it differently, but it's not flipping me yet. I don't need to start acquiring those LPs, but I'm glad that doesn't prevent me from exploring this catalogue.

Streaming isn't going anywhere and the quality is becoming very good, provided that you have the equipment. You still have to have a hifi system to hear things in hifi, we're just debating the source.

 

[neddyrow]

I agree with both sides of the argument but I will say that I own about 100 records. Each record I own only because I can listen to them all the way through without any "duds" in the list.

There is something to be said about cleaning the house, exercising or just sitting and relaxing to a great vinyl album.

no skipping tracks on CDs, no making playlists only to hate them a week later, no listening to other people or computer generated playlists and no picking songs from youtube - I do have youtube premium because I hate the ads - Just a great band that made a great recording you can listen to all the way through

 

[garrett2]

I don't think good analogue is any better than good digital, or vice-versa. But there's lots of great music which is not available digitally, particular jazz and electronic music. That's why I have a turntable, a Linn LP12. Chico Freeman's Kings of Mali is one of my all time favorite records -- Cecil McBee is killer on it -- but no CD or digital version. Lots of others.

 

[TroyK]

Oh...Linn's are nice!

 

[basspraiser]

Bought this as a complete set with a cheap set of headphones thrown in for just under $300 on amazon.

Is it great?

No but it is great for the office and other areas. I primarily bought it so I can listen to my office and on my deck during the summer.

It has a built-in preamp and the speakers are actually fairly decent for the size.

If you like this one make sure you get the one with the headphone jack because I believe that is the only one with the built-in amplifier.

I have a much nicer 1980s Technics that I use in my main listening room.

You may also look for some used 1970s or 1980s turntable on eBay or amazon. There are several of them for sale at decent prices.

 

[31HZ]

where's a good place to look for used turntables? Ebay?

audiogon.com

I have bought nearly every major piece of audio gear I own there, used, including my Rega P25 table, the Rega Exact2 cartridge currently installed, and the Basic Audio phono preamp that it runs through.

 

[TroyK]

Keith, here's a $2,000 isolation stand to set your turntable on when you chose one.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[31HZ]

Keith, here's a $2,000 isolation stand to set your turntable on when you chose one.

Invalid Link Removed

Well, one wouldn't exactly put a $300,000 Goldmund's Reference II on a card table now, would we?

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/goldmund-reference-ii-turntable.115652/

 

[TroyK]

Ah...Steve Hoffman...

 

[JLubinsky-Mast]

I've never done so much googling as I have while reading this thread. Thank you, what a great read.
I've been listening to vinyl my whole life, the last six or so, I've been listening through an old Dual turntable (that I recently got tuned up) going into a mid 90's Yamaha integrated amp, and a pair of Advent speakers, that i got when we were clearing out my grandparents place years ago.

It's time to upgrade the amp, it's a bit of a muddy one. Oh my, the price of old amps have certainly skyrocketed since my teenage flea market days.

The one thing that has flumoxed me is, how much power does a person really need...

 

[TroyK]

I've never done so much googling as I have while reading this thread.
I've been listening to vinyl my whole life, the last six or so, I've been listening through an old Dual turntable (that I recently got tuned up) going into a mid 90's Yamaha integrated amp, and a pair of Advent speakers.

It's time to upgrade the amp, it's a bit of a muddy one. Oh my, the price of old amps have certainly skyrocketed since my teenage flea market days.

The one thing that has flumoxed me is, how much power does a person really need...

How do you like the Dual? I've been interested in those, but have never laid hands or ears on one.

I think for normal listening at home 50 watts per channel is good. 40 might be okay, 60-65 is better. 100 is great.

If you can recap, clean, tune, chase gremlins, there are still good vintage buys out there, but to get the blue dial Marantz that I see it my dreams in no-hassle condition would be a painful purchase for me.

 

[JLubinsky-Mast]

How do you like the Dual? I've been interested in those, but have never laid hands or ears on one.

I think for normal listening at home 50 watts per channel is good. 40 might be okay, 60-65 is better. 100 is great.

If you can recap, clean, tune, chase gremlins, there are still good vintage buys out there, but to get the blue dial Marantz that I see it my dreams in no-hassle condition would be a painful purchase for me.

It's an old Dual 606, and, it's all I've really known. I haven't been able to bring back any of the old turntables in my parent's garage to compare, nor have I had any friends come over for whiskey and an equipment shootout, (although it's been talked about)

This summer, I put some time and money getting everything tuned up.
I went to the turntable shop across the inlet, and basically tried to get the owner to try and sell me something nice, and he insisted that I just let him tweak it a bit, and, put my money into speakers or amplification.

As far as the dream Marantz rig, it certainly seems the only way those exist without spending some cake, is to learn how to fix them up yourself

 

[TroyK]

If the world gets a bit more normal, put me down for the whisky and vinyl day. I'll drive up!

 

[BazzaBass]

During the pandemic I've gotten heavily back into vinyl - of course locating and collecting all of my favorite jazz and fusion double bass performances. Unfortunately I'm running a subpar budget turntable that is not upgradeable and there are literally hundreds of options out there (and I don't really know where to start). Needle shapes? Cartridge options? Stylus options? Separate power amp or built-in? Speakers? Subs? It's mind-boggling how many different setups you can get but I want something that doesn't leave the double bass sounding muddy or distorted. My current speakers just cannot handle the lows of the big bass. Any recommendations?

Before spending any money I would get a hearing check first to find out what range you can actually hear

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Before spending any money I would get a hearing check first to find out what range you can actually hear

I’m all set in that department. I wear a BAHA hearing device as I have single sided hearing loss. Now I hear in stereo.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

I don't think good analogue is any better than good digital, or vice-versa. But there's lots of great music which is not available digitally, particular jazz and electronic music. That's why I have a turntable, a Linn LP12. Chico Freeman's Kings of Mali is one of my all time favorite records -- Cecil McBee is killer on it -- but no CD or digital version. Lots of others.

Did you inherit the Linn turntable? Their website says your model starts at $30,150.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Keith, here's a $2,000 isolation stand to set your turntable on when you chose one.

Invalid Link Removed

Wow! $2K for an isolation table? These systems can get out of hand rather quickly it seems!

 

[TroyK]

Wow! $2K for an isolation table? These systems can get out of hand rather quickly it seems!

Yup!

And, I think all of things do or can make a difference, but there's got to be a fairly steep point of diminishing returns. You'll always be hearing the weakest link in your chain and sometimes that's just a dirty record. You can spend thousands on machines to clean them...

I am what's called a "mid-fi enthusiast", rather than an audiophile, maybe I have some audiophile sympathies.

 

[garrett2]

Before spending any money I would get a hearing check first to find out what range you can actually hear

You don't need to have hearing above 10k to enjoy what a good turntable does.

Did you inherent the Linn turntable? Their website says your model starts at $30,150.

That's for the LP12 Klimax, their top of the line. They start far less expensive and can be upgraded to the top of the line. I bought mine used. There are lots of excellent turntables out there these days and also lots of older turntables which are excellent. People swear by old Garrards, Thorens, and build new plinths for them, etc. (https://www.resistormag.com/features/listening-space-gonzalo-oxenford-buenos-aires-argentina/)

I think there's diminishing returns on the mega-expensive turntables. And there's tons of bizarre snake oil in audio. But one surprising thing about a really good turntable is that when combined with an excellent phono cartridge (and phono stage), records which would be a scratchy mess on lesser rigs become quiet, clean, and full of detail you never imagined was there. It seems to go to places in the groove which have not been accessed before. You've got to clean the records too, that's another expense.