Turntable FAQs

Hmm. I'm considering the purchase of a new turntable. Where do I begin?

Naturally you'll want to start thinking about your budget. New turntables start in the $100 range, and they can cost as much as a new home. The most affordable turntables on the market are usually automatic or DJ turntables, built for convenience or just to introduce you to a new hobby. This is not to beat up on them. They're worth the cash if you're just looking to get your feet wet or if you want to archive a couple records and call it quits. At the root of it, they play records, which is all you need to set the wheels in motion.

What's an automatic turntable?

There are a few varieties. Fully-automatic turntables engage the arm, drop it on the record, lift it up at the end of the side, and return it to the armrest, all with the simple depression of a single button. They usually shut off as well. If you're drinking a beer and find yourself drowsy after the first track, feel free to fall asleep. The turntable will take care of itself.

Next, there are semi-automatic turntables. These either lift the arm and return it to the rest at the end of a side, or just turn off. You'll usually have to engage the arm yourself. These days, most turntables are either fully manual or fully automatic. There are only a few left that are semi-automatic.

Last, let's discuss manual turntables. It's simple; you have to do everything yourself. However, they normally have dampened cueing levers that lift and lower the arm for you, which means you don't have to rely on the steadiness of your fingers to get the needle in the groove.

Why would anyone in their right mind choose a manual turntable?

Simply put, they sound better and last longer. It's just like car windows. The ones that require you only to push a button never last as long as the ones that you have to roll up and down yourself. In terms of sound quality, automatic turntables and arms add gears and parts to the equation that add resonance and reduce rigidity, which amounts to degraded sonic performance. We'll discuss those details later on in our conversation.

I get your point. So if I value my LPs and want them to sound great, where should I continue my research?

You'll probably want to enter the market of manual turntables in the $300-$400 price range. Below that, there are mostly consumer-grade and DJ turntables. Pro-Ject and Music Hall are reliable manufacturers who kick out products that perform wonderfully and are fairly priced. It can seem like quite the extravagant investment, but most folks agree that such turntables pay for themselves in their longevity and in the enjoyment they yield. It's important to keep in mind that you've got to start somewhere. You don't need to spend this kind of money in order to listen to records, but it's worth pinching your pennies for a turntable in this arena of quality. If you need a quick fix, you can get great results from one of the DJ tables that we carry, or one of the more affordable automatic models. Of course, there's also the slightly risky market of used equipment. There are great deals out there. If you go this route, make sure you trust the seller, and that they know how to package a turntable properly for shipment (if they're not local). Then come to us for a new cartridge! We're also happy to appraise used turntables for you. Email or call us and we'll let you know what we think of the turntable you're considering.

What makes a turntable sound good?

A million things. Well, not that many, but there are lots of factors. Mass, rigidity, the materials used, the stability of the motor, and isolation are just a few key concepts that play significant roles in the overall performance of the turntable. For starters, mass is usually important because the more massive the turntable, the less like it is to allow external vibration and resonance to get back to the record. The phono cartridge acts very similar to a microphone. That's why when you tap on the base of a turntable, you can hear it through the speakers.

The materials used in the construction of the turntable are also elemental. Picture this: you pick up a hunk of metal and you knock on it a few times. There is a little decay (resonance) each time you hit it. Then you grab a slab of granite and rap on it. It's pretty acoustically dead, no? Now you should be able to grasp how the material of the platter and plinth are critical. For the plinth, MDF (multi-density fiber) , wood, rock, and acrylic are a few choice materials. For the platter, acrylic, aluminum, glass, and MDF are common.

Of course, if the record is not spinning at a consistent speed, it's going to sound like crap. This is why the turntable's motor is important. It needs to handle the incoming AC power in a fashion that prohibits variation in the speed of the motor pulley (for belt-drive turntables).

The isolation of the turntable goes hand-in-hand with the materials discussed above. They are good isolators, and prevent unwanted resonance and vibration from traveling back up to the record. There are a number of measures that you can take to heighten the isolation of your turntable as well. You can get record mats or isolation feet, build a mass-loaded platform, or choose from a variety of other "tweaks" that'll incrementally improve the sound quality that your turnable is capable of.