ziegler@lzmi.UUCP (10/12/83)
Well, so far only two replies from my earlier request for suggestions on a reasonable turntable and cartridge for a total price of $250-$300. Either the article got lost somewhere or that price just isn't high enough to interest you audiophile snobs in this newsgroup. :-) :-) :-)!!!! Seriously, I realize that equipment at this price is hardly up to the standards of the stuff usually discussed here, but how about some advice to someone who has other hobbies to absorb all his money, but would still appreciate a little help? Both allegra!cbf and whuxk!wjm have recommended the Shure V15-V cartridge. This would probably cost half of the total price that I mentioned above, which seems reasonable to me. In fact, I'd even spend a bit more on the cartridge and less on the turntable if necessary, since I'm much more sensitive to dynamic range and frequency response than I am to wow and flutter. Is this a reasonable trade-off? Most of the turntables I've looked at take a p-mount cartridge. Is the V15-V a p-mount? Just what SHOULD I be looking for in features and specs on a system at this price? Joe Ziegler AT&T-IS (nee American Bell) ...ihnp4!hogpc!pegasus!lzmi!ziegler <or> ...mhtsa!lznv!ziegler
bhaskar@fluke.UUCP (K.S. Bhaskar) (10/15/83)
Sorry to post this to the net, instead of replying by mail, but it didn't get through. I recommend a Pioneer PLL-800S, linear-tracking turntable with a quartz-locked direct drive motor. It comes with its own PC-6MC high-output moving coil cartridge. I bought mine about 3-4 months ago from Labelle in Biddecombe, Maine by mail order (they advertise in the pages of Audio -- unfortunately, I don't have the phone number with me here at work). Including packing and postage, it cost me around $270-275, and I am happy with it. You can also get excellent sound at half the price -- previously, I owned a bottom-of-the-line Technics direct-drive with Audio-Technica ST-71 cartridge for around $150 from J.C. Penny's, and there was no significant difference. I have also compared a high-end system consisting of a Dennon turntable, Infinity tone-arm (I think) and Fidelity Research cartridge, and, while the sound appeared to be better, it was not significantly so, though the price of that system was around $900 all told. Another turntable to look into is the Technics SL-10 (for around $100 more than the Pioneer). By the way, these are all older designs, but that's what makes them attractively priced (for example, the Pioneer was originally sold as the Phase Linear 8000, and was listed at $800 or so a couple of years ago). -- K.S. Bhaskar
ricks@tekcad.UUCP (10/17/83)
#R:lzmi:-13000:tekcad:9600012:000:541 tekcad!paulp Oct 16 15:56:00 1983 One reason for the lack of responses for a "what's a good [receiver|amp| tape deck|turntable|speaker|howitzer] for [$200-$500]" question is that there are three of these a week. Relatively few people are well informed of what's happening in the audio market. Most of these are folks who are planning to or have just bought some piece of equipment. After responding to a couple of these questions it becomes too much of a bother. In summary: a knowledgeable friend or some time in the library would be a better source of equipment advice.