33 Record Turntable Player

[Cal166]

Am planning to buy a present for a friend. Am looking at a 33 Turntable but since they are so old, i don't know anything about it.

Anyone got any suggestions/ideas on buying a nice one?

thanks a bunch!

 

[conjur]

I normally say Sony sucks or is overpriced but, for $99...not too bad

 

[Zenmervolt]

You mean a 33 1/3 RPM turntable for playing LPs? Or do you mean a turntable with a stacker that can hold at least 33 records?

LP (Long Play) is the term for the records. LPs are 12 inch diameter records played at 33 1/3 RPM. Singles are 7 inch diameter records played at 45 RPM. "78's" are 10 inch diameter records played back at 78 RPM.

ZV

 

[Lithium381]

Originally posted by: conjur
I normally say Sony sucks or is overpriced but, for $99...not too bad

not bad...!

 

[Cal166]

Not bad! was looking for something that looks better in a wood style color.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Cal166
Not bad! was looking for something that looks better in a wood style color.

If you want wood you'll have to go used. Look on ebay. Lots of nice turntables on there. Just get a Pionner, Kenwood, Onkyo; something brand name. Back in the day they were all made in Japan anyway.

 

[jemcam]

Direct Drive is better than belt drive. That's about all I can remember from the turntable days. I also remember paying about $300 bucks for my cassette player because I had already replaced my 8 tracks with cassettes when I was in high school. This was about 5 years before CD's and I thought (along with everyone else) that cassettes were state of the art. Imagine.... I'll record my favorite songs from my albums and make a personal tape of all my favorite songs. Then, my records will never get scratched. Some of my friends used to pay extra for the first cut albums because they were supposed to be clearer.

Of course, we'd go buy the expensive TDK cassettes for about $5 or $6 apiece first because we had to get the good stuff. One or two of my friends even had 8 track recorders which were really expensive. It was pretty cool to have one of those.

Thanks for the memories.

p.s. Bang & Olfson supposedly had the top of the turntables.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: jemcam
Direct Drive is better than belt drive. That's about all I can remember from the turntable days.

Not necessarily. Direct drives can "cog." That is, an AC motor will have a numer of polls to turn the spindle, and the force applied will not necessarily be even through the power cycle. Belt drives tend to buffer that out because of the elasticity in the belt. OTOH, belts eventually wear out.

What I do know is, good vinyl recordings sound great, far better than any CD I've heard, even of the same material if the original recording was analog.

BTW, you'll also need a gooo phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: jemcam
Direct Drive is better than belt drive. That's about all I can remember from the turntable days. I also remember paying about $300 bucks for my cassette player because I had already replaced my 8 tracks with cassettes when I was in high school. This was about 5 years before CD's and I thought (along with everyone else) that cassettes were state of the art. Imagine.... I'll record my favorite songs from my albums and make a personal tape of all my favorite songs. Then, my records will never get scratched. Some of my friends used to pay extra for the first cut albums because they were supposed to be clearer.

Direct Drive turntables are definetly better for mixing and scratching but I'm pretty sure that belt drive tables are better for just listening to music.

 

[Squisher]

I just picked up a Dual 1215 for $20 out of the local paper.

You can't really go wrong with Duals from the 70s, I think the most wanted one is a 1015. I'm not sure.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: jemcam
Direct Drive is better than belt drive. That's about all I can remember from the turntable days.

Not necessarily. Direct drives can "cog." That is, an AC motor will have a numer of polls to turn the spindle, and the force applied will not necessarily be even through the power cycle. Belt drives tend to buffer that out because of the elasticity in the belt. OTOH, belts eventually wear out.

What I do know is, good vinyl recordings sound great, far better than any CD I've heard, even of the same material if the original recording was analog.

BTW, you'll also need a gooo phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

I got an AudioTechnica that I think is pretty nice for like $60. Even came with an extra stylus.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Harvey
............BTW, you'll also need a gooo phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

Where I buy mine.

 

[CFster]

Expensive

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Harvey
............BTW, you'll also need a gooo phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

Where I buy mine.

Damn, they want $40 more then I paid for my AT cartridge. They do have an awesome selection tho.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Squisher
I just picked up a Dual 1215 for $20 out of the local paper.

You can't really go wrong with Duals from the 70s, I think the most wanted one is a 1015. I'm not sure.

I use my father's old Sony 510A (I think) Receiver which has a integrated Dual 12xx (I forget the remainder of the numbers). Amazing setup. I think he said it set him back over $400 in the 1970's.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Harvey
............BTW, you'll also need a gooo phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

Where I buy mine.

Nothing by Pickering? HTF can a place that sells styli not have Pickering cartridges?

ZV

EDIT: Found a place that does keep Pickering, and has far better prices. Cartridge that is in my turntable: http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=PICK03&Category_Code=PICK

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

LP (Long Play) is the term for the records. LPs are 12 inch diameter records played at 33 1/3 RPM. Singles are 7 inch diameter records played at 45 RPM. "78's" are 10 inch diameter records played back at 78 RPM.

ZV

are you sure on the 78's? i thought 78's were 12" too, just outdated and 78RPM (plus different compound to the vinyl iirc?)

there's 10" records that play @ 33-1/3 RPM too.. what are they called .. EP's? i think thats it. I dont remember because i only had one of them

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Harvey
...BTW, you'll also need a good phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

And can be hard to find.
My turntable has two tone arms and thus two cartridges. I bought extras the last time I got some. You can play both side of the album without turning it over. It also automatically senses the record size and adjusts the platter speed accordingly. Oh ya, you can also play the songs in any order you want by programming it.

 

[Doggiedog]

Technics SL-1200 are the most sought after. If you've ever used one, you'll know why. That motor is so powerful you really can hold it back and it starts up instantly.

Make sure you get a good needle for whatever turntable you get.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Harvey
...BTW, you'll also need a good phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

And can be hard to find.
My turntable has two tone arms and thus two cartridges. I bought extras the last time I got some. You can play both side of the album without turning it over. It also automatically senses the record size and adjusts the platter speed accordingly. Oh ya, you can also play the songs in any order you want by programming it.

What kind is it? I've got a Sansui that does the same thing but one side doesn't work right

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Harvey
...BTW, you'll also need a good phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

And can be hard to find.
My turntable has two tone arms and thus two cartridges. I bought extras the last time I got some. You can play both side of the album without turning it over. It also automatically senses the record size and adjusts the platter speed accordingly. Oh ya, you can also play the songs in any order you want by programming it.

What kind is it? I've got a Sansui that does the same thing but one side doesn't work right

Sansui P-M900

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Harvey
...BTW, you'll also need a good phono cartridge which isn't cheap, these days.

And can be hard to find.
My turntable has two tone arms and thus two cartridges. I bought extras the last time I got some. You can play both side of the album without turning it over. It also automatically senses the record size and adjusts the platter speed accordingly. Oh ya, you can also play the songs in any order you want by programming it.

What kind is it? I've got a Sansui that does the same thing but one side doesn't work right

Sansui P-M900

:Q:Q!! That's the one I have. I picked it up for $40 at a swapmeet with only one side working. I popped it open and couldn't find anything obviously wrong. Man, its impossible to find information for that thing! Oh what I would give for a service manual Glad to hear yours is still in working condition

 

[Zenmervolt]

There are places that still service these machines, just highly difficult to find at times. Easier to find than places that service Betamax machines though.

ZV

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
There are places that still service these machines, just highly difficult to find at times. Easier to find than places that service Betamax machines though.

ZV

I'd like to think between myself, 4th year EE and all the awesome engineers at work, that we could get this sucker working correctly. Unfortunately, I still need a schematic of some sort to work from. I can't find anything and I won't take it to someone since it isn't that important to me. I have a working turntable I like. This one is just cool. It has a tray load like a cd player. Very slick.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

:Q:Q!! That's the one I have. I picked it up for $40 at a swapmeet with only one side working. I popped it open and couldn't find anything obviously wrong. Man, its impossible to find information for that thing! Oh what I would give for a service manual Glad to hear yours is still in working condition

I bought mine as part of a rack system when I was stationed in Germany in 1986. I have the owners manual but no service manual.