I’ve never been a vinly lover but my wife unexpectedly got me one of those cheap Crosley decks for Christmas. The sound was atrocious, but plugged into the Aux port of a secondhand Denon midi system (£30 from the charity shop) it ‘s ok, and I’m really enjoying spinning records again. Money is very tight – and I’m also pretty clueless. I often see secondhand amps, decent makes like Cambridge and Nad, going cheap secondhand. I can imagine some of you recoiling in horror but could the Crosley plug into that? And over time, could a semi-decent deck like a Pro-ject?
This vinyl malarkey – ATM Part ii
*sings “He’s a vinly lover” to tune of Easy Lover*
I’ve had a NAD amp for nearly 30 years although not in constant use. When I bought it they were reckoned to be the best of the budget end of hifi. It’s currently in the loft but I’m considering bringing it down again and moving my vinly into a spare room.
This is the one I have. Still sounds good.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/272372673331?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=pla-75952154106&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=9045899&device=c&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0
NAD were terrific, I had the next model up which was basically the same important bits plus two meters which added to its lustre back in the day. Eventually it died but I am still using its replacement, a Technics jobbie which is going strong.
This bad boy
http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i449/charlieboy14/nad_3030_zpsqcq05e2d.jpg
…then this bad boy
http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i449/charlieboy14/technics_su-a800_zpsari0jlgm.jpg
I’m using a NAD 3130 now. I lucked into a used one for nowt, and it sounds great.
A turntable will need a phono stage to work. A suitably vintage amp (like the NAD 3020) will have one, but a newer one will need an external phono stage between the turntable and the amp.
From what I can gather Crosleys don’t need a phono stage and should just plug in to any amplifier.
This will do you nicely
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cambridge-Audio-A300-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier-/331962458979?hash=item4d4a812363:g:lhAAAOSwi0RXxCxv
Go for it; you shouldn’t need to spend a fortune to beef up your vinlyostereomatic sounds.
I’m guessing you’ll want some loudspeakers as well as an amp.
Round ‘ere we have a local Freecycle website that will email you alerts as new stuff gets either offered or asked for by subscribers; I regularly see old 70s/80s amps and loudspeakers up for grabs for nothing at all.
Is there a Small Ads intranet thingy where you or your missus works? There’s a good one where I’m currently working, which lets people advertise and sell all kinds of stuff. The prices tend to be very low, as the purchaser probably sits at a desk within hailing distance should a sale go sour!
Indeed, also on Freecycle you can request stuff. I wanted a VCR player for tape to digital transfer duties and got a cracker off Freecycle by simply asking if anyone had one they want to offload.
Good thinking. Maybe I can get some Nad speakers too. A pair of Nads, which I can get out to impress guests.
Are you here all week? How’s the veal?
If they made headphones, they could call them Go-Nads.
Spotted in French supermarket in the summer. Mrs. T giggled. Hatfield girl etc.
http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i449/charlieboy14/Afterword/20160824_154836_zpsd5zs05lz.jpg
I have 3 70s amps -a marantz (receiver actually) – love the blue light, an NAD, heaps of grunt and an A class English amp with a silly plug – a Sugden.
A blue light on any item of hi-fi is a marvellous thing.
My 29 year old daughter has caught the vinly bug, but the Crosley sounds awful. I’ve had a word! I said I would try to sort her out some amplification, but she lives in a tiny flat, so don’t think the big hifi separates route will appeal. As an aside, her collection consists of the Stone Roses, Rumours, Pepper and Ziggy Stardust…job pretty much done..?
Not the cheapest option but I currently play my vinly through a Sonos Play 5 (needs a pre amp too). This has the advantage of playing ripped stuff from a NAS drive as well as radio and Spotify (via Sonos app.)
Indeed, another shout for using the not inexpensive Sonos, but I had one anyway for all my other playing, so a deck that segues into it is perfect. As was my Flexson, as eulogised in the Daily Hell, not that I got because :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-2768493/Flexson-s-VinylPlay-There-s-never-affordable-turntable-digitises-vinyl-sound-like-proper-hi-fi-now.html
Go on Nigel – buy her a Nottigham Analogue Dais turntable. Handsome!
NAD amps were great. They also did some turntables in the 1980s which were – oh God, here he goes again – based on the Rega Planar 3. RP3s hold their value but the OEMs/rebadges do not. You might also be able to find some original Wharfedale Diamond speakers for next to nowt.
Many 1990s amps lost the RIAA (Phono) stage required for a turntable. Do not confuse the Phono stage with a Phono plug. If in doubt, ask, or it’ll cost you >£50 for an external unit.
And be careful not to play any prized vinyl on the Crosley – think knitting needle rather than stylus.
Daughter…’Can I borrow some of your vinyl to take home with me..?’ Er….no, not a chance!
Not to derail this thread but I have a question.
Pro-Ject Debut III owner here, only prob is there’s no selecter to change from 33.3 to 45rpm. Read about Pro-ject speedbox, apparently can improve the speed/sound accuracy and of course change the speed. (you can do it manually but its a faff and don’t want to mess up any of the t/t settings.) Only issue is they’re £110. Hmmmmmmmm?? Anyone got one or seen one or any reviews for it?
Only mention it as haven’t played my 45’s in years and many vinyl reissues now come out on 45rpm, which for me is a pain. I’d quite happily stick with 33rpm but needs must!
You might notice a small improvement in 33rpm playback (more stable pitch, lower motor noise). There’s already a much larger gain in audio quality from 45rpm pressings, as Peter Gabriel & XTC have recently taken advantage of.
The big gain is in convenience.
I bought a Linn Lingo for my LP12 and wouldn’t go back to messing about with belts.
Cheers, will have to spring out the wallet and invest then.
I’ve got no idea what you guys are on about. My t/t you take the belt of one wheel and put it on the other size wheel to change speed. This is presumably not what you guys are on about.
It’s an outboard power supply unit to switch between speeds electronically. You don’t have to bother with moving belts.
It also cleans up the electricity from the mains.
on belt drive T/Ts? well blow me down.
Presumably less power means slower , more means faster and something to measure the speed of rotation to adjust accordingly ?
The majority of turntables – almost everything bar the Technics SL1210 – use 24V AC motors.
A simple 10:1 step-down transformer will convert 240VAC mains to 24VAC for the motor. Transformers can’t change the frequency of the mains (50Hz everywhere except the USA) not can they filter it.
An outboard power supply takes the 240VAC input, turns it into 24V DC, filters it, then chops it up into 24VAC at 50Hz (for 33rpm) or 24VAC at 68Hz (for 45rpm) at the flick of a switch. So it just runs the motor faster.
Measuring the speed of rotation requires a feedback signal, commonly termed “Quartz-locked” (as on the SL1210).
Dull but true.