Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

[Nee Lewman]

I see where you're going with it! I totally agree it's better to invest and get it right the first time. But telling folks the hobby is too expensive, it'll just end in disappointment, it's gatekeeping in a sense. I welcome everyone who wants to get into it for any reason. Crosley, even.

One of the things I'm lucky enough to do for a living is teach guitar. If I told my kids, this $200 Chinese-made instrument actually sucks, don't even bother until you can afford X, well, that's one less kid with a guitar in their hands.

I get you… which is why I personally take the… you can put this together for your budget but I would do this and tell them why. Not trying to make it about the expense but the benefits of doing it that way.

 

[Hemotep]

I'll play devil's advocate here and just say that, with 12x12" art, liner notes, and a physical piece of medium you actually see spinning, all of this creates more enjoyment and connection with the music, regardless of true fidelity.

That said, I completely agree that if there's the option to save up and double the budget, (or even increase to $500) it opens up a lot more possibilities, and certainly gets you a system we could all get behind!

I'm with you on this, because I never would have made the initial investment for high quality equipment no matter what anyone said. It's too high an entry point to stomach when streaming is fine. It wasn't even a matter of can I afford it or not, but I couldn't justify spending the money on it to me or my wife for something I might not use enough. I had a couple hundred records I'd inherited from my dad, and wanted to at least be able to spin them even if it wasn't perfect.

I had a great experience with the LP-60 and powered speakers. And after I put a lot of wear on it in the first several months, I realized it was worth building a system I wanted. And I was able to do it piece by piece as I found stuff I really liked. I still have the LP-60 in my office at work and while it's nothing like my main system, it does it's job and fun to use especially on used and lesser quality pressings that I wouldn't necessarily want my expensive stylus touching.

 

[Joe Mac]

I see where you're going with it! I totally agree it's better to invest and get it right the first time. But telling folks the hobby is too expensive, it'll just end in disappointment, it's gatekeeping in a sense. I welcome everyone who wants to get into it for any reason. Crosley, even.

One of the things I'm lucky enough to do for a living is teach guitar. If I told my kids, this $200 Chinese-made instrument actually sucks, don't even bother until you can afford X, well, that's one less kid with a guitar in their hands.

I suppose the difference is probably to do with cost as well. Vinyl records themselves aren’t cheap and a lot of value systems with fixed tracking force actively wreck those records. It’s not like when I started collecting in the cd era. My first cheap boom box wasn’t going to destroy my cds even if they didn’t sound their best. Equally those kids guitars aren’t going to do them any harm, they just might not sound as great and last as long.

 

[Kris]

This was the blemish. It was about a 1/3 of the way up the right hand side of one of them. It was hard to see initially. I really did love the way they sounded View attachment 184560

Yep. I’m going to see if they’ll let me take them home for a demo.

Fyne F500SP Gloss Walnut (Demo Model) – Hudson Valley HiFi

hudsonvalleyhifi.com

 

[Mather]

Yep. I’m going to see if they’ll let me take them home for a demo.

Fyne F500SP Gloss Walnut (Demo Model) – Hudson Valley HiFi

hudsonvalleyhifi.com

Can't GUARANTEE it would work, but a little bit of clear gloss coat and a q-tip/toothpick might be able to fill in those cracks if you're real careful.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

I was gifted an LP60 in 2011 sans the powered speakers, and to be honest, I was really impressed by how well it sounded and played the few records that I did own.
I rolled with that table for 3 years. I’m not sure if the quality has fallen off, but I’d recommend that table to anyone starting out. However, with the current price of vinyl, I would also recommend to someone interested in getting into it to research the pricing of the records then the equipment and then make a determination based on that.

I’d also like to add that I find the holding of physical media vastly overrated. Receiving brand new albums with corner bends/creasing, seem splits, warps, poor or flawed pressings does not enhance my enjoyment in any way. I also don’t enjoy receiving new records and there’s no insert with lyrics or liner notes. Kind of like how video games just come with a box and the game and nothing else.

 

[displayname]

If the budget is $300 and it’s a starter hifi system

That’s the thing. This is not a hifi system. This is more of an aesthetic thing. They have some records (most likely from parents), and they’ve had an all in one thing that has reached the end of its life. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if they’ve never heard a true hifi system in their adult lives.

I'll play devil's advocate here and just say that, with 12x12" art, liner notes, and a physical piece of medium you actually see spinning, all of this creates more enjoyment and connection with the music, regardless of true fidelity.

This is it exactly.

But telling folks the hobby is too expensive, it'll just end in disappointment, it's gatekeeping in a sense.

100% what I’m trying to avoid.

 

[Nee Lewman]

I'm with you on this, because I never would have made the initial investment for high quality equipment no matter what anyone said. It's too high an entry point to stomach when streaming is fine. It wasn't even a matter of can I afford it or not, but I couldn't justify spending the money on it to me or my wife for something I might not use enough. I had a couple hundred records I'd inherited from my dad, and wanted to at least be able to spin them even if it wasn't perfect.

I had a great experience with the LP-60 and powered speakers. And after I put a lot of wear on it in the first several months, I realized it was worth building a system I wanted. And I was able to do it piece by piece as I found stuff I really liked. I still have the LP-60 in my office at work and while it's nothing like my main system, it does it's job and fun to use especially on used and lesser quality pressings that I wouldn't necessarily want my expensive stylus touching.

I started with an lp60 that my wife bought me. I’m not going to actively shit on anyone’s equipment. If someone has an lo60 and is fine with it and they listen to and enjoy records, awesome!

But if someone asks me what they should get, I’m gonna give them options. It’s up to them.

 

[Nee Lewman]

That’s the thing. This is not a hifi system. This is more of an aesthetic thing. They have some records (most likely from parents), and they’ve had an all in one thing that has reached the end of its life. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if they’ve never heard a true hifi system in their adult lives.


This is it exactly.


100% what I’m trying to avoid.

Oh, like staged records in one of them home Reno shows…. What ever that one thing was and some edifers

 

[Angsty]

I’ve become largely unfamiliar with true entry level side of vinyl, but a friend asked for some help so I figured I’d bring the question to the group here.

He’s looking for an all in one record player. I’m talking TT, phono, pre amp, amp and speakers all in one self contained box with a budget of around $300. I don’t want to pull a vinyl snob card and tell him not to do it, so I’d prefer to find the best option for theirs needs. Anything that at least as an arm with a real counter weight? Maybe something with RCA outs in the event they decide to get a separate amp and speakers in the future?

Sound Burger.

https://a.co/d/cmxflJT

 

[Nee Lewman]

Sound Burger.

This is a pretty solid idea, actually.

 

[displayname]

Oh, like staged records in one of them home Reno shows…. What ever that one thing was and some edifers

Yes, that’s pretty much it. A stylish little vinyl corner in the dining room. A lot of thought on the display, and they currently have a suitcase player on a 32” square shaped side table.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

What about something like this

3-Speed Record Player Brown/Gray - Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia

Read reviews and buy 3-Speed Record Player Brown/Gray - Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

Or this

Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT Bluetooth Stereo Turntable (Red) w/ Bookshelf Speaker

Read reviews and buy Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT Bluetooth Stereo Turntable (Red) w/ Bookshelf Speaker at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

 

[Angsty]

Yes, that’s pretty much it. A stylish little vinyl corner in the dining room. A lot of thought on the display, and they currently have a suitcase player on a 32” square shaped side table.

If style matters more than basic function, I think extra bucks for the entry-level TTL combo is the way to go. The only other combo that might fly is a vintage turntable with new powered speakers that have a phono input. Most of my local record stores sell vintage tables at $200 or less.

 

[displayname]

Any strong thoughts on the Spinbase?

SpinBase Turntable Speaker ft. ISOGroove Technology

SpinBase is an all-in-one powered speaker system designed for use with turntables. It packs room-filling sound, simple operation, and easy setup in a compact package with a turntable-sized footprint. It features Bluetooth, 270º sound dispersion, bass and treble EQ, and a built in phono pre-amp...

www.andoveraudio.com

It would be over the budget, but I think the aesthetic would get easy sign off and an LP60 + Spinbase would be so much more flexible in the future without them needing to change/move anything else in the house.

 

[SnowmaNick]

May go over budget a bit, but add some wireless speakers and this and it would probably sound better than what they have and look nice.

 

[kvetcha]

Any strong thoughts on the Spinbase?

SpinBase Turntable Speaker ft. ISOGroove Technology

SpinBase is an all-in-one powered speaker system designed for use with turntables. It packs room-filling sound, simple operation, and easy setup in a compact package with a turntable-sized footprint. It features Bluetooth, 270º sound dispersion, bass and treble EQ, and a built in phono pre-amp...

www.andoveraudio.com

It would be over the budget, but I think the aesthetic would get easy sign off and an LP60 + Spinbase would be so much more flexible in the future without them needing to change/move anything else in the house.

My wife has a SpinBase in her office. It won’t blow the doors off but it works as promised.

 

[displayname]

My wife has a SpinBase in her office. It won’t blow the doors off but it works as promised.

That's about what I expect. And coming from an all in one Crosley, I'd imagine it will feel like a significant upgrade.
My main draw in recommending that for them is it will require the exact same footprint as their existing all in one unit, which I think they might find appealing.

 

[Ghost]

Are those designed by Georgia O’Keefe?

Wow, that would be a fun Midjourney prompt. Speakers designed by famous painters.

 

[kvetcha]

That's about what I expect. And coming from an all in one Crosley, I'd imagine it will feel like a significant upgrade.
My main draw in recommending that for them is it will require the exact same footprint as their existing all in one unit, which I think they might find appealing.

Yeah, it's a definite step up, and the isolation platform element works a treat.