Frequently asked questions about turntables and vinyl, belt-drive vs direct-drive, cartridges, headshells, alignment and more.
A smart question to ask, belt-drive turntables are much cheaper to make. Even small manufacturers can tool up to make a basic belt-drive turntable. You could just about make your own at home and that’s how many small manufacturers start out. Direct-drive turntable manufacture is quite different though. It requires considerably more engineering and capital […]
Why are there so many new belt-drive turntables? Read More »
That depends on the circumstances. Properly installing and setting up a cartridge with the right hardware and precisely calibrating overhang, azimuth, tracking force, anti-skate, VTA, arm lifter position and height using the correct tools is never a 5-minute job. It can take significant time with a complex deck/installation but no matter what the scenario, doing
Many of the best cartridges ever made hail from the golden era of analog, so yes, the right carts are definitely worth chasing down. Types To recap, there are two main types of cartridges: moving magnet and moving coil. The best cartridges tend to be moving coil designs and these are usually more expensive and
You bet, there are some awesome second-hand bargains to be had! Sadly though, the golden days of $1, $2 and 5 records from the smoky second-hand record store in North Perth are long gone. Yes, you’ll still find $1 Engelbert Humperdinck records, but you’ll come across all sorts of other bargains second hand. Some will
Yes, though this answer depends on what one considers decent and affordable. Those looking for new high-performance machines for under $1,000 will find very little of interest. High-performance turntabling can’t be done for $1K new; spend a little more, though, and things start to improve. If you broaden your horizons to include pre-owned equipment, then
Are there any decent, affordable new turntables? Read More »
