Record Turntables

Decades go by, but the power of the turntable never diffuses. Whether you're a vinyl addict looking to capture that classic, warm sound or a DJ or Bboy who spins tracks for a living, then the turntable  is your weapon of choice. A turntable system can also be reffered to as a deck.  Both older and newer turntables work the same way since their design hasn't changed much since the old days. However, there is a benefit to buying new, particularly on the high end.

Turntables use a stylus, commonly referredto as a needle, that is connected to the arm. The arm is powered by a motor. The needle, which runs over the ridges of a record, reverberates a magnet that then produces an electrical signal creating sound. All this happens because the LP spins on the rotating platter at a certain rate under the turnarm's weight.

There are two major types of record players. Usually, turntables for home use tend to be of the belt-driven sort, especially when it comes to vintage turntables.

  • Belt-driven/Analog- Analog turntables  are your basic turntables for playing music. They are recomended because they are good at isolation, meaning that they produce less motor noise and are not as sensitive to exterior vibrations. Another plus? They cost quite a bit less than their hi-fi counterparts. These are fine for home use. For professionals they fall short because they have poor torque, slow startup speeds, and poor skip resistance.
  • Direct-drive- Direct-drive turntables  offer superior torque, best for scratching. However, they have bad isolation. The best of these models will offer suspension in order to counteract this effect, but they will usually cost at least $1000. Even without suspension they are still pricey for the average consumer but are ideal for a professional. They also claim the fastest startup, reliability, and great speed.

Convenience features, such as a semi or fully  automatic turnarm (that stops and starts by itself) are handy, but they won't produce as good of sound quality as a manual turntable would. If you want a turntable simply for general home use, then an automatic or semi-automatic turntable will probably be more useful.

If you are very serious about becoming a DJ, then the best option would be to go with an advanced turntable. Buying something that is for "beginners" will leave you hanging within a year needing to buy a more advanced one. Also, keep in mind that a $200-$300 turntable is nowhere near the same in quality as a $1000 turntable, but models within a few hundred dollars or so of each other will be relatively similar in quality.

Another thing to watch out for are CD turntables and even the iDJ,  a device used as an iPod mixer. These are cool devices, but definitely not up to par for professional djing.

Professional Turntables and Becoming a DJ

If you are looking to get serious about DJing, here are some important things to look for in a turntable: three-band equalizer, headphone cueing, fader or focus fader, and curve adjustment.

Remember to factor in all the extra expenses that will come along with setting up a turntable.  Besides the initial purchase cost of the turntable, you also have to include the cost of consummables, such as cartridges, which must be replaced often to maintain the quality of your records.

  • Amplifier- This is the first step to take before buying a turntable. If you already own an amplifier,  check that it has a PHONO input. Otherwise, you will have to buy a phono preamplifier,  otherwise the turntable will not work. You can easily connect the phono preamp to your receiver and then use the auxiliary line to listen to your vinyl.
  • MM or MC- These are cartridge  types for the stylus. These are the second most important item next to the turntable itself, and they will play a large part in the quality of the sound your turntable produces. The best are oblong eliptical  styli versus a spherical  cut stylus, because they wear too less on the records while still getting deep groove performance without any groove-burn. Look for the lowest distortion possible. The best bet is going with an MC cartridge  even though they are more expensive. These pricier versions will get even a worn down record to sound okay. Shure, Stanton,  and Ortofon are common brands. When in doubt, choose your cartridge according to what type of mixer you choose, whether it be for scratching or for dance music.
  • Mixer- A mixer  with a cross fader is crucial to cueing and fading. Depending on what type of  djing you want to do will decide what type of mixer to buy. For scratching  wou will need a two-channel mixer  with hamster-style/reversible faders. Club and dance mixers  have a higher band EQ as well as a higher number of channels. Sometimes they have a lot of knobs and virtually no faders. For people who want the best of both worlds, there are new mixers called hybrids.  They are typically three-channel mixers that have features from both scratch mixers and dance mixers. Behringer  produce  low-cost mixers, while Pioneer's DJM  series are considered among the best mixers available.
  • Headphones- These are essential if you plan to dj. Seinheisser  and Numark  offer high-end headphones for the audiophile. The best bet for the pro are folding headphones with coiled cords, and swiveling ear pieces. Plus, the most important thing is getting loud and clear sound.

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