Help A Newbie: Opinions on the Sony PS-LX300USB?

[Nummymuffin]

Amazon.com: Sony PS-LX300USB USB Stereo Turntable System - Black: Electronics

I know some of you are audiophiles with insane systems I couldn't even hope to afford, so I hope you'll indulge me here. I am looking to spend less than $200 on a turntable, the closer to $100 the better, quite frankly, but I am willing to bend a little on price if the difference in quality will be stark. I've been out of the game for nearly half my life at this point, as I haven't really had a turntable since my teenage years. I still have some of my vinyl, though, and I really miss listening to it. I'd also like to be able to buy some used LPs and 12" from my friendly, local store and transfer them to CDs.

The $100ish USB turntables seem like a no-brainer for my own needs but I do also have some standards as far as audio quality, even if I can't afford a $1000 system. This is where, hopefully, you can come in handy, being more knowledgeable about today's turntable technology. I should probably say I'm not very interested in buying one used because well, it's not like I could return it if there were any issues with it and I really don't want the hassle of having to find older parts, etc. Basically, I am looking for the best of the best among the less expensive turntables out today. I also have questions about some functions, for instance, should I be worried if a turntable doesn't list anti-skate as a feature? Which turntables should I avoid if I want to upgrade to a better needle/cartridge? I know some are proprietary and not all of them will tell you that in their product descriptions or will even be mentioned in reviews.

Anyway, I suspect there are probably plenty of experts here, so thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give!

[BrunoRepublic]

Sorry, but if quality matters at all, a sub-$200 new turntable simply isn't going to cut it.

I've used tables like these, and they're basically disposable. All plastic, not long-lasting, "Bic pen" tonearm, supplied with cheap cartridges that distort horribly on sibilant passages, can only use "p-mount" cartridges (which themselves were not a bad idea, but good quality ones simply aren't made anymore today)... and there's not much that can be done to overcome any of these limitations.

The quality of components makes a *huge* difference with analog audio, much more than digital. Take it from someone who went through three other tables before settling on a Technics 1200 (itself not a high-end machine by any means, but well worth what it goes for), friends don't let friends buy plastic turntables!

[Nummymuffin]

Yeah, I figured that'd be the response, more or less. Unfortunately, $550 really isn't a reasonable amount of money for me to blow in this economy, like I said.

Okay, edited... I may have found something better than the Sony, possibly, unless someone has any experiences with either of them.

http://reviews.cnet.com/turntables/s...-32417457.html

What about this Stanton T.90? I'm pretty sure I'd have to get a better needle for it, but it looks more sturdy, I think. At $199, it's $100ish more than I was hoping to spend, but apparently it's supposed to retail for $455 and it seems more quality than I would have gotten for less. I could be wrong though. Has anyone had any bad experiences with Stanton? I'm not really familiar with the name, myself.

Originally Posted by BrunoRepublic

Sorry, but if quality matters at all, a sub-$200 new turntable simply isn't going to cut it.

I've used tables like these, and they're basically disposable. All plastic, not long-lasting, "Bic pen" tonearm, supplied with cheap cartridges that distort horribly on sibilant passages, can only use "p-mount" cartridges (which themselves were not a bad idea, but good quality ones simply aren't made anymore today)... and there's not much that can be done to overcome any of these limitations.

The quality of components makes a *huge* difference with analog audio, much more than digital. Take it from someone who went through three other tables before settling on a Technics 1200 (itself not a high-end machine by any means, but well worth what it goes for), friends don't let friends buy plastic turntables!

[Nummymuffin]

In case anyone reads this and wonders what I decided upon, I got the Audio Technica AT-PL120 Professional Direct-Drive Turntable for $199 with a $10 coupon I found while Googling, as I like to save money where I can. It may or may not meet the needs of the more demanding audiophile here, but it sounds pretty nice to me and that's really all I care about.

I plan on getting an extension cable and an RCA to 3.5mm so I can plug it into my Macbook from what will be its natural home in my entertainment center, this way I don't have to move it back and forth and risk injuring it somehow if I want to digitize something.

[BrunoRepublic]

I've heard that this is a very good table for the money (although I haven't heard it myself). At least you're not stuck with p-mount cartridges and can upgrade later if you choose.

[Nummymuffin]

Glad to hear it! I've been limited in actually hearing it for myself but some people on Youtube have uploaded videos of it in action that really helped me make my final decision. If you listen to the HQ video on them I think it sounds quite good for being what it is, a compressed quality streaming video. I can only imagine it sounds even better in person. :D

I'm quite excited for this to arrive so I can start spinning some of my classic disco. So far it's about 1200 miles away, give or take a hundred. It needs to get here faster!

Originally Posted by BrunoRepublic

I've heard that this is a very good table for the money (although I haven't heard it myself). At least you're not stuck with p-mount cartridges and can upgrade later if you choose.

[Segue]

Hey Nummymuffin
One thing I learned years ago with a direct drive (it lasted me about 2 years) is not to backwind too much. Sony direct drives were the first turntables I got for mixing. At the time I was new the whole mixing game and I would do a lot of backspinning to cue. Unfortunately, they worked for a while but over time the belts wore down cause speeds of the table to fluate on its own. Sounds like you're using your tables more for listening and recording. Have fun.