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Suggestions for a Kid who is in need of a new record player!

zygote23

zygote23

pfm Member
One of my pupils approached me this morning ....down in the dumps as his extremely old hand me down radiogram type player has finally died.

'Sir...would you be able to recommend a record player for around £50?' then added 'it'll have built in speakers won't it?'.

I am stumped...I teach in quite a deprived area so there is no point in suggesting separates for this kid at this point. I know he's just been turned on to records as he has that crazy glint and talks like a madman when he tells me about buying old Duran Duran 12" singles from eBay at 70p lol.

Anyone on here have any advice, thoughts, ideas etc?

I'm tempted to show him this ION AUDIO but have zero knowledge of the quality of such a device.
 
Does it have to be new and do the speakers have to be integrated? The bay and the likes of cash converters are bound to have an old Kenwood or Technic stacking system in that ballpark.

There's also some groovy looking 70's music centres for sale on the bay at that price level.

They're not going to be the highest fidelity but if he's crazy/mad then he may like the idea of retro.

Euan
 
zygote23 said:
One of my pupils approached me this morning ....down in the dumps as his extremely old hand me down radiogram type player has finally died.

'Sir...would you be able to recommend a record player for around £50?' then added 'it'll have built in speakers won't it?'.

I am stumped...I teach in quite a deprived area so there is no point in suggesting separates for this kid at this point. I know he's just been turned on to records as he has that crazy glint and talks like a madman when he tells me about buying old Duran Duran 12" singles from eBay at 70p lol.

Anyone on here have any advice, thoughts, ideas etc?

I'm tempted to show him this ION AUDIO but have zero knowledge of the quality of such a device.
Click to expand...

What make/model is the 'radiogram' and what is meant by the term 'died'. It may well be repairable. My youngest has a 1952 Dansette Major that we have kept working. The sound quality is poor as there is no RIAA equalisation but she likes it for its retro appeal warts and all. These are still popular and if reconditioned sell for £150 - £200. In original condition they can be picked up for peanuts but may need some work to restore. I'd still look into a repair of what he already has.

Cheers,

DV
 
zygote23 said:
One of my pupils approached me this morning ....down in the dumps as his extremely old hand me down radiogram type player has finally died.
Click to expand...
Have the amp and speakers from the radiogram died too?

As a youth I had a similar thing happen, the cheapest solution was to wire a second hand turntable into the old radiogram amp...
 
Cheers for the replies folks....I've no idea what the old kit is but he's going to let me know as I had also suggested a repair. It'll be one of those more recent suitcase kits with a really terrible sound I am sure rather than an actual radiogram as we know it. Just looking through eBay and also I never thought of cash converters! Winner winner.
 
zygote23 said:
Cheers for the replies folks....I've no idea what the old kit is but he's going to let me know as I had also suggested a repair. It'll be one of those more recent suitcase kits with a really terrible sound I am sure rather than an actual radiogram as we know it.
Click to expand...

Could be as simple as a blown fuse or if old enough require a new output bottle usually an EL84 or similar. Maybe time for a new smoothing electrolytic capacitor. All simple enough to repair.

Cheers,

DV
 
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kitemap said:
Where abouts are you?
There are always loads of things like this http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=182900612703 on eBay, which if he has the room would almost certainly be a lot better than he had.

D

Edit: Look under this section https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Home-HiFi-Separates-Systems-Combos/175708/bn_2315434 and sort by distance from your postcode
Click to expand...
Based in N. Ireland.....we are limited to Richer sounds and a few unmentionables! Ebay may be a winner!
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
It wouldn't hurt to try a PFM classifieds want ad. Someone may even have something decent that they'd be willing to pass on for a donation to charity and/or cost of shipping.
 
It's funny in the midst of youngsters who are fanatic about all things x - factor, BGT and The Voice that there is a geeky kid scouring through Ebay and charity shops for old 80's records. Turns out he's a massive Billy Joel fan too. I'm going to dig out some of my old singles etc and give them to him...see if I can expand his taste. It's refreshing to see someone suddenly just 'get it' the way I kind of did when my folks gave me a record player back in the 70's.
 
zygote23 said:
It's funny in the midst of youngsters who are fanatic about all things x - factor, BGT and The Voice that there is a geeky kid scouring through Ebay and charity shops for old 80's records. Turns out he's a massive Billy Joel fan too. I'm going to dig out some of my old singles etc and give them to him...see if I can expand his taste. It's refreshing to see someone suddenly just 'get it' the way I kind of did when my folks gave me a record player back in the 70's.
Click to expand...

It's more common than you'd think. Cool kid though, sounds like he's got a decent taste in music.

£50 is very tight these days, seems as though the vinyl revival has driven prices up to the point that old stereo systems that were considered fit for the tip 5-10 years ago will fetch upwards of £50 now.

I'd definitely put an appeal for donations on here, I wish I'd got something myself to give but I've only got a DAC and a CD player sitting unused at the moment.
 
Perhaps it is time that the young fellow started to really hear what's on his records?

Someone on here must have an old Dual 505 collecting dust. A Pioneer PL12 or 112? Anything Japanese from the 1970's really.
How about a nice old entry level integrated or receiver with phono input?
Any small box budget speakers with rubber surrounds up in the attic?
Some old QED 79 strand?

I've all of the above lying spare that I would be glad to pass along to someone who would get enjoyment, however, being over here in Canada, I've noticed that shipping larger objects has really become prohibitive these days. Some aren't that easily converted to 220VAC either.

Regardless, I can certainly send along a useable MM phono cartridge - with universal headshell if someone has an old deck that's missing one.
I do have an unused generic Ortofon Stylus 10 should someone have a 505-2 or similar with shagged tip to donate. Probably sounds more like a 5E but certainly won't destroy any records.

Interested parties can PM me (start a conversation?) to co-ordinate should they have a turntable to donate that needs parts/repair.

Hey, if nothing else, we'll be helping the next generation keep our geeky hobby alive!
 
I have a pair of self built KS9s sitting doing nothing. They're rather large and and I don't drive however, if someone knows of a genuinely impecunious young person who would appreciate them then we could sort something out asre collecting them? I'm in the midlands, they're easy to drive so a small amp would be fine.
 
I'm sure some young person would love to have those, although I believe that the OP and his student are in Northern Ireland so collection might be a problem in this case.
 
This takes me back! I inherited a Dansette Bermuda record player and Fidelity Braemar tape recorder from my Dad when he went "stereo" . I used to scour the local village hall jumble sales for dead stuff, like old valve radio and tv sets, for things like valves, better speaker units etc. For 2/- I got a big wooden box with a decent 8" Richard Allen speaker! I still have some of my Dads stuff in the attic, Akai tape deck and Garrard TT, unfortunately it isnt a 301.......
 
Scour local Gumtree, charity shops and Theft Converters. It will get the kid out, teach him how the world works and eventually get him his music back.
 
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