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Is it worth to get a turntable?

A music loving mate a couple of years ago got a Project turntable maybe about £300.
He's really happy with it and isn't a audiophile type.
But what I thought was a great thing to do he's building up his collection of his top 50 albums of all time.
And that's it.
I have over 2500 and so many don't get played.
I enjoy Vinyl but if you factor in an expensive cartridge and a record cleaning machine the price of new vinyl
What I mean is if I was starting again I would do what he's doing and simplify to all time favourites
 
Conan said:
My system:
Source: Node 2i with Tidal
DAC: S.M.S.L something
Amp: Myst TMA3 or Rega IO
Speakers: Falcon Acoustics Q7

Very happy with this setup but , having used technics SL1210mk2s until 2010 I now miss the pleasure of owning vinyl.
I am considering a turntable and I have a list of my favourite albums that I could buy.

I can't stretch to a SL1210 so I was wondering if I could get anything decent for £400? Or shouldn't I bother?
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If you have records you want to listen to, or there are records you’d like to buy and listen to, yes.

I have probably 2000 LPs and 500 or so singles and would say most stuff can be found in better SQ digitally.

I do like having and playing nice first or early pressings of a lot of classic psychedelia, rock and pop and a lot of rare and groovy funk and soul 7”s, though.
 
Paul A. Perry said:
Once owned a Myst TMA 3 (wish I still had it), had a really good mm phono stage on board.

Lovely sounding amp.

My vote goes for a second hand Rega P2 with a good platform underneath it and reasonable mm cartridge.
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I bought a myst tma 3 last year with a mc input. It sounds wonderful, very smooth and goes quite loud for such a small amp. Had some new monitor audio silvers which I was going to sell because they sounded crap with my Exposure 15 but they sound great with the myst.
 
In my opinion you can’t go wrong with Rega Planar 2 or 3, it’s a satisfying experience even if not kind of ‘hi-end’. And I believe you don’t have to own a huge collection, it depends more on whether you have some favourite albums that you can listen to a lot of times.
 
If you do decide to get a deck, certainly look at getting some sort of RCM to clean your collection first.

Deciding on what deck you want is always difficult. Personally in your case, I’d buy a cheap used Rega and try it. If you don’t get in with vinyl, you can sell it and most likely get your dough back for it. If you do like it then sell it and buy something better. Buying a new deck is a risk as you’d lose money if you decided to sell.
 
The major problem in the production of music within the home, no matter the source, in my experience, is that the higher you climb, or experience elsewhere, the more you lust after what you have heard. Turning back is one hell of a wrench that I have not been forced into as yet, thankfully.

What a.......................
Conan said:
technics SL1210mk2s
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...........sounds like, I have no idea.

Just be warned.

Sell the records, so that they are no temptation.
Stick to digital.
 
FWIW The advantage I find in (still) having a record deck is that it lets me buy second-hand old LPs of music that can be hard to find new. However I then make a digital transfer and clean away any pops/clicks. Which takes an ADC, a computer, and Audacity... an some patience. :) However the results can then be very pleasing, with the added pleasure of knowing you 'rescued' the content of an old disc.

That said, my start point was making transfers of LPs I bought pre-CD and kept. Hence had a good use for the ADC before I got into buying second-hand LPs (and some more new ones.)

BTW if you do as I do, *keep the LPs*. They are in essence your 'ticket' to be able to play the digital transfer without feeling you've cheated the artists by selling on. That's piracy.
 
FWIW again, my preference in decks is Technics DD's. But I do pair that with an ancient Shure V15. Something else may be better for you with a modern MC. Others could say more than me about that aspect.
 
I love vinyl but after changing turntables to get to were i was happy and after 7 years still had just under 200 records and the ones i wanted to buy were simply costing too much mainly around the £200 mark used and new vinyl maybe 180g but most just did not compare to the original or early 70' 80's pressings , i simply gave up and invested the money raised to improve my digital and i can say i am much happier and don't have the worry of destroying a cartridge and they can be costly. if you want the album and like to collect i get it but it is costly and that £400 plus the price of records could be spent on improving your DAC or streamer or down load some flac files. So to answer you in short unless you have endless amounts of disposable income don't bother it's far more hassle than it is worth and will work out more costly than you expect.
AVOID and leave vinyl to those with an already decent collection or to those who have endless amounts of disposable income.
 
15-20 years ago, I always used to by vinyl, if I couldn’t get it on the format I’d buy a CD. For a good while I always thought “I wish I had in on vinyl” & hoped I would drop on a nice copy.

I never seem to think like that now. CD, stream, download etc & I just enjoy it for what it is. Funny how perspectives change.
 
paulfromcamden said:
Blimey!
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My eyebrows also popped heavenwards at that. However I guess my taste is for types of music that aren't trendy or popular these days. Most of the second-hand ones I've bought have been a few quid a go. FWIW I ordered some a week or two ago that averaged about 5-6 quid per LP. Jazz from the early eras. Big Band and back to the 20s.

Not bought a *new* LP for years. IIRC the most recent were from Dragon's Dream. Costly, but really excellent music, superbly recorded.

My suggestion is therefore: Try buying modest-priced 2nd hand Lps of ancient stuff you're not sure you'll like. When you find things you DO like, buy more of similar items to explore and enjoy. I've found lots of things I'm delighted with that way. Much more interesting than the 98'th re-mastering of "Kind of Blue" or the Beatles.
 
Jim Audiomisc said:
My suggestion is therefore: Try buying modest-priced 2nd hand Lps of ancient stuff you're not sure you'll like. When you find things you DO like, buy more of similar items to explore and enjoy. I've found lots of things I'm delighted with that way. Much more interesting than the 98'th re-mastering of "Kind of Blue" or the Beatles.
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I'm a bit the same tbh Jim. I still buy new music but I also love rummaging in boxes of old records, finding something interesting looking, wondering what it sounds like and paying a couple of quid to find out.
 
Woodface said:
15-20 years ago, I always used to by vinyl, if I couldn’t get it on the format I’d buy a CD. For a good while I always thought “I wish I had in on vinyl” & hoped I would drop on a nice copy.
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Same here, but I think that you under-estimate the time lag (add 10).

I am gradually adding the records though, as they appear for the first time non-digital.

99% of what I buy is newly released though, even as an ol' fart.
 
Vinny said:
Same here, but I think that you under-estimate the time lag (add 10).

I am gradually adding the records though, as they appear for the first time non-digital.

99% of what I buy is newly released though, even as an ol' fart.
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I just don’t buy records anymore, don’t see the upside anymore.
 
Vinny said:
The major problem in the production of music within the home, no matter the source, in my experience, is that the higher you climb, or experience elsewhere, the more you lust after what you have heard. Turning back is one hell of a wrench that I have not been forced into as yet, thankfully.
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I’ve never felt that in a lifetime of music collecting and record dealing. I’ve changed hi-fi a lot over the years, mainly to explore different approaches or fit different rooms, and the fun has always been there. I didn’t have the slightest issue downsizing to a Nait and Kans for a while, and I could happily live with my 34/303 and my JR149s with my 124 upfront. I really don’t need a lot to get enjoyment out of vinyl. I prefer my main system with the high-end valve pre and huge studio Tannoys, but it really isn’t essential. The records are though. They are the art form I’ve spent a lifetime (and made a secondary living from) collecting. They’ve been a part of every system and grown over the journey. I can’t imagine how dull life would be without a stack of new vinyl piled up near my record deck ready to explore. I just do not connect to digital in the same way.
 
Vinny said:
Try livingwith what has been suggested here, never to change anything, with a handful of records.

You have missed the point entirely.
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The OP has a decent system already though, plus some records to start with. I for one could happily live with 'just' a planar 3 without being worried about upgrading
 
Margin_walker said:
The OP has a decent system already though, plus some records to start with. I for one could happily live with 'just' a planar 3 without being worried about upgrading
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Agreed. The Myst is a great amp with a really good phono stage, a contender for best 1980s UK integrated, the Falcons will be superb (not heard them, but I have a pair of their LS3/5As and use their drivers in my 149s). Stick a nice tidy RB300-era Planar 3 with a decent MM cart up front of that system and it will sound seriously good assuming it is placed somewhere relatively sensible (e.g. an Ikea Lack or Rega wallshelf). A Planar 3 can sound superb IME.
 
Get a Rega P2 and check how much effort you make to play the records, if not that much sell or keep the P2, if you play a lot you might consider upgrading later.
 
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