Any turntable enthusiests around?

[RickeyM]

We've all probably heard parts of the "Vinyl sounds better/No it doesn't' debate. The only thing I'll say is that if you've assembled SOTA digital and vinyl playback systems to see which sounds better, you've spent an awful lot of money

One day I'll have a Sony TT (naturally, being a Sony lover), but for now I have a Technics SL-1200MK2. Many dismiss these as merely DJ decks but they were really introduced as well built home Hi-Fi turntables. Good, not the best, but surprisingly upgradeable.
If you started your audio journey with low budget components five year's or so before CD's were introduced, you may have only had a lower end TT and a not very expensive cartridge. Include me in that group. CD's came on the scene and it became a lot less expensive to get good sound with them than to setup a good TT/cart combo. Many guys have memories of albums full of clicks & pops from media that wasn't properly cared for and some cartridges and needles simply didn't play well over scratched records.
Fast forward to the future and I've got a pretty good TT with a very good sounding cart (AT120e). The LP's I listen to these days are ones from the old days that survived relatively unscathed, used ones that had to be in great shape or they were passed on or re-issues of poor condition records I own or ones I missed out on.
All that being said, good condition vinyl on my TT/cart played through my STR-DA5ES into my Maggies sound really good. Does my vinyl rig sound better than my disc player? Don't really know, haven't compared 'em head to head. They each sound slightly different, but both sound great. There are a few tweaks left to do to the DVP-NC555ES and a few more upgrades in store for the SL-1200. Just because I like to get better sound and the veterans around here know I just love to MOD!

[Sterling2]

I enjoy a Sony PS-4750, which I bought back in 1979. It's outfitted with a Shure V15 cartridge. This turntable was my first Sony purchase. It was also the first turntable that actually seemed to properly play my record collection. Still, the snap, crackle, and pops common with LP playback has undermined the experience. I love the quality and convenience of digital and I do not miss the turntable.

I only use the turntable today to digitizing LPs for placement in iTunes. I sometimes buy used records just for the novelty of it and place them into iTunes too.

One thing for sure, digital recordings offered on vinyl do not seem to offer any sort of sound improvement over digital playback.

[moardie]

I am a big fan of Sony's Biotracer Turntables. I currently have these. I am working on upgrading my Sony TA-F555ES to a TA-E80ES and TA-N77ES combo. Unfortunately tracking down a fairly priced TA-N77ES is tough work

PS-X600 http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X600.html
PS-X75 http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X75.html
PS-X700 http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X700.html

[RickeyM]

I finally got a sony deck. A PS-X50 and it's nice. I have a Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III Cartridge to use on it. Unfortunately because of moving some things around my system isn't on line at the moment so I'll have to wait to see how good the combo is.

[Maxxwire]

RickeyM- I think that you will like the Sumiko Blue Point Special cartridge in that I used one on my Rega Planar 3 with RB 300 tonearm and it sounded spectacular!

~Maxx~

[RickeyM]