How to choose a turntable - CONTENTS
Why Give Turntables and Vinyl Records a Chance?
You may be asking, "Why listen to vinyl records?" After all, the CD must have replaced them for a reason. The reason for this was greater comfort and versatility of listening. But, let's be honest, you probably won't take the turntable in the car for long night rides and you certainly won't put it on the phone either. But vinyl records stand out when you want to play music in the comfort of your home, whether alone or with friends.
An invaluable advantage of vinyl records is, above all, their unique sound. Unlike modern media, it is transmitted mechanically, which gives the music a different "spirit". You will sense the difference in the sound quality when you listen to a vinyl record for the first time. Warning: once you try it, you may not want to go back. In addition, if you want to make your apartment look special with unique design elements, coloured LPs together with a turntable are a great solution.
Types of Turntables
When choosing turntables, you can come across three basic types:
- All-in-one turntables – the most cost-effective solution. The turntable also has a built-in speaker, so all you have to do is plug in and listen. An ideal choice if you want to start with vinyls but you do not intend to make large investments into them. However, for the more discerning listener, the sound quality all-in-one turntables provide may be sub-standard.
- Hi-Fi turntables – more advanced turntables for vinyl enthusiasts. The better ones start with a price of around 200 EUR, but they do not come with a built-in speaker. Plus, you must also think of an appropriate set of active speakers or the entire Hi-Fi system, including the amplifier to buy with it if you are to listen to anything at all.
- DJ turntables – absolute top quality. DJ turntables are specially adapted for more demanding handling and "scratching", so you will definitely use them if you want to play in clubs. However, their sound quality is comparable to Hi-Fi turntables, and they are therefore unnecessarily expensive for home use only. Yet in terms of further investments, you will still have to buy a mixing desk.
Another categorisation criterion is the way the turntable is controlled. Here, too, we talk about three basic types:
- Manual turntable – leaves all control to you. You have to place the arm yourself for playback and after finishing the record you have to lift it off yourself.
- Semi-automatic turntable – the turntable recognizes the end of the record and lifts the arm itself, with some models, it even returns the arm to its docking. However, you still need to start the playback yourself.
- Automatic turntable – all you have to do after inserting the vinyl is press one button. The turntable places the arm to the beginning of the record and lifts the arm after finishing the record.
What Should You Know about Turntables?
Maybe you liked the idea of listening to music on a turntable and you will want to enrich your music collection with a vinyl record. But if you want the turntable to do more than just play records, some models also come with additional features. Most modern turntables have a USB slot, for example, and a built-in radio is common. In more expensive turntables, you can also find a CD or cassette drive.
However, the turntable requires occasional maintenance. Apart from dusting, it is necessary to change the needle or stylus (depending on the type of turntable) occasionally. A tip or a needle is not an expensive investment and even a higher quality one can be bought for around 20 EUR. When to replace the needle is more or less at your discretion. However, it is advised to replace it at least once a year to prevent damage to the records.
The service life of the cartridge (for higher-quality turntables) is then a bit longer. You can easily recognize a bent stylus or damaged cartridge by a noticeable drop in sound quality.
Generally, there are two types of turntable cartridges: noticeably cheaper piezoelectric, and higher-quality electromagnetic cartridges. Piezoelectric cartridges are further divided between ceramic and crystal, and you can find them mainly in cheaper turntables, such as the all-in-ones. Their disadvantage is lower sound quality. Electromagnetic cartridges can have a moving magnet (MM), which offers a great price-quality ratio, and a moving coil (MC), which is the best you can get on the market. However, we recommend using a high-quality preamplifier and Hi-Fi system to make full use of the potential of MC cartridges.
