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Turntables!! |
SwingingTiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2003
Posts: 36
From: Dodgeville, Wisconsin
|  Posted: 2004-03-03 2:40 pm Permalink
I found a couple old Arthur Lyman records at my local resaler today and came home to digitize them onto my computer. Man was I steamed when the darn thing won't run anymore (of course, it is an 18 year old purchase). I'm in the market for a simple, cheap turntable that has a way to plug into a computer system (my current one is sliding into the line in from the speakers). Any help would be grandly appreciated!
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Swing, Daddi-O! 
[ This Message was edited by: SwingingTiki on 2004-03-03 14:40 ]
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Feelin' Zombified
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 15, 2003
Posts: 1328
From: The Exotic Shores of Lake St. Clair
| Posted: 2004-03-03 3:00 pm Permalink
I'd keep an eye out on Ebay or your local Tradin' paper for some used Technics 1200's. Brand new the street price is about $400 to 500, but they're nearly indestructable, so a used 1200 (to me, at least) is better than a store bought lesser brand/model.
-Z
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Traderpup
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 26, 2002
Posts: 1041
From: Long Beach, CA
| Posted: 2004-03-03 3:08 pm Permalink
My turntable runs thru a receiver & amplifier, and a line-out from amp to a line-in connection on my PC sound card. My turntable is a flea market find from a DJ that was selling off some old equipment.
Keep an eye out for local paper ads for dj equip, or try thrift stores; pawn shops are also a good source for bargain electronics.
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thejab
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2984
From: Forbidden Island, CA
| Posted: 2004-03-03 3:46 pm Permalink
Like Traderpup I would put it through a regular amp/receiver first and then go into a computer.
I prefer Duals from the 70s because many have a 78 speed and they are one of the best (low noise, heavy platter, straight tonearm) turntables ever made. I bought mine for $12 at a thrift store and I had it reconditioned with a new cartridge that has a 78 stylus, as well as a regular one. It cost me about $125 total. (It cost over $250 in the 70s.) It also has the spindle if you want to stack records (I don't often do that) and the tonearm actually goes up and down at the pivot point so that the angle of the needle doesn't change much when playing stacks of records. They sell on Ebay frequently for around $100-200 for a reconditioned model.
Technics make pretty good DJ turntables but if you aren't DJing (for home use) the old Duals have better sound and are cheaper in most cases.
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4807
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2004-03-03 4:26 pm Permalink
DO NOT PLUG A TURNTABLE DIRECTLY INTO THE COMPUTER. Bad things will happen. There. I said it. You MUST run it through a preamp of some sort. You can get a simple box to do it, but a receiver is what most use and you must use the "Line out" not a speaker out. The speaker out will kill the computer.
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5734
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2004-03-03 5:18 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2004-03-03 16:26, Swanky wrote:
DO NOT PLUG A TURNTABLE DIRECTLY INTO THE COMPUTER. Bad things will happen. There. I said it. You MUST run it through a preamp of some sort. You can get a simple box to do it, but a receiver is what most use and you must use the "Line out" not a speaker out. The speaker out will kill the computer.
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Swank's absolutely right. Your best bet is to get an independent Audio/Digital (A/D) converter.
Radio Shack has a great turtable with a built in pre-amp for a $100.00. The best buy, for a consumer level turntable today.
Good Luck
Unga
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4807
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2004-03-03 7:24 pm Permalink
We're talking about maybe frying your computer if you hook this up wrong. "Line out" is the only way to go.
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aquarj
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 02, 2002
Posts: 1040
From: SF bay area, CA
| Posted: 2004-03-03 7:42 pm Permalink
For what it's worth, I'm very happy with a little gadget I bought recently (Yamaha UW10 USB Digital Recording Interface) that basically takes standard audio line in inputs (like the tape rec lines from a receiver), and has a usb out that you can connect to any PC, and then record to the hard drive. I think there are similar ones for Macs. Most sound cards have audio-in too, but supposedly they're "noisy" because they pick up computer hum. So an external unit is supposed to be better - maybe it also avoids the "fry your computer" problem that Swanky refers to. Anyway, I don't know about all that, but it works great for me.
Also use a cheapo piece of software called Cakewalk to split up wav files (like a whole LP side) into individual songs. Goes pretty quick.
Nobody asked, but just thought I'd toss that in.
-Randy
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SES
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 14, 2003
Posts: 992 | Posted: 2004-03-03 7:45 pm Permalink
I was looking at this one awhile ago. Seemed like it might be better than fixing my old ones up.
http://www.djdeals.com/vestaxHANDYTRAX.htm
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chase_317
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 04, 2004
Posts: 25 | Posted: 2004-03-04 01:36 am Permalink
Best new turntables for the money HANDS DOWN:
http://turntablelab.com/turntables/numark/numark-tt200.html
Even better, but if your just listening, maybe overkill:
http://turntablelab.com/turntables/numark/numark-ttx1.html
I have a set of the bottom ones for DJing.
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SwingingTiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2003
Posts: 36
From: Dodgeville, Wisconsin
| Posted: 2004-03-04 06:32 am Permalink
THis all seems like a lot of good information to me. I was wondering though, on the "fry your computer" side of things, the unit I have right now (the busted one) is a Realistic Clarinette 122 all-in-one with turntable, dual tape deck and tuner. Is it possible, even as old as this unit is, that it has the preamp built in and that's why I've had no problems? If you guys want to, you can email me directly at my address, I don't mind. I've used this unit for about four albums and was just thinking about maybe having this unit repaired if at all possible. Again, thanks for the help guys. . . (now if finding a new job was this easy, I'd have it made. . .)
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Swing, Daddi-O!
[ This Message was edited by: SwingingTiki on 2004-03-04 06:32 ]
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Primo Kimo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 08, 2003
Posts: 323
From: Vermont
| Posted: 2004-03-04 08:49 am Permalink
2 cents ALERT!
Although some audiophiles will say the Thoren 124 belt drive (1000.00+) is the best turntable around, I have found through much trial and error that the Technics SP15 IS the best turnatbale on earth. Often just the turntable portion of the SP15 will reach 300.00-400.00 then you must add a tone arm assembly. The SP15 was manufactured from '76 to '85 and weighs about 50lbs and has 33/45/78rpm and +12/-12 Digital Pitch adjustment.
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4807
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2004-03-04 09:11 am Permalink
Swinging Tiki: If you have an "all-in-one", then, yes, it's all there. Just run the "Line Out" from that to the computer. The problem comes when you run a turntable itself, into a computer. The signal is very low, first of all, and second, will perhaps build a charge over time. Not good. If you use the speaker out and put that into your computer, that's way too much for the computer to handle and it could all go kablewey.
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SwingingTiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2003
Posts: 36
From: Dodgeville, Wisconsin
| Posted: 2004-03-04 10:02 am Permalink
See, The problem is, I'm out of work as of last Friday, meaning the fundage is going to get low soon, and I really wanted to get this all done wile I was out (expecting to be for a while, the job market sucks). Buying a new one isn't really what I'm in for right now, although all this info is being filed in the "when I have a job and cashflow again" folder. I had no idea about the voltage issues, but I think I found one that hooks into a micro stack system that comes with a preamp add on at no extra charge. I'll see if I can kick this old one here into working again and if not, maybe I'll eat ramen for a week and get a new one. . . I love this forum, so much with the helping hands!
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Swing, Daddi-O!
[ This Message was edited by: SwingingTiki on 2004-03-04 10:04 ]
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5734
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2004-03-04 10:10 am Permalink
Then definately buy a new needle. It will be a day and night difference from the old one.
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