Are turntables dead ? or do you have one? I do!!

**lester wild** · January-11-20, 04:47 PM

Some things never get old - especially our past.

**Trumpeteer** · January-11-20, 05:15 PM

You can buy them new online!

**313WX** · January-11-20, 06:34 PM

What does this have to do with Detroit?

**Zacha341** · January-11-20, 07:42 PM

^^^ Trivia amongst Detroiter's! I had a turn-table but I ended up giving it away. They can be found on eBay I would imagine.

**Malcove Magnesia** · January-11-20, 07:56 PM

There's one in every room at the Shinola Hotel.

**Zankie Albo** · January-12-20, 01:44 AM

I have two. One purchased several years ago, the other donated by my mother.

**EastsideAl** · January-12-20, 02:12 AM

Not sure what this has to do with Detroit, but turntables have come back with a vengeance over the past several years. Just check the prices for really good vintage turntables and newer more hi-tech ones. Crazy. With the come back of turntables has come the advent of new high-end and heavier vinyl records. Check the stuff that Third Man carries.

I've been lucky to have inherited some very nice older turntables, along with a sizable classic record collection going back from the LP era to the 78 era. I now own 4 of them.

**Zacha341** · January-12-20, 06:40 AM

Welcome to Detroityes Zankie Albo!

Originally Posted by Zankie Albo

I have two. One purchased several years ago, the other donated by my mother.

**Bong-Man** · January-12-20, 08:07 AM

I bought a new one last year for about $100, and it's been a blast. Back during the transition from vinyl to cds in the mid 80's, I was going to Sam's Jams in Ferndale and buying albums for a buck. Turned out to be a great investment. As an example, George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" for 3 bucks. Could probably sell it for $50 now on-line [[which I never would). Also have hundreds of 45s, which I save to dive into during snowstorms and such. Musical memories are the best.

**401don** · January-12-20, 08:16 AM

Only losers use a turntable. I have an 8-track.

**Bong-Man** · January-12-20, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

Only losers use a turntable. I have an 8-track.

Don't forget that book of matches for accurate tracking.

**Zacha341** · January-12-20, 12:45 PM

Speaking of older/ vintage items: I have a small mint condition Sony component system [[cassette player with am/ fm receiver).

How do I go about purchasing a pair of red/ white/ yellow corded plug-in speakers?

What are speakers with that kind of connection [[red/ white/ yellow corded) called? They ain't USB or bluetooth!

Once I know the wording I can find 'em fast on eBay I am sure. I just want some book case sized one. Thanks...

...

**wilderness** · January-12-20, 01:13 PM

audio cables. You may by most any store that offers electronics.
You may even use the cables that come with cable tv connections.

**RaumVogel** · January-12-20, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Not sure what this has to do with Detroit, but turntables have come back with a vengeance over the past several years. Just check the prices for really good vintage turntables and newer more hi-tech ones. Crazy. With the come back of turntables has come the advent of new high-end and heavier vinyl records. Check the stuff that Third Man carries.

I've been lucky to have inherited some very nice older turntables, along with a sizable classic record collection going back from the LP era to the 78 era. I now own 4 of them.

It has to do with Detroit if you can play Motown music on it!

**Zacha341** · January-12-20, 01:46 PM

That's it - audio cables! Thank yah.

Originally Posted by wilderness

audio cables. You may by most any store that offers electronics.
You may even use the cables that come with cable tv connections.

**Pam** · January-12-20, 05:03 PM

Yes, I still have one I got about 30 years ago.

This topic reminds me of Gannon.

**Zacha341** · January-12-20, 06:21 PM

For sure, he'd know all the specs, best types, this and that! Miss him...

**oladub** · January-12-20, 11:46 PM

I have a 'Alt-500 Modern Turntable'. My big plastic Wal-mart box of records, including my wife's 11 Joan Baez records, hadn't been played in years. Record player technology has changed. The turntable is smaller, has internal speakers, and bluetooth that delivers better sound from Amazon Alexa speakers. I still have one Motown record to keep this Discuss Detroit friendly: Aretha: Lady Soul.

**Lowell** · January-13-20, 09:06 AM

Turntables never left Detroit. In fact they were at the heart of an arguably new Detroit-created music art form -- Techno. They are a staple of every electronic music DJ's equipment stand with two, sometimes three, of them. Dropping the needle at the right point to synchronize them, and manually turning them "scratching" create a magical symphony of sound when in the right hands.

Here's Windsor's internationally-renowned DJ Richie Hawtin scratching at the 2002 Detroit Electronic Music Festival.
Name: Hawtin-20070-DEMF-48138.jpg
Views: 1018
Size: 73.3 KB

Name: Hawtin-20070-DEMF-48138.jpg
Views: 1018
Size: 73.3 KB

Those of you who attended the first forum gathering aka "Fabulous Ruins night at the Cass Cafe" in 2002 my recall that DJ T. Linder [second from right and leader of the Detroit Techno Militia] performed for us.
Name: Linder-2011-67128.jpg
Views: 759
Size: 105.0 KB

Name: Linder-2011-67128.jpg
Views: 759
Size: 105.0 KB

Name: T.Linder-Cass-Cafe.png
Views: 813
Size: 286.2 KB

**Former_Detroiter** · January-13-20, 02:07 PM

When I was packing to move to Santa Fe, NM in 2012 I decided not to sell my vinyl [[78's, 45's, & LP's) and take them with me. A couple of years ago I purchased a Sony turntable at an estate sale. Even though there are so many ways now to listen to music. IMO there's nothing like listening to music on vinyl.

**bartocktoo** · January-13-20, 02:58 PM

At Target, at least in Roseville, there is as nearly as much space dedicated to vinyl records as there is for the dying CDs.

**Vitalis** · January-15-20, 08:56 PM

This thread reminds me of my salad days - when Rolling Stone magazine started featuring suggested portable stereo configurations in different price ranges. RS would show a photo layout of a pair of bookshelf sized speakers, a stereo receiver, and a turntable. Dual turntables were prominently featured through all price ranges, as I recall. So, you'd save up and put your cash down for Avid speakers, a Marantz receiver, and a Dual turntable, then put all this equipment on the top shelf of a bookcase made out of stacked bricks and plywood. On the shelves below your equipment you would stand up your record albums - in alphabetical order of course - because you bought a lot of albums, man! At Peaches, E.J. Korvettes, Federals, and of course, Harmony House.

**JBMcB** · January-16-20, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

How do I go about purchasing a pair of red/ white/ yellow corded plug-in speakers?

Can you post a picture of the connector on the back of the stereo?

**JBMcB** · January-16-20, 11:52 AM

Record player basics:

1. Needles wear out. You can buy a decent Grado or Audio Technica cartridge for $50. Or, buy a replacement needle if yours is removable [[not all are.) Worn needles damage your records. They can last a long time, but if you don't keep your records clean, or clean your needle, they wear out faster. There are also different types of needles, mainly standard [[two screws on top) and P-mount [[slides in like a cartridge) - make sure you buy the right kind.

2. Make sure your tonearm is set up properly. The main setting is tracking force, measured in grams, usually set by a weight or dial on the arm. Each cartridge has it's own setting - look yours up online and make sure it's set properly. Some arms have an anti-skating weight that can be adjusted as well - make sure that's set up for your cartridge if needed.

3. You can't fix scratches on records, but you can fix clicks and pops caused by dust. Get a carbon fiber record brush - between $10 and $20 on Amazon. If you listen to records a lot it might be worth investing in a manual record cleaning machine - around $70 for a decent one.

4. Most record players need a special phono preamp, otherwise it will sound too quiet and the equalization will be off. If your receiver/stereo doesn't have a phono input, you'll need to buy a separate phono preamp. Decent ones run around $40 on Amazon.

5. If you are buying a new/used record player and want to know if it's any good, a general rule of thumb is that it should be *heavy* A needle is basically a super-sensitive microphone. To keep it from picking up the noise from the record player's motor, or the floor, or anything else, the chassis of the record player needs to be heavy. Used Technics, Marantz and Denon record players are generally pretty good. Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC, etc... made a LOT of cheapo record players, along with some good ones, though the good models are hard to find. Avoid Bang & Olufsen - they look really cool but the needles are totally proprietary and *very* expensive to replace.

6. Keep your records in their sleeves, and keep the sleeves in their jackets. If you don't have sleeves you can buy them for pretty cheap. Ditto jackets. Store your records upright. Ikea makes cheap shelves that fit records perfectly, and can double as a stereo stand [[pretty sure it's a design criteria for most of their small shelving units) Keep your records away from sunlight and heat registers. Don't leave them in hot cars in the summer - I have a horribly warped record to attest to that.