HiFi experts: Spec me a modest turntable system please.

equalsql

I'm looking to put together a modest turntable system to play my old vinyl collection.
Max budget around £800 all in.
It's over 30 years since I last did this so I'm a wee bit out of touch with current gear.
I do have an old 
Quad 405-2 up in the loft somewhere which I could exploit if required.

Looking for a turntable, amp and stereo speaker combination. Bluetooth on the amp\pre-amp would be nice, but not essential.

Any recommendations from the HiFi bods on here?

TheMarlin

Regar Planar 2 (used £150 ish)
Schiit Mani turntable Pre Amp £120
Pair of lightly used Tannoy Reveal speakers (passive) £50 used on eBay. 
NVA passive Pre amp (you’ll have to stalk eBay for a month or two, but one will turn up) £150
NVA A20, or A40 power amp...again used on eBay £150ish. 
I can donate some speaker stands, and donate an integrate amp to keep you going until the NVA stuff turn up on eBay. 
NVA speaker cable £100. 
That should do it 

I’ve had all sorts of hifi, the NVA kit can be had cheap on eBay used, and the quality is awesome. Sounds epic. Fantastic used buy. 

Good luck

Marlin 

TheMarlin

For streaming music, i use an Apple TV 3 (£40
used), and a Topping D30 DAC (£100) with output into the NVA system. Sounds fantastic. 

I use Apple TV3 because it has digital audio out, so I can stream audio. Newer versions don’t have digital audio out, so setting up the streaming is much more difficult. I don’t have it connected to a TV, just setup for stereo audio. 

The Topping D30 is an incredible DAC for very little money. A real giant slayer

equalsql

Thanks for your advice @TheMarlin, I shall start hunting 

TheMarlin

If you want a neater package instead of Pre amp and power amp, get this. Very highly regarded. 
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254050161574
Cheaper than buying the separate pre and power amp too!

TheMarlin

These are in Didcot, but seller will ship.  Seriously, these are small
studio monitors, but make for stunning mid size speakers, particularly for rooms of 15ft square or less. 
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F183805153496

TheMarlin

Turntable Pre amp. https://www.schiit.com/products/mani

TheMarlin

I have one of these. It’s epic for MM carts, and good for MC. 

https://youtu.be/R4PvNVBUQGY

This guy makes great impartial videos. You should spend an hour or so looking through his recommendations. 

Matt_McG

Quad 405-2 is probably fine, although it might need re-capped and there are some mods that people like for them.

Spend your budget on the turntable, speakers and pre, maybe?

For streaming, if you are even a little bit IT literate, you can setup a Raspberry Pi with a good quality DAC "hat" and use Rune or Volumio, or piCorePlayer, and then control it from your phone or laptop. 50 - 60 quid max.

TheMarlin

Topping D30 DAC: TOPPING D30 DSD Audio Decoder USB Coaxial Optical Fiber XMOS CS4398 24Bit 192KHz https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JU9EA2U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Nba4CbJ6YPQQT

Apple TV 3: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192913527975

Connector (Toslink) cable digital audio out:  https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F191862974558

NVA Speaker cable (you have to have this, you need very low capacitance speaker cable with NVA amps): https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F223226244620

roberty

Modern amps are flat and free of distortion so go on wattage, build quality and features. I'd get one with Spotify connect built in

Get the best speakers you can afford

Go used/vintage for TT I reckon, there was economy of scale back then. Like speakers you generally get what you pay for in this department 

Nikc

I run A linn LP12 (getting on a bit now) into a music fidelity phono amp straight into Avi ADM 9 active speakers - sounds awesome. For streaming i use a mac mini (I've have had apple TV's as well) which acts as a media server with a TB of storage attached. If/when I get a cd I rip it straight away so its on the mac and goes onto my iTunes match account, being doing it for years

KDS

I’ve just bought a new turntable so my old clearaudio emotion is available for sale. Not been used for quite awhile, boxed up. Probably could do with a new cartridge.

KDS

I’m also shifting my monitor audio silver stand mounts, stands and probably qed cable. I’d do the lot for good deal

prowla

A good budget 80s system is a Dual 505 into a NAD 3020 and Kef Coda II. The parts all fit together perfectly.

steveledzep

I'd be investigating the deal with @KDS , there's some good stuff there.  Cracking turntable and MA speakers are generally good.....you'd only need an amp with a phono stage.

blobb

If you have a Quad 405, do you have the 44 pre amp? If so these are more than decent. I run a 405/2 - 44 with a Tisbury phono stage (very good) - although the one built into the 44 is adequate - and B&W speakers.

If you want a bang for buck turntable, look up ARB turntables on ebay. The guy that makes them uses rega parts as a base and builds one off turntables to a really high standard.

equalsql

Thanks for all the advice folks, very much appreciated. Thanks for all the links @TheMarlin  

I'm digesting all of this info. Before I get back to anyone I'm going to pull out the Quad I've got and check its internals out and if OK try and power it up (it's not be used in 26 years).

Fingers crossed

robgilmo

I have a Logic DM101, Logic Datum 2 arm, had it for years and years, never really needed to ''upgrade'' it.

Macca_25387

Due to space limits and my missus i combined my music and guitar home setup into one. Not your usual setup, but i have a Pro-ject debut 3 turntable into their bluetooth phono box which bluetooths to a Fender Mustang gt amp. Sound quality is really good and i can play along to records through the same amp. Winner. 

TheMarlin

How is the system coming together? What did you settle on?