Record player for bedroom recommendations?

Creed_Clicks

Hi all,

Usually post on the guitar forum, but haven't been on in a while. Some advice required! I'm looking for a music system for my bedroom. Nothing really fancy or large required but not a piece of junk either.

I had been thinking of just buying a CD system from your usual type of electrical shop, and if it had the right inputs at the back, I'd be able to buy a separate turntable. But I doubt it's as simple as that.

Other option would be to buy an amp, a turntable and a CD player.

I do have a set of speakers lying around which could possibly be recycled. They have these types of inputs

http://www.dansdata.com/images/spkcomp/803b320.jpg

fields5069

If the CD system doesn't have the correct phono inputs, you use a phono preamp and I bet Richer Sounds have something cheap. My ancient Denon system has phono inputs but I wouldn't have thought that would be the norm these days.

Creed_Clicks

Richer Sounds look they have everything I would need, but I have no idea where to start!

markv

I've always found Richer Sounds very helpful - if you can, go in and ask, ideally on a week day when they are less busy. In my experience they are the opposite of snobby hi-fi shops (I've been to a few of those too). Take a picture of what you have and take it with you.

Creed_Clicks

I won't have that option in Ireland. They're up in Belfast. I'm in Dublin, but would easily order online,and they give the option of buying in RoI too, so I might get in touch anyway.

Rocker

Talk to Cloney Audio in Blackrock. They always have lots of good s/h kit for modest money. Cloney is one of the best hi-fi dealers in Ireland. You would be mad not to talk to them. Tell them your requirements and your budget.....

Creed_Clicks

I will indeed!

Creed_Clicks

Are there any mico options for smaller set ups?

LordOxygen

No idea on your budget, but the Audio Technica LP5 is worth looking at if you can run to it. It has a built in phono stage (so will plug into any regular "aux" input on an amp or hif), and comes with a decent cartridge, ready to go out of the box. It also has USB output if you want to connect it to a computer. Being direct drive it times well.

Creed_Clicks

I really am clueless when it come to matching amps with players with speakers etc.Could someone give me a rough idea or if you have a link to hand, it would help me decide on what I would need, then I could look at a budget and see what’s in that range.

Creed_Clicks

Going to look at, for my bedroom, a Denon rcd-m40 and I'll look at getting a turntable to plug into it. Might have to get an amp depending on the turntable. Any recommendations for a mini amp, if such a thing exists, so I could go Denon > amp > turntable

Snap

all you need is a phono stage, aka turntable amp. Just cos the ouput from a turntable is very low.
Turntable - look at the cheaper ones from Pro Ject, or Riga. Both are fine.

A good reference point ifor a start is whathifi.com

also look at what speakers RIcher have for around £100, they should be plenty good enough.

Get reasonable speaker cable, and interconnects - go a little bit up from the cheapest. It does make a different to sound.

I have the Denon DM37, the older version of what you are looking at - for my office, its perfect, good sound, small. I have it commected upto a pair of Tannoy F1 Custom speakers, sounds great.

Creed_Clicks

I'll look into the turntable amp. I have an old pair of speakers from a stereo I had in the mid 90s. I kept the speakers and could possibly recycle them, but I'd have to change the connections probably, and maybe if I upgraded the cable it might help too. That's if they are compatible. I don't see why they wouldn't be. 

A turntable amp is different to a pre amp yeah?

richardhomer

Creed_Clicks said:

A turntable amp is different to a pre amp yeah?

A phono stage raises the output of the cartridge (and adds equalisation - records are cut with the bass heavily rolled off) to a sufficient level to drive a line input of either a pre-amp or integrated amp.

Creed_Clicks

Gah. I'm a total noob.  

Rocker

Don't be hard on yourself @Creed_Clicks, for not knowing about turntables etc. In the old days there were lots of shops selling and demoing hi-fi components and systems. Sadly this is not the case any more. Despite almost everyone saying that hi-fi shops are not interested in solving your problem unless you are prepared to spend a lot of cash, in reality the opposite is the case. Seek out a hi-fi dealer in your locality. Tell him what equipment you have, what you require, your room size and the type of music you listen to. And how much you can spend to achieve your goal. Most hi-fi dealers have lots of used equipment at low prices, most times your needs can be met or exceeded within your budget. You will get advice on installing the equipment in your room too. I know this is the case, I have written about this in the past. Nobody wants to be ripped off or humiliated because they have 'only' £50 to spend in the shop. The dealer will understand, he will want you to be happy with your purchase as you are very likely to return when the upgrade bug strikes.

Creed_Clicks

Yeah, that's pretty much it I suppose, as it's for the bedroom, I'm not looking for some grand musical system. I mean, I'll only be able to have it so loud anyway. If I ever get my own house, I'll have a kick ass music system in the drawing room ;P 

I'm thinking of space as much as anything, but maybe a separate CD player, amp and turntable, won't take up as much space as I think....

Creed_Clicks

Bumping my own thread again! I never got around to buying my record player, but am about to now! I was thinking of the Audio Technica LP120, so you can guess the level I'm coming in at. 
Any recommendations on speakers to go with this? I am thinking I'll need an amp too.
I'm going to get a small standalone CD player and may either hook it up with this or just get a mini hifi or something for the CDs....

blobb

Sorry, someone had to do it......   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoPXQ9fotZM

blobb

Seriously though, see if you can find a used Numark TT1520. These were sold as 'DJ' decks, usually in a starter pack so 2xdecks, a cheap mixer and some headphones. That craze has passed so you can usually find a single deck quite cheap as they get split up.

Clone of the AT deck. Stick an AT95e cartridge on it.

Amps are much of a muchness, can't go wrong with Arcam or NAD.

My kitchen system is an Arcam alpha 7, Tannoy reveal speakers and an old CD walkman which is still going after about 20years use.

duotone

Creed_Clicks said:

Bumping my own thread again! I never got around to buying my record player, but am about to now! I was thinking of the Audio Technica LP120, so you can guess the level I'm coming in at. 
Any recommendations on speakers to go with this? I am thinking I'll need an amp too.
I'm going to get a small standalone CD player and may either hook it up with this or just get a mini hifi or something for the CDs....

was seriously thinking of getting one of those, but this video put me off that Audio Technica model. Skip to 27mins for the overall round-up


https://youtu.be/J_LzV45Ha30