Cheap Turntable for Sampling?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dada404
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dada404

dada404

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hey guys, i was reading on this forum for a while now and i got a question so i've made an account :)
as the title says, i'm looking for a cheap turntable for sampling (and just listening)
i always read that a cartridge is important, should i just buy a used turntable from a thrift store and upgrade the cartridge?
and do i need a preamp? i have a mic preamp, but i think it's not the right thing.. or is an audio interface doing the job? (i don't want to have that annoying humming sound)
don't need a perfect clean sound tho.. but quality wouldn't hurt

my sampler is the sp-404, it got rca stereo line-in
and my maxixum budget to spend on a turntable would be like ~150€

dada404
 
Used hifi turntable should do the job well. When you pick one up, it would be a good idea to test it in the thrift if possible. Power on and start the platter to make sure it spons at a constant speed. At least Technics tt's have dots on the edge of the platter for this, some others do as well. The dots in the center should look stagnant while the
others spin around.

---------- Post added at 03:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:20 PM ----------

If the platter spins unevenly, the turntable probably needs a new belt.

If you are lucky, you'll find a stereo set with a preamp. But you can also buy a phono preamp for $25-$50. Try google.
 
I'm not sure what kind of sound you're looking for, but my Audio Technica USB turntable does it for me. I still get that nice warm tone out of it when I sample. I don't need a pre amp and there's no humming. I suggest you have a look at the Numark TTUSB and then upgrade your cartridge. It all depends on your personal preference though.
 
thanks for the responses guys!

well tomorrow i'll have a look at some thrift stores, hope i find something nice there.

what are the advantages//disadvantages of an usb turntable? because i don't really need usb
 
dada404 said:
thanks for the responses guys!

well tomorrow i'll have a look at some thrift stores, hope i find something nice there.

what are the advantages//disadvantages of an usb turntable? because i don't really need usb
Click to expand...


I personally think USBs are easier & time saving when it comes to tranfering to your DAW. Sound wise I'm not sure if there is much of a sound difference, I'm guessing that analog sounds a lot warmer but it's the needle and cartrige that are the important thought for quality.

I suggest getting a direct drive turntable too.
 
K ▲ L Y Y U G ▲;49481395 said:
I personally think USBs are easier & time saving when it comes to tranfering to your DAW. Sound wise I'm not sure if there is much of a sound difference, I'm guessing that analog sounds a lot warmer but it's the needle and cartrige that are the important thought for quality.

I suggest getting a direct drive turntable too.
Click to expand...

Easier & time saving? It's exactly the same process, just different way of connecting as you would use RCA cables from tt to preamp and from there to your audio interface.. And I'd bet that plenty of older hifi turntables sound better than stuff recorded with a cheaper usb turntable, at least if recorded with a decent audio interface. At least based on stuff I've heard that I know has been recorded with cheaper usb turntables usually doesn't sound that great (never had one), it's probably due to the built in preamp and converter quality..

Also, it would seem that OP is going to connect it to his sampler, so he will not be using usb anyways.

A direct drive won't be necessary for listening/sampling purposes.
 
okay, still got some questions guys:

1. how do i connect the turntable? (speaken of non-usb) is it a must to have a pre-amp? or is the sp-404 a pre-amp in this case?
2. do i need an audio interface? because i'm gonna need one anyway, since i want to work with the sp-404 and and ableton at the same time
3. what's the difference between belt drive and direct drive? i mean not the technical aspect, how does it affect the sound etc.?
i've read that one of it spins uneven / has pitch irregularities? which ones are usually cheaper?

dada404
 
^ i'm about to start messing with an sp (303) and a sampletrak myself. i'm a mpc1000 user and decided to **** around with some ghetto samplers for kicks. i got a zoom sampletrak, sp-303, numark tt-200 turntable, dm1050 mixer, and cardreader all together for 300 off ebay. can't give you any advice though as this is my first turntable. probably arriving today.
 
One pretty decent inexpensive, RCA and USB turntable is the Numark PT-01. $85-$150 new; sometimes they're on sale used for something like $30...

GJ
 
dada404 said:
okay, still got some questions guys:

1. how do i connect the turntable? (speaken of non-usb) is it a must to have a pre-amp? or is the sp-404 a pre-amp in this case?
2. do i need an audio interface? because i'm gonna need one anyway, since i want to work with the sp-404 and and ableton at the same time
3. what's the difference between belt drive and direct drive? i mean not the technical aspect, how does it affect the sound etc.?
i've read that one of it spins uneven / has pitch irregularities? which ones are usually cheaper?

dada404
Click to expand...

1. RCA cables from the turntable to pre-amp's inputs and from preamp's outputs to your sampler's inputs. You need a phono preamp to get line level signal, otherwise the records will be so quiet that you can't do anything with them. If you buy an older hifi turntable, you could also look for a preamp from that era (needs to have PHONO input), or you could get a something like these http://www.phonopreamps.com (try your local audio/hifi store or buy one online).

2. Yes. You must have an audio interface to do anything related to audio with your computer, and you already have a built in one. But for quality reasons you should consider getting an audio interface geared for music production (buy one that also has a midi interface for your sampler, you use midi to sync your sampler with your DAW).

3. Hifi-tables are often belt drives. And most of the cheap "entry level" turntables sold new are belt drives. Direct drives often have lighter platter that can allow greater resonant feedback and may transmit more noise from the motor, therefore audiophiles often favor belt drives (of course, quality belt-drives cost a lot). Direct drive's speed can be a bit more unstable and that causes wov and flutter (for example Technics SL-1200 stays within 1% of the desired speed, it has very low vow and flutter), shouldn't cause any headaches and if the turntable is newer production, you should be able to find out wov and flutter amount specs online. Direct drive's obvious advantage is that it does not have a rubber band that can snap or dry up. With a direct drive, you can stop the record on the platter, spin the record back by hand, scratch and all that. Good direct drives will require a bit bigger budget than what you mentioned.
 
Use gear at guitar center or on craiglist will proly get you the best gear for cheap. Don't jew out on the needles too the are important as well.

hope this helps
 
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