Sorry this might appear as a technical and academic report, but this is

the basic know- how we may need to have a full grasp of the vinyl

environment we are trying to explore.

If you decided to buy a turntable, the tendency to want to look for some info

on your device before you make your first purchase will loom large.

Chances are that you either admired friends’ collections or you just felt like

rekindling that flame of nostalgic feeling hence your decision to acquire this

machine.

No matter how you arrived at the idea to go vinyl, there are some salient

qualities you must look for when making your first purchase of hassle-free

record player. As with anything else, the choices are endless for the choosy

audiophile ranging from diverse feature sets to vast price range. The good

news though - fear not.

Continue reading and it will not be long when you will be heading towards

your first turntable purchase.

Mind you, one does not necessarily need to

be an electronic engineer to understand and operate your machine, but

some basic knowledge is helpful to get you started. Find below some features

you may have to check for when buying your first record player.

Apart from price which influences sound quality, the main component parts necessary

for optimum performance of your turntable are:

Plinth - also known as the base. This holds in place components of your machine.

It normally has feet attached to it which creates stability, ensuring a good

playback. Plinth is usually made of such materials as plastics, metal, wood, etc

Platter: This is rotating part on which the record spins. Good quality

platter should be the heavier type. A mat sits in between the record

and the motor that powers the platter. And a good platter is that which

has a speed set to match the speeds 45 RPM, 33RPM and 78 RPM.

While a modification kit may be needed to play the older 78RPM format

most turntables will play 33 RPM and 45 RPM formats.

Tonearm : The component that allows the needle to have contact with

the vinyl. This part enables the needle to make and continues to make

contact with the record to ensure consistent sound. Tonearm’s perfection

is achieved by another sophisticated component called cueing device. This

part lifts and lowers the tonearm, enables the needle make a smooth initial

touch with the vinyl without any scratching movement. The cueing device

could be automatic or manual depending on choice.

Cartridge and Stylus: The cartridge is that part that houses the stylus. And

the stylus is the only part of the turntable that makes contact with the tiny

sonic groove on the record. It is to be noted that any slight improvement on

this component can and will improve sound quality considerably. Again most

turntables ship with high quality cartridge and stylus as standard equipment.

Price: When it comes to the issue of price, the saying “What you pay is what

you get”. Yes! You can acquire a turntable for as low as $100 or less, but you

will equally get a vintage turntable – the delight of the audiophile with taste

for $1000 and above.

What ever be your take, remember that the vinyl world appears to be making

a gradual come back. Whether this fad will last, only time will tell.