A sensible look at vinyl playback.(COMPONENTS)

Some audiophiles are ambivalent about CD's--they applaud the technological advance, but rue the sanitized sound. A resurgence of vinyl has sought to address these concerns. This missive, however, is not directed at those looking for the holy grail of platforms on which to hear new vinyl recordings. Rather, my target audience is those readers who hope to perk up the equipment on which they spin either their current collection, or gems they have unearthed from others' discard piles. I will also examine techniques to archive vinyl on CD-R's for those willing to preserve sound quality at the cost of losing cover art and liner notes. Indeed, this entire article assumes you buy-in to the concept that CD-R recorders are transparent with respect to the playback of vinyl, even with the best turntables and cartridges.

Selecting a Turntable

Only a few choices are available for those wanting something budget-friendly to replace a turntable that has languished in the corner, past its prime, but who have rightly eschewed the close-and-play stuff likely to be encountered at Circuit City for fear of groove damage. If you surf the web, you may come across the Technics SL-BD20 at $169. Although I have not tested it, I believe it is a good choice for those willing to accept the limitations of its p-mount arm. If the lower tier p-mount cartridge of $30-$40 is not to your liking, consider the second tier in the $60-$70 range that track better. Audio Technica 311EP and Ortofon OMP-10 are two of the limited picks at this price. You can upgrade the Ortofon with some the company's more expensive styluses, but these combinations must be customized, possibly bringing the cost of an Ortofon p-mount to $300+. Gardo also has p-mount cartridges that match the standard half-inch mount at up to $175. I am hesitant to recommend spending more than $70 for cartridges to pair with entry-level turntables whose bearing friction and arm stiffness dilute the effectiveness of high-compliance ...