This is a good place to drop general and weird news, entertainment, and general show prep material that might be interesting to air talent or producers. Hot dog threads ALWAYS welcome.
I was just just checking out the latest on record players (turntables) just to see who was left and what they were charging these days. In order to make the now small market sound more techie, I keep seeing the phrase "vinyl playback solution". http://tinyurl.com/5tmrny
To make it even funnier, (and to show my age) there are reviews that go like this:
Okay, so you want to try out this vinyl thing. What turntable is best for a vinyl newbie? Project – based in Czechoslavkia – has throughout the 90’s risen to prominence especially in the budget/beginner turntable market and the Debut Phono (which includes both arm and a basic Ortofon cartridge and an onboard phono section) is purpose built for you. I only wish it was about when I first got into analogue.
Essentially what it offers is plug’n’play analog sound for under $700. That’s hard to beat – and yes I can assure you that all those horrid tales of incredibly confusing turntable set-ups don’t apply here.
Plug & play? Analog? $700? Horrid tales of incredibly confusing turntable set-ups? WTF? They treat a simple turntable as though it's some high tech antique that only people in their 50s know how to set up and operate!
"I know I've got a lot against me: I'm White, I'm Protestant, I'm hard working. Don't you have an Amendment to protect me"? Archie Bunker
The first thing you need to know is that you need a phono preamp or a receiver that has one built in, of which few any more do. As far as set up, there is a lot to know, that Project (and MMF turntables, built in the same factory) try to make easy for you, like how to adjust tracking force, vertical tracking angle, and RPM. One needs to know how to install a headshell and a stylus, how to install a tonearm at the height, and how to dress sylus lead wires. But Project (and MMF) tries to set all these things at the factory so you can take the turnatable out of the box and get the thing playing without a lot of assembly or adjustment. PS, both make turntables that are well-regarded down into the $200-$400 range. Check them out at www.theneedledoctor.com or www.musicdirect.com .
