There are several turntables which are selling in the audio shops. You (the users) will not know which one you should buy, which one you consider to buy in the future, and which one you have to avoid. Furthermore, you might not recognize which one is the best turntable for your option. Before buying a turntable, you should find out your needs, your targets, and searching some elements for your decision. In addition, you can take some great method that will keep and improve your turntables as well as your records.
#1- Evaluate Your Budget
How much money will you spend for this product?
Likely many electronic products released in the market, turntables have various price in the shops. If you are a brilliant consumer, before buying a product (especially fancy products), you will decide your budget for the product. After estimating your money, you will research the price range for the product. At the same time, you will discover the best place to buy the product, such as in the audio shop, or in the E – commerce website. The used turntables could be found in the specialty shops or in the internet auctions at low price. And the newest one could be sold in the fancy audio shops with high price. Moreover, there are many price range for turntables that the buyers consider to choose it. Therefore, taking one turntable, you should do your small homework.
#2 – Observe the Features
Did you know these features?
Nowadays, it is essential to study and see the features in a turntable. Because a turntable will have a built – in USB or not. Furthermore, the manufactures produce manual turntables or automatic ones. If you want to convert music album from your records to your smart phone or your computer, you prefer to choose a built – in USB turntable. This is quite comfortable for the buyers to use this feature. However, please keep in mind that the quality of a turntable USB port is not durable. Some people might think that they need a built – in USB turntable to transfer their music album conveniently, but they could review this point again. Today, the manufactures produce latest digital collections (as it also called analog models) which having a download card for the buyers to use it quickly and effectively. On the other hand, they also make manual and automatic turntable in order to meet the buyer’s needs. If you are a beginner to play the records, you should take into account the automatic one. Because you just need to push the button and the turntable will do its job – taking whole sides in the record. If you are a professional DJ, you will chose the manual turntable confidently to control the record.
#3 – Chose a direct drive turntable or a belt drive one?
To rotate a platter in a turntable, this process needed a motor. The manufactures put the motor directly under the platter (as it called direct drive) or they can put the motor outside of the turntable (as it called belt drive). The rubber belt of a belt drive can join the platter and the function of the motor can absorb shock. Moreover, the belt drive will keep the motor’s shacking because of big sound in the electric signal. The beginners and the audiophile prefer using a belt drive type for their turntables. On the other hand, the direct turntables have the platter outside which will protect the turntable. The DJ can control the rotational speed of the motor by using their hands. It will increase the audio quality. Therefore, the professional DJ prefer using the direct drive.
#4 – Do not forget to check the cartridge of the turntable
The cartridge is a small element that connect to the tonearm and keep the stylus. If you decide to buy a new turntable, it will not matter with the cartridge. However, if you buy a vintage or a used turntable, you have to check the cartridge of the turntable carefully. Even though a used turntable have already the cartridge, you should consider to buy and install a new turntable. Bad cartridges could affect premature wear and decrease the sound quality of your records.
#5 – Consider take a built – in phono preamp for the turntable
Normally, the manufactures do not produce a turntable that having a phono input jack because the stylus is quiet. If you want the turntable have improve the volume in an influence level, you could consider to purchase an external phono preamp (if necessary).
#6 – Check the flat surface of the turntable
Some body forgets to pay attention to check this point of the turntable. Your turntable will work effectively if you can set the turntable in the flat surface. You can use bubble level that you can purchase it in a hardware shop in order to stay certain the turntable such as a table, a study stand or a kind of furniture, etc.
#7 – Upgrade an element of turntable (if applicable) to increase the quality of your records in the long – term time.
Even if you do not want to upgrade your turntable immediately, you still need to improve your records in the upcoming time. And the answer is you should upgrade one or more elements for your turntables. It is said that you can update the cartridge, tonearm, slip mats, a belt (if you use belt drive turntable). Unfortunately, changing some components will not easy to take. Some lower turntables produced that you could not upgrade these elements smoothly. Hence, you will not change these components in your turntable. However, you can find some beginner audiophile turntables that it changes the elements easily because of performance packs. Moreover, when buying a new turntable, you have to pay attention about packages of element upgrades which can attached in order to improve the performance of the turntable in the upcoming time.
I get these tips from Trusted Sounds, a website about purchasing more record players. Choosing the best turntable is a difficult process, but when you take into account those above tips, it will become easier to have the best one for your records.