I'm after a turntable and have no idea if I need the arm to be height adjustable. I've always worked previously on supplied decks that have already been set up, so do I need this feature?

I'm looking at around the £200 - £250 mark for a single deck.

Thanks in advance

Mark

Gosh! someone still buying vinyl decks.

The Tone arm height adjustment on models which offer that feature serve a single purpose; it ensures that the stylus is "flat" to the record, not tilting into a low record (eg: if the record is on a very thin slipmat), or tilting out of a high record (eg: if the record is on a very thick slipmat, like that paving slab of circular rubber which Technics give you).

The stylus being "flat" the the record is something which audiophiles (hi-fi enthusiasts) will tell you, is essential for excellent audio reproduction, with minimal vinyl errosion. However, the turntablist community is (last time I looked) divided between having the stylus "flat" to the record, or having the tone arm at its highest setting, so that the stylus is "digging into" the record.

As for the make/model of turntable...I can heartily recommend the Numark TT-200 direct drive turntables. I've used them side-by-side to my own semi-retired Technics SL1210's and in terms of performance, theres no noticable difference. True, no other turntable may last 20+ years, as Technics seem to be able to do, but then, a vinyl turntable nowadays wont need to with other formats/media taking the lead.

Thanks for the reply Gary.

Interestingly I had shortlisted the TT-200 along with:

the Kam DDX-1000 (same price),
the Stanton ST(r8)-80 at £240 (non-height adjustable)
and on a special deal for £250 the Citronic PD-45 Ultima.

Does anyone have any preferences on the shortlist?

Hmmm...I've got a few "bits'n'pieces" to offer.

KAM is considered to be one of the most budget, budget makes. I was slightly surprised to see a couple of years back, that they'd even launched a Direct Drive Deck. I used to speak regularly with someone who had the delightful job of working in the Lamba repair centre (Lamba distribute Stanton, and KAM equipment). He would probably have not recommended KAM products to you.

Stanton record decks...now theres another "Hmmmm", firstly, they arent made by Stanton. A few months ago, there were Stanton Decks which looked identical (except for logo's and colours) to some of the Citronic decks. Also, the one bad comment that I have heard about the Stantons is that they suffer quite badly from acoustic feedback, if used on large sound systems eg: More than 500 watts, in less than perfect conditions.

Part of this feedback issue, stems from some decks being quite hollow eg: to incorporate circuitboards etc. If you imagine a nice hollow stage that you're set up on, being vibrated by your speakers, you can imagine that some of those vibrations are going to reach the decks. If the decks are hollow, then they too will vibrate like the sound chamber of an acoustic guitar. Those vibrations are then picked up by the stylus and cartridge, and fed to your mixer, which then feeds them out of the speakers, back into the stage, into the decks and so on. Before you know it, you've got the bass turned down so low to avoid the deep feedback, that the music going out to the audience is all midrange and top-end.

Of course, if you're only looking for a home/bedroom DJ system, then feedback from a large sound system isnt likely.

Also to bear in mind is the shape of the tone-arm. The TT-200 offers interchangable tone-arms (an S-Shaped, and a straight arm).

There a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, (get the idea...we're talking VERY SLIGHT, here) difference between the two shapes.

S-Shaped tone arms sound slightly better than straight tone-arms, and dont wear the records away much.

Straight tone arms dont sound as good as S-shaped arms, they create more reacord wear than S-shaped tone arms, BUT alledgedly have slightly better "grip" when being used for scratching/turntablism. (Not that I've heard of any turntablist NOT being able to scratch perfectly well on a Technics SL1200/1210, with its S-shaped tone arm.

Consider the pro's and con's of the two shapes of tone-arms, then remember the "tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny...." etc..etc... and divide those considerations by 100... its all scientifically proven of course, but no-ones going to request "Please play DJ Sammy: Heaven - using an S-shaped tone-arm please".

I'd go for the TT-200's, but wait and see what other forum members have got to say.

Also, if you've got any prices for these Chris. I notice that you don't list turntables on the CSL site (unless I'm going blind)

Thanks for the opportunity Mark, but I don't distribute for KAM or STANTON (other than styli) so I can't quote on this.

I don't stock turntables as a rule since (for the mobile at least) it is a dying product and I rarely get an enquiry. The only exception to the rule is at Christmas when I have a run of turntable packages etc aimed at present buying parents .

Of course I can quote at any time for turntables produced by manufacturers for whom I am a distributor, although this is at present limited to Soundlab, Vestax, Citronic and Gemini (when they finally sort my account out! ).

I don't have any plans to add Kam products to my list , and although I can provide the good old Technics turntables I don't try to compete, since the market is pretty much sown up with grey imports (New turntables which are imported from European Countries in bulk and hence are bought and sold cheaper than UK Sourced).

But thanks again for the thought

...."and Im opening the envelope...and the award for -Best use of a smilie... goes to.... CHRIS POINTON for:"