Instructions on How to Buy a Turntable and Choose a Disc When Playing Vinyl For Beginners

If you’re interested in trying out vinyl but have never used a turntable, the learning process can be quite complicated and confusing. The following article will give you a simple understanding to guide new vinyl players on buying and choosing a disc.

What is vinyl?

Vinyl is an analog audio format and is very different from digital music. The sound we hear is a waveform created by vibrations. When playing vinyl, these vibrations are created as the stylus probes the track. It is then transmitted to the speaker to create the sound that we hear.

Advantages and disadvantages of vinyl

Advantages:

– It is a physical format; when you hold the disc in your hand and look at the groove engraved on it, you will see the shape of the sound. As for the sound quality, it depends on the combo and how to adjust it.

In addition, vinyl records also have beautiful covers. It can be displayed on a shelf to increase the aesthetics of the living room or office.

Weakness:

Wear and tear over time: After a period of use, the disc will start to get scratched. The disc groove is worn, or the disc body is bent for some reason. Dirt can stick to the surface of the disc and affect the sound quality when listening. Dusting occurs on both new and old discs.

– The price is quite high: Old, good-sounding vinyl records range from $20-$30. That is generally a disadvantage but also an advantage. If you take good care of the record, it is completely possible to resell it or even sell it for a better price if it’s a rare record.

Note:

Many people also feel confused about playing vinyl because the discs are quite bulky, causing inconvenience if you need to move somewhere else or clean the house. When stacking discs, you should arrange them in a horizontal row, not stacking discs on top of each other because it can warp the discs.

Audio-Technica LP120-USB tray and Audioengine A2+ speaker, plug and play, sing, very simple

In general, you don’t have to choose between the two “extremes” of playing vinyl or digital music. Most music lovers and people who like to listen to good sound combine them to get the best balance in each use case. Vinyl will be great when you sip coffee, sit back, and listen to music on the sofa; in return, digital music will be more convenient when traveling, working, or having a picnic.

Can vinyl record stereo sound?

While tracing the track, the stylus will move up and down, and the track (stereo recorded) will push the needle back and forth between the left and right edges of the track. The left edge of the track sends information to the left speaker, and the right edge of the track transmits the information to the right speaker.

Manipulating set up and listening to vinyl

To start playing vinyl, you’ll need a setup that includes: a turntable, amplifier, speakers (or headphones), and a vinyl record. The basic operations, in turn, are:

– Put the disc on the turntable

– Place tonearm that the stylus is at the edge of the disc (don’t push the stylus down too quickly)

– Press the cueing-lever lever (located next to the tonearm) so that it automatically lowers the stylus to the appropriate position

– Turn on the tray and start listening

Common errors encountered when setting-up

However, if you do these steps for the first time and still can’t hear the music, you can check the steps as follows:

– Check if the amplifier has been turned on? Have you turned on the speaker yet?

– Have you removed the protective cover of the stylus tip? If you haven’t opened the lid but lowered the needle, the possibility of scratching the disc is sure to happen; you need to check this step carefully.

– Check the wire from the turntable to the speaker

If you use a receiver without a phono input, you will need to purchase a separate phono preamplifier.

How to skip tracks when listening to vinyl?

On the vinyl surface, there will be marked points to indicate the starting position of each track. It will help if you put the stylus on it to listen. For example, when you listen to track three, you need to put the stylus on the 2nd marker (because track 1 starts from the disc’s outer edge).

To stop the disc properly, follow these steps:

– Use cueing-lever to raise the tonearm, then return the tonearm to its original position

– Turn off the turntable and wait for the turntable to stop rotating

– Remove the disc by gently lifting from the edge of the disc, avoiding touching the plate surface

– Store the disc gently into the disc case, do not “stuff” it as it may tear the cover (or bend the disc).

– Close the dust cover for the tray and put back the stylus tip protector (if applicable).

The volume when listening to vinyl is too low?

The reason is that the vibrations obtained when the stylus probes on the track are too small, so its sound is not loud. To solve this, we will need a phono stage. Most turntables under $500 today always have a phono stage built-in (also known as a preamp), so you need to plug in an active speaker (a speaker with a built-in amplifier like Audioengine) and listen, or you can also use it. Power speaker has their phono circuit to listen to music directly with the turntable.

Another way is to invest in a separate phono stage to amplify the audio signal to the speaker. This way is a bit more cumbersome but gives the highest sound quality and allows you to upgrade (replace amplifier) ​​when needed, without buying another turntable or new speaker.

What is the difference between turntable belt-drive and direct-drive?

Turntable belt-drive, as the name implies, will use the belt to rotate the wheel. At the same time, the direct turntable drive attaches directly to the motor to rotate the wheel. DJs often use direct turntable drive because it achieves faster standard turntable speeds. At the same time, audiophiles prefer the turntable belt drive because the belt can absorb shocks.

The direct drive system of a famous turntable: Technics SP10 mk3

Turntable direct drive also allows you to change the turntable’s speed at the touch of a button. While with turntable belt-drive, we have to adjust the belt manually.

The more expensive the turntable, the better it sounds?

If you are willing to invest money (to buy the good stuff) and time and effort (to learn and learn how to combine the system accordingly), the results will be well worth what you spend. The most important knowledge includes aligning tonearm, selecting cartridge/stylus, reducing vibration, improving turntable speed and accuracy, and reducing motor noise.

What’s the difference between EP and LP discs?

LP disc (Long Play), only full albums with a length of 35 ~ 45 minutes (10 ~ 12 songs). EP discs (Extended Play) are short albums containing 5 ~ 6 songs (1 mini-album). Finally, there is a Single with only one song, one album title track, and 1 ~ 2 B-side songs.

Which RPM speed option is the best?

Any RPM (revolutions per minute) is fine, and you don’t need to worry too much about this. Most recordings are 33-RPM or 45-RPM with slightly higher quality. To make it easier to understand, with the same disc size, the same recording, and the same label, a 33-RPM disc will give a longer listening time than a 45-RPM disc. But 45-RPM will give better sound quality (because it can transmit more audio information).

Some turntable models are suitable for vinyl beginners.

The first can be mentioned Audio Technica AT-LP60 for only $99 or Project Essential, Primary. These turntables are the perfect start with a low budget.

Audio-Technica LP120-USB tray and Audioengine A2+ speaker, plug and play, sing, very simple

Moving up to the price range of $450, there is Audio-Technica AT-LP40WN or AT-LP120USB. Both are two very good vinyl trays in the range of $450. Allows users to learn, play and experiment with some basics such as changing needles, adjusting anti-skating.

Higher or want to end-game on wheels, we have AT-LP7 or Project X1, Project Debut Carbon. These products feature many improvements, optimizing the wheel and motor.

Note that the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and X1 will not have a built-in phono stage, so they must be purchased separately. In the range of $100-200, there are Project phono stages such as Phonobox E and Phonobo, with good and stable quality.