Recommendations for a turn table under 30K in India

[john_k_antony]

While researching about Denon 300F, it seems like its a decent budget TT with semi automatic function. People say there is no humming sound. It allows you to change the record size and speed pretty easily with couple of switches. The tone arm action is automatic. Also it has a DC motor so that its not affected by the input AC frequency.

However every one said the cartridge that comes with the TT is hopeless. People who have bought this TT changed the cartridge to some thing better, like Audio Technica AT440MLA Dual-Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge and said the sound quality improved a lot with the upgraded cartridge.

So the Denon 300F + the Audio Technica cartridge will cost around 22K + 10K = 32K.

Any comments ?

-John.

 

[jls001]

I think the I was wrong in describing automatic TT. I think I was explaining semi-automatic. The fully automatic will allow you to play multiple records one after the other and TT will stack records on top of one another as the records finishes playback.

Your earlier description seems fine. What you are describing here is a record changer.

A friend used to own a Pioneer PL 220. Press a button and arm will lift by itself and place itself gently at the start of groove. At the end of the groove, the arm will lift itself and gently place itself on the arm rest. I think this is what is termed fully auto. Also, pressing the same button in the middle of play will lift arm and it will move to arm rest. Of course, one needs to pre-select the record size (12 or 7 inch), and of course playing speed.

My Pioneer PL 200 could lift itself at the end of a side and place itself on the arm rest. I think this is semi-auto.

Others, please chip in with the correct info.

By the way, my personal opinion is one should go with less fiddly setups as all automatic functions described above complicates the TT and would be more prone to failure, and contribute nothing by way of sonics. A manual hydraulic arm lift is the way to go. Also, the need to be attentive when one side is nearing its end makes you a more involved listener (IMHO) and perhaps the reason why people easily notice inner groove distortions.

 

[issigonis]

You're spot on Josh. What matters is sound quality, not the bells and whistles.