New
#1
shopping for a cheap record player- anyone here knowledgable?
I'm getting into vinyl in a limited capacity as it seems there are more than a few things that were never available on anything but, and oftentimes MP3 recordings of any of that stuff tends to be iffy. HOWEVER, to play any records I buy, I need a player.
Now to get the disclaimer stuff out of the way- my budget is about $60 maximum. I know the audiophiles suggest $400 minimum to "enjoy vinyl" I don't have $400 to spend on that, I don't have $400 to blow on much anything luxury right now. I am not an audiophile, I'd probably convert everything to Ogg Vorbis format if only every portable MP3 player out there didn't shun the format and I'm hard pressed to hear the difference in the format. I don't bother with FLAC because any "enhancement" is barely, if at all, distinguishable. I don't own $100 and up headphones endorsed by celebrities, I use a $6 Panasonic pair from Amazon that sounds just fine to my ears.
So that said, just so I don't get the "spend $400 minimum" suggestions... I've narrowed my choices down to a few, though none are 100% solid should anyone have a suggestion beyond these.
I've ruled out the $32 Vibe brand player. It lacks a proper headphone out and reviews are a bit less than favorable. I'll probably avoid anything that lacks a headphone out. Many of these have an FM radio built in, not a big deal to me but it'd save a separate purchase(needing to run an antenna wire outside though- reception inside with radios in this house has always been awful). 78 RPM probably isn't a huge deal to me since that's often really old record territory but having the feature would be a bonus- although many of these players are 3 speed, I'd need a proper needle for that.
My first option is $42, a Jensen basic model with FM radio. A Youtube review of this suggested it was at least an okay player for being cheap.
Amazon.com: Jensen 3-Speed Stereo Turntable with AM/FM Stereo Radio (Silver): Electronics
Second is a $60 Jensen. Lacks the radio but has tone and pitch controls. Watched a Youtube review, seems to be a good player for the money even if it's not up to par to an expensive model.
Amazon.com: Jensen JTA-230 3 Speed Stereo Turntable with Built in Speakers: Electronics
Third is a Techplay for $55. Loaded with buttons and features. Favorable reviews but fewer overall reviews than Jensen. Has an MP3 player built in with encoder to record MP3s directly to flash stick.
Amazon.com: TechPlay ODC18-BS 3-Speed Turntable W/SD USB, MP3 Encoding System and AM/FM Stereo Radio & built-in speakers: Electronics
Fourth possibility is this $60 Boytone model, similar features to the Techplay with an added cassette deck. Would surely be worth it in features alone, but it seems this company's still is quite new and barely has reviews on any of their stuff. 6 reviews isn't telling me much despite a 4.5 star rating.
Amazon.com: Boytone BT-17DJ 3-Speed Stereo Turntable with Built in Speakers Digital LCD Display AM/FM Radio + Supports USB/SD/AUX+ Cassette/MP3 & WMA Playback /Recorder & Headphone Jack + Remote Control: Electronics