Wow, this sounds great! Thanks for the link, now I just have to figure out how to pay for it! I just knew that vinyl would not go the way of the dinosaurs just yet! Next gen stuff and I really look forward to what comes next!
gofar99 Messages: 1939 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, It will certainly work...but hi-rez....dubious. The process of getting the best information (sound) from a record is not easy. It is easy to get some sound. How good...depends on the actual equipment. I believe I would list this turntable as one in the lower end of mid-fi. Probably OK for most casual use, but not hi-rez. To get there requires gear that is much higher up the quality and unfortunately cost scale. Three primary components are involved. First the cartridge (aka pick up). If it is not reasonable then everything else is a waste of time. Then the tone arm assembly. It must track the record accurately and with reasonable force. Finally the motor and platter assembly. It needs to be accurate with respect to speed and be quiet. The next part is pretty easy if you are going for something to do usb. Moderately good phonograph preamps with usb added on are surprisingly not too costly to make and sound moderately good. In this price range they are not the weak link. The other three components will be. If a listener is happy with MP3 level sound quality the turntable ought to be fine. If you are accustomed to hi-rez downloads, it will fall way short. I don't consider my gear (BTW I design and build commercial audio gear) as the really high end. My lowest cost cartridge was about $275, tonearm $350 and turntable with out either of those parts $600. My main system is significantly more. On it records sound exceptional.
So, buyer beware. It may function well for your needs and then it may not.
Wayne Parham Messages: 18752 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
I agree with you, Bruce. It isn't high-end.
But I was surprised to see that it wasn't really low-end either. I kind of half-expected one of those cheapo plastic tables with wheel-roller drive and a ceramic cartridge on a plastic arm with spring loading.
This table actually looks like it might be on the level of the entry-level Rega tables. Not sure about the arm, nor of the cartridge. Hard to say without having one of those Sony tables to examine. But I do think it might be decent for an entry-level offering.