How to choose a player for vinyl records?

The record player for vinyl records is an extremely popular means for reproducing music among real audiophiles. Vinyl is appreciated, above all, for its ability to convey a sense of live sound and high quality of track reproduction.

What is a record player? How to choose a good retro stereo? Let's try to understand these issues together.

Characteristics

Qualitative modern record players of vinyl records must necessarily correspond to the following parameters:

• Weight of about 10 kg or more, which confirms the production with the use of reliable metal components.
• Presence of an adjustable tonearm and a massive cast rotating disk.
• A well thought-out drive.
• Built-in corrector and sound amplifier.

Base

The basic element of any vinyl player is a table on which the functional components of the stereo system are located. The key to obtaining high-quality sound is the presence of a reliable base, which is capable of ensuring the player's immovability during operation.

Disk

The rotating disk is the base where the vinyl plate is placed. Typically, an elastic mat is provided between the audio data carrier and the audio data carrier, which ensures the grip of both elements.

It is recommended to buy a turntable for vinyl records, which has a rather massive and heavy rotating disk, since these characteristics directly affect the level of vibration during the operation of the system.

Manual or automatic player?

"Turntables", which are activated by manual lowering-raising of the tonearm, are considered true connoisseurs of quality sound. Such designs contain a minimum number of parts, the mobility of which can cause additional vibration when playing the plates. These models include, mainly, Soviet turntable record players and retro models of Western production.

In turn, the automation allows you to start the process of audio playback with a single click of a button. This option is suitable for music lovers who only join the tradition of listening to music on vinyl.

The pickup needle

Choosing a turntable for vinyl records, the first priority should be given to the installed pickup needle, because it depends on its nature, the overall quality of playback.

The cheapest are spherical needles. They are used in the production of budget models of players. The main drawback of such means of playing music from vinyl is not enough accurate passage of grooves. Multiple playing of plates with the use of a spherical needle leads to the appearance of small scratches on the surface of the plate and, consequently, its damage.

Elliptic means for reproduction are devoid of the aforementioned drawback. In addition, their use makes it possible to improve the sound quality of audio recordings. However, buying a turntable for vinyl records with an elliptical needle will have to be well spent, since the price of such systems is an order of magnitude higher.

General recommendations

What questions should I ask the seller when choosing a record player? How to choose a quality new or used equipment?

At any point in the sale of audio equipment, you can stumble on frank "stuff", whether it's a new player or a second-hand system. On the other hand, the ability to attach importance to important points will not only save money, but also to find a truly high-quality, reliable means of reproducing sound from vinyl.

So, when buying a player, you should ask the following questions:

• Does the system work for the reproduction of vinyl records.
• How long the device was operated.
• Is the seller the original owner.
• Did the system not be used as a DJ (it is not recommended to consider such variants, since in this case there is a high probability of heavy wear of the components of the device).
• In what state is the needle, the pickup head, the engine, the drive belt.

Getting confident answers to these questions significantly increases the chances of getting a really decent turntable player. If the seller frankly refuses to communicate, it is worth considering the consideration of other options available. Finally, choosing a used system, especially on the Internet, it is worth puzzling in advance the issue of the possible return of a substandard product.