Where to find an awesome modern turntable?

November 25, 2007 11:20 PM

Where can I find a kick ass turntable with built in speakers?

I've scoured Target and K-Mart and while the results are pretty promising, I'm thinking that there have to be some websites out there with funky, contemporary versions of turntables with built in speakers. I'm not looking for anything too fancy, but let's say that theoretically right now, price is isn't an issue. I'd like to find something that can be both functional and decorative. And maybe just cool enough to get me laid.

posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth to Technology (13 answers total)

I'm a little confused. What are your goals here? Define "kick ass."

As a general rule, no even halfway-decent turntable has built-in speakers. And LPs are such a bear to use, unless you're interested in their sound (without getting into an argument on analog vs digital) it's hard to imagine why you'd want to deal with them.

If you just want retro looks, why not just get something that looks like a turntable but is actually a CD player, or better yet, that you can wire into your MP3 player or some other arbitrary source?

If you're serious about vinyl, you'd be better served by getting an actual standalone turntable, with a preamp, and then connecting that to either your existing stereo or to some self-powered speakers.

Or if your budget is limited, go to any big yard/tag sale and pick up an old bookshelf system. Some of those, particularly the ones from the late 60s and early 70s, had decent turntables and nice-sounding solid-state amplification, and they have a (now) neat retro look. I'm partial to old H.H. Scott gear myself. If you can get the original speakers, awesome, if not, you can use any 8-ohm ones you want.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:33 PM on November 25, 2007

If you don't care for your records get whatever looks good and I have no problem with this :) If, y'know, you're kind of into records, either of these two can be hooked up to your stereo or a set of computer speakers and will be bunches better than the ones at Target.

http://www.numark.com/pt01
http://www.google.com/search?q=vestax+portable
posted by rhizome at 11:42 PM on November 25, 2007

My limited understanding tells me you want the turntable as isolated from the speakers as possible for feedback / record skipping purposes?
posted by Meatbomb at 11:53 PM on November 25, 2007

Er... No. This is a purely superficial endeavor.
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 12:15 AM on November 26, 2007

Thrift stores. In some places you can trip over integrated turn tables all day long. Some have fancy cabinets. Generally these are referred to as "console stereos" and can be as large as a casket, or as small as a suit case.

For a while I had a few hanging around which I found at old dusty antique shops and I used one cherry cabinet as a hamper (after gutting the useless electronics.)

I don't know about "kick ass" (doesn't sound like you do either) so I'd say don't blow your entire allowance... $10 tops.

And maybe just cool enough to get me laid.

Um. Yeah.
posted by wfrgms at 12:19 AM on November 26, 2007

The word you're looking for is 'Dansette'. Steepletone make a modern day alternative.
posted by popcassady at 12:23 AM on November 26, 2007

Try this keyword search of Red Ferret (.net).
posted by krisjohn at 3:32 AM on November 26, 2007

Since "this is a purely superficial endeavor", perhaps you might be one of the few who can make use of a Vinyl Killer.

I mean, come on, a wee VW Bus that drives around on your record, playing music? How cool is that? Of course, it will jack up your records, but it sounds like that's not a huge concern.
posted by mjbraun at 5:44 AM on November 26, 2007

You might find something in a thift shop. They were popular in days passed.

Here's one on eBay.

Sound quality? What's that?
posted by The Deej at 5:50 AM on November 26, 2007

a few turntables, reviewed (seconded on the numark and vestax, they have internal speakers)
posted by iamck at 6:06 AM on November 26, 2007

I've been rocking the Vestax portable for a few years. It's nice and small and you can get good sound if you hook it up to external speakers. Unhooked up it's pretty quiet, but it has great battery life. 60+ hours on 6 D's.

Some of my friends have the Numark and some of them have suffered from an unsteady rotation thus making the music warbly and somewhat unlistenable. But that might just be a rare case or two.
posted by cloeburner at 6:29 AM on November 26, 2007

You already found the Crosleys (another link). I don't know what they sound like, (mediocre at best, I guess) but they look cool in a retro way.

But if you want to take better care of your records, get a TT without speakers. Maybe the Ion USB table would be the thing -- has an integrated USB jack so it can hook directly to yr computer. I.e., I'll second Kadin2048.
posted by omnidrew at 7:26 AM on November 26, 2007

Nothing beats Fisher Price.

As for the Target turntables. I have the theory that they won't sell that well and will either be available in February or September dirt cheap.
posted by drezdn at 8:58 AM on November 26, 2007