07 Jan Let’s go for a Spin………
PAC owner, founder, and resident turntable guru Ralph Tarnofsky discusses a few turntable options for spinning your records. Whether you’re a seasoned audiophile, or someone who is just discovering the wonders of vinyl for the first time, PAC offers quality turntable solutions that are pleasing to the ears and budget.
Turntables
Rega – a legacy British company who have been making quality turntables the since 1980’s. They offer an entry level turntable starting at $500 complete with tone arm and cartridge, with pricing going up to around $5000 for a more audiophile grade turntable. The Rega rides particularly steady with records in less than pristine condition, while tracking lightly and accurately. Rega’s are easy to assemble and offered in 6 different colors. They are recommended for anyone seeking a quality entry turntable level solution.
Model Shown – Rega RP3 in Grey – Price as shown – $1100
Turntables
Clear Audio – a German turntable manufacturer with a more extensive line of offerings that are geared more towards music aficionados. While also quick and easy to set up they have some distinct sonic advances over the Rega such as a moving coil cartridge which provides much greater resolution and detail from a recording than a lower cost magnetic cartridge. Clear Audio has turntables starting at $2000 and range all the way up to $100,000 across 10 different models. They also do OEM manufacturing for some very prestigious audio brand names who are not capable of producing a high quality turntable. A Clear Audio turntable would be appropriate for someone with a more sophisticated sound system and a larger vinyl collection with audiophile grade pressings.
Model – Clear Audio Prelude Concept – Price as shown – $2100
Linn –Considered by many audiophiles to be the benchmark turntable, Linn has been making the famous LP12 turntable for over 50 years. Unlike the other two turntable manufactures we’ve discussed, Linn’s platter and tone arm are sprung on a sub chasse completely isolated from the turntables outer plinth. This makes the turntable very good at rejecting mechanical and acoustic vibrations in the room. Linn Turntables are highly customizable with regard to their tonearm, cartridge, and power supply. A new unit would start at about $4500 and range up to $25,000 with price dependent on how you want to rig it out. Linn’s require a fair amount of expertise to set up and tune so it is advisable to have a skilled turntable mechanic prepare and service these units. PAC has been selling and servicing turntables for over 40 years
Model – LinnLP12 – Price as shown – $4500