portable record players

[Chet]

so i really want to get that NMH box that has just come out, but i will need a record player to play those old timey discs on.
i don't have much room or much money so i figure i will get one of them that comes in a carry case with built in speakers.
are these good? i'm not an audiophile or anything.
isn't there a brand that is well known for doing these?
any one got any recommendations?

[Maaik]

Can't speak to sound quality, but I've been wanting to pick up something like this, an old portable turntable that they used in classrooms. If the speakers are shitty you can always plug headphones in.

Oh shit, they still make those! http://www.todaysclassroom.com/products/Deluxe-Classroom-Music-and-Dance-Turntable-Record-Player.html

[Trousers and Pat]

You may have a nice light record player but you will still have hundreds of heavy vinyl discs

[dieblucasdie]

I've got one these. I was cheap (I think I paid $15 for mine) and it plays records

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CLEAN-CALIFONE-1420K-4-SPEED-PORTABLE-RECORD-PLAYER-WI6TH-TRAK-LITE-TONE-ARM-/250966778051?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D5%26pmod%3D260871516763%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5497872920763023726#ht_563wt_1180

[ellaguru]

I must say I kinda think this:

You may have a nice light record player but you will still have hundreds of heavy vinyl discs

I'd bet you could find the parts for a non-portable stereo at second hand stores for as cheap, and it would sound a lot better. I mean, a portable record player isn't actually smaller than a non-portable one, right?

[Chet]

well, i dont plan on owning lots of vinyl just yet. just the box set and perhaps a few other favourites.
i really don't have much space at all in my room. just a small bedside desk to put something on.

thinking about getting this

[alistarr*]

Do what you want, obviously, but also see if you can get a bush mt1/mtt1/mtt2 from ebay for about £20/£30 (this is a guess as I can't browse ebay, but I don't think they make them any more) and spend the rest of your £120 on a small stereo with rca inputs.

That turntable is what I have - it's smaller than the one you're looking at (12" records extend beyond the edge of the unit on the left hand side while they're playing), it cost me about £40 new when I got it, and it will probably sound better.

[Chet]

but my one looks so pretty

[alistarr*]

I think it's important to go with your gut feeling on things like this. Do what makes you feel happy, etc.

[Good Intentions]

It's also important not to be a sucker.

[jebreject]

The NMH box is really cool.

[davy]

I got L this for her birthday:



http://www.amazon.com/Crosley-CR249-TA-Radio-Keepsake-Turntable-Tan/dp/B000W74MZU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326406190&sr=8-2

We don't play it loud, but we've really been enjoying it. The sound is nice and clear, it's simple, it's portable, it looks cool, it's inexpensive ($120 USD). I've got a nicer record player at home that is hooked up to my stereo/speakers, and I've actually been kind of jealous.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

i had a crosely all-in-one, be careful with that needle it'll destroy the shit out of your records if you let it

[davy]

How do you ... not let it?

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

well, i don't know, all i know is anytime i lowered that needle into, say, a song in the middle of the record, the next time i played the record it turned out scratched

[RoyBiggins]

Not to tell you how to make spaghetti while sounding like my mom trying to describe the plot of Batman Begins, but did you do the spinny-weight thing to make the tone arm nice and balanced before you played the record? 

[davy]

I don't think that turntable has a spinny-weight thing.

[RoyBiggins]

Hmm.  It's just a counterweight that you can use to make the tone arm skate across the record with just enough pressure rather than too much/too little. I kinda figured all record players had to have 'em.

[cold before sunrise]

i've got the little red one quintron uses for the drum buddy demo. the sound isn't the greatest but you can plug it into a bose unit and between that and an iphone pretty much have your bases covered.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

Hmm.  It's just a counterweight that you can use to make the tone arm skate across the record with just enough pressure rather than too much/too little. I kinda figured all record players had to have 'em.

crosely all-in-ones/portables don't have a visible, adjustable counterweight, far as i can tell. i imagine they have one because the descent of the tone arm is all floaty but the landing seems harsher.

when i bought a rega p1 after selling my old crosely i was like "what is all this skating/counterweight bullshit"