Talk and share knowledge on rare records, sources of new samples, vinyl, diggin, etc
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By Dr_Doom Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:56 am
I use stanton str150's cool features reverse, pitch shift n stuff but support from stanton is a joke I waited 8 months for a tone arm. So i'd probably say don't buy stanton's.

By epidemic Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:06 am
technics, gemini, numark, staton. top brands, nicest quality turntables.

for basic sampling.. i wouldnt think it matters too much. but like everyone else is saying get a good quality needle/stylus/catridge. thats where the sound is processed so that would be most important.

if you plan on scratching or manipulating the vinyl in any way, you need something high torque, direct drive.

theres three speeds. 33, 45, and 78. most turntables will offer two speeds 33 and 45 because they are most common. some add 78. if you are sampling old 45s you would need one that plays 45s with the adapter for the small 45 records. i've personally never seen any use for 78 other then pitching something ridiculously high for scratching and sound effects.

belt drive turntables are great and affordable if you dont plan on doing any scratching. you can get a top of tha line belt driven turntable for almost the same as you would pay for a budget direct drive turntable.they are made to simply play the record, not made for the kind of vinyl manipulation a turntablist would want to do.



features to look for:
--i would say look for something with a higher pitch shift range that way you can adjust the speed of sample you want over a wider range, without having to change speeds (33 to 45). ...most are 8%-10%. the better turntables will have options to switch from that standard to 16%,25%,etc..

--something with Key Correction. This will keep the pitch locked while you change speed with the pitch slider. so you can slow or speed the vinyl up without effecting the pitch/tune. ..another good reason to have a wide pitch shift range. lock pitch on a 33rpm record and speed it all the way up at 25% for a high speed sample without the chipmunk sound.. without a wide pitch range you would have to switch speeds from 33 to 45 to get the same speed, so the key correction wont be effective and the sample will be noticibly pitched up.


--Quarts lock.. this just locks the pitch to 0

--Reverse.. plays backwords. just a creativity thing

--seperate motor and main power switch.. So you can turn off the motor but still have turntables on delivering sound. good for slow down effects. so the record will gradually slow down from normal playing speed. (stop button is good for quick stops and cut effects)..


and a good needle. the needle on your vinyls is like the pre-amp in your recording setup. its the key to your sound and quality. shure m44-7 is a turntablists standard. made to withstand the pain we put them thru. but there are a lot of other needles that will give you a sound just as good or even better that are made purely for quality and not scratching and intense vinyl manipulation.

By JazznFunkPack Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:52 pm
Also for sampling, take a turntable which is robust and doesnt skip each second when looking for samples. Stopping and starting the record with your hand is something you will do a lot. So make sure you dont go too cheap n plastic.
Each turntable has their advantage. For example if you get a belt driven tt, you will have some difficulties starting and stopping the record flawless. On the other hand, with a belt driven tt, you can start and sample the record from very slow into faster speed. If you open up a Technics SL1200, you can manipulate these settings. Other brands/models have these options on top of the unit. Some dont. I think overall, a second handed SL1200 will be your best bet. They last long and they are VERY comfortable. .. and pretty! :) These models are on the market for more than 20 years for a reason.. Technics didnt change them one bit over all these years. Although I have to admit, a turntable with a lot of bells and whistles (effects, reverse, larger pitch range, etc..) will give you more sampling fun. But remember, the more options you have, the sooner one option will break. Numark is a perfect example of malfunctioning turntables and mixers...
By Serendipity Sun Jan 24, 2021 2:43 am
Yo! What would be a few suitable turntables for the mpc one? :hmmm:

New to this so entry level(ish) price, the ability to scratch and use different sized records.

Cheers :)
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By WrecklessEyeball Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:46 pm
Pioneer AT-LP120-USB is a Technics SL-1200 clone (direct-drive, reverse, etc) except it has a built in phono preamp (and USB). That's what I've been using; it's gonna be cheaper than a real SL-1200.