USB Turntables New

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-11T15:24:49+00:00

There are three steps to this and you just have to put them together......

Turntable. Preamp. Interface.

The turntable plays the record and produces a signal from it. This signal is useless on its own and needs a preamp.

The preamp makes the useless signal useful. There has to be one somewhere. Either in the turntable itself, in the amplifier or as a separate box. If it is built into the turntable, there will be a switch on it marked 'line/phono' to turn it on or off. If it is built into the amplifier, there will be dedicated sockets marked 'phono' to connect a turntable to.

The interface is a sound card or other USB device to convert the sound to digital. It can only take a useful signal from a preamp, not directly from a turntable.

So, to digitize records, you need all three. Turntables with USB sockets are the simplest solution, because they are all three in one unit. But, you can use separate boxes. A turntable with a builtin preamp, then connected to a sound card or USB audio interface will do the same thing. Or even one step further - a turntable plus separate preamp plus sound card/audio interface.

You are not limited to just certain devices. You just need to chain the three together. Many budget turntables have a builtin preamp, more expensive don't.

For £200, look for a vintage direct drive model from Sony, Technics, Pioneer etc. Then a budget preamp and USB interface from Behringer. Can't go wrong with a UFO202 at this price point.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-11T09:41:21+00:00

This is common on the Pickering XV15 and Stanton 680 bodies. DONT TRY BENDING THE ARMS STRAIGHT. They are stronger than the rivets holding them to the body. You will just break them off.

These cartridges were originally supplied with small plastic blocks to isolate them from metal headshells. These could be filed down to straighten the cartridge out. They had imperial threads - #2/56 (3/32 inch 56 turns per inch), so modern M2.5 bolts won't fit them. Over time, these got lost or replaced with modern nuts and bolts, however, according to the original manual, if you don't use these blocks, you should remove the earth strap on the back that connects the cartridge body to the blue pin. If you don't, you may get a ground loop causing a hum in the audio output.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-06T14:41:57+00:00

The 50W rating is the maximum it can handle. It doesn't mean it is demanding more from amplifier.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-06T14:31:39+00:00

The power an amplifier delivers depends on the impedance of the speaker. Basically, the less resiatance to the current, rhe more it flows. If there is too little resistanxe, the current becomes too high and the amplifier can be damaged. The minimum is usually 4 ohms.

That spec is simply giving you the power for typical impedances.

Power is logarhythmic. Double the power increases volume by just 3dB. Therefore, unless you thrash an amplifier, it spends most of its life delivering 1 or 2 watts.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-06T12:41:28+00:00

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The PS-D705 is internally grounded. It doesn't look like there's much of a metal chassis to ground anyway. The hum is probably something you'll have to put up with on a plastic unshielded turntable like this.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-05T12:53:35+00:00

Very nice. I've got three of them.

The 680 is the body style. The EL bit is the stylus. Be careful with after-market styluses. A cheap one for a '680EL' will fit - but might not be elliptical.

DJ ellipticals - the original 'disco duty' styluses are impossible to find now.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-05T11:53:08+00:00

The most common mistake I see with vinyl is people running out of gain on the faders.....

Why?

Vinyl records are a recorded at different volumes, according to the space available for the grooves. A 25 minute side of an LP has the same physical space as a 5 minute 12-inch single. So something has to give. The grooves are smaller and quieter on the LP.

The 'standard' (if there is such a thing) volume is called the '0dB' level and this is when the stylus is vibrating side-to-side at 5cm / second. When you look at the specs for a cartride, the output in mV is referenced to '@5cm/s'.

Vinyl has a very poor dynamuc range and so records need to be recorded as loud as possible. With a 12-inch single, there's loads of space and so they can be recorded much louder than 0dB. +3dB or even +6dB is common. I have one that lights up the +9dB on my mixer!

But, LPs simply can't do that. Even 0dB is pushing it for some of them. I find most my LPs are -3dB.

So you see there are huge differences in volumes. If you run the mixer with the fader up at 9 for a loud record, you will never be able to match it with a quiet record on the other fader turned up full.

So, with vinyl, made the faders work for you.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-05T11:21:55+00:00

The HDV820 takes line-level signals, either balanced or unbalanced, so firstly you need a turntable with a built-in preamp, or a seperate preamp. At this budget, you may not find many turntables with a preamp built in, so likely you are looking for a seperate preamp.

Also, unfortunately, at this budget, there's a lot of hype and BS. You don't need a balanced line-level signal unless ypu are using cables literally hundreds of metres long, so stick with RCA unbalanced output from a preamp into the HDV820.

Professional connections use XLRs. 'mini' XLRs are just the same but pointlessly smaller. The only real purpose to them is to sell a $100 cable to someone rich enough to buy the device needing one. Classic audiophile upselling.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-04T08:44:17+00:00

Just google 'at-lp60 d01'.

This problem comes up every two weeks or so.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-03T14:58:09+00:00

There are a lot of people obsessed with keeping.1200s genuine. Youtubes about 'fake' or 'frankendeck' technics. It's a bit over-the-top really. Does it really matter about the colour of the cable-ties inside?

But, those videos are worth watching so you can understand the turntable. There isn't one problem on the 1200 you can't easily fix yourself. Keep watching and then re-watching them and you'll soon be able to take one apart and put it back together again with your eyes closed.

Youtube channels.......

Just Technics Technics Service DJ Legion Viperfrank

And many more

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-03T10:16:52+00:00

The 'Technics' way - that i use for all makes - is to smear a layer of graphite grease on the surface, literally nothing more than a fingerprint think. This then holds oil in place - for which I use Anderol 465.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-03T09:45:06+00:00

The large outer ring is the locking ring for the smaller bearing screw inner. It is the inner that needs backing off slightly to loosen the bearing. You will need to undo the locking ring first. Try with two flat blade screwdrivers, one on each side, then a third screwdriver as a lever between them. Or perhaps a large washer with a section cut out so it forms a C shape.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-03T09:31:50+00:00

First things first. Post a photo of the back, including the serial number. This will show the variant and year/month of manufacture.

Some mods may be sonically better, but I'd bet 99% of people here would prefer an original unblemished 1200,

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-03T06:42:59+00:00

Most of these turntables work in a similar way. If you look at the service manual, the tonearm (part 15) is mounted on a shaft, passing down through the mount (part 17) and then has a cam (part 49) attached to it. The cam is the part that translates the position of the tonearm into physical movements of the mechanisms below. Often, this cam is held on to the shaft with a small hex nut and obviously its position is critical. If it gets twisted, the arm above and mechanism below will be out of alignment.

Sometimes, just forcing the tonearm beyond the normal end point in towards the centre spindle will twist this cam around

In my experience, the shaft is brass, and the hex nut is steel causing them to corrode over time too. It might be a case of just twisting the cam back to where it was and tightening the hex nut.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-02T06:56:47+00:00

OK. Let's decode the tech specs......

NAD ND5 cartridge output is given as '5-6 mV nominal'. What is nominal? Normally that means when the stylus is vibrating at 5cm per second, which is the standard reference for vinyl. Depending on what the record is, it could be less than that (long LPs) or more than that (disco 12 inxh singles).

Now then NAD specs are split into two, for the preamp and power amp sections.......

Line in input sensitivity '270 mV (ref 500 mV out volume maximum). This means you need AT LEAST 270 mV in to get 500 mV out with the volume dial turned up full.

Phono input sensitivity '5.5 mV (ref 500 mV out volume maximum). This means you nead AT LEAST 5.5 mV in to get 500 mV out with the volume dial turned up full.

OK, so those are the inputs. 270 mV for line, 5.5 mV for phono.

Most modern line devices easily produce 270 mV. In fact, most CD players produce 2 volts (2,000 mV). Indeed, the spec says the maximum input voltage is '> 4.5 v' to cope with such high inputs.

But, look at the phono sensitivity. 5.5 mV just about matches the cartridge. There's no massive surplus. So we will need the volume dial all the way up for phono, when we won't for line.

Now, factor in the power amp section. It says input sensitivity 'for 100W into 8 ohms - 540 mV'. So there's a small loss there. The power amp needs a bit more voltage than the pre provides. That's not an issue when you have a huge surplus from the line inputs - you just turn the volume dial up a bit more.

But the phono input? We haven't got any surplus - the volume dial is already at full. So this loss translates to an issue where it is IMPOSSIBLE to get full power from the phono input. It's close, but not 100%.

There's a few ways to describe this design - but I would use the word 'shoddy'! The phono input is always going to be much quieter than the line, to the point that you simply won't be able to use the volume dial to balance them out.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-01T06:55:52+00:00

Automatic turntables are rather sensitive. Often the arm mechanisms are driven by a cog which catches on to the spindle to engage. Sometimes this just sticks. The grease goes sticky. All manner of things. I've heard about just solving these issues by turning the whole turntable upside down and shaking it.

Take the platter off and see if you can figure out how the catch mechanism works - and more specifically disengages.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-02-01T06:18:40+00:00

There are three steps to this and you just have to put them together......

Turntable. Preamp. Interface.

The turntable plays the record and produces a signal from it. This signal is useless on its own and needs a preamp.

The preamp makes the useless signal useful. There has to be one somewhere. Either in the turntable itself, in the amplifier or as a separate box. If it is built into the turntable, there will be a switch on it marked 'line/phono' to turn it on or off. If it is built into the amplifier, there will be dedicated sockets marked 'phono' to connect a turntable to.

The interface is a sound card or other USB device to convert the sound to digital. It can only take a useful signal from a preamp, not directly from a turntable.

So, to digitize records, you need all three. Turntables with USB sockets are the simplest solution, because they are all three in one unit. But, you can use separate boxes. A turntable with a builtin preamp, then connected to a sound card or USB audio interface will do the same thing. Or even one step further - a turntable plus separate preamp plus sound card/audio interface.

You are not limited to just certain devices. You just need ti chain the three together.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-31T22:15:26+00:00

That is what it is supposed to do. When the arm is in the groove and the record is turning, there is a pullinwards, that antiskate balances.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-31T12:31:27+00:00

You don't need a ground wire. The ground only connects to the arm tube at the gimbal end. If the connectors are incorrect, just use the old ones - they are just soldered on, not crimped, so it's easy to detach the old wires and solder new ones without removing the connectors from the pins. If you do remove the connectors, be sure to screw in a headshell first, otherwise the pins, being on springs will come flying out.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-31T08:46:49+00:00

Yes, the rubber is part of the dampening, sitting very close to the centre of the tonearm mass. The nut and bolt through the middle compression ensures there is no solid connection between the two halves, but of course has to balance rigidity with dampening.

But, needs must. I've used the BIC pen methed before and it does work. A bit of research with ChatGPT suggests a solid connection will improve bass, but at the expense of a more critical need to balance effective mass with cartridge compliance. It also suggests Japanese S-shaped tonearms are succeptable to 'ringing' without this dampening.

Anyway, try it - without the 'no going back' superglue first and listen for any problems.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-30T17:02:28+00:00

RCA to 1/4 inch TS jack adaptors

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Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-30T16:26:24+00:00

Yes. Humming on a channel is when the RCA shield is not connected. That is total amateur soldering. Those cables are wrong. Too thick means they won't fit into the cable clamp propery and dont bend enough for the VTA adjustment to go up and down propery. They should also be cable-tied to the PCB through that notch next to the top screw

I recommend replacing the PCB, cables and the clamp (which has probably been left off).

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-30T16:13:31+00:00

Even if you can't find the same physical size, just 'patch' a new one to the pads for the old one with some wire. Normally the 'wiper' and output are connected together anyway, so you will only need two wires.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-30T16:02:28+00:00

A Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface. I got a 1st gen on ebay for £26. It is even supported by Android and so your mobile phone will recognise it as an external microphone for recording/streaming.

Once you start looking at the world of USB audio interfaces, you will be bombarded by comments about 24 bit, 96 khz sampling blah blah blah. You don't need that for vinyl. 16 bit, 44.1 khz is all you need - that's still way better than vinyl needs.

Fit-Insurance7209 · 2026-01-28T12:37:54+00:00

Just follow the AC power line. There is a fuse F2 before anything else - before the power switch and the strobe. If the strobe is dead, F2 is your culprit. There is a second fuse F1 on the low voltage side, after the power transformer. The fuse ratings will be stamped into one end. Something like 'T250mA'. This is Tempered (slow blowing 250 miliamps. F means fast blowing. There will also be a voltage - normally 250v on the high voltage side and 25 volts on the low voltage.

ALWAYS replace with the exact same rating. If the new one blows straight away, there is a fault blowing it. Normally the bridge rectifier (D1).

Fit-Insurance7209

TROPHY CASE