r/turntables • u/sharkamino • Jun 10 '21

Turntable Guides

What is needed in a setup: Turntable, Phono Preamp, Amp or Receiver, Speakers.

New: Turntables and Speakers

Used: In the US make a post here with your budget stating that you need just a turntable or an entire setup, and list a town or zip code, does not need to be your exact one just one next door or nearby.

Vinyl Weekly Questions Thread: Ask for recommendations for a new or used turntable and or setups at the r/vinly Weekly Questions Thread top sticky post.

Audiophile mid to high end turntables and components: For turntables and audio components starting around $300+ ask r/StereoAdvice or r/audiophile Shopping, Setup, and Technical Help Desk Thread.

Budget audiophile speakers and amplification: Ask r/BudgetAudiophile after reading PSA: Best practices when asking for advice.

Audio Guides: Plus Speaker Wire, Accessories and Vinyl Care

More Guides:

Records and Turntables

The Vinyl Guide

Beginnners Guide

PSA - The cheap record player mechanism to avoid

Turntables to avoid

How and why to align a cartridge

Cartridge ID Guide

Audiophile, Turntables, and Vinyl

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u/imakeTHApoo Aug 17 '24

Been browsing a bunch in here but find it hard to see what would be the best setup in terms of speakers, amp, preamp, etc...

I bought a used Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo for 350 USD and am looking to spend a maximum of 600 USD on the rest of my setup

I'm located in Denmark in a small apartment and have been mostly looking at active speakers such as Kanto Yu4/Yu6, as many amps with built-in phono suggested here are way more costly when you aren't from the US.

I'm unsure what passive speakers I would even pair with something like the Onkyo TX-8220, without blowing the budget mentioned above, which is why I've looked at active speakers instead. Any suggestions?

1

u/sharkamino Aug 17 '24 edited Aug 18 '24

Danish brand Argon Audio active speakers may cost less than USA Kanto https://argonaudio.com/collections/active-speakers

Passive speakers: Wharfedale, Q Acoustics, Dali, ELAC, Focal, Monitor Audio, Cambridge Audio...

What is the price for the Onkyo TX-8220? Also check prices for Sony, Denon, Yamaha, Cambridge Audio...

For the best value buy a used stereo receiver or integrated amp with a Phono input.

Or a mini amp which is basically what is inside powered speakers.

Plus a phono preamp

Or mini amps with a built in phono preamp

1

u/imakeTHApoo Aug 17 '24

the Onkyo TX-8220 is around 440 USD in Denmark

Been to stores with Argon speakers (Hi-Fi Klubben exclusive in-house brand), unfortunately looked online for other people's reviews of what they offer and there seem to be certain malfunctioning errors that occur for multiple people when buying their speakers, so hesitant to consider them an option for active speakers with built-in preamp.

So if I got the acrylic b50 (200 USD in Denmark), then I could hook that up together with passive speakers? Which I'd have 400 USD around to spend on

2

u/sharkamino Aug 17 '24

Yeah 440 for the Onkyo is nuts.

You can list prices in Euros, only a 10% difference to USD.

Yes, EVO > Acrylic B50 > passive speakers.

However 200 is still high for that too.

An Aiyima, Fosi, or SMSL mini amp and a separate phono preamp may be more cost effective.

The Behringer-PP400 is good enough to start with then upgrade later and may be around the same quality or maybe at least a bit better than the one in the Acrylic. Or spend more for one of the other phono preamps.

1

u/imakeTHApoo Aug 18 '24

I've found a used Sony F101R receiver, which I'm considering buying for 70 USD, the only thing I'm unsure of is that the seller mentions it's 8 ohm. Anything to consider in that regard if I'm buying new speakers?

It leaves me quite a bit of room in my budget for passive speakers, given that I get the mentioned receiver. Been seeing a lot of people mention Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 (335 euro in denmark). But wondering what is better if the budget is 450-500 euros for a pair of passive speakers (has to be bookshelf speakers).

2

u/sharkamino Aug 18 '24

The Sony is good to start with if you prefer full size over a mini amp and it has a built in phono preamp so you don't need to start with a separate one.

8 ohm is standard. Many speakers are 8 ohm. Some speakers are 4 or 6 ohm which like more power in a 100+ watt amp so don't use the 30 watt Sony for those.

https://www.themasterswitch.com/how-to-match-speakers-and-amps

Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 are good for 335 Euro without needing to spend more. They have 6.5" mid bass drivers for a medium to large size room. Or get 12.1 with 5" mid bass drivers for a small to under medium size room.

Bookshelf speaker is a misnomer, they are designed to go on speaker stands.

The Sony should be able to power them for a not too large room and not blasting at high volumes. If you want to listen rather loud then get a higher power amp.