Hi there. First post.
I have a Muso Wireless (1st gen) (which I love) and want to connect up a turntable. Looking for advice on what turntable bests works (budget £300-400) and what other additional kit is required. Want to keep it simple set up wise and am in no ways an audio expert.
Thanks SM.
Another quick request - if any good dealer shops in London central / NW that can supply - pls also recommend.
Something like a Rega P1 Plus should do the trick. It has a built in phono stage so all you need is a 2x RCA to 3.5mm cable to plug it into the Muso. I think Project do a similar turntable too.
Thanks James. All sounds very simple. Much appreciated. So no need for a pre amp?
Nope - all built in. The phono stage in the turntable just creates a line level output which can go into any conventional analogue input. It’s a nice plug and play solution for vinyl playback.
I think James has basically nailed it here.
How would that TT go with a classic Naim setup?
I tried vinyl a couple of years with a Project RPM3 / Cambridge preamp ago into a 250DR . It was hugely underwhelming so I sold it on, but every so often people on here describe the joy of vinyl with enough enthusiasm to make it sound as if it’s worth another go. I’m now on a 272+555PS > 300DR > SCM40 and it’s great. The desire to spend a fortune on something like an LP12 just isn’t there, but a nice looking TT like this with its own pre-amp at a sensible price is tempting. Would that level of TT do itself justice through a 300 etc setup?
sm75
I’d recommend popping along to Graham’s Hi-Fi located next to Islington - they deal in Naim and Rega, amongst many others and should be able to help you with options.
Peter
Agree with @northpole.
Excellent dealer - Grahams are a really nice bunch of people. Just off Essex Rd, short bus ride or walk from Angel tube.
Worth a visit.
How much will you use the tt? @anon4489532 has posted about his Rega P1, which he has happily paired with his 272/555/300. Otherwise, I’d go as far up the Rega line as you need to, to get the sound you’re looking for. But you’ll need an external power supply and phono stage as you move on up.
Light use only in reality. Happy to admit that it would be an add-on that looks nice and would just be an occasional toy, but having spent a lot more on the RPM + pre-amp that really disappointed I’m wary of getting into an arms race that ends with an LP12.
Thanks to @Bart for bringing this to my attention. For the OP I’d heartily recommend the Planar 1 plus, which I understand is better than the RP1. It works exactly as James describes.
For @HouseholdNaim I’d say that I’m using the deck very happily with my 272/555/300. I was a bit underwhelmed with the Carbon cartridge so splashed out on the ‘performance pack’ which is normally sold as an upgrade to the Planar 2. For £100 I got a Bias 2 cartridge, the thicker felt mat ( the Bias is smaller than the Carbon so you need the mat, and it’s much nicer anyway) and the white belt. It really does lift the performance substantially and to such an extent I’m amazed at how good it is. It certainly doesn’t sound cheap, and the plastic platter looks fine. The phono stage is on the underside, just like a Naim Prefix; with a pair of phono sockets on the back. The bright red Bias reminds me of the Linn Troika I owner back in the day. I bought a better cable from Flashback for about £40, as the supplied one looked a bit manky. It lives on a Rega wall shelf, which is a tiny little thing and lets it work at its best. You’ll find a picture in system pics. I can’t take one now as the sitting room is full of the contents of the dining room and I can’t even see the stereo let alone take a picture.
I hope that helps.
There’s a lot of competition in the price bracket / plug and play tables like you’re looking for. One thing to consider, is that by all accounts rega makes great sounding turntables, they do tend to lock you in.
You can’t adjust VTA, anti-skating etc. so you’re kind of stuck with their thickness mats, cartridges etc.
Perhaps at least compare to something like a Thorens TD201 or TEAC TN-300, or a project of comparable price. And I’m sure there’s many more.
Is it worth spending so much money on a turntable for use with the muso. It sounds very good for single wireless speaker, but not good enough for a £400 turntable, Plus, the muso will convert the analogue signal to digital, then covert it back to analogue.
I’d go for a cheap second hand Rotel or Dual turntable with cheap second hand phono stage. Or an even cheaper Japanese turntable with built in phonoboards.
I use a Rotel RP3300 with integrated amp and bookshelf speaker in my projector room system. It’s different class to Muso.
I had a rega 3 years ago, and switched to a (by now) fairly full-on lp12. I would strongly recommend a rega over any of the competitors and certainly over a used tt. The fact that their is little or nothing to adjust means, that you can just sit and enjoy. Mats , cartridge - rarely changed , so “locked in” is not much of a concern. I’d aim for a low # rega either 1 or 3 - if you suffer from upgrade-itis (and think the usage may increase).
Yes, there is nothing to adjust on the P1; it’s just a case of pushing on the counterweight as far as it will go. If you use a Bias 2 you need to set the weight with a pressure guage as there are no marks on the arm, but my dealer was happy to do that while fitting the cartridge.
I think the P1 would be fine with a mu-so, and would hold its own if the electronics were subsequently improved.
Another vote for a Rega
Great product at a competitive price if you buy a P1 or 3
Thanks for the comprehensive reply; food for thought & all that. Cheers.
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