In part 5 of 7 in our podcast series on vintage audio we talk all things turntables. This episode is moderated by Mitch Anderson of Black Circle Radio with our vintage hi-fi experts Eric Pye and Jeremy Sikora.
Ten years have passed since the rebirth of vinyl, and thousands of vintage turntables have been dusted off by music listeners and found their way into hi-fi systems around the globe. Consumers want to know if vintage tables are worth restoring or does it make more sense to buy a new turntable in 2023 to enjoy your record collection. The eCoustics Vintage Audio team breaks down everything you need to know before you decide to invest in a vintage table and what you need to be aware of before you invest money and elbow grease. You spin me round this week and down the spindle shaft we go.
Sponsored by: Howard Products – Keep your audio equipment looking as good as it sounds!
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Find the entire Vintage Audio Podcast Series on YouTube.
About Eric Pye
Eric’s journey into vintage audio began in 2015 when his mum gave him the old family Technics SA-500 Receiver that had been sitting under the living room sofa for over 20 years. Soon after, his brother gave him an old Sansui AU-555 Integrated Amplifier. Two services and full recaps later, he was sold on both the nostalgia and quality of vintage equipment, and down the rabbit hole he plunged.
His Instagram journey began a few years earlier as @headfiyyc (YYC the code for Calgary Airport), with a focus on headphones and portable audio. As he dove deeper into vintage, his account focus shifted to amps, speakers and eventually turntables, with a heavy dose of jazz, resulting in a name change to @audioloveyyc to more accurately capture his account vibe. He currently has over 45K jazz and gear-head followers, many of whom have also become friends.
- Follow Eric on Instagram @audioloveyyc
About Jeremy Sikora
Jeremy has always been a music lover, but his path into the vintage realm started with a gifted Technics SL-1700 Turntable which sat with a broken stylus until it was paired with Marantz 2245 and Jensen Model 4 Speakers in 2018. From there the curiosity of “what else can I play music on” within a budget took over. Jeremy remains a fan of all things vintage, anything with an Ohm emblem, vacuum tubes, and especially a love for the fringe equipment of the hobby… and Depeche Mode.
As he learned so much from others on IG he created his own page @budget_audiophiler and shares his hits and misses of his audio journey with his 100K followers. The vintage audio game on IG is strong, welcoming, and generous!
- Follow Jeremy on Instagram @budget_audiophiler
About Mitch Anderson
All-vinyl broadcaster since 2009 via Black Circle Radio. Avid musician since the age of 8. Active recording artist. Mitch performs, records, mixes, masters, and cuts records with a pretty darn eclectic hybrid of vintage and modern equipment. If it’s the right sound, then it’s the right equipment.
- Follow Mitch on Instagram @black_circle_radio
Credits:
- Original intro music by The Arc of All.
- Voice Over Provided by Todd Harrell of SSP Unlimited.
- Production by Mitch Anderson, Black Circle Studios.
Kamal Alyousef
January 18, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Having once owned a high end turntable that came in two parts and weighed 142 pounds I can now say that I can’t tell much difference in listening experience between it and a good current $500 deck. In my experience beyond a certain price point the gains in sound quality rapidly shrink as the price rapidly rises. That is true of all HiFi. But I don’t want high end brands to go away, their contribution to innovation and design artistry is undeniable in my opinion.
Ian White
January 18, 2023 at 10:40 pm
Kamal,
That’s a fairly damning statement about said turntable. I can think of a few that hit that weight class and that’s a rather big expenditure.
I think turntables hit their point of diminishing returns around $2,500 to $3,000, and I say that having once worked for a turntable manufacturer that sells a few $30,000+ tables.
Best,
Ian White
Dennis
February 4, 2023 at 3:26 am
Having followed Eric and Jeremy on Instagram for a couple of years, this was fun to watch. They both have some really nice vintage stuff and a wealth of experience not to mention a ton of gear (Jeremy) and a really cool listening room (Eric). Thanks for covering vintage audio.