Upgrade a Crosley Turntable?!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
- Can (should) we upgrade a cheap Crosley style turntable? We take a look at a couple of options for getting the best out of that inexpensive plastic turntable (until you can replace it with a better one.)
Think you can hear well enough to judge?
www.npr.org/sections/therecor...
Believe the hype around most home audio myths?
rationalwiki.org/wiki/Audio_woo
“So I providing link in a description below to a hearing test” - instant upvote. Thank you!
You're welcome! I wonder how many people clicked the link? :)
I deeply appreciate this. I grew up in the 70's, and had many 70's turntables, a few remarkably similar to today's cheapies. In the 90's, I was a dj, and had high-end equipment. Now, I'm an old guy, and have an at-60. In all cases, I made it the best I could, then I enjoyed the music.I appreciate you trying to get the best out of "the gear you have", rather than immediately suggesting a $300 "alternative".
Glad you enjoyed it! It really bothers me to see young kids ask questions about these cheaper turntables and just get attacked for it - that doesn't do anyone any good. Like you say, too many people lose sight of the music.
I gotta be honest, I had no idea so much went into having a decent vinyl system. Learned lots! Nice work sir.
Thanks bro - maybe someday I can be playing one of your records on one of these reviews!
Stylus that comes with the banpa is a sapphire stylus. So, if you swap that for a BSR ST17D you'll get even better results from the Banpa cartridge. BUT make sure the ceramic cartridge isn't being fed into a low impedence amp. Ceramic's need high impedence (like guitar amps) which basically provide the necessary RIAA equalisation required otherwise vinyl sounds flat/tinny. Used to be fine in the days of valve amplifiers but hit and miss with cheap ceramic cartridge turntables with solid state amps. I believe they're starting to get to grips with the requirements or ceramic cartridges now and are rectifying their earlier mistakes.
Awesome break down. It's awesome 🎉😂❤
Took that test and got a 5/6. Only song that I got wrong was the Katy Perry one, where I chose 320kbps, so I don't feel particularly humbled by it. Thanks for including the link!
I would recommend adding an external amp. I picked one up at a good price for my Ion Record Player. It made huge difference. Also I grounded/earthed the turntable which eliminated the background hum from the speakers. Plus a few other tweaks, such as a cork slip mat, have improved overall audio quality.
I have just been given an amp and was thinking of connecting to me cheap set up. Will it make a difference?
@@dunkhooper I have a budget Douk Audio Tube-T4C mini amp hooked up to a cheap turntable. It makes a big difference. Giving a fuller warmer sound.
@nickc9092 been given a kenwood ka v3700 will give it a try. Just need a new rca cable. Thanks
@@nickc9092 just set it up. Works very well . Much better sound. Thanks
That's great. I'm always trying to tweak things on a budget for a better sound. Once you start you can't stop. Good luck 👍
Hey, nice idea for a video. Did not like the music part of it, I thought it is more hacking the unit or something, but nice tips. My friend gave me a similar unit (Roadstar brand) and it had internal speakers and sounded exactly the same as yours - thin and loads id treble. Then I hooked it up to my harman/kardon HK 980 and when you turn down the treble and up the bass, it really sounded waaaaaaaaay better. If you have the ability to do that, you should try that.
I've sold it and I have a Denon DP 300F on my harman/kardon PM 645 now, maybe not the best of the best, but decent turntable and much better than the Roadstar. I chose it because it is automatic and also because it fits my silver system perfectly (most new turntables are black or white but not silver). But I wanted silver, because they look way better in silver with all the details on them and the higher contrast. I have PM 645, EQ 8, TU 910, TD 292 and HD 500, all harman/kardon, paired with the silber DP 300F that really matches the color well.
Thanks for watching!
I got 4/6 on the hearing test, but I was able to always pick the 128kbps one out easily, within a couple of seconds. The two that I got wrong were the Neil Young and the Classical Orchestra one, both of which are songs that I am not really familiar with.
I am not going to be like some audiophile people who claim to hear the difference between $1000 and $3000 USB cables, but there is a definite difference that is easily discernible.
That's what I got as well, but... That's a set of six examples, and a sample size of one. There is also no control or commonality over what gear people are listening to it on (for me I think it was my Sony MDRZX770BN cans). The testing shows that the vast majority of people might as well just be guessing - www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/09/412271433/audio-quality-quiz-results-you-did-slightly-better-than-guessing-randomly
Well, I was going to say, did you listen to the Crosley in an audio system, but you realized that's not how people will use it. So how many people do you think would modify the table to attach a better, more efficient speaker system? But I have to say your video on a Crosley, outside of someone shooting, burning, or throwing out the window is the best(not that I watch a lot of Crosley videos) entertaining out there. I mean you took it as far as you realistically can. Kudos. The Ion on the other hand sounds like it has much empty space in it and judicious amounts of mortite or similar can reduce a lot of noise from the system(maybe), wrap the arm with Teflon tape and a better flat, heavy mat to increase flywheel effect as I doubt there are any voids in the platter like more expensive cast platters.
I think I came up with a very novel approach to dampening the platter on that Ion - stay tuned, video in the works!
6/6 on the quality test. woot. i am a music snob though. mea culpa.
I's suggest plugging a good pair of powered Speakers ( like a computer set
) into the Phone jack. Better, powerfil sound without re wiring, and a lot of folks already have a pair laying around( or can get some cheap)
Also, good headphones help a lot.
I got a Crosley Cruiser for $35. After watching this, I think I'd just be throwing good money after bad. I just use it as is and potentially upgrade to another system later.
By and large I agree with you - but it depends on what you consider "good money". The Banpa cartridge is 15 bucks or less depending on where you live, and you can get speakers for next to nothing at thrift stores and garage sales. By all means get a better system when you can though, these things are basically toys.
Also: I picked a copy of "My Aim Is True" on blue vinyl the other day. It was made in 1977, and shows it's age, with lots of noise and even a couple of scratches (the pressing is so phenomenal it sounds good even when it skips). So I was thinking, this record has been around close to 50 years. How many turntables has it seen? How many different needles, some unaligned, some damaged, etc. And still, it sounds absolutely amazing, so I don't know about all this "vinyl destroying" stuff.
Thanks for watching - I appreciate your comments! I agree %100 - in all my years of collecting vinyl, I have only come across a few albums that I think I could conclusively say were "worn out" - Zepplin II, and a Dave Clarke Five album being the two worst. There were very few visible surface scratches, but they were unlistenable even with a good elliptical stylus, so I'm pretty sure someone really got their money's worth out of those two albums - and good for them, music is meant to be played and enjoyed.
Hi! Interesting upgrades to improve the sound quality of that cheap turntable. But let me say I notice at 4:04 and 7:32 your voice seems to start being out of phase before the head cartridges demos and the sound that comes out of them also seem to have phase problems. How did this happen? Cheers!
That record player is pretty, though.
Where is headshell available for this cartridge?
As far as I know, there are no aftermarket headshells for this type of cartridge. You can 3d print an adapter that fits a standard headshell and accepts these carts though.
@@makertype thank you 🙏
The best upgrade for a suitcase player is to sell it and then save up for a "real" turntable.
Do record players still use genuine chuo denshi cz800 cartridges and not Chinese clones do you know any in mind
I haven't seen one, the only genuine CD cartridges I have seen have been installed on vintage turntables at thrift stores.
@makertype can u take it off you and see if it is a real chuo denshi cz800 you don't have to pull the wires
i know that the numark pt01 usb uses a real chuo denshi cz800 cartridge
Or getting a genuine chuo denshi cartridge!
add a pair of bookshelf speakers and it will sound much better. You're really listening to the terrible built in speakers.
Good headphones work as well.
The bodge on the speakers..you seem to have one of them out of phase.
When I compare suitcase record players they are made now, and suitcase record players made in 70s and 80s here by us in the former Czechoslovakia, then I come to a result I can’t compare them. Even cheap suitcase turntables from 70s and 80s were much better, and had an option to join another better speaker, or to be joined to a better stereo amplifier.
Agreed %100 - I would take any old BSR turntable over one of these new ones.
you know what they say about lipstick & a pig?
It's quicker to find the garbage can
You have the microphones out of phase. Impossible to listen to this video.
No, this turntable actually does sound that thin and reedy. Using the same binaural rig on my good system - or on live musical instruments - sounds the way it should.
You certainly can. Str8 to the bin... those dreadfully cheap inserted non balanced turntables are a waste of productivity. I do have a crosley automatic changer. Its ok but certainly not my primary player.
What a hunk of junk. You shouldn't be buying vinyl if your going to abuse them on crap like this. Any half decent bluetooth speaker sounds much better.