stanton str8-80 vs. t80?

[flappy windsock]

hi,

i'm completely new to this, but hopefully someone can help me out.

i recently started a little vinyl collection, and had thought of buying either a rega or pro-ject turntable, but shied away as they're a bit out of my price range. i talked to a friend who suggested that, since i have a home studio, i buy a dj turntable in case i ever have need for it. he let me listen to his stanton str8-80, and it seemed to be exactly what i was looking for.

however, when i checked online to order it i found that, while the str8-80 is still available to purchase, the stanton website lists it as discontinued. the newer line of turntables has a similar model (t80) for around the same price. my friend says that the str8-80 is a better turntable, and that i should go with that. i can't really find any difference in the tables (apart from appearance), but i was hoping to get some advice from someone who knows a bit more than me.

what are the main differences between the two tables? any opinions on which would be the best choice?

i also have a few other questions, but i'll try to sum these up quickly. he suggested that i buy the 520sk cartridge to go with the str8-80. i know nothing about this at all, so is the 520sk a good cartridge? i'm also starting from scratch, so i have to get an amp and speakers, but i have no clue where to start. i'd like to try to keep the amp and speakers under $100 because i'm spending almost all i can spare on the turntable, but from the prices i've seen online, i'm not sure that will happen. does anyone have any suggestions?

thanks. :)

[royphil345]

The Stanton tables don't look too bad. You could probably get something very similar and maybe better for hi-fi use (no "tricks" or scratching) on eBay for under $100.00 if you're willing to go used. (Technics, Pioneer, Sony, etc...) Some of the DJ tables have straight tonearms that are shorter than standard to help keep the needle in the groove while scratching. Can't be set up for optimum tracking though. Sound quality suffers and there is more record wear. Can't tell by the pics I found if the Stanton arms are too short or not.

The Stanton 520SK is a cartridge built especially for "tricks" and heavy scratching. It tracks heavy, has a conical (round) stylus that won't get detail out of the grooves (but won't damage them as badly when scratching). The suspension is very beefy which is good for "tricks" but severely limits the frequency response of the cartridge. If you're just listening to records, you'll get MUCH better sound out of something designed for that purpose and MUCH less wear on your records. Amazon.com is selling the Shure M97xE for around $60.00 shipped. An amazing sounding cartridge at that price. Tracks very well and very light. For less money, there's the Grado Black, or the Stanton 500E MKII which uses a similar body to the 520SK. Stylus is eliptical shaped, tracks lighter, better frequency response.

As far as a system for $100.00... I don't know. Just make sure whatever you plug into has a phono input or else you're going to need a separate preamp to plug the turntable into a CD, tape, or AUX input. Might be able to find an old 2-channel receiver on eBay that has a phono input for a good price. The cheapest line of speakers I know of that sounds bearable is the Sony SS-M line. http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2 F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=SONY+SS&category0= Still, the larger towers are closer to $200.00 a pair and the smaller ones aren't great for bass and would likely require a sub.

[Kaboom]

you're WAY better off getting a used, but decent, turntable. DJ turntables, save the Technics 1200 series (and that is DEFINATELY out of ur range) are noisy, have lots of rumble, crappy arms which are set in such a way perfect alingment of the cartridge is impossible, suffer from wow and flutter and tend to be much harder to fine-tune than a "propper" turntable. Specially at your price point, where the STR8-80 is close to stanton's bottom of the line.
I had a DJ turntable for a while, and when i got a Rega P3 the difference was day and night. I'd suggest u save up for a P3 or similar (perhaps secondhand) but if not you can get EXCELLENT 80's turntables on ebay for DIRT cheap. for a hundred buck they'll beat the crap out of the Stanton.
Get a grado Black to go with it, grado makes excellent cartridges.
Oh and 100 bucks for amp and speakers is VERY optimistic, even secondhand
cheers!

[SlumpBuster]

Your post confuses me. You have a home studio, but need an amp and speakers to play the turntable? I don't think that we are thinking of the same thing regarding the phrase "home studio"

Also, the Stantons that your looking at don't put rega, etc. out of your price. This projekt Debut III is the same price range as stanton at like $279. http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.947/it.A/id.3358/.f

But, to actually respond to your post, I don't think $250 bucks for a table, and $100 bucks amp and speakers is realistic. But, in that budget this is what I'd get for a turntable:
http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.906/it.A/id.2264/.f
The AudioTechnica PL 120 is a very nice table that you can find for as little as $220 if you google it. I was quite impressed with it. It is a belt drive clone of the Technics 1200, where the 1200 is direct drive. Plus it has a built in phono preamp, which means you can plug it into any amp, with or without a phono input.

I still think I might get the PL 120 to augment my Music Hall table. I get quite reckless with my records after a few drinks, which is where the PL 120 could come in very handy.

Then I would plug the table into something off this list in your price range. Why use an amp and speakers when you can just use powered speakers.
http://www.zzounds.com/prodsearch?cat=2864&form=prodsearch&cat2=&ob=p19&submit=Filter+Results

The risk you take by skimping on the vinyl playback system is that it will not only sound like crap, but that you will then also blame the medium, saying "Wow, vinyl sounds like crap!"

I would use at least the PL 120 and these Alesis monitors.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALEPROACTIVE2
Hell, with that setup, you could end up with a nice little stereo for under $450 bucks.

[royphil345]

Think the PL-120 is a direct drive. Doesn't look bad. Think you could get a used "80's direct drive and a Shure M97xE that would way outperform it for less than $200.00 though. Built-in phono preamp might come in handy. Could get a separate one that probably performs a bit better for under $50.00

If you go used, Most people try to stay away from tables that take a P-Mount cartridge (limits your cartridge choices and sometimes prevents "tweaking" adjustments). Might not be the worst thing for someone with a limited budget and limited experience setting up a turntable though. Could probably buy a Technics with a P-Mount arm REALLY cheap. Still sturdy tables with better than cheap DJ table specs. Maybe put one of the more affordable Ortofon P-Mount cartridges on it. Would still probably outperform the cheap Audio Technica cartridge that comes on the PL-120.

[flappy windsock]

hi,

thanks for the replies. i suppose the overall response is that i should avoid the stanton table then? :(



Some of the DJ tables have straight tonearms that are shorter than standard to help keep the needle in the groove while scratching. Can't be set up for optimum tracking though. Sound quality suffers and there is more record wear. Can't tell by the pics I found if the Stanton arms are too short or not.

this is discouraging because my biggest concern is that i don't ruin my records. a few of my favorite bands have lots of vinyl-only releases, which is the only reason i'm considering investing in something like this. i've already collected a good number of them, and i'm eager to hear them. however, my dad and grandmother have lots of older rare albums that they wanted to hear again too, and i'm very scared of damaging them. is there any way that i can find out if the arm is too short? what is considered standard?



DJ turntables, save the Technics 1200 series (and that is DEFINATELY out of ur range) are noisy, have lots of rumble, crappy arms which are set in such a way perfect alingment of the cartridge is impossible, suffer from wow and flutter and tend to be much harder to fine-tune than a "propper" turntable. Specially at your price point, where the STR8-80 is close to stanton's bottom of the line.

this seems odd to me because i've heard alot of people say that dj tables are noisy and rumbly and wow and fluttery, but i've actually heard this table... and it sounded fine. is this something that develops over time, or did i manage to hear a rarity that doesn't have these problems?



Your post confuses me. You have a home studio, but need an amp and speakers to play the turntable? I don't think that we are thinking of the same thing regarding the phrase "home studio"

we are... but it's located at a different home. it's also all very new, and i know only a bit more about it than i do about turntables... which is to say, almost nothing.

even if i had something i could work with, i wouldn't know what to do with it.



The risk you take by skimping on the vinyl playback system is that it will not only sound like crap, but that you will then also blame the medium, saying "Wow, vinyl sounds like crap!"

i know that vinyl can sound very good, but it seems that it's going to require a far bigger investment than i can justify making for the tiny amount of use it will actually be getting. i'm really considering just selling the records i've bought, and forgetting about it. i will look into the suggestions here though, and hopefully something will work out.

thanks again for your help. :)

[Kaboom]

Ok saying that a STR8-80 will sound like complete trash is definately an overstatement. You wont hear the rumble through the speakers, and the wow and flutter are there, but aren't HUGE problems. Rumble will make the sound muddy and the bass flappy and uncontrolled, but you wont hear RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR through the speakers (well you might, but that's if the rumble is REALLY bad). You will, however, need a good quality system to hear these. If you're just gonna run the TT through ur standard boombox, you won't notice the TT's defficiencies.
Since your main priorities are actually HEARING the records and being able to hear them for a long tie, i'd suggest u find a used TT on ebay and fit it with the Shure everyone recommended, which is VERY light tracking (lower tracking force = less weight), get a cheapo phono preamp and run it through whatever amp you have right now, or go to radio shack and get cheapo amp and speakers.
Remember ebay is your friend.
since i'm always willing to get people into vinyl i have a phono preamp lying around here (very el-cheapo) that i'll send to you for free if you pay the shipping (keep in mind i'm in Spain)
These are what u need to get ur vinyl sounding for cheap without thrashing it after 4 plays:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Technics-SL-220-Turntable-Shure-Styllus-NICE_W0QQitemZ5808227786QQcategoryZ64626QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem
OR
http://cgi.ebay.com/FISHER-Studio-Standard-MT-223A-Turntable-semi-automatic_W0QQitemZ5807885650QQcategoryZ3283QQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem
OR
http://cgi.ebay.com/DUAL-1225-STEREO-TURNTABLE-WITH-CARTRIGE-EXC-COND-NR_W0QQitemZ5807932587QQcategoryZ3283QQrdZ1QQcmdZV iewItem
AND
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stereo-Phono-Preamp-Turntable-Preamplifier-Pre-Amp-NEW_W0QQitemZ5807947368QQcategoryZ3283QQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem

you can get a system that will play records without breaking them or the bank, just dont expect audiophile frills.
cheers!

[nobody]

I'd be wary of the STR8-80 because of the arm as mentioned. Supposedly, those short straight arms, besides causing distortion, can ruin vinyl.

If you want a cheap DJ style table, I have been happy with A Gemini for my second table. I have the XL-200, which you can grab off Ebay for under $100 new. They have an even cheaper one, I believe called the XL-120, as well. The 200 that I have is nothing special, but it has realitively low noise and holds its speed well. I don't have a ton of confidence in the arm, but it works well enough and is properly shaped to adjust for good tracking and all that. I use a Shure M91ED cartridge on it, and the combination really works very well for a secondary system. My cartridge is vintage, but you could likely substitute the current M97, Shure's equivilent current cartridge and have a similar setup.

You'd be out about 90 bucks for the table and 60 for the cartridge, leaving you with a decent table, for around 150. If you go with the XL-120, you're looking even lower.

None of this will be state-of-the-art by any means, and the other suggestions you're getting will likely sound better. But, if you are afriad of used, favor the DJ style tables, and have to go bare bones with the dollars, you'd probably be pretty happy.

[royphil345]

EXCELLENT low-budget suggestion if you're afraid to go used and can do without the 78 speed. This is an old model now and hard to come by though. The new Geminis have that darn short tonearm!!! Gemini made some direct drives that were a little nicer for cheap too. Maybe you could find some of the older models new in the box on eBay.

[emaidel]

I have to agree emphatically with some of the other posts here: under no circumstances whatsoever should you, or anyone else for that matter, who'se interested in a turntable/cartridge combination for the sake of listening pleasure, ever, ever, ever EVER purchase a DJ turntable from Stanton, Gemini (good Lord!!) or anyone else for that matter.

NONE of these turntables was designed for an audio enthusiast, but rather, for the DJ who vigorously "scratches" and back-cues his records. Though there's certainly a market for DJ products, a decent, audiophile-ish turntable would all but fall apart in a DJ's hands, and a turntable designed for DJ's would mangle a good cartridge due to its high friction, usually cheap, plastic bearings and pivots (the Technics SL-1200 excepted).