portable turntable

**beddoes** · 03-04-2006, 08:53 PM

Okay, I'm going on a little buying trip in a couple weeks. Time to get a portable. Any recommendations? Less expensive is neato. Thanks!

**lespionnelesbienne** · 03-04-2006, 08:55 PM

Well, the sound burger is always the best.

**beddoes** · 03-04-2006, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by lespionnelesbienne

Well, the sound burger is always the best.

And where is a good place to get one?

**IAN** · 03-04-2006, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by lespionnelesbienne

Well, the sound burger is always the best.

agreed. although you might not get one in time for your trip!

Best of the new ones is probably the Numark -its 12" by 12" so fits in a standard size record bag leaving room for some discs. I had a Handy Trax but it was like carting a suitcase around so finally tracked down a 'burger.

**beddoes** · 03-04-2006, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by IAN

agreed. although you might not get one in time for your trip!

Best of the new ones is probably the Numark -its 12" by 12" so fits in a standard size record bag leaving room for some discs. I had a Handy Trax but it was like carting a suitcase around so finally tracked down a 'burger.

Yeah, that's where I was going with my question... I certainly WON'T be able to get one in time for my trip. So Numark is second best? Allrighty, I'll go on the prowl. Thanks.

**Campag Record** · 03-04-2006, 10:15 PM

Highly unlikely you'd get a Sound Burger cheap anyway, unless it was lucky flea market find.

I'm getting more annoyed with my Vestax. It's too big, as mentioned but more annoying is the one bad flaw with the design. Anyone else get pissed with the On/Off switch being located where it is? It sticks out and switches itself on when shoving it in bag. It should be set in the side like where the headphone jack is...OK rant over.

NB I would like a Columbia GP-3, they look so much more

then the Vestax and more compact.

**Belson** · 03-04-2006, 10:24 PM

I'll co-sign the Numark. The only fault I can find with it is the speaker isn't particularly worthwhile - I bought a decent pair of headphones and the sound repro through those is great.

Excellent battery life, a decent platter that's felt covered, compact and plays 78's should you feel the need.

**sermad** · 03-04-2006, 10:31 PM

The colombia gp3 is a total rock. Its amazing. The sound quality just isnt a patch on the soundburger though (what is...!). They are a bit tricky to get hold of outside of japan so you might find it hard to get them. Dont pay more than £70 for one.

I love mine. I even have a portable mixer to go with them!

**platerpus** · 03-04-2006, 10:41 PM

Numark plays 78s right?
Does the Vestax play 78s?
Both can presumably be operated via mains through amplifier?
Which is the best of the two?
Need a cheap 78 player so maybe one of these would double as a back up portable too.Vestax is cheaper innit?!

**john stapleton** · 03-04-2006, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by sermad

The colombia gp3 is a total rock. Its amazing.

yep. love mine like a lovely thing!

**Warren** · 03-04-2006, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by platerpus

Numark plays 78s right?
Does the Vestax play 78s?
Both can presumably be operated via mains through amplifier?
Which is the best of the two?
Need a cheap 78 player so maybe one of these would double as a back up portable too.Vestax is cheaper innit?!

Can only speak for the Numark. It comes with its own mains lead & yes you can hook it up to an amp - it has a line out with two RCA plugs. But it is a portable and so do not expect great quality.

But as a portable, it has done me proud over the last couple of years I have had no complaints at all. £80 well spent.

**jam** · 03-04-2006, 11:02 PM

Still use the cheap & cheerful fisher price more than my Columbia or my Soundburger & you can still find new needles if you shop around. Bargain & built to withstand 6 year-olds.
Doesnt play upside-down like the GP3 though!

**Brother Logic** · 03-04-2006, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by platerpus

Numark plays 78s right?
Does the Vestax play 78s?
Both can presumably be operated via mains through amplifier?
Which is the best of the two?
Need a cheap 78 player so maybe one of these would double as a back up portable too.Vestax is cheaper innit?!

Vestax plays 78s and has line out. The on/off switch is annoying and it's a bit bulky but it does the job.

**platerpus** · 04-04-2006, 12:59 AM

i'm gonna check them both out properly.
burgers are great for lightweight factor and sound but damn you gotta be careful with them.i dropped my old one several times,that plastic just shatters so easily!

**bazooka joe** · 04-04-2006, 03:17 AM

The only real problem with the GP-3 is that the headphones only play through one channel. You do get both the recorded channels through the phones, but only from one side. Otherwise, great long battery life and 45's play nice and loud on it. Dusty Groove (Chicago) might still have them.

**emperor tomato ketchup** · 04-04-2006, 11:51 AM

I did a fair amount of comparing last year and found not a lot between Numark and Vestax.

I thought the Numark's 12x12 would be a deal maker but it was so thick that it took up pretty much all the space in a record bag so in terms of bulk and weight there is very little in it. Turned out the vestax was perfect for the kind of backpack I take when going to booters. Sound definitly seemed better on Vestax too. But as I say not much in it.

**Richard Bergman** · 04-04-2006, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by beddoes

Okay, I'm going on a little buying trip in a couple weeks. Time to get a portable. Any recommendations? Less expensive is neato. Thanks!

Vestex seems to be the player of choice

**sermad** · 04-04-2006, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by bazooka joe

The only real problem with the GP-3 is that the headphones only play through one channel. You do get both the recorded channels through the phones, but only from one side. Otherwise, great long battery life and 45's play nice and loud on it. Dusty Groove (Chicago) might still have them.

You can actually make your gp3 play in a pseudo stereo if you actually pull out your headphone jack very slightly. Have a play. It works a treat.

I actually bought a headphone amp and hacked out the internals and put this inside my gp3 so the sound is just awesomely loud now. Its great for conventions.

The great thing with the gp3 is that if you falls onto hard concrete from neck height then it WILL not break. This will happen in the hustle and bustle of record fairs!

**soul doubt** · 04-04-2006, 01:12 PM

I don't own one, but the Vacuum Portable is amazing. Was lucky enough to use Strictly Kev's in Utrecht a year ago and it looks great, sounds great and is super compact...

**Rich Hero** · 04-04-2006, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by sermad

You can actually make your gp3 play in a pseudo stereo if you actually pull out your headphone jack very slightly. Have a play. It works a treat.

But, obviously, if the drums aren't in that channel...

The Vestax speaker suffers from this but you can hear both channels in the headphones or by connecting the phono out to your stereo.

**sermad** · 04-04-2006, 02:19 PM

I think it actually mixes both channels. I never actually confirmed!

Seeing as I only have speaker at home for my main hi-fi...well I'm a one channel kinda guy.

**Rich Hero** · 04-04-2006, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by sermad

...well I'm a one channel kinda guy.

Sarge told me.

**Matt Hero** · 04-04-2006, 02:33 PM

The downside overall to the Sound Burger is the reluctance I have to risk using it in anything other that the most benign of conditions, because it is so damn minty. This means that it does spend much of its life in its box

Unlike my now long-since-departed Fisher Price 'Big Bird' which took a hell of a battering, got used all the time, and paid for itself in about a week

I *do* have another Fisher Price, but that is 'mint in box' and therefore, for reasons that I'm sure you can understand, can never be used.

Yes, I do have issues