We’re living in a vinyl renaissance — there’s no doubt about that. Vinyl sales continue to break year-over-year records (and have done so since 2005); its popularity has grown so much that more and more vinyl pressing plants are opening up. Audio companies are going back to analog, too, making new-age hi-fi components like amps, preamps, receivers and, of course, turntables.
But they don’t make them like they used to, right? At least not with the same charm and nostalgia.
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If you were to ask a true hi-fi lover or audiophile, they’d likely tell you that the golden age of vinyl was in the ’70s and ’80s. It was a time before cassettes, CDs and the digital audio revolution, when a vinyl record was the easiest and most popular way to listen to an album. It was a time when there was an abundance of turntable manufacturers, too, such as Technics, Luxman, Acoustic Research, Linn, JVC, Denon, Pioneer and Sony (just to name a few).
Today, some of those hi-fi names aren’t in business anymore. Others have shifted their focus elsewhere, like to headphones or home theater. And some, well, they’re getting back into hi-fi and vinyl, releasing new audio components as well as reissued and reimagined versions of their classic models. The Technics SL-1200 turntable series is one such example.
Why Buy a Vintage Turntable?
There are definite pros and cons to buying a vintage turntable. The main reasons you’d want a vintage turntable are its aesthetic, its nostalgia and (most likely) its price. Most modern turntables don’t have the same texture and charm as their forebears, and you can actually typically get a really good deal on vintage turntables.
Vintage turntables are generally more affordable because they’re typically not in working order. So after you buy one, it’s most likely going to be a project to get it back up and grooving. It’s going to take time because a lot of old parts aren’t that easy to find. And it may cost you a lot more to repair the turntable than you originally paid for it.
It’s also worth pointing out that a vintage turntable, even if you do restore it to its former glory, most likely won’t be able to play records as well as a good modern turntable does. There have been significant advancements in basically everything and most modern turntables produce a warmer, more accurate and generally better sound.
