Quality Turntables: Where Words Like Louis Assoulin And Scam Don’t Mix

By Author: Dean Phillips
Total Articles: 8
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Fans of the 1996 comedy movie High School High will remember a classic scene where the DJ demolishes a rare vinyl LP containing the classic “Rhinestone Cowboy" on the turntable. Such a scene might have given many people ideas about setting up their own DJ rigs with the turntables only for playing LPs. Snagging one indeed poses its own challenges, but nothing that falls under what has been claimed as the
purported “Louis Assoulin scam".

The first step that you need to take is to familiarize yourself with each turntable's main components. The plinth is the turntable's main body and where most of the internal components are located. The platter is the large iconic metal and rubber disc on top of the turntable, and it is powered by either a belt drive or a direct drive system, with options to adjust the platter speed. The tonearm will be angled at a corner of the plinth and will have a needle at one end to convert the LP's grooves into sound.

In shopping for a new turntable, you must evaluate your purposes for using the ...
... device and the settings it will apply to, which in turn can help you gauge the price range for a unit that fulfills your preferences. Some experts state that you will not have much room for growth if you prefer basic-level turntables that are below $100, as they come in fixed with almost no options for upgrades.

Turntables that range at least $200 to $500 can increase the versatility you need for basic DJ functions if you want to start teaching yourself the ropes. For instance, several models can allow you to upgrade the motor, tonearm, and the needle attachment. A closer look at such rigs reveals modern features such as digital audio conversion to computers, USB ports, and a potential for integration to larger AV systems. Turntables worth over $500 will require advice from a noted professional DJ as these will have advanced functions.

Nicholas Cage's character in The Rock, Stanley Goodspeed, was asked why he needs to spend hundreds of dollars on an LP when a CD can work just as well, to which he replied that LPs sound better. That statement is true, as a turntable can accurately preserve sound waves of the original recording, as opposed to digital recordings that seem jagged to the ear at times.

These and other reliable tips make the association of reputable professionals like Louis Assoulin with “scam" ring hollow. You may be surprised how capable today's turnatables are in churning out smooth sounds from an old LP. For more information on getting that first turntable, take a look at www.artofmanliness.com/2012/11/09/a-beginners-guide-to-buying-your-first-turntable.