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New Turntables Vary Vastly in Quality Look for Budget Players with Good Performance

  • 2016.05.16

Although digital music has taken a prominent position in the information age, vinyl has been making a huge comeback in Europe and America over the past few years, and now many people in Hong Kong are embracing this form of musical nostalgia.  Not only big music labels are releasing new vinyl records, audio product manufacturers are also launching new turntables into the market.  The Consumer Council conducted a test on 9 turntables available in Hong Kong to compare product quality and performance in the lower-middle market with price ranges from $1,200 to $5,400 and provide consumers with some buying tips.

The testing was coordinated by the International Consumer Research and Testing, which compared the models in terms of sound quality, technical measurement and convenience of use.  In the area of sound quality, a listening panel of 5 turntable aficionados was formed.  The panel assessed the overall sound quality through listening to a number of different musical genres, including classical, jazz, pop and rock, and gave a score to each model on a 5-point scale.

The result showed that 3 samples scored 4 points or above.  Among which, 1 sample was commented by the panel members that it could deliver clean and tidy sound with stable pitch and excellent balance in the high, middle and low notes.

The findings also revealed that the relatively handy models or those with built-in speakers offered varying sound quality. 2 samples with built-in speakers had poor sound quality, scoring only 1 point each.

In the area of technical measurement, the laboratory tested pitch accuracy, frequency response, stylus pressure, wow and flutter, distortion and crosstalk.  The samples showed mixed results. 4 samples scored 4 points or above, but 2 samples performed poorer by scoring only 2.5 points and 2 points respectively. The test engineers opined that the unstable motor speed affected sound quality.

In view of the overall test results, the Council thinks it is unnecessary for beginners to buy expensive models, as some of the samples priced below $4,000 also offered good sound quality.  Consumers are also suggested to pay attention to vinyl records and turntables caring, and invest in a basic set of tools for routine maintenance.

A new vinyl record costs more than $200, while a digital song costs only $6 to $8.  Consumers can enjoy further discount upon purchasing an entire digital music album with ready-to-play files on different devices.

Many audiophiles prefer vinyl records not just for the warm, rich sound quality, but also for their personal habits and interest, and keep investing in costly professional and audio equipment.  One factor to reflect on if you are considering switching to vinyl is, since they are made of polyvinyl chloride, their disposal has a negative impact on the environment.  However, vinyl records are more likely to be used repeatedly, they come closer to meeting the principle of sustainable consumption.  If consumers buy vinyl records just to follow the nostalgia wave, they may eventually contribute to the increasing amount of toxic waste in the landfills when passion dwindles.  The Council suggests that consumers invest time and money in vinyl records only if they have adequate financial resources and a passion for music.

There are 3 steps to take when playing a vinyl record:

  1. Start the turntable to rotate the disc;
  2. Use an anti-static brush to brush from the centre to the outer rim of the disc to remove any dust on the disc;
  3. Remove any dust from the needle, then lift the tonearm to play the disc.

The Consumer Council reserves all its right (including copyright) in respect of CHOICE magazine and Online CHOICE.