Back to the future?

[marlin]

I am considering getting back to vinyl (at my son's constant urging).
I have an old Empire 698 that is in need of an overhaul. Does anyone out there have recommendations on who could do it?
The basic platform is still very nice.
Will I wasting my time and money on it?

ML Aeon I
Cary SLI-80
Pioneer Elite
Sennheiser 650
M&K V2B

 

[aliveatfive]

I am considering getting back to vinyl (at my son's constant urging).
I have an old Empire 698 that is in need of an overhaul. Does anyone out there have recommendations on who could do it?
The basic platform is still very nice.
Will I wasting my time and money on it?

ML Aeon I
Cary SLI-80
Pioneer Elite
Sennheiser 650
M&K V2B

IMHO - You'd be better off with something entry-level from VPI or a mid- range unit from Music Hall, etc. Your Empire was produced during the days when turntables were not engineered to the standards that they are today. If you had an old Linn, that's another story.

 

[twich54]

I tend to agree with Seth, for the afordable offerings from Music Hall, ProJect, Rega, and VPI are very good indeed.

 

[Pcar928fan]

I tend to agree with Seth, for the afordable offerings from Music Hall, ProJect, Rega, and VPI are very good indeed.

i do like my Rega...I got it on ebay cheap, and then messed up the needle part of the cartridge myself so I had to replace that which probably was not to bad a thing. It was a great way to get back into vinyl but I would like to step it up at this point... I need to do some other things first though.

 

[Diamonds]

i do like my Rega...I got it on ebay cheap, and then messed up the needle part of the cartridge myself so I had to replace that which probably was not to bad a thing. It was a great way to get back into vinyl but I would like to step it up at this point... I need to do some other things first though.

How did you mess up your needle? Just curious...

 

[Pcar928fan]

How did you mess up your needle? Just curious...

I hit it with a duster of all things I think...I was dusting off the plinth and just happened to catch it. I didn't even know it at the time. A few weeks later I was going to play some vinyl and it was bent 90 deg inward...NOT GOOD! It worked fine before, but no idea how much time was on the needle and I think the rule of thumb is like replace every 2000 hours...probably didn't even have close to that on it, but now I have a new one... well, it has probably 25 hours or less on it right now so not even 1% used...

 

[Diamonds]

I hit it with a duster of all things I think...I was dusting off the plinth and just happened to catch it. I didn't even know it at the time. A few weeks later I was going to play some vinyl and it was bent 90 deg inward...NOT GOOD! It worked fine before, but no idea how much time was on the needle and I think the rule of thumb is like replace every 2000 hours...probably didn't even have close to that on it, but now I have a new one... well, it has probably 25 hours or less on it right now so not even 1% used...

What a terrible story. Sorry that happened.

 

[Pcar928fan]

What a terrible story. Sorry that happened.

You know what they say $hit happens. You just live, learn, and move on! At first I thought the house keeper might have done it, but came to the conclusion that she never even opens the door to get in there, she knows better, so it must have been me. That was a $500+ lesson! It was a Rega Exact cart! SUCK!