Greetings! I decided to buy some "hardware" to listen my old vinyls - mostly classical music & rock like Beatles, Pink floyd and other rather older (or worn out...) interprets. (I mean - gramophone; reciever & speakers).

The receiver should have an S/PDIF input and a good D/A converter (to connect it with my pc`s sound card line-out; rather an option than necessity - could live without this one).

What are the things I should be aware of? I know lot about the world of digital medias, formats, pc hardware but feel like a stranger when it comes to analog devices...

Note: I`m from Czech Republic and my choices (and the offer on the shelves too) are limited. So does my budget. I can`t afford to spend more than 300$ fot this time. I know that staying with my mp3`s through the cheap DAC`s of my sound card would produce "better" results in this cathegory but I just kinda like(d) that atmosphere surrounding the vinyls and cannot forgot that experience...

What are your suggestions? How to spend this amount in the best way? What "quality" could be achieved? What components (brand) to go for? And what to be aware of? How did your first steps with the analog audio look like?

Any attempt to clear me these things out appreciated...

Transistor amps and receivers all sound about the same these days. Tube gear would vary some. So, today, but a reputable piece of hardware - Philips, SONY, etc., which has the features you want.

I would expect you would do better feeding your amp/receiver from your PC than the other way around. Do not stint on speakers and buy what sounds best to you. Other folks' opinions about speakers are interesting, but it is your ears you will be pleasing, not their opinions. Have fun!

The most important part of a vinyl playback system is the turntable/arm/cartridge. Good ones are not cheap. You can buy cheap turntables, but they don't sound very good. You would be best off looking for a good quality used turntable rather than a new one.

You say you're in the Czech Republic, and I recall there was an excellent turntable made somewhere in Eastern Europe (it may even have been Czech). I think the name was something like "Kuzma" or "Kuzmi". Anyhow, I'd have thought that perhaps these might be reasonably plentiful in your area. (Of course I could be completely wrong - maybe they were only ever built for the export market).

Other brands to look out for that you might be able to get reasonably cheaply secondhand would be Dual and Thorens.

If you do buy a secondhand turntable, at the least replace the stylus, and also get it set up properly (geometry-wise) by someone who knows what they're doing.

Slightly over your budget, but you could take a look at the Pro-Ject Debut Phono SB turntable. It has an integrated preamp so you can use it with a rather cheap amplifier, or you could just hook it up directly to your pc and reuse your current equipment. It's around 300€.

As it happens most of the 'Project' (notionally Brit) range of turntables are made in the Czech Republic, IIRC. They've pretty much got the budget end of the market sewn up in the UK - start at about £110.

Whether they're marketed in the Czech Rep. I don't know, but it might be worth de_brahe's while checking it out.

R.

Thanks for your time & your tips. Found a few hi-fi shops which offer used equipment too - it will take a longer period of time to look after beforementioned components & search the sellers thorougly.

Thank you one more time.