Buying Hi-Fi System & Adding Turntable. Help Appreciated

littlebighorse

Currently I have a huge, old, poor quality, midi hi-fi that I only use for playing records occasionally as the sound quality is awful.
For CD's I have a portable Panasonic (ghetto blaster type) machine that has a good sound but is 13 years old and has just started skipping.
I was thinking of replacing the two with a single system, preferably a micro as I am limited on space (like most people!).
One thing I would miss is not being able to play my vinyl from time to time so would like to add a cheap turntable to the system if possible (Bush do a mini one) which I could fit on the next shelf of a stand. I only perhaps play a record once a month but would miss not having the option.
Is this viable and what features of a micro/mini system would I be requiring? (So I could look for them when browsing online electrical shop) Is it called an auxilliary output perhaps? Or I have noticed some Panasonics have a "music port" for connecting ipods - would you be able to use this?
Or will I have to forget the idea and just buy a large system with built in turntable?
If it is possible to connect a micro system to a turntable are there any models that fit the bill and which people could recommend in terms of good sound quality and good value?
I was thinking of maybe a Panasonic or a Hitachi in the £100-£200 price range. Panasonic models I'd seen include the SCPM31, SCPM33, SCPM53 and the SCPM71. The first three of which I perhaps liked the look of most. However I am very open to suggestions.
I apologise for my lack of knowledge in this area and any help would be appreciated. Thanks

albertross_2

http://www.richersounds.com/splashpage.php

or you could convert all your LP's to CD's

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29908&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=&doy=4m11

Avoriaz

Most modern Hi-Fi equipment is not designed for turntables.

The reason is that the output of a typical vinyl turntable cartridge is far too low for an amplifier designed for CD, mp3 etc. CD and mp3 players output line level voltage of about 1 or 2 volts whereas a typical cartridge will output maybe only 50 or 100 milli volts.

The auxiliary input (not auxilliary output) on modern systems needs something approaching 1 volt to work satisfactorily. If you connected a turntable you would either get no sound or a very tiny tinny little noise.

There is an additional problem to do with RIAA equalisation. Put simply, vinyl records are made with low frequencies compressed and high frequencies boosted whereas CD etc is made with a flat frequency response.

In order to use a turntable you need an amplifier or system specifically designed for vinyl as well as CD. This will have an extra pre amp stage to boost the signal to line level and will also have RIAA equalisation.

Alternatively you can buy stand alone vinyl pre amps that connect between your turntable and system/amp..

If you must have a means of playing your old vinyl, make sure you buy a system that can handle it.

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However, although the above is true, turntables often come with a pre amp stage, which does the same job as the normal phono input on an amplifier, which means you can plug into an aux input/line in with no problem. I'm sure the Bush turntables do.

roger56

These may help:

turntable (CPC have several):
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?sku=AV07215

Stereo preamp - (again search using stereo preamp and there are several):
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=AV04177
Using such a preamp will allow almost any audio amplifier to be used.

You can order online - checkout their special offers or download one of the sales brochures ("sale" or "inspire" probably the best) and see if there are any offers

(not I don't work for them or have shares!!)