Ahhh...records....they just sounds so much better.I miss the shuush and crackle of vinyl. NPR seems to agree in this story

anyone out there have a good lead on where to find an inexpensive turntable?

If you're into vinyl, drop by Missing Link. I haven't checked out the store's new locale at 49th and College yet, but they have a large selection. Luna and Indy CD & Vinyl, Vibes and Rockin' Billy's all have records too - there's no shortage of vinyl suppliers in the city. After that you can start hitting Goodwills, antique stores and garage sales, once you really know what you want and what sort of quality you're willing to deal with for used records (always check for scratches).

I didn't think collectors really ever gave vinyl up -- if you're going to enjoy obsessing about albums, that's much easier to do with a big beautiful cover, the thrill of the search and a collection that takes up more space on your shelves when your done. And that's just the looks; I think they sound better too.

Also, I've found buying used vinyl a really good way to build up your entire music collection (for cheaper) if you're starting with the basic rock albums, your Kinks records, your "The Band" by The Band, your "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" by Neil Young. Plus all the hip young bands are also releasing new vinyl these days, with some indie labels specializing in limited runs with special cover art, etc.

As for a turntable, I'm not totally sure. Some record stores have them.

One last word - if you're searching for something hard to find, check out www.gemm.com.

I'm with Jessica all the way. Love vinyl, although I sometimes have a hard time justifying it, based purely on the convenience of cds.

As for a turntable, there are a few different paths you can go, depending on your goal. It's not hard to find an old, very decent turntable at garage sales and thrift stores. If you're looking for something of a little more quality, you can enter the audiophile world without totally breaking the bank. I like www.audiogon.com as a used equipment resource. You can break into the turntable market for around $200 used (excellent brands that provide entry level gear include Music Hall, Rega and Pro-ject). You can also find some of the more esoteric brands at local shops such as Ovation and Audio Solutions, but I will always be an advocate of buying good stereo equipment used; people who care enough about sound quality to buy this stuff tend to take great care of the gear.

Regardless of what you decide to buy, you've go to plug your turntable into a receiver and most new receivers don't have phono inputs. This means you've got to either buy a separate phono pre-amp or buy a turntable with a built-in pre-amp (Sony makes a decent one).

Half Price Books has a decent selection as well, often just $1 per record. I found really good quality copies of Parliament, Bread, Cheap Trick and Def Leppard classics--all for a buck!

You can find good, new home stereo Panasonic and Gemini turntables for less than $150. I got mine years ago at Best Buy. Some stores may only carry them online. Make sure you know if it comes with it's own needle cartridge or not. If not, you'll have to go to Radio Shack or elsewhere to pick one up. They're about $30.

If you're looking for the simplest, no-frills way of converting vinyl to digital, use Audacity. It's freeware.