Do you already have a TT. Does it have RIAA or line level output?
Do you want to be able to record onto tapes or just play them?
If you can find an 80s amp you can cover off phono, tape and enough inputs for TV and phone (get a blue tooth receiver) etc. And there’s plenty of slim and shallow ones.
If you want Airplay/BT/HDMI/digital surround then you’ll need something new and have to get a phono preamp if your TT doesn’t have line level out.
The giant onkyo TX-NR636 has all the features you want but it’s too big. Marantz make some slimline amps with lot of wireless guff but no phono.
The nad d 3020 is super compact, has maybe enough inputs plus Bluetooth and usb. The d7050 adds AirPlay and stuff. Still needs a preamp. Similarly the teac a-h01.
The rotel ra12 is nearly perfect, slimline with lots of analog and digital inputs plus phono and a usb Bluetooth dongle.
Or the onkyo a-5vl ticks most boxes bar hdmi and wireless.
More seriously, have you tried playing a record manually - by turning it by hand? If you can get to a speed where the record plays almost normally, I’d say it means your cartridge/needle is fine. You should be able to do this by unplugging the TT from the mains while keeping it connected to the amp.
I have a Rega RP-1, it says the Amp will need a an integrated Phono Stage.
The Rotel looks awesome but also pricey. I’ve had some bad luck trying some old hi-fi (NAD CD & Cassette decks that have failed on me) so I’m a little skeptical buying an old amp too; even though the sound & quality is definitely good enough and the price better.
Thanks for the tips, will give me a good entry into thinking about what I’d like and maybe thinking about saving a little for something good for a long time.
I have a 7020e (the venerable 3020 plus FM) I scored at a garage sale, connections are phono/video/cd/tape (in/out) plus A & B speakers. For you it just needs a digital–>analog box to handle optical/coax output from a tv or streaming box and a bluetooth dongle (lots on ebay for cheap, USB rechargeable or passthru wall socket powered), but there’s always the risk that the 30 year old caps will leak etc, but if you can find a good tech you can get it recapped.
Praps try to score something like the RA11/12 or A-5VL used or find a little modern NAD d3020 or similar and add a phono preamp / maybe a BT receiver.
The downside of old gear is it might die, but the upside is it’s cheap, so you don’t lose much
Buy this?: http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/ele/5142708170.html
Phono (moving magnet AND coil), CD/Video/Tape, inbuilt AM/FM. Pre out if you have a power amp too.
AND, two 110V outlets (switched and unswitched), so you can plug in a bluetooth doover or a phone dock or your TT…
Then you have phono / tape / radio in the receiver, digital audio via the DAC patched to the TV input, phone audio via bluetooth patched to the CD input.
