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Although the demand for turntables has apparently diminished over the past several years due to the popularity of CD's, they still exist. In fact, recently there has been some new pressings and reissues of records due mainly to the resurgence in the popularity of the dance club scene. The pressings and reissues are currently not limited to dance, pop, and rap music, however. They include the alternative rock, new wave, and jazz music categories as well.
There still aren't any CD pressings of quite a bit of music. Although there are an increasing number of CD releases of music originally pressed on LP's and 45's, much of the music will never be reissued again.
True, the inherent flaws of records include noticeable surface noise and susceptibility to wear and damage, not to mention measurably poorer performance (inferior specifications) compared to CD's. But as long as they're treated with care they can provide very impressive sound reproduction. Many Europeans, especially the British, actually prefer the sound of records over CD's because of its reputation for excelling in reproducing the timbre, fine texture and smoothness of natural instruments and voices. This is just a classic case illustrating that specifications don't always convey the superiority of one music medium over another, at least subjectively.
For those readers who don't have turntables, it may be nice to know that turntables are still sold. However, the widest selection of models is generally available through mail order outlets on the east coast and audio specialty stores on the west coast. Fortunately, virtually all of the mail order companies that carry turntables are reputable and provide good, speedy service. Although many receivers and amplifiers made within the past five years are not designed to be used with turntables, accessories called "phono preamplifiers" (a.k.a. "phono transformers") are available to allow newer receivers and amplifiers to accomodate turntables.
Basically, there are two kinds of features users should be concerned about: design features and usage features. The former concerns things such as the type of drive system used, the method of tracking, tonearm design, and methods of isolating the turntable from external vibrations. The latter is self-explanatory.
Of the design features, perhaps the most controversial concerns the drive system. The turntable platter can be rotated by a direct-drive system or a belt-drive system. With a belt-drive turntable, a motor is connected to a belt, which in turn is connected to the rotating platter. A good quality belt drive effectively uses the belt to drastically dampen vibrations produced by the motor so the vibrations won't ultimately affect the sound picked up by the stylus (needle).
