Sound Advice: Buying turntables, selling speakers and sonic toothbrush follow-up
Published in Tech Advice
Q. I am looking for a decent stand-alone record player for our living room cabinet, preferably one that has its own internal speakers. I also have a Bose TV Speaker on the cabinet that we can use with the turntable. I am considering the $249 Fluance RT81 turntable. Do you have any other recommendations between $200-$500?
—R., Coon Rapids, Minnesota
A. A $250 turntable with its own internal speakers is pretty much guaranteed to sound awful. You are on the right track with the Fluance RT81. Just turn the turntable’s output switch to “Line” to use the internal phono preamp, then connect it to the Aux input on the Bose TV Speaker. Place the turntable on a different shelf in the cabinet to avoid feedback.
If you want a setup that performs well but resembles a turntable with built-in speakers, check out the Andover SpinBase. It is a speaker designed to have a turntable placed on it, and the design cancels out internal vibrations to eliminate feedback. Andover SpinBase speakers start at $299. andoveraudio.com
Q. With every new and better pair of speakers, there is a gently used pair no longer needed.
I have used Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to sell my used gear, but the quality and sincerity of the buyers is often questionable. Can you suggest any used equipment websites that are more focused on audiophiles, and maybe not so creepy?
—B.T., Long Lake, Minnesota
A. Websites ebay.com, audiogon.com and usaudiomart.com are the most common for buying and selling used audio gear. Selling locally on Craigslist and Facebook is still likely to work out better for you. Just stay diligent and be selective about who you work with. It seems like you already have that figured out, though!
Oclean sonic toothbrush follow-up: I received tons of questions about the Oclean sonic toothbrush. Here are answers the most common inquiries.
Q. How do I use the save 50 discount on the Oclean toothbrush? It is not working.
—B.B., Pittsburgh
A. Unfortunately this was the most common question I received, and the frustration was palpable. The discount was always available, but the multitude of models and the website itself were both awkward for some to navigate. The code save50 is one word and only applies to the X Pro Elite Premium Set at the official oclean.com website. The X Pro Elite Premium Set is found on the “Bundle & Save” page on the website. You must click on “Bundle & Save” at the top to navigate to the page with this set. You apply the save50 code at checkout and it reduces the price from $109.99 to $59.99. There is a post on my website describing the process as well.
Q. How much are the Oclean brush head replacements and where to buy them?
—T.L., Los Altos, California
A. Brush heads are available on the Oclean website for $24.99 for six and $44.99 for 12.
Q. Does the screen on the Oclean toothbrush do anything besides showing how well you brushed?
—J.L., Milwaukee
A. The touchscreen display is used to change cleaning modes, adjust brushing strength and adjust brushing duration. I do think the display with the numerical score and image of your teeth showing where you missed is the single most useful feature of the toothbrush, and alone is a good reason to buy it. The extra adjustments are nice too though. The toothbrush was set to 18 for brushing strength when I started. After I got used to the feel I bumped it to 20 for an even brisker brushing experience.
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