looking to purchase first turntable, need advice complete NOOB here

[ROMEbeats]

so i've recently gotten into sampling and am on the market for a decent turntable, but don't know where to start. I know jack shit about vinyl, turntables, records, etc., i'm mainly a piano/guitar player and produce in logic 9.

i just inherited a few hundred records from my grandma and need to get my sample on, what should I look for in a turntable?

basically i need something to import my vinyl into my computer, which seems like most units are capable of doing. also, in case i got into scratching and more djing down the road, i want something that can handle that as well. Sorry if that sounded retarded i was born in 1990 I don't know shit about records lol. My biggest source of confusion is the price of some of these turntables, i don't wan't something super cheap but I can't figure out what justifies a more expensive product, is it the needle or what? I'd prefer to spend somwhere between $300-$600. How much does the sound quality differ from cheaper to more expensive machines? Also for what I want to do, would i be better off with direct drive or belt driven? Can anyone reccomend any models I should check out? So fr i've been looking at technics and stanton, they seem to be the most popular, but that doesnt always mean they're the best.

Besides importing vinyl to my mac to sample shit on my mpd, i plan on straight up just listening to records as well. I'm assuming ill be able to plug into my usb interface and run the stereo output thru my bx5a's right?

thanks for any help, i hate feeling this clueless about shit haha

---------- Post added at 02:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:53 PM ----------

in case it's not obvious, I don't do any live gigs so i don't need a pair of tables/mixer, just a single table

 

[Carnage]

for sampling any table will do. If you're gonna get into scratching then you'll be needing a mixer too, and a decent table like a 1210 or pdx-2000.

 

[8-bit myke tison]

the table itself doesn't matter as much as the needle, the cartridge, and the source you feed it through (audio interface/preamp/etc.). as long as the table at the least has an adjustable counterweight, any table will do. it would be best to steer clear of portable turntables and usb turntables tho. you'll never get a quality rip from those, and if you're planning on sampling, quality is half the game. a normal entry level turntable can be as cheap as $150, but like i said before, the real investment should be in the needle, the cartridge and the source you feed the turntable through.

another thing you have to consider is if you want a belt drive turntable or a direct drive.

if you ever want to scratch on your turntable for hooks or anything, you'll need a direct drive. if not, a belt drive would be fine. belt drives are also cheaper most of the time.