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Considering a Move to Vinyl

I do feel lucky to have started my collecting at the beginning of the 80s, finishing in the years before the vinyl revival when charity shops were worth a visit. Arguably even that was a late start. I would not want to start now, but if you've got loads of cash, why not. The stuff is still available. It's just pricy for the good stuff.
 
I thought at first this was a zombie thread from 2000 but not it seems

As others have said - forget it. you are too late into the game - Unless you want to waste lots and lots of time searching through 2nd hand shops for records where all the good stuff has mostly gone by now. The good days were when Tower Records in Picadilly Circus or HMV in Oxford st in London existed. Shelf after Shelf full of new LPS of all sorts. All gone now. A different era when it was EASY to get LPS. The places where I used to hang around for 2nd hand ( for classical ) are a sad reflection of this, even Moores off Oxford st in London dont have much. And Gremex really just sad. Just get a good cd player if you want the habit of handling some thing, cd players these days are good eg the Audiolab 8200cdq betters or equals my ( basic ) Roksan Xerxes with Ortofon 2M Bronze.
 
This input has been really insightful.

To cover Gaius's point about that session with the Statements - I think most people felt that the LP12 was head and shoulders better. (In my original post I didn't really want to speak for other people.) There was a gasp when they first put it on (after the NDS) and this is a room full of people who, I suspect, aren't too unfamiliar with top end hifi.

On the deck front, I really expected for most people to suggest moving over. My cat will be disappointed to not get a spinning podium! ;-)

I do own some vinyl (about 20 records) but being the age I am, I have 500 CD's and a tidal account. The issue on cost is the reason I haven't gone down this route before but with vinyl being so popular at the moment I thought new records would be readily available and of good quality. Is this really not the case? Would a cd sound better? By the sound of it this is the case. This plus the cost does make it sound like I might be better putting my money into upgrading elsewhere. (Maybe more naim upgrades and even more black boxes all humming away ;-)) Looks like I am going to have to spend a lot of time listening to decks to understand where that line is , if it is for me and if I want to go there. (That's my idea of a good weekend)

Now to be a little more controversial. There is a little bit of me that feels like I can't be a true hifi head with out a deck! Now I know what you are all going to say. A) idiot B) not true c) if it bothers you that much go and spank £1,000's on a deck. (Which I don't have) So I know the irrationality of what I have just written. I could keep all of this under control if I hadn't heard the pot of gold that is that blasted Tangerine deck. :) That should I win the lottery the best sounding deck sounds better than the current best streamer.

I suppose it's like all things hifi. I need to spend a lot of time listening to my options and make a decision on that. (and probably can't make decisions on what happens if I win the lottery.) In summary I am expecting to stick with digital or remortgage the house and sell the cat. (Both strong moves but become possibilities when the upgrade bug gets a grip!)
 
It is never to late to start a record collection and remember when you buy a record, you own it for life.

Digital is convenient, but if you want to experience emotion in music and that illusion of real sound, what the term High Fidelity is all about, then you can't beat a good analogue front end matched to a good Hi-Fi system.
 
G T Audio said:
It is never to late to start a record collection and remember when you buy a record, you own it for life.

Digital is convenient, but if you want to experience emotion in music and that illusion of real sound, what the term High Fidelity is all about, then you can't beat a good analogue front end matched to a good Hi-Fi system.
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Well said!
 
G T Audio said:
It is never too late to start a record collection and remember when you buy a record, you own it for life.

Digital is convenient, but if you want to experience emotion in music and that illusion of real sound, what the term High Fidelity is all about, then you can't beat a good analogue front end matched to a good Hi-Fi system.
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One can come pretty close on the emotive aspect with a good valved CDP and well mastered disc; very close indeed. However, I remain, as Ken Kessler used to say, an anachrophile (He should have registered this word with the O.E.D. :) )
 
Get a turntable. You won't regret it. Records are great to collect and handle. They sound great. Get away from playlists and listen to albums. You know you want to.
 
I've gone in the other direction -- I was a diehard vinyl only nutter but over the years I've warmed to digital.

Now I'm more about the music and mastering, and now is a great time to buy CDs. Amazing stuff out there for often as little as a dollar a disc. Fill yer boots as the kids say.

Joe
 
I have both a vinyl front end system and a computer audio one. Both are very good (some would say top notch) and in those few cases where the vinyl and the CD were produced from the same master tape you can't put a hair between them. For example if the vinyl is in good health I don't hear any surface noise particularly during silent tracks and between tracks.

The only reason I have both is because I have around 2000 LPs and a lot of those were very well mastered whereas much on CD today is poorly mastered. The killer is the price. In my case the vinyl front end comes in at almost 4 times the price of the computer audio system so unless you already have a good LP collection from the past you'll get more bang for your buck going the computer audio route. If as reported at the demo the upgraded LP12 sounded better than the Naim digital system it says a lot about the performance of that Naim gear.

Of course someone with younger and better hearing may disagree and my 23 yo already has two record playing systems but has still asked for my kit once I've gone to that great gig in the sky. Oh and she has never made any comment about any differences between the two media.

Cheers,

DV
 
Flibbles said:
The issue on cost is the reason I haven't gone down this route before but with vinyl being so popular at the moment I thought new records would be readily available and of good quality. Is this really not the case?
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No, you are quite right, it is extremely easy to buy records and most artists now release on vinyl and download.
 
vinyl is daft. it's also great.

Peter at Cymbiosis can build you an LP12 to budget, then you have a piece that you can upgrade later if you want to. i too think a Valhalla unit with a Nima tonearm would do nicely and i'd recommend adding a Dynavector 10x5 cartridge and the Dyna P75 phono stage (the latter of which can be found secondhand).
 
Joe P said:
I've gone in the other direction -- I was a diehard vinyl only nutter but over the years I've warmed to digital.

Now I'm more about the music and mastering, and now is a great time to buy CDs. Amazing stuff out there for often as little as a dollar a disc. Fill yer boots as the kids say.

Joe
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This. I do have many hundreds of LPs and a top notch replay set up (some would say) but I've been filling my boots with CDs of late and have no desire to purchase over-priced and often poor quality new vinyl at many times the cost.
 
My daughter has starting to develop an interest in vinyl. It could be because the kids see vinyl as a cool retro thing, but it's more likely because Claire sent me a pony mat.

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Joe
 
radine said:
Get a turntable. You won't regret it. Records are great to collect and handle. They sound great. Get away from playlists and listen to albums. You know you want to.
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Digital replay does not mean you have to listen by playlist. I certainly do not.
 
Nic,

We live during an amazing time where — as an example — if you wanted a glow-in-the-dark left-nostril inhaler with your country's motto on it you could likely buy one.

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Joe
 
How old are you Flibbles?
I'd say if you are under 50 do it. Buy a tt you can afford.
The LP12 has a lot of detractors but it is at least extremely upgradable. I spent nearly 25 years with mine through various upgrades and sold it on without losing any money - I bought a Lingo 1 and an Ittok second-hand.
Vinyl as a hobby is fun. You can still pick up stuff at reasonable prices though I agree the real bargains are in CDs at the moment.
 
Plenty of old vinyl still available at reasonable prices on eBay so long as you don't insist on originals, and as YNOAN says, almost every new release is put out on vinyl (except classical). New release are pricey though it's true.
 
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