Nic Robinson
Moderator
Fairs.
Considering a Move to Vinyl
- Thread starter Flibbles
- Start date
Fairs.
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
I wouldn't say idiotic, but I would say that you're approaching about the issue from exactly the wrong angle. Forget the equipment, which is a means to an end. You heard some records on a top system that sounded much better than the digital files. What records were they? From what era? Was this the music that is important to your life?
My advice would be to start by finding the best original pressings you can get of a handful of your absolute favourite albums, and buying a good cheap TT second hand. If we are talking about a mint original Blue Note, or Beatles, or just about anything from that era, they will most likely sound better on a P3 with a modestly priced cart than on any digital system in the world. And with 50 years of tape degradation, they may sound better than the original masters.
On the other hand, if you mainly listen to contemporary releases, then stick to digital.
That's interesting...
I have about 10 albums with identical copies on both CD and Vinyl. With all 10 albums the vinyl is just in another league compared to the digital copy. I have yet to hear digital get close.
Note: I am talking here about ultimate fidelity, nothing else.
I cant but think that those advocating getting into records now( not vinyl - thats either wall paper or trousers ) never ever visited Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus when it existed - just entering the door was beyond belief and really you should have got down on your knees and pray a thankyou to the Records god. What you have now is a sad reflection of a reflection. Give up the idea and accept that era is over, shame you never were around then. ( I assume )
Mike Reed
pfm Member
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.
Joe
I'm sure that mat would colour the sound........
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
Your post seems to forget that those records are still in circulation. Quite a few of them are still in decent condition. Quite a few of us own a few of them. And unlike the heyday you speak of (which most of us remember well), we now have Discogs.
Yes YOU ( and I ) have got them and you intend to hold onto them I assume? Mine are in fine condition and sound fine also, very little or no surface noise or wear; and you or anyone else aint going to get any of them
which I bet is a typical attitude? I dont go in for the crumbs on the floor left over from the feast that finished long time ago. I suppose you have to wait these days until some one dies and wait until the collection goes on sale? Long time ago I picked up boxes of LPS from an ex record reviewer, many early generation or whitelabel first pressings for review and as good as you can get. But that was a long time ago
Mike Reed
pfm Member
This. Poor quality and expensive new vinyl. Even my otherwise superb and last issue Len. Cohen LPs developed pops, despite RCM cleaning.
Also, so many CDs I've bought in the last decade or more have been compressed; this is an absolute travesty to s.q., i.m.o. Some are so bad they just shout at you (or maybe that's just my poor music tastes.....
).
Gaius
pfm Member
Funny all my Cohen sounds superb, especially the late releases. He was right up there with the very best, I listen to him all the time.
Weekender
pfm Member
1979. The Logical Song by Supertramp. I was twelve.
There's something magical about it still and Discogs has made it easy:
Charlie Rich - Pictures And Paintings (CD, Album) €6.00
Danny Krivit - Salsoul Re-Edits Series Two (2x12") £14.49
Joy Division - Heart And Soul (4xCD, Comp, RE) £9.99
Frank Sinatra - The Capitol Years (20xLP, Album + Box, Comp) £125.00
I still know physical places to go where there are bargains to be had. I'm not telling.
Don't be such a msery chops!
whatsnext
Naimless
May I add that although the turntable is the visible magic that can take you on dreams PART of the experience, less visible is the cartridge and the phono stage.
A lot of simplified ideas being floated few of which mention those equally important to the illusions being aspired to.
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
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.
Joe
Hell yeah!
cantgetnonut
Active Member
As someone who was buying records in the '70s and '80s in the US (at a few independent stores in San Diego and then at Tower Records in Austin, Texas), I shudder when recalling the frequent visits I had to make to the record store to return floppy, off-center, seriously scratched, warped and I-don't-know-what-other defects. Pop, jazz, classical, it didn't matter: there was always a large percentage of records that were unsatisfactory. I'm not all that picky, either; a friend of mine returned maybe 1/3 of his record purchases. I sort of enjoy the occasional "tick" of surface noise (kind of reminds me of a cozy fire), but the sum of hassles/imperfections soured me on the format. I owned a Nitty Gritty record cleaning machine, by the way
I dislike streaming. I ripped my CDs and play those "files" (ugh!) from a music server. I'd rather have physical records in great shape, but that ain't gonna happen.
Yeah, I sound grumpy, but I do just enjoy the music most of the time. I love playing the piano. Making music is so much more satisfying than passively listening to recordings, especially when making music with others.
I dislike streaming. I ripped my CDs and play those "files" (ugh!) from a music server. I'd rather have physical records in great shape, but that ain't gonna happen.
Yeah, I sound grumpy, but I do just enjoy the music most of the time. I love playing the piano. Making music is so much more satisfying than passively listening to recordings, especially when making music with others.
Gaius
pfm Member
Difficult to quantify that Joe. There is no digital processing or room treatment here, just an old pair of Quad ESL 63s, some Chord amps and a nice record player up top. Sounds like I'm in a small club and Len is just over there doing his thing.
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
That's blatantly obvious. My point was that the primary thing is the source; the record itself. If he's going to start on this thing he needs to assess if he has the commitment to tracking down good pressings.