Vinyl - toes back in the water - advice on what to buy?
- Thread starter BrendanD
- Start date
mark-hants
pfm Member
I'd have thought that a lot of old vinyl holds its value - and some prices are insane - more from the perspective of a collector's piece than for any other reason - e.g. "the first pressing" - probably not sound quality.
That said, there was a recent debate about a Bowie LP which apparently sounds atrocious in most formats though the original orange label copy that I have, while edgy, is perfectly listenable and has no digital artefacts nor distortion that appears to have been added in "re-masters" .
Likewise, you can download the 24/96 copy of the reworked "War of the Worlds" from HD Tracks, or you can download a digital copy of the original, but the original vinyl recording and pressing walks all over the digital copy and the 2012 remake.
So I'd be selective in what you pick out and don't pay silly money for things. As one example I'll probably put the Bowie LP on Discogs as I'm never going to get into his music and people seem to be prepared to pay £150+ for that. If you're the ultimate Bowie fan then it might be worth it if it makes "Heroes" tolerable from a SQ point of view. For anyone and everyone else, probably not.
That said, there was a recent debate about a Bowie LP which apparently sounds atrocious in most formats though the original orange label copy that I have, while edgy, is perfectly listenable and has no digital artefacts nor distortion that appears to have been added in "re-masters" .
Likewise, you can download the 24/96 copy of the reworked "War of the Worlds" from HD Tracks, or you can download a digital copy of the original, but the original vinyl recording and pressing walks all over the digital copy and the 2012 remake.
So I'd be selective in what you pick out and don't pay silly money for things. As one example I'll probably put the Bowie LP on Discogs as I'm never going to get into his music and people seem to be prepared to pay £150+ for that. If you're the ultimate Bowie fan then it might be worth it if it makes "Heroes" tolerable from a SQ point of view. For anyone and everyone else, probably not.
joe9407
actress/activist
people will pay £150 for a copy of Heroes? gadzooks! glad i bought one a while ago.
i buy new vinyl all the time and quite enjoy it. don't really get the rants about "vinyl these days", although i don't get bent out of shape about warped records (no pun intended) of which there are some when buying new. doesn't make much of a difference, sound quality-wise, at least to these ears.
to the OP: go forth, and have fun!
i buy new vinyl all the time and quite enjoy it. don't really get the rants about "vinyl these days", although i don't get bent out of shape about warped records (no pun intended) of which there are some when buying new. doesn't make much of a difference, sound quality-wise, at least to these ears.
to the OP: go forth, and have fun!
In the same place and find the main benefit of having a turntable is being able to buy jazz, swing and the likes in very good condition for £5 or £6. All analogue masters (digital didn't exist), often supreme quality, and a lot of these are not available in good digital transfers.
There seems little point competing with collectors. I think the most I spent was £30 for a nice clean copy of Pablo Honey.
I don't mind spending £15 or £17 on a new album that has been digitally mastered as I am really buying the artwork and inserts and sometimes just adding to a collection of a particular band or artist.
And then there is the irrational, I just like buying Willie Nelson albums, the vinyl versions are superb.
There seems little point competing with collectors. I think the most I spent was £30 for a nice clean copy of Pablo Honey.
I don't mind spending £15 or £17 on a new album that has been digitally mastered as I am really buying the artwork and inserts and sometimes just adding to a collection of a particular band or artist.
And then there is the irrational, I just like buying Willie Nelson albums, the vinyl versions are superb.
Yes, I think the key is to not get drawn into competing with 'collectors' - its the same with nice old film cameras (for which I have a bit of a thing). Some like the Olympus OM3 are crazy money, but I got a good condition OM4Ti off eBay last month for £250, when a 'mint' one go for £800+ and almost all others are battered... just got lucky after 5 years of looking.
Minstrel SE
These go to eleven
Some charity shop vinyl and one or two of your faves from Sainsburys/the local record shop 
Anything more and you're having a laugh.....Well the seller is. Im sorry but £400/ £100 for first pressings is utter madness. Its a storage medium for music and unless you see a cast iron investment opportunity, I wouldnt bother.
I collect things but I dont collect music on vinyl at exorbitant prices
Anything more and you're having a laugh.....Well the seller is. Im sorry but £400/ £100 for first pressings is utter madness. Its a storage medium for music and unless you see a cast iron investment opportunity, I wouldnt bother.
I collect things but I dont collect music on vinyl at exorbitant prices
Jason P
pfm Member
If you're in to Jazz the Diagostini series are good VFM I reckon, and an easy way to build a collection of excellent pressings, as long as you're not hoping for originals.
Other than that - have fun rummaging in record stores, charity shops etc. and enjoy hidden gems you've ferreted out! An RCM will help here when you've got e few under your belt - even something like the SpinClean or Knosti will be better than nothing (though rolling your own fluid is always best)
Other than that - have fun rummaging in record stores, charity shops etc. and enjoy hidden gems you've ferreted out! An RCM will help here when you've got e few under your belt - even something like the SpinClean or Knosti will be better than nothing (though rolling your own fluid is always best)
Really enjoying this.
I've bought a few LPs to get an idea whats around, nothing over £20, some used, some new.
The high points - Animals/Pink Floyd a B15 70s pressing. Rolling Stones Satanic Majesty - superb, dynamic and almost noise free. Beatles remastered white album...wow
Low points - A v good looking Zeppelin Zozo that crackles all the way through.
The new nick cave that has a LOT of surface noise.
Perhaps I should get the noisy ones cleaned??
Tried a few up against the high res downloads (Adirvana/Mac Mini/ Devialet 250 via AIR/Ethernet) and was amazed by the huge opening out of depth and space with the vinyl version.... what have I been missing?
I've bought a few LPs to get an idea whats around, nothing over £20, some used, some new.
The high points - Animals/Pink Floyd a B15 70s pressing. Rolling Stones Satanic Majesty - superb, dynamic and almost noise free. Beatles remastered white album...wow
Low points - A v good looking Zeppelin Zozo that crackles all the way through.
The new nick cave that has a LOT of surface noise.
Perhaps I should get the noisy ones cleaned??
Tried a few up against the high res downloads (Adirvana/Mac Mini/ Devialet 250 via AIR/Ethernet) and was amazed by the huge opening out of depth and space with the vinyl version.... what have I been missing?
Julf
Facts are our friends
Although I have all my original Zep on vinyl (with no means to play it at the moment). All streamed versions from Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal sound dreadfully bass-light - something my system ain't! A great pity for arguably one of the best bands ever.
As for vinyl v CD v streaming v hi-res - mastering!
Agree, its all in the mastering. Generally I think digital masters have improved recently from the absolutely dire compressed stuff we used to have. Still think a good vinyl copy of many records sounds better though if it was mastered for that.
Would love to be able to compare the following Led Zeppelin IV though
1 - Plum label 'Peko' cut
2 - green/orange K series
3 - 2014 digital remaster on 180g.
Quite difference in price between 1 and 2,3....
Gaius
pfm Member
You won't get better than the Plum Atlantic cuts of Zep. They go for a lot of money but they are very good and capture the band.
The Classic Records issues were very good and I'd say the recent crop of 2014 reissues in general are very good and something of a bargain.
The USA green/orange Atlantic cuts are also not bad.
World class rock 'n' roll band.
The Classic Records issues were very good and I'd say the recent crop of 2014 reissues in general are very good and something of a bargain.
The USA green/orange Atlantic cuts are also not bad.
World class rock 'n' roll band.
Julf
Facts are our friends
One reason is that vinyl just can't take the kinds of extreme compression we have seen on some modern recordings/remasterings.
A friend who's also PFM member read my post & is coming round with digital copies of 180g vinyl versions - it will be interesting to hear them & note what versions they are.
DNM
pfm Member
This ^^^, although I'd go a lot further than "some".
I don't generally buy digitally mastered vinyl transfers but I have some that are far more pleasant to listen to than the overcooked CD's. Bowie's Blackstar for example. Mastered for ear buds and by no means a good recording for a hifi system. The vinyl is probably recorded from the CD master but its music I want to listen to and can't do so digitally as it gives me a headache.
You don't even get one chance with vinyl,put a scratch on it and it's good for nothing for most people. Notable pressings in great condition with all the inserts and add on's, should command a higher price.
It's just that prices have increased due to the popularity and the fact records get damaged all the time.
Well, eBay is interesting.
Its actually quite easy to see what the 'collectors' are after - First/notable pressings in Ex condition with all the trimmings and mint sleeves. Auctions go quite high and buy it nows are even higher (of course). Shop prices in London seem to track the high end eBay auctions.
However, I have managed to get some Ex condition late first or early 2nd issue issue albums, along with couple of notable pressings (some plum label Zeppelin with slightly tatty sleeves) at reasonable prices as they didn't attract collector interest.
Just enjoying the music
Its actually quite easy to see what the 'collectors' are after - First/notable pressings in Ex condition with all the trimmings and mint sleeves. Auctions go quite high and buy it nows are even higher (of course). Shop prices in London seem to track the high end eBay auctions.
However, I have managed to get some Ex condition late first or early 2nd issue issue albums, along with couple of notable pressings (some plum label Zeppelin with slightly tatty sleeves) at reasonable prices as they didn't attract collector interest.
Just enjoying the music
NaimClontarf
pfm Member
Charity shops and a spinclean..