Vinyl, I'm Trying Again, but....

[Still-One]

Well, I have been running around the last few days listening to some lower priced turntables thinking about adding one back into my system and give it one more chance. Since I had taken a hit the last couple of times I did this I figured I would limit it to tables in the $2k to $3k range. I could always progress upwards if things panned out.

Local dealers are not carrying a ton of inventory and not too many on display.

The usual suspects are available: VPI, Nottingham, SAE, Clearaudio, Pro-Ject, Linn, Rega, et al. As you know many of those did not meet the price point criteria.

One of my local dealers suggested I take one of his Pro-Ject tables home and keep it 'till Wednesday. It as about a $2k table plus the Benz cartridge. (I wouldn't take the SME 20-2 since there is no way I would pay that much for a table at this time)

Here is where my mind is at as of tonight? I am probably too lazy to put up with vinyl. I am not sure I would ever put up with the hassle on a regular basis. Explanation...

The first LP I put on the table was a Mobile Fidelity LE of Alison Krauss and Union Station's "So Long So Wrong". This had been played once before on my old table and is pristine. The sound was very good. No noise, very quiet, nice bass, very nice to listen to. What was wrong? There were only 3 tracks on each side. I do not want to get up every 12 minutes (if I like all of the songs on a side), shut off the power, unscrew the clamp, flip it over, screw down the clamp, power up, sit back down, then repeat...

So I pulled out some of the older normal discs I have and put one one the table. Click, pop, pop, click.............
Out comes the Disc Washer and fluid. Clean, clean. clean
Back on the table, still way too much noise. I am used to silence.

I went thru a bunch of albums tonight. None have been cleaned since I gave up vinyl a few years ago and some a lot longer than that. They are dirty and the quick cleaning is not going to do it. One of the machines would be required.

To summarize. I wanted a table to play some of the albums I have retained and a few new ones that would be interesting, not to go out a replace the CD's I have with vinyl. I don't think I can live with the noise imbedded in my albums. While I have been writing this epistle I have been listening to a 50's station on Rhapsody via my SonoS and the MCD-500. No noise, no ticks, pops and pretty decent sound. It wasn't anywhere close to the MF Alison Krauss sound but it sure was easier to listen to than many of my older LP's.

It seems to enjoy vinyl you need:
The desire to get up every 10 to 22 minutes change sides,
Put up with noise on the discs or,
Get a record cleaning machine or,
replace your noisy LP's
and Pay more for limited edition discs


Thanks for listening, more to come.

Jim

[Masterlu]

Wow! Good for you Jim.

[1KW]

I understand and agree with the negative side of LP's however the sound is often as good or better on many of my rock lp's and you can buy them used often in excellent condition at records stores for $2-$6. Thats why I have a technics SL1200MK5 and AT-440MLA cartridge which sounds quite good, minimum investment ie under $1000 . I will say that while the technics SL1200 has a reputation as a DJ tt, it has better speed control then many $4000 TT. Bring a few of your records to the hi fi store where you borrowed the machine and let him clean a few of your records on the LP cleaning machine and see if that makes a difference. As for getting up every 10-20 minutes, that is for when you are doing active listening .

[markc2]

hmm.

If it's not what you want then let it be, but...

I grew up with CD's and my parents had a record player in a console system.

So I really don't have an "emotional" attachment to vinyl. You are lucky enough to be in a situation to have both. I had to choose. I really couldn't justify that kind of money for a really nice CD/SACD player, though in retrospect the cartridge I bought wasn't too far off from a decent SACD player.

Yea there is that changing sides every 20 to 30 min and it gets annoying sometimes, but I find myself listening to different types of music because of that, I also get a bit picky with my albums now. I have fallen asleep during late night listening waking up to shhhh.sshhh.shshh not really fun but nothing was getting hurt.

but given your price range I bet you could find something, either new or used.

I just find it fun, I don't get to anal about, I clean records that need it, try to get good ones to start.

What really gets me about CD's no matter how good they are they are really in some ways just fancy synthesizers, and that just bugs me.

Either way good luck

Mark

[KMC45]

Jim,

There is a nice looking Clearaudio Champion Level II on AG right now, and it's in the price range you mentioned.

[gregswaim]

[gregswaim]

Budget TT's = Pro-Ject
Mid-Fi TT's = Rega/Pro-Ject
Hi-Fi(Reference)TT's = Linn

Budget tonearms = Pro-Ject/Rega
Mid-Fi tonearms = Pro-Ject/Rega
Hi Fi tonearms(Reference) = Pro-Ject/Rega/Linn/SME

Budget Pickups = Grado(Moving Iron/MM)
Mid-Fi Pickups = Rega/Clearaudio/Linn(MM Only)
Hi-Fi (Reference) = Linn/Benz/Lyra/Dynavector(MC Only)

........just my opinion.

[blacsno]

Well for what it's worth, that is why I convert to FLAC. Squeeze every once of music of the LP! Better than trying to replace all my LP's to CD's. Plus $2 to $6 for a used LP has worked for me. A little elbow grease, I've only had a few bust purchases of LP's.

Ken

[MC352]

Give your records a good cleaning, and settle in to listening to some vinyl. I have been buying some used vinyl lately, get it good and cleaned up, and most of them sound pretty darn good.

I picked up some old Nat King Cole LP's that sound great. Also picked up a Rolling Stones Let It Bleed LP used that looks like it never saw a needle on a turn table.

The getting up to change the record, well, that is true, but hey I could use the exercise.

Records aren't for everyone, but I have really been enjoying listening to them again.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by gregswaim

Budget TT's = Pro-Ject
Mid-Fi TT's = Rega/Pro-Ject
Hi-Fi(Reference)TT's = Linn

Budget tonearms = Pro-Ject/Rega
Mid-Fi tonearms = Pro-Ject/Rega
Hi Fi tonearms(Reference) = Pro-Ject/Rega/Linn/SME

Budget Pickups = Grado(Moving Iron/MM)
Mid-Fi Pickups = Rega/Clearaudio/Linn(MM Only)
Hi-Fi (Reference) = Linn/Benz/Lyra/Dynavector(MC Only)

........just my opinion.

Greg.......Have you gotten your Linn tattoo yet?