Got a turntable and I don't get it.

[markw]

No worries! I understand. It must be difficult to remember for an old man like you!

(ducking and running for cover!)

At my age, memories are all I have left.

 

[3db]

At my age, memories are all I have left.

Your lucky.. even those are getting jumble now

 

[djreef]

I've kicked around getting an LP rig recently, then I think about all those albums that I used to pay $7, now costing $25-$30, and I snap back to reality.

DJ

 

[Chris9472]

I got into vinyl in the late 1990s, and part of the reason is that back then I could buy 2 or 3 used records for the price of 1 new CD! It allowed me to expand my collection and hear new music for cheap.

Nowadays, the tables have turned, you can buy 2 or 3 used CDs for the price of 1 new vinyl. Guess what, I have ~300 vinyls but rarely add to the collection, but I buy many cheap CDs each year.

The tables have not turned, not really. Brand new LP's were still rather pricey even in the late 90's, at least as much as CD was then and even more for the audiophile reissues. And lot's of dirt cheap NM vinyl can still be had, though not necessarily in the rock/pop genres as much as in the past. I find boatloads of excellent classical, New Age, World/Folk, Soundtracks, etc. in NM and still sealed condition for well under $10, often at thrift store prices or less. Going on the hunt and not knowing which great LP's you will find today is one of the biggest thrills of collecting and enjoying vinyl.

 

[Chris9472]

Every time I read a thread on vinyl I cringe a little.
It brings me back to listening to vinyl in 1977 and at some point reading about something called a CD.
I couldn't wait! I hated the rice krispie sound of vinyl.
Never understood how a true music lover could rationalize and romanticize that noise?
I understand if someone likes that kinda interaction thing...... that's where my understanding ends.
Music wasn't originally recorded or played with those pops & clicks.
Beethoven didn't play while eating rice krispies.
Funny how the same people that say tube amps color the sound, are willing to listen to all the noise and not understand, that is also colored / altered sound.

Again... I understand if you like all the idiosyncrasies of vinyl...... it's just not how the music was made to sound... Beethoven didn't have a guy sandpapering his piano while he played.

Probably because you may have listened to a lot of bad domestic vinyl on a crappy old system back then. Judging by the type of audio set-ups and the quality and condition of the vinyl I remember seeing the average person having as a child, I don't blame them for not having very fond memories of it. By 1977, most manufacturers in the US were using recycled vinyl and overall quality was at an all time low, and wouldn't start to improve somewhat until the mid 80's. I have lots of NM import classical pressings from the late 70's and most of them sound fine, they do not click and pop constantly like "Rice Crispies" as you describe. On rare occasions, you may get a bad record that plays as you describe, but those are the pitfalls of the hobby. Unlike CD, vinyl is not boring and predictable and that may be some of the reasons why people are turned on by it.

 

[ImcLoud]

I try to buy box sets, so like ac/dc's set, the whos set, janis joplins set, beatles set (well 12 of them, lol), led sets, etc etc etc .. They end up a bit cheaper per lp and you get a fancy box..

 

[Alex2507]

Probably because you may have listened to a lot of bad domestic vinyl on a crappy old system back then. Judging by the type of audio set-ups and the quality and condition of the vinyl I remember seeing the average person having as a child, I don't blame them for not having very fond memories of it. By 1977, most manufacturers in the US were using recycled vinyl and overall quality was at an all time low, and wouldn't start to improve somewhat until the mid 80's. I have lots of NM import classical pressings from the late 70's and most of them sound fine, they do not click and pop constantly like "Rice Crispies" as you describe. On rare occasions, you may get a bad record that plays as you describe, but those are the pitfalls of the hobby. Unlike CD, vinyl is not boring and predictable and that may be some of the reasons why people are turned on by it.

I really doubt that Rick ever had a "crappy" system for any considerable length of time. Calling CDs boring and predictable is odd. It's recorded music ... not a roll in the hay.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Pops and hiss and click are not music.

I agree. That would annoy the heck out of me. I can't stand it if my amplifier produces any kind of hiss sound from even 1 INCH away from the speaker. If I can hear hiss, pops, clicks from 10 FEET way, that would exasperate me.

I know Eric can't stand any kind of noise from his Parasound P5 (volume pot problems). So I bet it infuriates him having to hear pops, hiss, and clicks.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Unlike CD, vinyl is not boring and predictable and that may be some of the reasons why people are turned on by it.

Yeah, like Alex says, I don't see why CD would be "boring".

How is vinyl more exciting? Occasional pops, hiss, and clicks make vinyl more exciting?

Whatever people prefer is good for them. I do understand if people prefer the feel and touch of vinyl.

 

[3db]

Yeah, like Alex says, I don't see why CD would be "boring".

How is vinyl more exciting? Occasional pops, hiss, and clicks make vinyl more exciting?

Whatever people prefer is good for them. I do understand if people prefer the feel and touch of vinyl.

Rule #1. Never touch your vinyl!!! The oils on your leaves fingerprints and acts as a dirt magnet.

But yeah.. I own music in all 3 media and use all 3 media interchangeably.

 

[djreef]

Rule #1. Never touch your vinyl!!! The oils on your leaves fingerprints and acts as a dirt magnet.

But yeah.. I own music in all 3 media and use all 3 media interchangeably.

...and always remember:

It's OK to love your vinyl, as long as you don't luuuuuuuvv your vinyl.

DJ

 

[cvcgolf]

It all depends on what you hear and feel.. Some people can't see a big improvement with blu-ray over dvd.. Some can't hear the audio improvement either.. I enjoy the smoother sound of lp's over cd.. I can pump the volume higher on lp's without it becoming harsh like cd's even though I do listen at reasonable levels.. But just that fact alone shows me there's a different sound with lp's..

 

[KEW]

...and always remember:

It's OK to love your vinyl, as long as you don't luuuuuuuvv your vinyl.

DJ

You and your inflatables!

 

[djreef]

It all depends on what you hear and feel.. Some people can't see a big improvement with blu-ray over dvd.. Some can't hear the audio improvement either.. I enjoy the smoother sound of lp's over cd.. I can pump the volume higher on lp's without it becoming harsh like cd's even though I do listen at reasonable levels.. But just that fact alone shows me there's a different sound with lp's..

That's very true. Unfortunately, all I would hear is -

"You paid how much for that!!! For a record player?!? Did a CB radio come with it?!? WTF were you thinking?!?!"

To which I would have no reasonable reply.

DJ

 

[3db]

That's very true. Unfortunately, all I would hear is -

To which I would have no reasonable reply.

DJ

Your reply would be

 

[djreef]

Your reply would be

O ya! That would go over real well.

DJ

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Some people can't see a big improvement with blu-ray over dvd.. Some can't hear the audio improvement either.. I enjoy the smoother sound of lp's over cd..

LP sounds SMOOTHER?

People can't see the difference between 1080p resolution vs 480p resolution?

 

[fmw]

Been wanting a turntable for a few years now. Finally picked up a Project debut carbon. Not sure after a few hours of listening to all new LP's that I get it. I really don't think so far that it sounds better. In fact I have to turn up my volume a bit more than from my CD source.
Do all new records require a cleaning straight out of the jacket? I am hearing pops and cracks just like I was a kid. With records costing twice sometimes over three times as much as a CD it doesn't seem worth it to me. I will hold on to the table but most likely will be spinning CD's and using my computer as a source.
Any thoughts out there?

Most of us who grew up on vinyl don't understand it either. We were all glad to get rid of vinyl in favor of digital recording as fast as we could. Nothing has changed except for fashion. Digital has greater potential dynamic range and virtually no noise. Much more convenient as well. I enjoyed the shot of the MGA above. I once had an MGB-GT. I really enjoyed that car.

 

[3db]

Most of us who grew up on vinyl don't understand it either. We were all glad to get rid of vinyl in favor of digital recording as fast as we could. Nothing has changed except for fashion. Digital has greater potential dynamic range and virtually no noise. Much more convenient as well. I enjoyed the shot of the MGA above. I once had an MGB-GT. I really enjoyed that car.

I for one like the sound of vinyl and the involvement it brings to the table when playing the media. I kept my vinyl and I'm sure glad I did. Digital is more convenient and is a superior media but unfortunately, the recording engineers seldom make use of digital's advantages. Because of the loudness wars, I find many CD recordings lacking compared to its vinyl counterpart.

 

[djreef]

Digital is more convenient and is a superior media but unfortunately, the recording engineers seldom make use of digital's advantages. Because of the loudness wars, I find many CD recordings lacking compared to its vinyl counterpart.

Isn't it ironic that these folks are given this amazing gift of expanded dynamics, and they purposely go out of their way to ignore it.

DJ