Vinyl Enthusiasts?

[Uofmtiger]

I have a simple vinyl setup with a Project Debut and it feeds a VP129 Tube Phono amp that feeds a receiver. I love the sound, when there aren't very many pops and scratches. To me it sounds warmer than digital....whether that is good or bad depends on your preference.

That being said, I rarely listen to it these days. I have my own fairly large digital collection of about 25,000 songs, but 90 percent of the time I like the wider variety and ease of Apple Music. I won't be getting rid of my turntable, though. I still have the mood for vinyl hit me every now and then.

 

[Cayden]

My digital audio collection isn't too big (about 3500 songs) but I just recently got into music about 3 years ago, so I'm sure it'll grow over time. I too find myself listening to my digital collection more often than my vinyls, just due to the ease of use. But I ever want to sit down and listen I prefer to the vinyls due to the warmth and overall better tonal qualities. I do occasionally still listen to CDs, but I find the high end sometimes sounds a little too crisp for my taste and ends up washing the low end out

 

[Fishrrman]

Hmmm…..

Why would "vinyl enthusiasts" have any interest in a -digital audio- forum ???

 

[rmsanger]

Vinyl crew checking in.... I'm spinning a Thorens TD 125 MKII with SME 3009 arm. It's bullet proof and dollar for dollar better than anything piece of hardware since the Technics SP 10 MKIII was released.

I have a full digital solution setup with my headphones but analog only for my studio monitors.

 

[qawes]

Two Audio Technica AT-LP 120 Silver.

 

[thats all folks]

Vinyl crew checking in.... I'm spinning a Thorens TD 125 MKII with SME 3009 arm. It's bullet proof and dollar for dollar better than anything piece of hardware since the Technics SP 10 MKIII was released.

I have a full digital solution setup with my headphones but analog only for my studio monitors.

that's a dream deck. on my list for, eventually. congrats.

I'm rolling with a pair of Technics SL-1100As, Grado Blues on those. Run through a Rane MP 2016a. not a DJ, just like the flexibility. also have a 2011 MackBook Pro (through an Apogee One) dedicated to the setup for iTunes (mostly ripped CDs) and Spotify.

 

[xSinghx]

Vinyl just rolls off the highs and some of the lows. There's nothing inherently better about it. Technically vinyl is inferior to digital as far as accuracy but the sound is preferable to some - which is fine.

What I find amusing is the hipster embrace of vinyl that began around the mid 2000's, disdained dance music (it's maybe a bit less these days) when it's dance music that kept record plants open in the lean years of the 90s. Without which you wouldn't have the renaissance we see today as no new factories have been built in the interim.

 

[E.Lizardo]

One of the things to keep in mind that some LPs sometimes simply get a better master than their CD counterpart, which has nothing to do with LPs being superior to CD and everything to do with the people creating the content for us.

I still remember arguing with someone who claimed the LP of Muse's The Resistance sounded better on LP than CD, ergo LPs were superior. Well, no, it was because the LP had a completely different master with better dynamic range, which the CD could've easily replicated. UGH! LOL

That's a theory I've been kicking around too for a while.I never dumped my tt or albums but never played them and replaced many with CDs.The a couple of years ago I dove back in and bought a Pro-Ject tt and some Warfedale speakers,both budget items by many people's standards.I've bought many albums and box sets since then and many are astounding.A friend came by and I pulled out my remaster of Boston's first album."You bought a Boston RECORD?" He scoffed. When it hit the tt his jaw dropped. We'd both heard that music thousands of times, often on very nice systems,but on this LP when the Boston trademark harmony guitars kick in you can CLEARLY hear it as two separate guitars. My old original release doesn't do it nor the CD. And when I play "Tin Pan Alley"by Stevie Ray Vaughn you'd swear if you closed your eyes the band was in the room. My CD copy on the same system? Nope. Anyway I'm thinking as the market dropped off only the best presses,technicians and pressing companies survived. Records went from a mass market product to something that's given more care as far as sound quality because they cost more,and a significant portion of the remaining market demanded their best efforts to go on their megabuck systems. Then of course the loudness wars music compression insanity has ruined the CD's reputation too. SACDs and Bluray are great to,and I'm not totally sure I could pick out the difference between either of them and vinyl.Plus many have surround sound options too which I love("Riders on the storm" in quad is a revelation).I really only spend the big buck for vinyl or hi rez if it's something special,otherwise a CD or Apple music is good enough.
Sorry about the long post!

 

[DblHelix]

The iPhone can do hi res audio. Either dsd (up to 11.2 MHz) or dxd 24/384. You need onkyo he player plus the $10 hd pack, the lightening to USB camera connection kit and a USB DAC. I recommend the ifi iDSD micro. With this you can play better than sacd sound which to me is the digital equivalent to vinyl. It has similar inherent distortion or you can play better than DVD-a which to me was the next progression of CD style clean uncolored digital sound

 

[frozencarbonite]

I just got into vinyl over a year ago and love it. I've wanted a turntable for years prior, but just never could find the right one. I didn't have a lot of money to spend on a setup, but wanted something that was still nice quality.

I ended up going with the U-Turn Orbit and I love it. Great turntable for the price. I paired it was an Art DJPRE II and my home theater amp. It's not an audiophile setup by any means, but I'm not an audiophile. It gets the job done and sounds great to my ear.

Like someone else said in this thread, there is something magical and intimate about listening to records. I'm in the process of cataloging my CDs and will be selling the majority of them to focus on my record collection. I've been collecting mostly film scores, with the majority of them being horror film scores.

 

[dandeco]

I too enjoy listening to records. I usually use a PT-01USB record player. When I want to digitize a rare record, I use that hooked up to my Mac, and record the audio in Audacity.

 

[Giuanniello]

I just got a nice addition to my vintage hi-fi setup, a wonderful J.A. Michell Gyrodec with a Linn Basik LV X tonearm, Audio Technica AT300 pick-up, a Kiseki step-up and a magnificent Audio Research SP9 preamp, can't wait to find a spot where to sit the turntable, solve a hum problem (...) and to listen to some of my old vinyls I am storing since 30+ years.

I hope some day to add an Oracle Delphi which was love at first sight ;-)

 

[bbrks]

Just beautiful

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I just got a nice addition to my vintage hi-fi setup, a wonderful J.A. Michell Gyrodec with a Linn Basik LV X tonearm, Audio Technica AT300 pick-up, a Kiseki step-up and a magnificent Audio Research SP9 preamp, can't wait to find a spot where to sit the turntable, solve a hum problem (...) and to listen to some of my old vinyls I am storing since 30+ years.

I hope some day to add an Oracle Delphi which was love at first sight ;-)

Looks absolutely gorgeous; what a beautiful set-up. And long may you enjoy it.

 

[lemonkid]

Recently I heard an interview where a vinyl-crazed radio-dj interviewed a vinyl-crazed vinyl manufacturer about the superb quality of his vinyl records. When talking about the proces, it turned out that the vinyl is crafted from a DIGITAL master. Because otherwise the transportation of the rather heavy master platters would give too much of a hassle.

I had to smile a little listening to the interview. And I understood why I appreciate the love of vinyl-crazed listeners to 'their' vinyl sound. And why I am not really vinyl-crazed.

When it is not created with compression, limiters and other stupidity, digital sound can have a much wider range between the softest and the loudest sound. Because it has a more favourable balance of sound and noise level. But when music got produced digital, it seemed that hardly any one actually realised the advantages of that. Instead technicians kept compressing more and more. Pristine analoge records became molested versions of the original recordings when they tried to sell the same recordings over and over again in the form of digital releases. A sound so compressed that it neared the sound of ordinary white noise. And when you compared the two you had no difficulty in favouring the original analoge recordings over the digital rubbish produced by the 'compression-generation'.

Gladly we see a change. It still goes slow. By using compression, technicians originally achieved to present us recordings that could survive the limitations of vinyl. This medium creates due to the scratch of the needle in the groove, it's own sound. When you want that a listener hears the soft tones of a whisper and the hard notes of a drum in one single recording, you need compression. To 'lift' the whisper 'over' the rumble of the needle. But when I first entered the studio technicians KNEW that they should use compression with caution, to preserve the distinction between loud and soft sounds as much as possible.

In the digital-age the compression generation kept compressing. But a violin, an electrical guitar, a single snare drum, a triangle or the human voice has, at any level, soft and hard tones. Those differences between loud and soft are taken away by compression. Reducing almost any instrument to noise.

Original analoge recordings are most of the time recorded on fast running studio machines that can record much more than could ever be put into a vinyl record. And luckily we have a movement against the loudness industry. Making it possible to re-issue those recordings with the preservation of loudness differences. There is only one catch. When you want to preserve the difference between louder and softer tones, you have to record at a much lower level. This enables the peak, to peak without limit. The soft notes therefor become much softer then they would be with use of a compressor. So when listening to digital non-compressed music: TURN UP THE VOLUME to fully enjoy. The best preservation of loudness differences is presently achieved with digital recordings.

But whether you enjoy them digital or analoge, is not so important. As long as you enjoy......

 

[stormyuklondon1]

I just got a nice addition to my vintage hi-fi setup, a wonderful J.A. Michell Gyrodec with a Linn Basik LV X tonearm, Audio Technica AT300 pick-up, a Kiseki step-up and a magnificent Audio Research SP9 preamp, can't wait to find a spot where to sit the turntable, solve a hum problem (...) and to listen to some of my old vinyls I am storing since 30+ years.

I hope some day to add an Oracle Delphi which was love at first sight ;-)

a man of exquisite taste!
my spinner..

My wife gave me a full plinth gyrodec/tecnoarm for my 30th, since then I've added the orbe platter kit, hr psi and changed the plinth to the orbe spyder, above with benz wood sl cartridge, which I've since moved on.. contemplating another koetsu (I had a black gold line, which i severely regret selling..), but prices seem to be on an upward trend my meagre savings can't keep up with..!

 

[Cayden]

Recently I heard an interview where a vinyl-crazed radio-dj interviewed a vinyl-crazed vinyl manufacturer about the superb quality of his vinyl records. When talking about the proces, it turned out that the vinyl is crafted from a DIGITAL master. Because otherwise the transportation of the rather heavy master platters would give too much of a hassle.

I had to smile a little listening to the interview. And I understood why I appreciate the love of vinyl-crazed listeners to 'their' vinyl sound. And why I am not really vinyl-crazed.

When it is not created with compression, limiters and other stupidity, digital sound can have a much wider range between the softest and the loudest sound. Because it has a more favourable balance of sound and noise level. But when music got produced digital, it seemed that hardly any one actually realised the advantages of that. Instead technicians kept compressing more and more. Pristine analoge records became molested versions of the original recordings when they tried to sell the same recordings over and over again in the form of digital releases. A sound so compressed that it neared the sound of ordinary white noise. And when you compared the two you had no difficulty in favouring the original analoge recordings over the digital rubbish produced by the 'compression-generation'.

Gladly we see a change. It still goes slow. By using compression, technicians originally achieved to present us recordings that could survive the limitations of vinyl. This medium creates due to the scratch of the needle in the groove, it's own sound. When you want that a listener hears the soft tones of a whisper and the hard notes of a drum in one single recording, you need compression. To 'lift' the whisper 'over' the rumble of the needle. But when I first entered the studio technicians KNEW that they should use compression with caution, to preserve the distinction between loud and soft sounds as much as possible.

In the digital-age the compression generation kept compressing. But a violin, an electrical guitar, a single snare drum, a triangle or the human voice has, at any level, soft and hard tones. Those differences between loud and soft are taken away by compression. Reducing almost any instrument to noise.

Original analoge recordings are most of the time recorded on fast running studio machines that can record much more than could ever be put into a vinyl record. And luckily we have a movement against the loudness industry. Making it possible to re-issue those recordings with the preservation of loudness differences. There is only one catch. When you want to preserve the difference between louder and softer tones, you have to record at a much lower level. This enables the peak, to peak without limit. The soft notes therefor become much softer then they would be with use of a compressor. So when listening to digital non-compressed music: TURN UP THE VOLUME to fully enjoy. The best preservation of loudness differences is presently achieved with digital recordings.

But whether you enjoy them digital or analoge, is not so important. As long as you enjoy......

That's an awesome way to look at it. I agree that most of the time a high quality CD represents what was recorded in the studio better than most analog recordings or their vinyl counterparts. These days, everything is recorded on digital and the vinyls are made off of these digital recordings. I personally enjoy the warmth gained from the vinyl process that makes the audio sound smoother (to me). I don't get the vinyl "purists" that believe vinyl is inherently better than digital. It's just a different sound and comes down the personal preference and taste

 

[bbrks]

OK guys.... I just need to show you. I am so excited. My turntable received a major upgrade.

Simply. There are no words to describe what I am hearing now. Completely different setup. Its Clearaudio Maestro V2. Just out of this world.

 

[stormyuklondon1]

Lovely! Clearaudio know how to make a fantastic sounding cartridge, as well as superb turntables. very underrated.

had a bit of a refresh on my TT too, another Benz Micro has landed at Stormy towers

a Glider SL. without doubt the most terrifying cartridge Ive ever fitted to a turntable, no stylus guard combined with a looong exposed cantilever and open body with delicate wires running through the middle makes for a worrying installation! Ive reinstalled a full plinth with lid on my deck. Id never be able to relax if I left it with the exposed plinth from before..!
After around 50 hours running in, lovely! theres something about these carts that just sound right to me.
sounds really good with a stax electrostatic headphone system I've acquired too..

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Lovely! Clearaudio know how to make a fantastic sounding cartridge, as well as superb turntables. very underrated.

had a bit of a refresh on my TT too, another Benz Micro has landed at Stormy towers

a Glider SL. without doubt the most terrifying cartridge Ive ever fitted to a turntable, no stylus guard combined with a looong exposed cantilever and open body with delicate wires running through the middle makes for a worrying installation! Ive reinstalled a full plinth with lid on my deck. Id never be able to relax if I left it with the exposed plinth from before..!
After around 50 hours running in, lovely! theres something about these carts that just sound right to me.
sounds really good with a stax electrostatic headphone system I've acquired too..

Stunning - and just awesome.

Wonderful - I'm impressed. Enjoy it.

 

[bbrks]

Lovely! Clearaudio know how to make a fantastic sounding cartridge, as well as superb turntables. very underrated.

had a bit of a refresh on my TT too, another Benz Micro has landed at Stormy towers

a Glider SL. without doubt the most terrifying cartridge Ive ever fitted to a turntable, no stylus guard combined with a looong exposed cantilever and open body with delicate wires running through the middle makes for a worrying installation! Ive reinstalled a full plinth with lid on my deck. Id never be able to relax if I left it with the exposed plinth from before..!
After around 50 hours running in, lovely! theres something about these carts that just sound right to me.
sounds really good with a stax electrostatic headphone system I've acquired too..

Beautiful and even the both cartridges have the same price. Yours is MC, right?

 

[stormyuklondon1]

Stunning - and just awesome.

Wonderful - I'm impressed. Enjoy it.

Ah Thankyou sir, I certainly will!
[doublepost=1487603997][/doublepost]

Beautiful and even the both cartridges have the same price. Yours is MC, right?

Ta! yea, an MC, the low output version so phono stage selection is quite critical. Im still re- building my system so Im trying a few out, but it seems to really like a Leema Acoustics one I've borrowed. there's a stage Benz Micro made which is apparently a great match, but its nigh on impossible to find somewhere to dem it, but as a vinyl junkie that can quite happily root through record bins in various shops for hours I'm up for the challenge of finding one!

 

[bbrks]

My phono preamp is also basic, but there is a beauty on the way...I hope it will arrive in about a month ......Leben EQ30 . That's the only missing piece left.

 

[stormyuklondon1]

My phono preamp is also basic, but there is a beauty on the way...I hope it will arrive in about a month ......Leben EQ30 . That's the only missing piece left.

Mmm, that should be very nice, not a brand ive listened to but leben always gets good user reviews online. The styling is gorgeous too, love the retro look. Enjoy!
Tempted to see if i can try out the new vertere stage..
https://vertereacoustics.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/PH1brochureWs.pdf
Not too highly priced compared to their eyewateringly expensive but utterly stunning turntable.

 

[sman789]

I'm only two years into my vinyl life.
I have a Philips on the left and a Sansui on the right. Started with a cheap Sony w/ usb out and non adjustable arm .

I don't know if anyone's mentioned it earlier in the thread but when you look at a waveform for a CD track vs it's vinyl counterpart, there'll be differences because of the compression to make an album fit on CDs. People may enjoy one over the other but they are different.

There's also vinyl released today that are mastered from CD sources which is a bummer for audiophiles but it's nice to have that option to buy the record.