Does Anyone Listen To Vinyl?

[s1mp13m4n]

My wife and daughter went to the library today to exchange books for more books while I stayed home for the quiet. I decided to listen to some of my vinyl and while doing so clean some of it as well. I listened to Billy Joel's Greatest Hits and the Footloose Soundtrack and finally the two LP score of Star Wars. I enjoyed it very much. I do not use vinyl as my main form of music listening but rather as a treat when I can sit back and enjoy it without noise of distraction. I prefer how it sounds over modern compressed music such as Mp3 or even Cds. I am using a 1982 Technics direct drive linear turntable with an Audio Technica P Mount cartridge. This turntable was from the era when they were made in Japan rather than the made in China models of today.

 

[The Big D]

Cannot listen any longer as no player in my house but have a stack of vinyl. Thinking about getting it appraised (if that's the right word) as there is some great music there.

Be safe.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I enjoy the entire experience of vinyl. The cover art, handling the vinyl, the small amount of record and stylus cleaning to keep things sounding nice, etc. I would love to have the Harry Potter scores on vinyl but they do not make them. Vinyl now is seen more as a hobby than a main form of listening to music thus it can be expensive. My music is coming from thrift stores and flee markets. I looked at buying online but you either end up with crazy shipping prices for the $2 LP you bought or crazy prices for what is considered valuable.
http://www.discogs.com/Eagles-Hell-Freezes-Over/release/1632017
http://www.discogs.com/Garth-Brooks-Ropin-The-Wind/release/3542996

 

[RonJ]

I recently listened to The Best of the Seekers and Cyndi Laupers first Album. Got a lot of Henry Mancini and John Barry as well as a large stack of classical.
I use a Denon turntable with a Shure cartridge.

 

[Gunslinger808]

Yup, still have all my old records.
Aerosmith to Zepplin.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I am the vinyl guy on a budget and try to do the best I can with what I have rather than try and chase down "total perfection" by buying a new cartridge, interconnects, another "better" record cleaning system, etc. I have a modest 2 channel audio system, but I live in an apartment so loud music is out, so I am enjoying my Cambridge Soundworks Model Six speakers (Henry Kloss) which sound nice for the price and what they are. I bought the turntable used so not knowing the condition of the stylus (which broke off) and the cartridge I simply replaced them. I might at a later date look into a Grado cartridge as I enjoy their headphones, but the AT cartridge I bought now is 1/3 the price and sounds nice for what it is.

 

[mtelkhntr]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's and between me and the wife have ton's of music on vinyl. My turntabe is a sony PS-FL7II with an Azden YM-P50E cartridge. There is nothing like the sound of vinyl. It has a depth not heard off CD's or other media.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's and between me and the wife have ton's of music on vinyl. My turntabe is a sony PS-FL7II with an Azden YM-P50E cartridge. There is nothing like the sound of vinyl. It has a depth not heard off CD's or other media.

I agree that vinyl sounds far better than any Mp3 and it sounds better than my current CD player setup. There is/was a huge debate over vinyl vs CD but I have never owned a $5k turntable or CD setup so with what I own and use the vinyl sounds better than my cd player does.

 

[Stevens]

Donated the records, maybe 100, to the local university library, no one wanted the turntable so it went out with the trash the cassettes and their recorder/player went out then too. I had copied all my favorites onto CDs I did keep 3 or 3 albums for the covers.
Steve W

 

[s1mp13m4n]

Donated the records, maybe 100, to the local university library, no one wanted the turntable so it went out with the trash the cassettes and their recorder/player went out then too. I had copied all my favorites onto CDs I did keep 3 or 3 albums for the covers.
Steve W

Holy cow dude, I wish I had met you before you gave it all away. I wonder what you had in vinyl? It would have been worth the $40 shipping to find out.

 

[Rule3]

Yes, I still have almost all of my albums from the late 60's and all of the 70's. Cassette tapes also, It is great not only for the music but the album art.

Two Technics (Panasonic) turntables. Cartridges, record cleaners the whole deal. I just replaced my main receiver and the new ones do not have pre amps for phono so I need to buy a preamp, I could use my old receiver but it takes up too much room.
When we moved 100 years ago I ditched a bunch of albums due to the weight and I was probably dazed and confused at the time It was mostly harder rock which I was not into at the time,Sure wish I didn't do that. I still have hundreds.

EDIT:

I didn't know the Eagles Hell Freezes Over was on vinyl?? I have the DVD/CD. One of the best concerts ever. They sound as good or better then back in the day.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I am trying to add to the little vinyl that I have. I found a local shop around here that caters to collectables.....like that Toy Hunter guy and they have what looks like to be a few hundred LPs in the back, but I was not allowed back there to look at the time because the bossman was not there to OK it. I bought a few LPs they had on a rack and they were $2 each. I am hoping I have found a small gold mine but we will see.

 

[labworm]

About 15 years ago walked into a thrift store, there were a bunch of "Unopened Albums" still sealed for $1.00 each.

I pounced on them and grabbed about 20, Vanilla Fudge original, Sony and Cher, Fine Young Cannibals, etc.

My buddy grabbed a lot of Motown albums that were there.

Watched many people buy CD players and just throw their turntables out

I kept mine, a Garrard Model 990B and still use it.

 

[kennyb]

i collect/play elvis on vinyl...45's,78's,albums i am the associate editor on "presleyana vol.7" it's a price guide for elvis records and memorabilia....vinyl has made a comeback of sorts...more new vinyl has sold this year than in the past 20 years...like radios/phonographs with vacum tubes...it just sounds richer

 

[bobcat]

Personally I never understood the obsession with vinyl. They were easily scratched, warped, etc, and the popping and snaps drove me crazy, and yest I took care of mine. I remember returning one album, the Eagles "The Long Run" 3 times before I got one that could play, the others were like soup bowls. I drug all my albums around for years and finally sold them this summer at a yard sale, for 50 cents each. One guy bought them all and was thrilled, other than the art, good riddance. I much prefer MP 3's and think the IPOD is the best thing ever invented. I did keep my original "Street Survivors" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I'm going to frame it for my man cave, and btw, I've kept most of my cassettes and still listen to them, but vinyl, no thanks. Just my opinion of course and worth what you paid for it...

Enjoy your records if that's what floats your boat...Merry Christmas!

 

[M1Garandy]

I play lots of original Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and tons of other stuff. I do have some newer albums and some 180-200g reissues as well. Several hundred vintage 45's as well. My current setup is a Technics 1200 MKII that I rebuilt with an Ortofon Red cartridge played through an old Harmon Kardan receiver and some Mission 71 speakers. In fact, I have not played a CD in about three years and I don't own an MP3 player.

I always swore I'd never get into vinyl!

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I have been a Henry Kloss fan for a while. Back in 203 I bought the Tivoli Audio Model Two table radio with Model Subwoofer for $159. I still have it and it is in the bedroom right now as the second audio system. For what it is the thing sounds great and has a nice analog tuner in it. I love my iPod Touch 64GB but even using Apple Lossless it just lacks the detail, warmth, and soundstage of an LP. The Tivoli Audio Model Two table radio has a better tuner in it than my Onkyo receiver, go figure. LOL

 

[dswancutt]

I recently listened to The Best of the Seekers and Cyndi Laupers first Album. Got a lot of Henry Mancini and John Barry as well as a large stack of classical.
I use a Denon turntable with a Shure cartridge.

I have an almost new in box Denon in the attic. I bought it just before records were phased out by CD's

 

[CW Spook]

I love vinyl, particularly classical & jazz recordings. Some of mine date back to 1970 and the BX in Japan. I'm still using the HK T60c turntable I bought back in 1982-83 (albeit with a newer Grado cartridge) and the Magneplanar MG1s I bought at the same time. I did update the electronics to a Rotel amp & matching preamp a couple of years ago and retired the old HK 490i receiver to the basement rec room. I'm tempted to upgrade the TT to a new VPI Traveler, but the old T60c was and is still a great piece of kit.

 

[wraco]

I do on occassion. . Still have our stereo in the lower floor (bsmt) with all the records with the songs we grew up with. . Early rock'n'roll / country and western . . George and Tammy, never get tired of it.

Still have an 8 track player and cassette and a ton of tapes but haven't drug them out for quite a spell. .

I enjoy cranking up my old Victrola. . Lots of old 78's and a lots of new needles. . Also have a Thomas Edison gramaphone with 2 minute and 4 minute records. . It's all original and works just fine.

Rod

 

[quneur]

The local GW store sells records for 10 cents each. So naturally, I have a few. They also sell turntables for $4 when they come in but most are sad shape. I usually buy them and salvage the cartridges but two of them I've kept, a Panasonic labelled and a Pioneer pl-a45d that is missing the counterweight.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I am finding some listing on Craigslist locally with folks trying to sell their vinyl. This one post is asking $2 each or an offer on many bought at once. They have AC/DC's Back In Black, I want it. My turntable is a Linear tracking model. Technics SL-5 http://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/sl-5.shtml with this P Mount cartridge in it AT92E http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...233411&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+p+mount and this LP cleaning system http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Clean-Re...233570&sr=8-2&keywords=record+cleaning+system I really do enjoy it.

 

[Dalkowski110]

Sure. And I'm TWENTY-FOUR. Dad still has his turntable and record collection, it's great music, so why not?

 

[tom turner]

I managed high end audio shops back in the '70s and early '80s, and yes I LOVE pristine vinyl albums on a great audiophile turntable. The difference between a set up like this and what we used to laughingly call a low grade, heavy-duty "record raper" record player though is great.

There is absolutely zero debate that sonically the CD is stunningly subpar in sound quality to vinyl. I still can't believe that the public adopted such a poor sound source as a 1st generation digital source in 1980-1981 . . . and that since then the sound was never improved upon.

Of course, hi-fi shops selling audiophile gear are gone now, and we all listen to our music via headphones from our i-pods and android-based cellphones and/or the low-tech digital to analog headphone and speaker jacks on our computers. As a mass of people, we could have such better sound today from ALL these devices . . . but we don't know what we are missing so the industry doesn't supply it!

DO I LISTEN TO VINYL TODAY?
No. Although my audiophile system can still amaze those who never have heard truly high fidelity-quality sound vs. today's CD/mp3/etc. "low fi" sound sources, I KNOW that capacitors degrade in all electronic devices over time and change the way they process a signal. Thus, to truly experience that incredible sound again, I must replace all the caps in the amplifier, pre-amplifier AND the audiophile speakers that cost me $2850 back in 1977.

PLUS . . . its so inconvenient so . . . like everyone else, I play CDs or wma files off my computer's built in audio "sound card" (they all suck fidelity-wise (computers wouldn't sell if an additional $1,000 was invested into an internal audiophile grade sound card . . . then again, the sound is low grade on all the digital media types anyway so what comes first, the "Chicken or the Egg")! Yep . . . then play 'em through my computer's internal $50 sound card and then out to my separately-purchased "computer loudspeaker system" (a "great" system with a sub-woofer) that costs $49.97 at Wal-Mart.

OR I play my digital audio files via my Samsung S2 android type cellphone's inner audio circuit and built in audio headphone amplifier. I wonder what little amount of money that tiny circuit costs to go into a cellphone? Some people on the street would kill you for your droid or i-phone . . . and yet the public thinks it sounds just "great."

Headphones? By Sony from Wal-mart costing about $25 bucks. Heck, I once used Fostex U-50 studio headphones just like the ones I used in the recording studios way back then . . . and they were $150 THEN. No need today! Like they say in the studios, "Garbage IN = Garbage OUT" (in other words, if the initial sound quality isn't incredible at the start of the chain, there's NO way to make it better). Thus, today the Fostex phones (I have two of 'em) sit idle too. Not worth replacing a cord with a short in it to listen via my computer's sound card or hear wma files on the Fostex headphones through my droid's wimpy, cheap audio circuit.

I grieve the loss of incredible sound quality in the consumer world and, although several efforts to introduce audiophile quality consumer digital sound were made, all have failed for consumers would have to replace all their audio equipment for EXPENSIVE equipment to enjoy the differences. Anyone remember the failed attempt at introducing SACD "SuperAudioCD" players and discs about 13 years ago)? Stunning, but consumers at BestBuy and elsewhere were satisfied with stealing low grade audio via Napster for nothing.
Super Audio CD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WHERE CAN YOU HEAR VINYL QUALITY AUDIO TODAY? In a state of the art digital recording studio! The sound is STUNNING. However, it must be severely compressed before converting the sound to commercial-grade audio media. If you ever get a chance to visit a recording studio and can be taken into the control room, you'll see what we are now denied.

It's NOT going to change . . . probably ever. The masses of generations of 13 year-olds are happy, and then grow into happy adults who've never heard vinyl through someone's new audiophile hi-fi system.

Sorry for the long post . . . if any one is still reading!

TIME FROZE FOR AUDIO IN 1981 . . . VINYL IS STILL KING!

 

[Onomea]

I have read that some people have a "golden ear," and can hear superb quality audio while many cannot discern the difference. Think I read that in connection with headphones.

I have also read that Neal Young is trying to get some sort of better audio recording format introduced.

Seems to me that initially compression was important because digital storage was expensive. Nowadays you can get 64 gigabit micro SD cards as small as a fingernail. I would think the storage half of the equation would no longer be an issue...

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I have read that some people have a "golden ear," and can hear superb quality audio while many cannot discern the difference. Think I read that in connection with headphones.

That was the conclusion I came to when putting my system together years ago.
I could have gone a little better than I did but figured, at a certain point,
that it would be more than the mk 1 ear could benefit from.

I have well over 1,000 LP's, not to mention quite a few 45's, but haven't
listened to them in years, something I keep meaning to change.

I remember when one of my motto's was, "Vinyl is final," and
was the last of my group of friends to switch over to CD's.

I also have about 400 cassettes that haven't seen the light of day in years.

 

[mtelkhntr]

Another takeoff of this thread would be the audio systems those of using vinyl have. As one poster said, the audio shops of our age are gone so how do the audiophiles of today even know what good music sounds like.

I put my system together in the mid '80's and looked at a HK, Denon, Yamaha, Klipsch, etc. but settled on the sony ES line for amp, disc player, tape player and turntable and polk tower speakers. All are still going strong today. Just trying to remember all those manufacturers names brings back memories!

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I managed high end audio shops back in the '70s and early '80s, and yes I LOVE pristine vinyl albums on a great audiophile turntable. The difference between a set up like this and what we used to laughingly call a low grade, heavy-duty "record raper" record player though is great.

There is absolutely zero debate that sonically the CD is stunningly subpar in sound quality to vinyl. I still can't believe that the public adopted such a poor sound source as a 1st generation digital source in 1980-1981 . . . and that since then the sound was never improved upon.

Of course, hi-fi shops selling audiophile gear are gone now, and we all listen to our music via headphones from our i-pods and android-based cellphones and/or the low-tech digital to analog headphone and speaker jacks on our computers. As a mass of people, we could have such better sound today from ALL these devices . . . but we don't know what we are missing so the industry doesn't supply it!

DO I LISTEN TO VINYL TODAY?
No. Although my audiophile system can still amaze those who never have heard truly high fidelity-quality sound vs. today's CD/mp3/etc. "low fi" sound sources, I KNOW that capacitors degrade in all electronic devices over time and change the way they process a signal. Thus, to truly experience that incredible sound again, I must replace all the caps in the amplifier, pre-amplifier AND the audiophile speakers that cost me $2850 back in 1977.

PLUS . . . its so inconvenient so . . . like everyone else, I play CDs or wma files off my computer's built in audio "sound card" (they all suck fidelity-wise (computers wouldn't sell if an additional $1,000 was invested into an internal audiophile grade sound card . . . then again, the sound is low grade on all the digital media types anyway so what comes first, the "Chicken or the Egg")! Yep . . . then play 'em through my computer's internal $50 sound card and then out to my separately-purchased "computer loudspeaker system" (a "great" system with a sub-woofer) that costs $49.97 at Wal-Mart.

OR I play my digital audio files via my Samsung S2 android type cellphone's inner audio circuit and built in audio headphone amplifier. I wonder what little amount of money that tiny circuit costs to go into a cellphone? Some people on the street would kill you for your droid or i-phone . . . and yet the public thinks it sounds just "great."

Headphones? By Sony from Wal-mart costing about $25 bucks. Heck, I once used Fostex U-50 studio headphones just like the ones I used in the recording studios way back then . . . and they were $150 THEN. No need today! Like they say in the studios, "Garbage IN = Garbage OUT" (in other words, if the initial sound quality isn't incredible at the start of the chain, there's NO way to make it better). Thus, today the Fostex phones (I have two of 'em) sit idle too. Not worth replacing a cord with a short in it to listen via my computer's sound card or hear wma files on the Fostex headphones through my droid's wimpy, cheap audio circuit.

I grieve the loss of incredible sound quality in the consumer world and, although several efforts to introduce audiophile quality consumer digital sound were made, all have failed for consumers would have to replace all their audio equipment for EXPENSIVE equipment to enjoy the differences. Anyone remember the failed attempt at introducing SACD "SuperAudioCD" players and discs about 13 years ago)? Stunning, but consumers at BestBuy and elsewhere were satisfied with stealing low grade audio via Napster for nothing.
Super Audio CD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WHERE CAN YOU HEAR VINYL QUALITY AUDIO TODAY? In a state of the art digital recording studio! The sound is STUNNING. However, it must be severely compressed before converting the sound to commercial-grade audio media. If you ever get a chance to visit a recording studio and can be taken into the control room, you'll see what we are now denied.

It's NOT going to change . . . probably ever. The masses of generations of 13 year-olds are happy, and then grow into happy adults who've never heard vinyl through someone's new audiophile hi-fi system.

Sorry for the long post . . . if any one is still reading!

TIME FROZE FOR AUDIO IN 1981 . . . VINYL IS STILL KING!

I was raised in the era of cassette, then cd, then mp3. Growing up I had a kids record player. I got in to vinyl when I got older. My apartment 2channel system costs about $600 so nothing high end here. Oink yo receiver and CD player, Technics SL-5 linear turntable, Cambridge Soundworks Model Six (Henry Kloss) speakers on 24inch stands. I have the iPod dock for the receiver. The iPod has music on it only in Apple lossless. On my iMac I use a Headroom Total Bithead USB amp/dac with At M50 or Sony MDRV6 or Shure 225 IEMs headphones. What I own is better than what you get from a big box store but not really high end gear.

 

[CW Spook]

There's still a lot of new audiophile gear being produced, but dealers are few and far between. Instead of one or two in every college town it's down to one or two per state. There are a few internet dealers for "low-high-end"...Cambridge, NAD, etc., and a few of the home-theatre places may carry brands like Rotel & Marantz. VPI, Rega, Music Hall & Clearaudio are making great turntables ranging in price from $500-$2000 and the 'tweak' stuff of all types; TTs, electronics, & speakers are all out there in the $5-50k range. If I was a PowerBall winner I'd have a $50 VPI/Audio Research/Magnepan system and a big rack of new limited pressing vinyl.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

There's still a lot of new audiophile gear being produced, but dealers are few and far between. Instead of one or two in every college town it's down to one or two per state. There are a few internet dealers for "low-high-end"...Cambridge, NAD, etc., and a few of the home-theatre places may carry brands like Rotel & Marantz. VPI, Rega, Music Hall & Clearaudio are making great turntables ranging in price from $500-$2000 and the 'tweak' stuff of all types; TTs, electronics, & speakers are all out there in the $5-50k range. If I was a PowerBall winner I'd have a $50 VPI/Audio Research/Magnepan system and a big rack of new limited pressing vinyl.

I have called that budget high end as well. I have only heard one truly high end home system in my life back about twenty years ago and it was about a $20k system back then, but the source was CD not vinyl. I have never heard a high end vinyl system.