Pondering getting into Vinyl

johnto · « **Reply #40 on:** 10 Nov 2020, 01:38 pm »

I'm a vinyl guy was brought up on it have thousands of Lp's half decent playback VPI Aries Scout, Soundsmith Carmen2, Ayre p5xe phono pre but if I was starting now would be happy with CD and digital. I find most of the current remastered sound just as good or better on CD. Vinyl does have its allure the sleeves are nice art work and the liner notes much easier to read and it can be fun watching them spin. Good luck with your decision.

twitch54 · « **Reply #41 on:** 10 Nov 2020, 01:47 pm »

Quote from: timind on 10 Nov 2020, 01:35 pm

This is a great thread. It's been a few months since the OP started it and I'm wondering where he ended up.

I'm guessing he took our advice and invested further into his digital domain ? Perhaps he will chime in ...........

VinceT · « **Reply #42 on:** 10 Nov 2020, 02:57 pm »

My journey has been different. I am 99% vinyl and just starting to get into digital so I really can't compare the two. I will say compared to CDs, the sound stage with vinyl seems more open and spacious. I am hearing digital is getting there with high rez. I like finding obscure old jazz records at garage sales from artists that I have never heard of. You can find records if you look for them. You could purchase several hundred records from ebay at one time. Very easily drop in a decent used table for not a lot of money that will give you a great sound. Is it worth the fuss? I guess depends on your budget. I look at vinyl as an investment.

Jspagat · « **Reply #43 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 12:12 pm »

For those spinning vinyl, do you use clear plastic outer sleeves to protect the jacket? I current do, but am thinking of ditching them for faster, easier access to the record...

twitch54 · « **Reply #44 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 02:29 pm »

Quote from: Jspagat on 22 Dec 2020, 12:12 pm

For those spinning vinyl, do you use clear plastic outer sleeves to protect the jacket? I current do, but am thinking of ditching them for faster, easier access to the record...

Nope, I take enough care to protect the jacket as is, besides when I'm dead and gone who knows what will become of them.....

Craig B · « **Reply #45 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 03:19 pm »

Quote from: Jspagat on 22 Dec 2020, 12:12 pm

For those spinning vinyl, do you use clear plastic outer sleeves to protect the jacket? I current do, but am thinking of ditching them for faster, easier access to the record...

I do, but they open at the same edge as the album cover, so I don't have to remove everything to get to the record.

WGH · « **Reply #46 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 04:15 pm »

Quote from: Jspagat on 22 Dec 2020, 12:12 pm

For those spinning vinyl, do you use clear plastic outer sleeves to protect the jacket? I current do, but am thinking of ditching them for faster, easier access to the record...

No plastic cover sleeve here. A worn jacket cover adds value, like a worn leather jacket. No one wants a new leather jacket.

When some young kid gets your old albums and all the jacket covers are new how would they know which are the best? A very worn jacket means this a real good album. A gatefold album with some seeds still in the crease means it's really good.

S Clark · « **Reply #47 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 04:33 pm »

Outer plastic sleeve over the cover, 90* to the album opening with non static plastic inner cover. Dust gets everywhere in West Texas, so it's worth the effort to keep it out.

sunnydaze · « **Reply #48 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 04:59 pm »

Quote from: WGH on 22 Dec 2020, 04:15 pm

A gatefold album with some seeds still in the crease means it's really good.

Still discovering those old seeds from decades ago!

toocool4 · « **Reply #49 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 08:47 pm »

Quote from: Jspagat on 22 Dec 2020, 12:12 pm

For those spinning vinyl, do you use clear plastic outer sleeves to protect the jacket? I current do, but am thinking of ditching them for faster, easier access to the record...

I don’t, I had too many records for the space I had. Protective sleeves take up extra space and they all add up. I now have more space, but still no protective sleeves for the jacket.
If you are talking about anti-static inner sleeves, then that is a must. In fact all my records new or second hand are first cleaned and put into brand new anti-static sleeves before they go anywhere near my turntable.

S Clark · « **Reply #50 on:** 22 Dec 2020, 09:06 pm »

Outer sleeves do eat up space, and over a collection of thousands it adds up.

senna1a · « **Reply #51 on:** 19 Mar 2021, 01:47 pm »

Rather than start a new thread, I figured I would just note that I was in the OPs shoes earlier this year with a decent digital (streaming, ripped files, SACD) setup, but I’ve been out of vinyl for about 35 years.

Recently a couple non-audiophile friends purchased vinyl setups and started asking me questions, and I steered them to vinyl sites to read & research as I could not help them upstream of a preamp. But they kept asking questions and one of them even bought me a record as a gift. So I thought to myself, why not try an entry system, pickup a few albums for old times sake, and it would give me an opportunity to chat with them more about their vinyl systems.

So I did a couple weeks worth of research (wanted to stay under $500 with super easy setup) and ended up getting a Fluance RT85 (incl phono pre in package), and two weeks in, I’m feeling the vinyl itch, so much so, I had my sister bring over about 50 albums I had her keep (mostly 70s rock and some jazz). Now I will see if I can just enjoy it 5-10% of them time on weekends and chat with my non audiophile friends, or if I dive deeper down the path.

SET Man · « **Reply #52 on:** 29 Mar 2021, 12:54 am »

Quote from: senna1a on 19 Mar 2021, 01:47 pm

Rather than start a new thread, I figured I would just note that I was in the OPs shoes earlier this year with a decent digital (streaming, ripped files, SACD) setup, but I’ve been out of vinyl for about 35 years.

Recently a couple non-audiophile friends purchased vinyl setups and started asking me questions, and I steered them to vinyl sites to read & research as I could not help them upstream of a preamp. But they kept asking questions and one of them even bought me a record as a gift. So I thought to myself, why not try an entry system, pickup a few albums for old times sake, and it would give me an opportunity to chat with them more about their vinyl systems.

So I did a couple weeks worth of research (wanted to stay under $500 with super easy setup) and ended up getting a Fluance RT85 (incl phono pre in package), and two weeks in, I’m feeling the vinyl itch, so much so, I had my sister bring over about 50 albums I had her keep (mostly 70s rock and some jazz). Now I will see if I can just enjoy it 5-10% of them time on weekends and chat with my non audiophile friends, or if I dive deeper down the path.

Hey!

Funny that your "non audiophile friends" got you thinking of getting into vinyl. This show how popular vinyl is nowadays.

As for your situation. Since look like you don't have lots of album to start with, sinking in big bucks now might not be a good idea. But at $500 everything included there aren't much option neither. I think Fremer wrote about the Fluance RT85 not long ago. I guess that could be a good start and I think Pro-ject also have similar package turntable also.

And with $500 budget I would also consider used turntable and phono pre. Yes, you'll might need to tinker with it. But if you're getting a turntable new or used, sooner or later you'll have to tinker with it anyway. Of course is help if you have an audiophile friends in the area who could help setting up.

Anyway, good luck and keep use posted on your finding.

Buddy

thedudeabides · « **Reply #53 on:** 1 Apr 2021, 08:54 pm »

If you’re thinking about getting into vinyl, I’d recommend setting up a monthly direct deposit to AcousticSounds.com for $300-500 a month. Beware... it’s addictive stuff!

CarlPoz1 · « **Reply #54 on:** 23 Apr 2021, 06:19 pm »

I have both vinyl and digital. More digital, but I listen to vinyl more often.

I found it interesting no one mentioned the space it takes to house a record collection. You can have an entire high-resolution digital library on a pocket sized drive.

Also, there wasn’t much discussion on the difference in experience with vinyl versus digital. A few mentioned the ritual of putting on records and the experience of going to record stores, but in my opinion, vinyl also requires more dedicated attention. That’s a good thing. You don’t put on a record and walk away. You have to flip the record. So, when I put on vinyl I listen.

I'm not sure that's a compelling enough reason to take the plunge and I don't want to restart the debate of which sounds better (although I have an opinion).

Fuse · « **Reply #55 on:** 6 Oct 2021, 12:24 am »

Floyd47 · « **Reply #56 on:** 23 Nov 2021, 07:33 am »

Quote from: CarlPoz1 on 23 Apr 2021, 06:19 pm

I have both vinyl and digital. More digital, but I listen to vinyl more often.

I found it interesting no one mentioned the space it takes to house a record collection. You can have an entire high-resolution digital library on a pocket sized drive.

Also, there wasn’t much discussion on the difference in experience with vinyl versus digital. A few mentioned the ritual of putting on records and the experience of going to record stores, but in my opinion, vinyl also requires more dedicated attention. That’s a good thing. You don’t put on a record and walk away. You have to flip the record. So, when I put on vinyl I listen.

I'm not sure that's a compelling enough reason to take the plunge and I don't want to restart the debate of which sounds better (although I have an opinion).

You're spot on with this. I have both vinyl and digital as well, and there are pros and cons to each. I really enjoy records, but due to the expense and storage space needed, I'll only pick up albums on vinyl if it's remastered specifically for vinyl / worth the upgrade from CD. And I really enjoy the experience of listening to records. But I also love CDs - unless it's a rare edition or pressing, they're dirt cheap to buy used, much more resilient to scratches, and can be ripped and put on a media server.

VinceT · « **Reply #57 on:** 23 Nov 2021, 02:22 pm »

Being mostly vinyl, I started messing around with digital. I'm using a Denon AVR for now with Quboz.

The ease of use and discovery of new music is fantastic. The complaints of digital sound is true. There is in my system a digital hardness to the sound. Granted I don't have a ton invested in streaming, but comparing apples to apples with a starter set up vinyl sounds better but with all things audio there are trade offs. Both streaming and vinyl, takes an investment to optimize each.

SteveFord · « **Reply #58 on:** 23 Nov 2021, 04:32 pm »

My struggle has been to get digital to sound as good as vinyl.
I'm getting closer with an older Rega Saturn and a current Rega Apollo but then I upgraded my phono stage(s) so that kind of showed up digital once again so further adventures await.

dpatters · « **Reply #59 on:** 23 Nov 2021, 05:25 pm »

I upgraded my digital front end with Jays Audio CD transport and DAC. Dumped my music server with Roon, Tidal, and my CD collection ripped to the hard drive. I get better sq just spinning the discs. Now I’m planning a new analog front end to bring it up to the same level. Music Hall MMF 7.1 with Ortofon 2M Black and Graham Slee phono preamp is current setup.

Don P.