Hi all vinyl lovers.
My first time here, however, I am very active on Niteshade Audio and GR Research sites.
I am 62 years old; therefore as a baby boomer, I was more or less born with vinyl. Not 78, but stereo 33-1/3.
I really discover the wonderful world of hi-fi music on LPs at the age of 14 with my parent’s RCA Victor tube stereo unit, minds you at that time, the 45rpm was more popular than 33-1/3.
The system consisted of two pieces of furniture: One with a turntable and stereo tube amplifier and the other piece furniture with space for storing (Flat) the LPs and in each piece of furniture a 6.5” woofer with two 3-1/2” tweeters, one on each side of the woofer.
For me, at that time, the hi fi stereo sound coming out of those RCA Victor boxes was simply awesome.
As soon as I started earning my own money, I went running to the audio store and bought myself a system of my own, that’s 42 years ago, therefore excuse me if I don’t remember what it was.
However, I remember, (Because I took a picture), of the first real hi-fi system I bought from City Electronic, where I worked as a sales man selling all kind of electronic stuff.
The system included a Sony reel to real tape deck,
A Dual 1019 turntable with an Ortophon cartridge
A 35wpc solid state amplifier made by a company called:
SOUND from Japan. (I think they went out of business long time ago.) I also had the matching AM/FM stereo tuner.
The speakers, not shown, were RSC (Radio Speaker of Canada) they had two 4” full range drivers in a sealed box.
At that time, when vinyl was it its peak, my favorite type of LP music was:
The Ventures, Vangelis, Classical music on Tel-Arc label.
Before buying three months ago my Rega P-3 with Rega Exact MM cartridge, I was using seven years ago a Linn LP-12 with an Itok tone arm and a Linn Karma cartridge.
It was a very good turntable, but I sold it back to the audio store because the PCB had to be replaced and I did not wanted to pay 450 USD, plus a new belt was required another 40 USD.
What made me buy a Rega P-3 ?
The price, the simplicity of construction, the good quality/price ratio and my small collection of vinyl that I did not touch for seven years.
I forgot to mention, I still have in the original box a Sony turntable with a plug in cartridge that has a needle that look more like a nail than a needle, that’s why I never use it, I paid 150 USD for it.
I am now back with vinyl, but still spinning CD with my newly acquired Rega Apollo.
No need to say that I like (Prefer) the sound of the vinyl, I can listen to vinyl for hours and never get tired. Also most of my vinyl (Especially the Ventures) brings back nice souvenirs to my mind. Souvenir when I as a teenager with no problems…
My Rega turntable goes thru a VP-129 Bellari (100% made in USA) tube phono pre-amplifier and is connected to a Niteshade Audio NS-15 (10wpc) 6L5 tube amplifier (100% made in USA) via silver interconnects from Signal Audio. The drivers on the Open Baffle speakers are from GR Research. I have two pairs; one V-1 and one V-2 (See the site of GR Research for more details on them).
I am happy with my system, it might not be the best in the world, but it makes my ears and soul feel good and the price is very sweet to my wallet.
Vinyl need cleaning and careful handling, but I see that as part of a ceremony prior to hear the music.
I am a French Canadian from Montreal, Quebec, now living and doing business with my Vietnamese wife in Vietnam for the past 15 years. Here they do have vinyl in some store, but at 40 to 50 USD each vinyl, it’s not within my budget.
I hope vinyl will be around until 2050, why 2050, because that the year I will die.
Let's go and spin some vinyl.
Guy 13 in Vietnam, but from Canada.
