Gone back to vinyl

ttate90303 · « **on:** 29 Mar 2012, 06:27 pm »

After many years of dealing with CD's, avoiding compressed music (MP3 & such), enjoying a bit of lossless computer audio, I've come back vinyl. My dealer (audio, not drug although that could be questioned since he feeds my audio habit constantly) started me out with a new Rega RP1, NAD PP2i to hook up to my existing NAD T175/T973 (used in the past for mainly home theater). All fed to a pair of PSB Imagine B speakers. Setup of the RP1 couldn't have been easier, unpack, put the weight on the tonearm, slide the Bias slider, make necessary connections and away we go. Being new to Orange County, CA I've shopped around for a good record shop - found a few used places but still looking for a few new albums that I want but haven't found a shop yet - recommendations for those in SoCal are appreciated.

So yes I'm the new guy here but I'm along for the ride and lighter wallet as it will be. So I welcome any tips for new/used vinly shops to check out. Music tastes run the gambit of classic rock (Pink Floyd), 80's New Wave (New Order, Depeche Mode), classic jazz (Miles, Brubeck, Getz, Rollins, Grant Green). Thanks for looking.

Douger · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 12:37 pm »

Congratulations and welcome back! Enjoy the journey for many years...

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 12:48 pm »

Subscribe to Music Direct- I think it's free(?)- as it has a big catalog of remastered/newly pressed vinyl sources and what's available from them. Get a record cleaning machine. Spin Clean is cheap and effective. And stay tuned right here cause there are a bunch of guys that are gonna steer you right. Hello, Wayner! Grant Green, eh? You can hang

!

You are now officially a romantic. Hi rez guys take nothing from capturing a find, cleaning it and preparing it for play, dusting off your stylus, pouring a glass of wine and turning down the lights, but you will.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 02:26 pm »

Don't know how much you get into LA, but Amoeba Records is one of my all-time favorite record stores. They have an LA branch and an San Francisco branch and started in Berkeley.

cheap-Jack · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 02:52 pm »

Hi.

Quote from: ttate90303 on 29 Mar 2012, 06:27 pm

So I welcome any tips for new/used vinly shops to check out.

Go yr local Goodwill stores which sell recyled vinyls for a buck a pop.
I picked up tons of them for only 75 cents a pop from my local Goodwill store
on Friday sales.

c-J

toocool4 · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 03:35 pm »

Welcome back ttate90303.

I use a variety of places to get my vinyl, here are a couple of them

www.discogs.com and www.audiofidelity.net

Enjoy.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 03:42 pm »

toocool4

Have you signed up for the Audio Fidelity Platinum Club? If so, what is the monthly subscription charge? They tell you that there is the one time $50 fee, but no mention of what the monthly fee is on top of that. Not sure what would make that worthwhile to me...

toocool4 · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 03:45 pm »

No I have not signed up, I just buy records when I see what I like.

S Clark · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 04:07 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 5 Apr 2012, 12:48 pm

You are now officially a romantic. Hi rez guys take nothing from capturing a find, cleaning it and preparing it for play, dusting off your stylus, pouring a glass of wine and turning down the lights, but you will.

Once again, ol' Jim has hit the nail on the head. Vinyl is an involved experience.
Yesterday I picked up a copy of the very first Mercury Living Presence lp (MG50000) pressed off the first stamper in NM condition- for $2. Last week, I found a jazz concert signed by Duke Ellington for $6. Nothing in cd offers the joy of the hunt.

Wayner · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 04:57 pm »

The collective knowledge base here is pretty impressive, with many having expertise in many areas, so almost any problem or situation can usually be addressed correctly.

Welcome.

Wayner

ttate90303 · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 06:01 pm »

Thanks for the tips folks. I've manage to pick up some of my fav LP's from Music Direct mad spent a few hours at Amoeba in LA (had to exercise restraint on the bank account in there

). Ordered a VPI 16.5 from my audio (vinyl drug) dealer back in GA. Wondering if I need a tracking gauge so that the weight is accurate on the RP1. Thoughts on the right tool?

roscoeiii · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 06:27 pm »

Go digital. No specific one to recommend as one came with my table.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 06:29 pm »

And if the speed is adjustable on your table, grab a strobe disk. VPI's is $30.

eclein · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 06:38 pm »

I got back into vinyl for kicks this year after maybe thirty some years and I'm having a blast. Friends here helped me make the most of my sound. Huge wealth of advice here from extremely knowledgeable folks.

cheap-Jack · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 06:59 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 5 Apr 2012, 06:29 pm

And if the speed is adjustable on your table, grab a strobe disk. VPI's is $30.

cheap-Jack · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 07:01 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 5 Apr 2012, 06:29 pm

And if the speed is adjustable on your table, grab a strobe disk. VPI's is $30.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 07:04 pm »

c-j

Not that I mind being quoted, but was there anything else you wanted to add in addition to quoting me twice? I am honored...

cheap-Jack · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 07:26 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 5 Apr 2012, 06:29 pm

And if the speed is adjustable on your table, grab a strobe disk. VPI's is $30.

Yes, we all need a strobe disc to set the realtime TT speed right with the record stabilizer in place & the tonearm tracking the vinyl album.

The problem with most, if not all, commercial strobe discs is their 'standard' size is way too small that the strobe bars are concealed by the record stabilizer. So we can only test the TT speed without the heavy stabilzer put on. IMO, not too precise speed checking it is.

So I decided to build one myself with a 'non-standard' larger size so that the strobe disc still shows the strobe bars with the record stabilizer in place.
It is not that difficult at all. Google to "strobe discs" & print out the image of the strobe disc & blow it up a bit to get the right size. Glue it on a thin piece of round plastic or thick cardboard.

Now I can read the realtime speed of my TT precisly & save the money to buy one not doing the job.

c-J

simoon · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 08:11 pm »

Quote from: ttate90303 on 29 Mar 2012, 06:27 pm

Being new to Orange County, CA I've shopped around for a good record shop - found a few used places but still looking for a few new albums that I want but haven't found a shop yet - recommendations for those in SoCal are appreciated.

Definitely make the drive to Amoeba Records in Hollywood (corner Sunset and Cahuenga).

Their used vinyl section is huge, all genres.

They also carry a large number of 180/200 gram reissues.

Bring lots of $$.

Delta Wave · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Apr 2012, 08:13 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 5 Apr 2012, 07:04 pm

c-j

Not that I mind being quoted, but was there anything else you wanted to add in addition to quoting me twice? I am honored...