Do I REALLY want to start the TT road......

brettw22

I like the idea of Vinyl..........

I do not know that I will like manually having to flip over a record to keep listening to music - no matter how nostalgic of a process that is.

I would have to get a TT, but have a virgin pair of LSiM707's that I am sure would do amazing and the plan would be to run that room off an old B&K AVR307.......

I don't know what I'm after here......maybe sell me on it? talk me out of it?

kharp1

No. You want a nice TT set up you can buy mine at a pretty good price. That's just me, though. Many here love their tables. I just don't think it's for me.

hochpt21

Start with a super cheap used table. Buy a few records.

If you still like it after a year....dive in head first...

cmy330go

Go for it. Though I recommend spending enough to get a respectable table. IMO many are chased out of the vinyl world by subpar tables. You don't have to break the bank. Heck, even $300 will get you a decent new table.

I first ventured into vinyl back in the early to mid 2000s, and am so glad I did. It is 90% of what I listen to now. I couldn't even tell you the last time I put a CD in the player. On the rare occasions I don't feel like swapping records I just stream something.

verb

brettw22 wrote: »

I like the idea of Vinyl..........

I do not know that I will like manually having to flip over a record to keep listening to music - no matter how nostalgic of a process that is.

I would have to get a TT, but have a virgin pair of LSiM707's that I am sure would do amazing and the plan would be to run that room off an old B&K AVR307.......

I don't know what I'm after here......maybe sell me on it? talk me out of it?

Hi @brettw22 I just went down the rabbit hole after many many years of no vinyl. Picked up a really sweet vintage Micro Seiki TT as a result:
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/180385/show-me-your-tts/p1

pumpkinman

If you need to ask if you should. You probably shouldn't it's not for everyone

MrBuhl

I like my vinyl like many here, but it's an ever growing commitment to get real satisfaction out of it, a whole new level of tinkering with everything. I agree with PMan - deep down, you probably know if all that is for you already.

cfrizz

Brett, how do you listen to music? If you use cd's you have to get up and change those when the music comes to an end. If that doesn't bother you, then you will probably ok with flipping an record.

But the other thing is the quality of the record, are you able to deal with any snap, crackle and pops that might come up, and then there is the whole cleaning it to be considered.

What do you want to do, spend time listening to music or spend time bouncing up and down to keep the music going.

For me, I'm not the least bit into the everything old is new again nostalgia that people seem to want to fall into. I mostly listen all day long to my system playing music on a Samsung phone connected to my system.

Every now and again, I will spend some time with my cd's & sacd's, when I start thinking, I just put that disc in now I got to get up and pull out another one. But at least I don't have to clean them first.

Do they sound great, absolutely, but the jumping up and down to change them grows old pretty fast.

Only you can decide if it is worth the time, effort, cost, not to mention space to collect albums.

msg

I think I'm in vinyl more for all its associated rituals than for the actual listening itself. For all I've put into it, I still don't have a system that offers superior sound quality over what my digital side does. Vinyl listening does, however, add another layer of atmosphere to the listening experience that I just don't get with digital, but that's just me. I think this atmosphere is what I enjoy most about it.

I also like the cleaning, and the process of setting up to listen. The tangibility.

There's also this odd bit about how listening to a record actually seems to make me sit and relax and listen to an entire album. For me, it's too much work and babysitting for background listening, so for me, vinyl sessions require a measure of time and commitment.

I hadn't been collecting all along the years. It was expensive to get into. Actually took me two tries. First time I lasted less than 2 weeks, but I wasn't long in the hobby and didn't know what I was doing. At all. Nothing sucks worse than buying a nice new turntable and getting all set up, and only having two records to play. Most of the music I like is rare on vinyl, so it's that much more expensive to acquire, not to mention hard to find, so I only buy my favorites. Even then only those that fit the vinyl experience; what that is to me.

A lot of newer pressings are plagued with problems. Noise, warps, off center, etc. I'm always amazed at how clean older records look, and at how much better they play. They're quieter, and can clean up beautifully. Even a new Mofi Natalie Merchant Tiger Lily, for example, absolutely sucks for press quality, and it does not clean up to be any better. It's damn near criminal the crap these places are peddling for $45.

If you've already got a bunch of records or have access to a bunch of great local shops for quality used vinyl, you might enjoy it.

I use an AVR 507 with one of my setups. With a nice, relatively modest Vincent PHO-8 phono preamp, it's pleasing to me. Did the 307 have a phono stage? If not, you'll need a phono pre, or a table like the AT LP120 with the phono preamp built in. This'd get you started, but if you're getting into this for the sound quality, you'll likely need to put more into the system. You'll also need some basic cleaning and maintenance supplies and accessories. If you really get into it, you'll be buying antistatic inner sleeves, and nice outer sleeves for the jackets.

Maybe just forget you posted this question.
kharp voluntarily checks himself into an institution on the weekends because of what vinyl did to him. They won't even let me in anymore.

AudioRefugee

Like anything... it’s personal. Your reasons for doing so or not will be different, on some level, from someone else who’s made the same decision as you’ll end up making.

For me, I love vinyl. I love the sound. I love the continuity of an album. It helps me focus on what’s most important, the music and the experience the artist(s) were trying to share. If I’m looking for background noise to keep me occupied while I wrench on a bike, a telescope, spool up some fishing line, or create something in the kitchen I’ll fire up the Jambox and Spotify, but if I really have the time to listen... it’s vinyl every time.

mikeyb128

Vinyl is like a marriage, it takes work. But when you get it right, it’s very rewarding. I tried viny twice before I finally dropped some serious coin on my setup, and it sounds very, very good. I’ve had people over who were shocked when they saw me slipping the record. They said they had no idea they were listening to one it sounded so good. And the main comment I get is... where are the clicks and pops? It’s so quiet.

afterburnt

Vinyl is like a woman: when you get a good one there's nothing like it, when you get a bad one there's nothing like it.

mpitogo

If you don’t have any records, don’t do it.

Nightfall

OP hasn't logged on in a month, I'm sure he's already made his choice.

msg

And the choice was that's he's done it.
And been institutionalized.

BC6

I’ve been considering jumping into vinyl, but only because I have hundreds of albums I bought in the 80s and I’d like to digitize them. I agree with most of the posts here. I’m not interested in the cleaning and turning, not to mention the effort to get it to sound as good as my digital music, but I really miss the albums. I bought one of those $100 usb turntables a couple of years ago to digitize them, but it was horrible. It didn’t play a consistent speed so the files are unlistenable. I’ve been doing some reading and it’s overwhelming. Has anyone digitized their albums? I’d welcome any advice.

msg

You're likely to not not beat digital unless you spend a lot of money and time both on cleaning and a proper recording device. I think @nooshinjohn was looking into this. @DarqueKnight digitized some rare albums he has, I think.

Of course, it'll depend on how clean you want your recordings to sound as well as desired quality/resolution.

Are these albums unavailable on cd or streaming music service? Unless you go all in, I'm not sure you'll best a subscription to Tidal or Spotify, or buying cheap used copies on cd to rip to flac.

DarqueKnight

BC6 wrote: »

Has anyone digitized their albums? I’d welcome any advice.

Yes. I spent several months digitizing my vinyl collection of around 300 LPs and singles. Here is the thread. Sorry about the missing pictures. They are being held hostage by Photo Bucket.

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/174885/the-turntable-retirement-project/p1

All my vinyl was transferred to DSD digital files. I don't miss vinyl one bit. My digital files sound better than the records. My turntable sits in a closet as part of a vinyl digitizing workstation.


Out of site, out of .....


The warm glow of...pacing back and forth from the chair to the turntable to change sides.


It took a long time...but I finally found a way to quit vinyl.

mpitogo

Inexpensive but decent way to get vinyl straight to DSD is to use a Sony PS-HX500. It’s a relative bargain, the only drawback is the cartridge.

BC6

Good advice! Darqueknight I love your thread! I'll look into buying cds and the Sony TT, but I'm liking Darqueknight's route because it involves buying lots of new toys. My wife may disagree however. I'll have to see what I can get away with.

I didn't even consider buying cds because of the expense, but if I'm willing to spend money on a turntable, it might be cheaper to buy cds. Lots to think about. Thanks for the help!