Forgot how much fun vinyl is!

[Big Al]

So I recently acquired a record player from slide advantage redoux (aka Greg), haven't had a record player for about five years now, and I am like a little kid all over again. Sitting there watching the record spin around was a favorite pastime when I was a kid, and the magic is still there after all these years!

And the sound! Greg, I don't know what kind of cartridge you put on this thing, but it's making my old scratchy LPs sound good as new. Almost, anyway, but still grand!

Now I'm making needle-drops like crazy, and I never realized the difference between LPs and CDs until I made a CDR of a Stan Freberg LP and combined those tracks with tracks from a Stan Freberg CD. My goodness, the LP blows the CD outta the water! The LP tracks are fuller, rounder, more dynamic; the CD tracks are tinny, hyper-compressed, and seriously lacking in dynamic range.

Also made a needle-drop of a Fats Waller record that I never saw on CD. Transferring it to CD and tweaking the audio here&there has caused this album to sound brand new all over again. In fact, IMHO, if you listen carefully, you can barely tell it's a needle-drop!

Now I know what all the fuss is about! And yes, I'm having a wonderful time!

Oh yes, HUGE HUGE props to Chuck Nessa & Uncle Skid for hipping me to INPort. THAT was well worth the money spent!

[sidewinder]

I share your enthusiasm for the great medium that is vinyl, Big Al.

The beauty of good vinyl is that it has such presence and makes you feel 'part of the performance' that CDs never do IMO. Played back with a good arm/deck/cartridge combination and you are in another world.

Case in point - just listening to the Elvin Jones Mosaic on CD. Fantastic music by a great artist but you still end up feeling somewhat detatched from it all. Then put on '2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West' by Lewis/Perkins on the UK Vogue label and the full, rich mono sound causes astonishment and absolute involvement. Well, that's my experience anyway..

Congratulations - it will cost you a few $ in the years to come. That I can guarantee.. :

Edited September 9, 2006 by sidewinder

[mikeweil]

Al, would you mind giving specifics of the equipment you have? I mean, including the CD player, amp, speakers, turntable and pickup? Thanks!

[Big Al]

Al, would you mind giving specifics of the equipment you have? I mean, including the CD player, amp, speakers, turntable and pickup? Thanks!

Well, let's see:

Turntable: Technics SL-220. No idea about the cartridge; perhaps Greg can chime in with what kind it is.

Speakers: Philips. They came with the stereo in the living room which the Bose speakers are hooked up to.

Amp: Technics SA-110. Bought it at a pawn shop for $18.

The CD player I was listening to was the one in the car, which is a JVC running through some Pioneer speakers.

[mikeweil]

The CD player I was listening to was the one in the car, which is a JVC running through some Pioneer speakers.

Well, you can't compare the sonics of a CD and an LP if you play them back on different systems, especially when one is in the car!

Technically, the dynamic range of an LP is limited by that of the analog souirce tape. The dynamic range of a digital recording is much wider than that, of course. I suppose the Stan Freeberg album is an anlaog recording - thus the playback system may simply be more adequate than the car hi-fi, which never can be as good - though Pioneer is a good brand (I have a Pioneer amp and CD player in my living room and really love 'em!).

Not to dampen your enthusiasm - I recently upgraded my Thorens turntable with a better cartridge and enjoy vinyl more than ever - but saying analog is more dynamic is not correct from a physical point of view - it depends on the playback equipment, the mastering and, most of all, your listening habits. I know LPs that sound better than their badly remastered CD counterpart, and vice versa.

Edited September 10, 2006 by mikeweil

[Big Al]

Oh, believe me: I'm no expert. Just reporting what I heard is all!

Also, I should clarify that what I did was make a combination needle-drop/CD-burn, consisting of tracks from the Freberg LP and the Freberg CD. Played back-to-back on the same disc, the needle-dropped tracks sound better than the tracks burned from the CD.

Edited September 10, 2006 by Big Al

[Alexander]

I love watching the record go round on the turntable too. It's one of those sights you never get tired of...

[slide_advantage_redoux]

Al, would you mind giving specifics of the equipment you have? I mean, including the CD player, amp, speakers, turntable and pickup? Thanks!

Well, let's see:

Turntable: Technics SL-220. No idea about the cartridge; perhaps Greg can chime in with what kind it is.

Speakers: Philips. They came with the stereo in the living room which the Bose speakers are hooked up to.

Amp: Technics SA-110. Bought it at a pawn shop for $18.

The CD player I was listening to was the one in the car, which is a JVC running through some Pioneer speakers.

The Cartridge is a Stanton 890SA, which is actually geared towards turntable artists/djs. In fact, the SA stands for scratch artist. The tracking force is slightly higher than a regular set up, but I was told that it won't damage vinyl. I bought that new at Mars' going out of business sale at a very low price!

I am glad that the TT is working well, Al! I don't know what I'd do without mine. Now I just need to get the Dual up and running.

[patricia]

Well guys, I finally had to retire my amp [Telefunken, 30 years old]. I replaced it with a Sony one today. The sound was cutting out and although I assumed it was accumulated crud that a can of contact cleaner would fix, the knobs don't come off.

The amp doesn't owe me anything, after thirty years, but I mourn it's demise, almost like a family member.

BUT, now my right speaker is not giving me any sound. It has a fuse that might be the problem, a cheap repair. So, before I replace my speakers [spectrum] I will replace the fuse and see if that's the problem.

If I have to replace my speakers, what do you recommend? I don't have unlimited funds, so don't give me recommendations for speakers which will cost a bag of money.

Edited September 10, 2006 by patricia

[rostasi]

What do you Telefunken?

[kh1958]

Vinyl is also very frustrating. Like yesterday, I found an original Bethleham issue of the Mingus classic East Coasting, at a reasonable price even. There are no visible scratches on the LP. However, when I listened to it this morning (after cleaning it with a Nitty Gritty vacuum cleaner), it is marred by perhaps the loudest surface noise I've ever heard on an LP. This is very tragic, because if one can ignore all the surface noise, the sound of the record is actually very beautiful. On the British LP reissue I have from the 1980s and CD reissues, the recording quality sounds pretty mediocre. Now I know the original issue sounded great.

[jbs-tom]

Vinyl is also very frustrating. Like yesterday, I found an original Bethleham issue of the Mingus classic East Coasting, at a reasonable price even. There are no visible scratches on the LP. However, when I listened to it this morning (after cleaning it with a Nitty Gritty vacuum cleaner), it is marred by perhaps the loudest surface noise I've ever heard on an LP. This is very tragic, because if one can ignore all the surface noise, the sound of the record is actually very beautiful. On the British LP reissue I have from the 1980s and CD reissues, the recording quality sounds pretty mediocre. Now I know the original issue sounded great.

... same with me - as much as i like vinyl and collecting it since many years - sometime it is also frustrating, like last night when i just wanted to relax by listening to my new purchased record: the montgomery brothers, groove yard, orig mono riverside - looks really close to near mint, but while listening pops and surface noise here and there. at this moment it really makes me unhappy and stressed me so i put on a SACD.

i have a ortofon silvermaster cartridge which is in my opinion very sensitive (sometimes too much for old jazz records, although i am only collecting ex to nm vinyl). but vinyl got soul and that's it!

Edited September 11, 2006 by jbs-tom

[sidewinder]

Vinyl is also very frustrating. Like yesterday, I found an original Bethleham issue of the Mingus classic East Coasting, at a reasonable price even. There are no visible scratches on the LP. However, when I listened to it this morning (after cleaning it with a Nitty Gritty vacuum cleaner), it is marred by perhaps the loudest surface noise I've ever heard on an LP. This is very tragic, because if one can ignore all the surface noise, the sound of the record is actually very beautiful. On the British LP reissue I have from the 1980s and CD reissues, the recording quality sounds pretty mediocre. Now I know the original issue sounded great.

I have a Bethlehem original of the 'East Coasting' and will give it a spin later to check the sound - a good reminder. There was also a UK Parlophone issue of this one which probably sounds better.

[Clunky]

I share your enthusiasm for the great medium that is vinyl, Big Al.

put on '2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West' by Lewis/Perkins on the UK Vogue label and the full, rich mono sound causes astonishment and absolute involvement.

I've got that same edition and it sounds incredible, even though my copy probably would only rate as VG+, really round full sound. Elvin set is however in the post...

This weekend went to my favourite place and got for £10 the following, all very nice indeed.

Wilbur De Paris- On the Riviera- Atlantic (purple/yellow)- mint looking but pressing clearly not great with fairly contant low crackle but lucky this is obliterated by a very full and loud sound, so you only notice it between tracks and as quiet moments ( of which there are very few !)- Great set and hey... no banjo......!!!

Ben Webster- IAJRC- Assorted airchecks with various leaders.

Lionel Hampton- RCA- Vol 6 - 1937/38 sessions- again great transfers.

Woody Herman Sextet- self-titled- unusual Woody date with world beater Eddie Costa,Nat Adderly, Charlie Byrd- pretty good , only Costa doesn't get much space- pity

Edited September 11, 2006 by Clunky

[sidewinder]

I've got that same edition and it sounds incredible, even though my copy probably would only rate as VG+, really round full sound. Elvin set is however in the post...

The copy I have is at least NM - sleeve and LP. Cost - £10. After clearing out 45 years of dust with the VPI it sounds like a new LP. Love that great William Claxton photo on the front cover as well !

[patricia]

What do you Telefunken?

Not very much, Rostasi. You know how those Germans are. They don't listen.