Downloads are taking off and it has been 25 years since CD was launched, yet audiophile demand for turntables and vinyl continues unabated. When did you last spin a record?
COMMENTS
Anyone who can't hear the differences between vinyl and CD/downloads is either deaf, or doesn't have their turntable set up properly. DVD-Audio and SACD are excellent, and only the best (vinyl) pressings sound better, but CD or compressed digital files? Blah! CD-Rs that I burn from the vinyl sound better than CDs of the same album (from the labels).
After buying a projector, I sold my records localy, the phono preamp to a guy who drove 650 miles to pick it up and the turntable to somebody who drove 750 miles. I replaced my 1992 vintage Krell CD player with a Linn Unidisk 2.1 and enjoyed the upgrade for a while. But now, I find something is missing...
Every few weeks, my wife and I spend a Friday evening spinning records. While the sound quality does not rival my favorite remastered CDs, playing vinyl is more of an event that requires more effort. Consequently, I find the music more involving, more attention grabbing.
The real question is when did I last play a CD ? Oh yeah that's right it was the other day when I put Folsom Prison Blues on repeat when i was trying to learn the strum... The last CD I bought ? Not counting the free ones with MOJO, at least a year ago!
I own an old Technics record player and it's still refreshing to listen to recordings as far back as 80 years ago. There's something about hearing music on vinyl that a CD—despite its technological advantages—just doesn't quite "catch."
I listen to vinyl every day. It's perhaps 70% of the music I play, and I find the extra time it takes to get the music going a plus, not a minus. The effort and the care it takes to pull out a record from the sleeve, put it on, screw down the clamp, and get the arm lined up puts my mind in a frame to really listen, whereas when I throw a CD on the player, it's like I'm not ready yet when the first track starts up.
As a 21-year-old with a limited budget, vinyl is a great way to get into good listening. The sound is just so much simpler and more pleasing to my ears than digital music. Plus, with good used record stores around, it is possible to get great records for a fraction the cost of a new CD.
On a whim, I pulled out my old (30 years) turntable, swapped in my MFA preamp (only one with a phono section) and took a listen last weekend. Hooked again. Just ordered a new 'table, arm, and cart, and some new tubes for the preamp. Ahh. Satisfying.
Allaerts cartridge on a SME V arm, and TT is a Michell Orbe. Is better than any digital I have ever heard, I used to compare this between fresh food (vinyl) and processed, canned food (digital). Whereas processed food has a predictable, repeatable quality, the fresh food stuff beats it each time with a richer experience.
While I did spin some vinyl in the past week, I may average only twice a month. My entry level MMF-5 table and Parasound Z phonostage sound about as good, or better, as my Stereophile recommended class "A" digital components, but it boils down to one big CD/SACD advantage: convenience.
Since about 1987, I have listened to vinyl only very few times, and it sounded bad. Therefore, I was happy to sell my LPs and I even got some money (actually I traded them for CDs and DVDs)—and 15 years ago they were worth nothing. Go vinyl revival, go— but not into my listening room ever again!
1990, Threw out my turntable, put the vinyl in storage, and started enjoying music instead of being paranoid of scratches, dust, sunlight, Tracking force, stylus wear, anti-skating, kids, talcum powder, inner groove, drunk women dancing, police (actually,still paranoid about them), etc...
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