Alright, it's cold now.
Mr. G says the mercury will only creep up to around the 38- or 39-degree mark today. I guess it's to be expected. We
are deep into November. New York City in the cold, with all of the wreaths and lights and scarves and frigid breath, is beautiful. For a moment or two, that is, until I remember how much I hate this weather. It's funny, too, how I forget how unbearable it can be in
my apartment this time of year. I don't know how I've lived through the last three winters in that old, drafty shack.
I shouldn't complain. I know I am lucky to even have a home. With winter approaching, I considered searching for a new place, but decided that now might not be the best time to make a move. Better to just stay put. With the recession and all, this is no time to take on the inevitable expenses of relocation.
Still, it's sort of fun to dream. I think of having a larger place with a spare room for my record collection and hi-fi, my own dedicated listening room. I'll have it someday.
The orange couch, a soft rug, a nice lamp. Walls lined with vinyl records; Devore Fidelity loudspeakers (two-tone Super 8s, I think); tube amps (Shindo—screw it, why not dream big?);
the Rega, my solid-state
Exposure gear; my
little PSBs; my
VPI; an old wood desk near a window with one of those fancy MacBook Pros or whatever they call them these days. A proper setup. On one wall, I'll have a shelf with all of my gorgeous little phono cartridges. (Currently, I own none.) On another, I'll display my phono preamps. (Ditto on the none.)
At some point, I'd like to convert my vinyl to digital files. Why? It'll be good to have digital backups, I think, and I'd also like to have a foot in the digital arena, just because. Just like I think it's a good idea to be able to drive stick, just because. Since I've been listening exclusively to vinyl, I've stopped making mix CDs for friends. I miss making mixes, and I'd like to create a few based entirely on songs converted from vinyl. And, finally, I simply think that converting my vinyl collection will be a fun project, a different way of getting to know albums and songs. Sorting, shuffling, creating playlists, and all that.
I'm not ready to start converting my vinyl to digital files, but when I get there, I'll definitely consider the new NAD PP-3 digital phono preamplifier. This modest-looking phono preamp measures just around 5 inches long by 1.4 inches high by 2.75 inches deep, and resembles NAD's affordable PP-2 MM/MC phono pre ($129).
Michael Fremer reviewed the PP-2 in our October 2004 issue (Vol.27 No.10). Though he found it "somewhat dry, less than generous on harmonic overtones, and lacking overall complexity and dynamic subtlety," he concluded:
The NAD PP-2's combination of background quiet, image solidity, soundstage organization, and freedom from obvious flaws of commission make it a pleasant surprise.
Omar uses the PP-2 in his system, and it certainly gets the job done. The PP-3, however, adds an analog-to-digital converter, a USB interface, and VinylStudio Lite software, which allows users to copy vinyl tracks directly to a PC as WAV or MP3 files. The PP-3 costs just $179.
Other USB phono preamps that immediately come to mind include the Pro-Ject Phono Box II USB ($199), which is compatible with both PCs and Macs, and the very cool, tubed Bellari VP-530 ($399), an upgraded version of the
VP-129.
In my dream-world, I'll have them all, and every day will be sunny and warm.
