2. analog
  3. 1218926373

Is it worth expanding into Vinyl???

I've been kicking around the idea of going vinyl for awhile so I figured I'd post some questions. I understand the difference between Vinyl and Digital from a sound recording and reproduction standpoint and the pros/cons of it, but I guess real world opinion specific to my situation is what I seek.

I was born in '79 so by the time I got into music, Digital had already taken over. As such, I was never exposed to Vinyl as a child and have been raised on the digital "sound". At this point, I have a fairly substantial collection of SACD and DVD-Audio which serve as my primary listening material. Genre's are very dispersed including just about everything.

If I decided to venture into Vinyl, I would want to do so with a minimal investment up front (for the hardware)...perhaps around $500-$600. I also see that one can spend over $30k on a turntable with tonearm and cartridge, so that's a little intimidating to me. I don't want to waste even my measly $500 on getting into vinyl if I need to spend substantially more to get sound that exceeds that of my current all-digital setup.

Here is my current setup, so the only addition would be that of the turntable itself, played through these components. I suppose I'm just looking for opinions from anyone who has one regarding whether a ~$500 turntable on this system can yield sonic results that equal or exceed my current capabilities (realizing that the recording itself plays a tremendous role in the reproduction).

SACD/CD Player: Music Hall Maverick (stock)
DVD-A Player: Denon 3910 (stock)
PreAmp: Outlaw Audio 950
Amplifier: Outlaw Audio 750
Fronts: Axiom M80 v2 (Bi-Wired)
Center: Axiom VP150 v2
Rears: Axiom QS8 v2
Sub: Axiom EP500 v2
Interconnects: Outlaw Audio
Speaker Wire: Monster M1.4s BiWire

I should also mention that a nice, wide and open soundstage is the most important characteristic I look for in listening. The more "real" it all sounds, the happier I am.

Any opinions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Turntable recommendations would also be greatly appreciated!
fatgh0st
adam18
670 posts
 
This has been a very interesting discussion, and there have been many, many insightful comments and suggestions. I think that the bottom line needs to be simple.....it's all about the enjoyment of music !! With the proper synergy between audio components, both digital and analog recordings can sound fantastic, and there should NOT be a "which is better" argument.

Personally, I love both my CD and my LP collection, and I spend equally happy hours listening to both my digital and analog front ends. I started my "musical hobby" in the early 1970's, so, naturally, I have a large collection of vinyl. As I got into the mid-80's, through the 90's, and to the present day, I bought quite a lot of CD's. Now, my interests are going back to vinyl, as I'm discovering a vast and wonderful collection of my favorite albums (1950's -- 1960's jazz) getting re-issued by labels such as Blue Note. There are many websites where good re-issues (new vinyl) can be bought for around $10 each.

So, IMHO, the answer lies simply in enjoying equally the two main modes of recorded music. Both digital and analog, for my tastes and musical appreciation, are fantastic, and I am thankful that both formats are available. Some nights, as I sit in front of my Vandersteens, I only listen to the music made by the needle in the groove, and other nights, all my music comes through my CD player. Remember.....it's all about the music. Sit back, enjoy the tunes, and Happy Listening !!
04rdking's avatar
04rdking
178 posts
 
"Steveaudio
Like some others here have mentioned, you WILL need a good LP cleaning machine--I had a VPI HW16 that I paid about $400 for. Takes a few minutes to clean EACH Lp."

I have to disagree with this statement. While a vacuum machine MAY be the optimal way, I get very good results using the manual Disc Doctor brushes and cleaner. As a few others have said, this doesn't have to be a high $$$ adventure. OTOH, others that had said you won't stop at a 2K rig...... well, I think they're on to something..... Seems vinyl has the most addictive form of upgraditis......
madfloyd
411 posts
 
I am enjoying getting into vinyl. I love the packaging, ritual of putting on a record. Instead of bouncing around from track to track with a remote, you sit and listen... Even cleaning LPs feels rewarding.

Unfortunately it may very well be a money pit. I've thrown thousands of dollars (almost 10k) and have had bad luck with sound quality (unlistenable). I think I've just been unlucky (suspected bad cartridge, bad phono stage, etc). I'll work it out sooner and later and it will all be worth it (I hope!!)
Post removed 
ninetwofour
3 posts
 
I don't really have any advice or a recommendation. But I've just recently gotten into vinyl and can share my experience.

For me it was a low (no) expense proposition due to a significant amount of hand-me-down items from my father. Including several hundred albums. The VPI HW-19 TT I'm using, I've seen listed used for around your budget. And I'm plenty happy with the Denon DD I have on my 2nd system, and you can definitely find one of those cheap.

I bought some Disc Doctor brushes, a Perfection steam cleaner, and set about cleaning records and listening. Some albums sound blissfully sweet, some sound good, and some are frustratingly bad. I would call it a much more varied experience than CD's.

However, I am really loving the routine. And not just the actual routine of playing the albums. I love waking up early Sunday mornings to take my wife out to breakfast and then hitting the record shops. There is just something about flipping through stack after stack of albums just to see what is there. Without fail, I bring home at least one album that is absolutely phenominal (along with one or two that I just want to toss in the bin) Considering I am getting several used albums for the cost of a CD, I'm pretty happy with the odds. And every weekend I'm getting better at judging the condition of used albums.

Another great thing. I find albums that have never been released on CD that I love; and I would have missed out on were it not for the TT. I also get a nice twitter in my heart when a childhood memory is sparked from listening to one of my dad's albums that I'd long ago forgotten about.

Here's the caveat. When it really comes down to it, I'm no audiophile. I just love listening to music; and as I've recently found, the search for more music to listen to.
More to discover