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  3. 138653-1129

I am a "Moron"




And I will tell you why I am a moron. First I have gone through a great deal of effort and expense, to get playback of my vinyl collection utilizing my PC to sound identical to just playing a record.

There was much discussion and debate about this on the PC forum, in regard as to how to accomplish this feat. Essential, was the "computer analog interface", plus you had to change some of the cards in your PC; which kind of PC didn't matter. Many people knowledgeable of various interfaces submitted their solutions; while mine is not the most expensive, it gets the same results as those which are more expensive because it's heavily modified with the most expensive "Nichicon capacitors".

Everyone testified that there was not one iota of difference between playing a record, and listening to playback through the PC.

I also read of an account of an audiophile who could afford almost anything. He belonged to an audio club that met once a month; it was the kind that discussed the merits of Koetsu Coral stone, over other equally fine cartridges, while sipping vintage wine. They were devoted to the best tone arms and turntables as well.

This audiophile had everything except time. He read where he could down load his vinyl to PC, and enjoy the same playback without handling his precious records. Naturally he was skeptical, but no less than "Stereophile" assured him this was possible. After accomplishing this feat, he no longer played his records, but enjoyed them the new way.

When it was his turn to host the meeting, he did not divulge this, but continued to engage in the conversation as though he was still experimenting with tone arms, cartridges and etc. I believe if he had revealed his secret, he would have been banned from the club.

The reason I say I am a moron is because I have tried more than once to share my knowledge on the "Analog forum", to be completely and emphatically rejected.

Anyone who does the same thing numerous times expecting different results, is a moron; especially when they get the same results each time.


orpheus10
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Boxer and 2 channel, the more you handle your records, the more you are likely to cause a scratch. I was washing my records, got distracted and caused a scratch.

Now I take a new record out of the cover, record it, and I can listen for 1000 times without ever touching the record again; I like that.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,960 posts
 
2channel8
I may never buy another vinyl LP again. This after receiving a totally defective, stylus-damaging copy of MSFL's reissue ...
Please explain how a defective LP damaged your stylus.
boxer12
8,656 posts
 
orpheus,
What your doing makes perfect sense for the LP's longevity. It's all good, just can't see myself doing that. Some of that is certainly because I'm not familiar with the format, but I really do like the process that goes with listening to LP's for a few hours.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Boxer, before computer, I used reel to reel tape decks; those were the only machines I really fell in love with. When they were popular, I would spend hours at the stereo store admiring the big expensive decks I couldn't afford.

Since that time, which was many years ago, I have owned Akai, Teac, Otari, and Technics; needless to say, I became accustomed to recording my records. The availability of high quality blank tape threw a wrench into that process.

I'm an "audiophile", not a PC expert, I don't understand the process either; I only know that it works, and it works precisely as I have stated that it works when you have the proper hardware.

Fortunately, it's not as expensive as straight up audio, and if you purchase the hardware, which comes with some instructions, I believe you can make it happen.

( In all honesty, I have a computer "guru", we call them "geeks", who assists me; I only know what audiophiles know; I told him I wanted the output to sound precisely like the input, he told me what to buy, and we made it happen)

From what I've read, I believe it's possible to put an "audiophile" PC system together without a "geek".
2channel8
758 posts
 
@orpheus10 , I should have been more precise. It's the covers and other informative material that comes with the physical media that I like handling.

@cleeds , Well a bad warp can damage a stylus; but this was worse! in two places on each rotation the tonearm jerked pretty violently toward the spindle and just as violently back out. It happened on both sides and it was not that the center hole was off center. The grooves were not circular for the whole 360 degrees; but puckered in in two places. I can't imagine how that happened; but it scared me. of course there was mistracking, which can be damaging, but there was a lot of torque to the cantilever as well. I'm not saying it did damage the stylus. I do believe it would have had I not been standing right there and reacted quickly to lift the tonearm.
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