2. analog
  3. 176979-9627

The past meets the future

I have become a huge advocate of streaming over the last few years as streaming has at long last reached audiophile sound quality. So, for someone that is new to audio or does not have a lot of money invested… it is hard to recommend this route.

However, as an old fart. One that suffered through low end turntables, unbelievable surface noise, scratched records, and debatable fidelity for much of his life. Owning a tremendous analog end is such a pleasure. I recently upgraded my contemporary Linn LP12 to nearly the maximum. I have a Audio Research Reference 3 phono stage so the sound quality is simply stunning.

Taking a Covid break and going to my local record store… buying a half dozen great old blues albums… cleaning up to pristine condition. It is such a pleasure to hear such fidelity and musicality from a ritual I have performed since a teenager… record store, spinning. That has been mainstream for me for over fifty years. I guess it is like the old Shortwave radio guys when I was growing up. They had the 25’ antenna sticking up above their suburban houses in the 1960’s.

Just a nod to the era and tradition that will soon pass into history. It has been a blast.

ghdprentice
ghdprentice OP
7,030 posts
 

@emrofsemanon 

You hear no surface noise with a good turntable… none.

williewonka
3,075 posts
 

But what I find most comical are those artists that introduce "scratchy sections" in their recordings - and I have to wonder WHY?

Will they still do that in future, i.e. when vinyl has gone the way of the corded telephone? 

Regards - Steve

ghdprentice OP
7,030 posts
 

@williewonka 

 

”scratchy sections”… I hate that… I don’t get it. I immediately jump to something else. I really really hate it, and do not understand it. Having spent so much time and money to eliminate that sound… why would you put it into a recording… this is a real pet peeve of mine. 

emrofsemanon's avatar
emrofsemanon
292 posts
 

i just don't get people who say that "good phonographic playback is totally noiseless" - that is basically like saying that analog tape is noiseless when it is quite obvious to anybody with ears that it is not. even a dolby A-encoded master tape has a residual amount of tape noise. even virgin vinyl in a lab-grade clean room has surface noise. how anybody can deny this is beyond me. 

lohanimal
659 posts
 

@williewonka 

you said:

’

  • more new sytlus profiles have been developed than at any time prior to the advent of the CD
  • More cantilever materials have been employed to improve cartridge performance
  •  More retipping services are now available than at any time in the past
  • More new cartridges are now available
  • More new Tutntable designs are now available to the market
    • from entry level to highest end products
  • More third party arms are now available
  • More audio companies are now building Phono stages
  • More artists are releasing albums in both formats
    • AND the quality of new vinyl is improving 
  • more used record outlets are popping up everywhere
  • more younger people are discovering the "kick back and relax" approach, when listening to vinyl
  • I know younger people are really getting intl the album cover art and included artist's notes
    • they find the foramt is a more intimite connection to the artist and the album

 

Acrually:

- we have lost many profiles such as stereohydron

- the MM cantilevers by JVC and Technics are definitely not made anymore- hollow beryllium? jewel cantilevers are nothing new

- I agree with the re-tipper thing - some new guys think they are much better than the establishment and are extortionate

- more new cartridges? Pre1985 - no  - possibly vinyl dark age in the 90’s

- more turntables? No - compare to 1970’s heyday 

 

I think you are talking about the 90’s when  the only thing to really keep vinyl in the mainstream were DJ wannabe’s like me. 
 

People buy for vinyl now for really naff kitsch reasons (ie they love the crackles) and often get awful Usb link decks that really do no justice to the format. Nearly all vinyl is digitally mastered too. 180gram is a bit of a con to satisfy a somewhat dim market. Sadly this has forced vinyl prices stratospherically. Vinyl costs at least double CD prices due to retooling. I used to pick up superb vinyl at car boot sales in the 90’s and at jumble sales. 
I am sorry to sound grumpy 😠 but I am not - I am just being realistic 

 

btw I was also thinking of I-Robot.

 

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