Starting a Classical Vinyl Music Collection

From my experience I think that BACH is my favorite.

i assume you know something about classical music and know what you like?

I would start by perusing the catalog like on Music Direct. Identify an audiophile recording that appeals to you, and a couple regular recordings. Buy these. This can help set the bar for a great sounding album (there is variation in audiophile record but this is likely to be great). This will give you some idea of what recordings should sound like. This should also tell you if you should be collecting audiophile recordings or regular.

Ultimately, it is fun to buy used from record stores, but that requires the ability to look at an album and assess its condition. Classical is the hardest to buy used because of the ever present quiet passages and huge dynamic range. If you get into used, then you are probably going to need to buy a record cleaning machine. This is where things get more expensive, complicated, and fun.

I also recommend research with AllMusic. That will help you choose and understand different recordings,  composers, and conductors.

Thanks ghdprentice.

Which record cleaning machine do you recommend?

TIA

Well, it really depends on your budget. My first was a VPI. It layed down the cleaning fluid and vacuumed it up. It does a good job, and is relatively inexpensive, but it sounds like a 747 landing, and is quite large. I now own a German Nelly… elegant, effective, quiet, and small, and cost… two or three times the VPI. But there are many on the market. It will depend on your budget. My VPI lasted for twenty years… so it is a long termed investment, worth choosing wisely. Ultrasonic are a mixed bag, more complex.
 

I would ask Bard (Google AI), given your constraints and then research those on Stereophile and The Absolute Sound. Also, both these mags evaluate lots of classical albums for performance and Sonic’s.. I think they both have done the hundred most important classical albums somewhere. I would research the hundred most important classical recordings online to find the right albums to start with

Classical Vinyls seems to be everywhere and cheap, thrift stores

if you cant afford a RCM then get a nice carbon fiber brush