Is vinyl still a "perfect" source?

Elizabeth, you're right now. Here's a good example. I'm between amps right now so can't play anything (I don't have a CDP). However, I was looking forward to a quiet evening in the basement with some good beer, the radio and cleaning a bunch of records I got two weeks ago. It took me two hours to clean about fifteen records (I do it by hand - steaming, modified hand-held wet/dry vac, etc.) but it was great!!!

04-07-07: Elizabeth
LP is just a "nostalgia" medium.
Things were never better than in the 'old days'.
I OWN 10,000 LPs, have two turntables etc..
But for folks thinking about getting into LP either again, or for the first time.. you are nuts!

Why? I got into vinyl 3 years ago, and bought almost all the classical reissues and I could not be more happy. IMHO the reissues, I am talking about classical music only, are far better than the original ones. One of the reason is that you have to get a 40+ year old, pristine 1S/1S vinyl for a affordable price. Which even if it is sealed, can have all the downsides of vinyl, like scratches, clicks and pops etc. If I buy a reissue and I am not satisfied I return it. And because of the low production today almost every reissue is 1S/1S.

To my knowledge they are not digital recorded/mastered. Just go to http://www.speakerscorner.de/ and under Help click on FAQ. And in my system and to my ears the sound is the closest to my reference system (The Jacksonville Jacoby Hall with the JSO) I can get.

Rudy

8 tracks were gone.
Cassettes were gone.
R2R were gone.
DAT were gone.
SACD is going soon and nobody can read/listen to CD 50 years later.

I think LPs are really close to perfect. I can still play a 50 years old mono LP and sounds wonderful.

Dear Carl: +++++ " Have any of you noticed a loss of recording quality in vinyl over the past few years because of this? " +++++

Almost all the today LP's production are re-issues that are 100% analog. Most of the today LP recording are anolog ones and only a few ones are digital recorded.

No, there is no loss of recording quality other than ( in some recordings ) poor production/remastering.

The vinyl never been and never will be a perfect source/medium, nothing is, but the quality music sound reproduction through vinyl is ( IMHO and other than master tapes ) today still the best way to be " there ", to feel the music and to developt very high emotions that only through this medium you can achieve.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

04-07-07: Elizabeth
LP is just a "nostalgia" medium.
Things were never better than in the 'old days'.

To me, CDs and LPs are analogous to shirts made of no-iron polyester vs. 100% cotton.

The no-iron polyester is more convenient as it doesn't require prep time; you can pull the shirt from the dryer and put it on right away. The cotton shirt requires several minutes of ironing and more meticulous handling to preserve the creases and not re-introduce wrinkles before you put it on.

Polyester wearers are punished for the convenience by having to wear a polyester shirt all day, which can be scratchy, doesn't breathe well with your skin, and seems to soak up and radiate armpit stink more efficiently.

Cotton shirt wearers are rewarded for those few minutes of ironing and handling by getting to wear a soft, comfortable, breathable shirt all day long.

The point of a shirt is to wear it to look and feel good all day. The point of playing recorded media is for enjoyment and to be moved by the performance.

Records take more care, but I am rewarded with an organic, emotionally engaging sound that puts a smile on my face. CDs are more convenient, but the performances engage me only on rare occasions, and many times the digital edginess and bleached sound makes it a relief to turn the stereo down or off.

I listen to music to be moved by it. This is something that LPs do easily and often. It is something that CDs do fitfully and seldom.