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Thin record and thin sound?

Earlier this evening, I listened to Donald Fagen's "Morph the Cat," a record that I really enjoy, not only for the music, but also for the fabulous sound that comes off the vinyl and ultimately through my speakers. As I was filing it away, I happened across Dan Fogelberg's "Souvenirs" ," a record that I also really liked way back in the day. What struck me on removing the Fogelberg record from its sleeve, especially after just having put the Fagen vinyl away, was how thin the old record was. Since I was standing there with the record in my hot little hands, I slapped it on my turntable and had a listen to the first few tracks. And what do you know: The sound was as thin as the vinyl. The very lovely song "Illinois" is in my head as I write this, but I'm filling in a bit of much-needed depth to what I heard 10 minutes ago. Is this a coincidence, or does thicker vinyl sound, um, less shallow than whimpy vinyl?
hodu
maineiac
649 posts
 
My guess is also that it is VTA related.

On the advice of Pete Riggle, who makes on-the-fly VTA adjustment retrofits, I use a thin felt mat with thin LPs so that the VTA with thick and thin is nearly equivalent.

Someday I will have a tonearm that has easy VTA adjustment.
sc53
722 posts
 
How would I even adjust VTA on my Linn LP12 (Ekos tonearma and Akiva cartridge)? I don't mean to hijack thread but I also have many thin records, along with lots of newer thick ones. Do I have a way to figure out and adjust VTA on my 'table?
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 

06-30-08: Sc53
How would I even adjust VTA on my Linn LP12 (Ekos tonearma and Akiva cartridge)? I don't mean to hijack thread but I also have many thin records, along with lots of newer thick ones. Do I have a way to figure out and adjust VTA on my 'table?
I think it would be a lot easier to keep a thick mat and a thin one on hand, and use them accordingly.
theo's avatar
theo
2,718 posts
 
I think Johnnyb53 hit the nail on the head. There mut be a market for someone to offer different thickness mats for different VTA requirements. I have an LP12 as well and do not want to even think about changing a setting on my Ekos.
azmoon
126 posts
 
Hodu,

Ne real relation between thin LP and thin sound. However, "Morph" is quite bass heavy and playing most anything right after hearing it could sound "thin". Your ears need to rest a bit after playing a bass heavy recording and following up with something light like D. Fogelberg.
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