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Is it worth expanding into Vinyl???

I've been kicking around the idea of going vinyl for awhile so I figured I'd post some questions. I understand the difference between Vinyl and Digital from a sound recording and reproduction standpoint and the pros/cons of it, but I guess real world opinion specific to my situation is what I seek.

I was born in '79 so by the time I got into music, Digital had already taken over. As such, I was never exposed to Vinyl as a child and have been raised on the digital "sound". At this point, I have a fairly substantial collection of SACD and DVD-Audio which serve as my primary listening material. Genre's are very dispersed including just about everything.

If I decided to venture into Vinyl, I would want to do so with a minimal investment up front (for the hardware)...perhaps around $500-$600. I also see that one can spend over $30k on a turntable with tonearm and cartridge, so that's a little intimidating to me. I don't want to waste even my measly $500 on getting into vinyl if I need to spend substantially more to get sound that exceeds that of my current all-digital setup.

Here is my current setup, so the only addition would be that of the turntable itself, played through these components. I suppose I'm just looking for opinions from anyone who has one regarding whether a ~$500 turntable on this system can yield sonic results that equal or exceed my current capabilities (realizing that the recording itself plays a tremendous role in the reproduction).

SACD/CD Player: Music Hall Maverick (stock)
DVD-A Player: Denon 3910 (stock)
PreAmp: Outlaw Audio 950
Amplifier: Outlaw Audio 750
Fronts: Axiom M80 v2 (Bi-Wired)
Center: Axiom VP150 v2
Rears: Axiom QS8 v2
Sub: Axiom EP500 v2
Interconnects: Outlaw Audio
Speaker Wire: Monster M1.4s BiWire

I should also mention that a nice, wide and open soundstage is the most important characteristic I look for in listening. The more "real" it all sounds, the happier I am.

Any opinions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Turntable recommendations would also be greatly appreciated!
fatgh0st
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Getting into vinyl is not cheap particularly if you don't have a substantial record collection. New and reissued vinyl is overpriced and in many cases very poor quality. If you have the time and wherewithall to attend record shows, record stores, and work with on-line vendors you'll fare much better. In any case, you'll need to commit a big chunk of your time to build a collection.

Also keep in mind analog is quite interactive. You don't grab the remote, hit a button, and kick back.

Lastly, as documented by previous posters, most but not all, vinylphiles find themselves in a continuous state of upgradeitis. Symptoms include frustration, confusion, and insomnia.

Which brings you back to expense and interactivity.

IMO, your money is better spent upgrading the weakest links in the system i.e. the cd player, amp, and preamp.
bdgregory
1,725 posts
 
I'm not sure I have anything new to add, but will reinforce many of the comments above . . .

I grew up on vinyl, and held out to the last minute in the 80's before buying a CD player (my local record store quit stocking vinyl). I still much prefer vinyl over CD's. That said, here are my suggestions to anyone asking your question:

Do it only if some or all of the following conditions apply:
1) You have a lot of cash, and really want to experiment.
2) You already have a large collection of vinyl setting on the shelf.
3) You have a good source of used vinyl (ie at a local record store, and you like pre-90's releases - especially Jazz, Classical, Rock that are widely available (not to say other genre's aren't also abundant). Used vinyl can be bought for $1 to $5 normally - in good to great condition. Sometimes you pay more for rare titles.
4) You have heard vinyl compared to digital and know you prefer its sound.

Realize that if you don't have a collection and intend to buy new vinyl releases exclusively, it will be extremely expensive. I personally would put that cash into improving other components or buying new s/w.

Also realize caring and feeding of vinyl is more labor intensive. You can't pause, nore skip, etc. You need to clean them and handle carefully. It's very hard to digitize to your iTunes library.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
the marantz table is an extremely good way to dive in... and reasonable(in a couple thousand dollar kind way). there are thorens and dual models too that are great values, and play as well as many of the veg-o-matic brands that sell for a alot more. 'take care of your records, and your records will take care of you'.
hot_rod
11 posts
 
I'm not sure you need to go to the lengths described here.All it took for me to realize the upside to vinyl was a used Yamaha pf-800($279.00)a Cinmage SUT($300)and a Denon 103($175.00).For a total of $750.00 I feel completely satisfied with this setup.
buscis2's avatar
buscis2
468 posts
 
I might suggest spending time with some friends who own both formats. Make an attempt to match your CDs to friends LPs and listen to them A-B. You will probably walk away from such a comparison being better informed and more than likely even more confused.

I'm 49 years old. I have been playing vinyl since I was preteen.

My opinion?

Digital has really become excellent. I owned an original Sony CDP101 during the original release. It was absolutely horrifying digital. Back then, the sound of vinyl was very, very different compared to digital. At this point in time, I have to very carefully question if the sonic differences between vinyl and CDs isn't slowly beginning to diminish and minimize.

But do also consider that low end analog provides low end results. A good analog front end is a substantial investment. I feel an important consideration would be the cost of investment. I promise you...... If you're bitten by the analog bug, you are not gonna stop at a $2k rig. You'll also find that your record collection will begin to represent a huge outlay of money.

A quality digital front end properly connected to a Tubed-pre is a very fulfilling and satisfying sonic presentation. I'm gonna put my neck out here and state that some will rival analog all day long in terms of tonal accuracy, texture and holographic imaging characteristics.

Boy..... Am I gonna catch Hell for that one. :>)

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