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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
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fatgh0st OP
43 posts
 
Wow...37 replies in 24 hours...amazing!

Thank you all for your input. I think that after reading all of this, I'm going to put this idea on hold again. Convenience is a huge factor for me, which obviously lends itself favorably to the digital approach that I've already ventured into. I have two small children (1 and 3) so at the end of the day (the ONLY time I have to enjoy this hobby) when I head downstairs, I just want to pop in, kick back and relax. The thought of having to get up and flip is probably not what I'd want to do at that late hour. In addition, I do think that the clicks and pops would probably drive me nuts.

Truth is, my digital system sounds great...my interest in vinyl was more for the wider availability of titles, but it sounds like the TIME investment, coupled with the financial investment probably just doesn't make sense for me ATM.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their time and comments in helping lead me to a good decision (for now anyway :-) )
shazam
205 posts
 
I've just been going through this very same thought process and have some observations.

1. For analog recordings (i.e. pre-1985 or so), vinyl gets to the soul of a music experience that digital simply cannot. Even with it's higher resolution and expanded resolution formats, when compared to vinyl digital just plain sounds...digital.

2. Jazz on vinyl is the ultimate hi-fi experience. All the great jazz that was produced from the late 50's to the late 70's sounds best on vinyl without question. Recording processes were perfected for that medium and the medium loves it back. If you doubt this, vinyl is probably not for you.

3. One of the highlights of my week is heading down to my local used record shop every week-end to plow through the new additions bins and see what gems I might find. I rarely leave with less than 4 albums and rush right home to bask in their brilliance. Getting back into vinyl has allowed me to rediscover music that didn't sound right to me on digital.

4. You will have to invest a minimum of $2,000 for 'new' equipment for a table and cartridge to do a decent hi-fi justice. Add a little more if you require a phono stage. The better your system, the more flaws it will point out. Buying used may save you some money if you are disciplined to stay with the same class of component. But if you are like me, buying used says "hey, I'm getting a deal so I should spend just as much and move up."

5. Whatever you think you are going to spend, add 50%. While people often forget the 20% cost rule for cables (interconnects, power) when buying components, accessory can get downright ridiculous with vinyl. Dust covers, record clamps, arm wiring, cartridges, replacement belts, isolation platforms, record cleaning supplies, etc.

6. Old popular records are dirt cheap at your neighborhood used record store. If you live in a city of any size, you have at least one or two. Get a stack of your favorites for $1.99 each. Some will be thrashed, but many will be in surprisingly good shape.

7. New records are crazy expensive - especially the ones that are really involving and make vinyl worth listening to. Half speed masters, 45 rpm re-issues, 180 gram editions - the production of these are not cheap.

My conclusions have 2 parts; (1) If you want to get into vinyl because of it's auditory properties like superior staging and lively feel, don't start down the path unless you are financially ready to do so. In my experience, that means close to $5,000 - $3,000+ for equipment and $2,000 for LPs and ancillaries. (2) If you want to simply try out the experience, you can easily get an inexpensive table (with a built in stage amp) and a fat stack of used records for your $500. Just know going in what you want from the experience and think through what you are willing to spend for it. We all have different priorities.
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johnnantais
621 posts
 
I wonder why so many vinylphiles seem to go out of their way in order to discourage prospective new "members". I've owned high-end turntables, tonearms and cartridges for twenty years now, and have rarely ever needed more than my trusty walnut-handled Discwasher record brush, a few seconds dust-removing treatment when the LP is first spun up. For those very infrequent used LPs or new "sticky" LPs which need it (maybe a few times a year), I use my budget Nitty Gritty record-cleaning machine, something like a couple of hundred bucks new. Too busy listening to the music to have the patience for more than that, too impatient to lay on the next LP :-). So, I have to disagree, vinyl need not be particularly time-consuming (though you do have to get out of your chair to flip sides) or expensive, and excellent results can be had at a budget price, especially considering the various superb used deals out there.

The problem of ticks and pops as well is exaggerated, a decent tonearm takes care of that (sloppy bearings exaggerates/amplifies the effect), and a cartridge which does not emphasize such things (some are noisy, some are quiet in the groove). Amazing results on a budget, $200-400 used including tonearm, can be had from such trusted names as Thorens, Ariston, Rega and others. And thinking outside the box, old-time receivers such as a MARANTZ 2220 had superb phono stages for a fraction of today's sonic equivalents (about $100 used these days, and with superb tuner section), just use the tape output and use it strictly as a phono stage or tuner! Preamps such as the older C-J PV-series can be had for about $400 with decent tubes, and have high-end phono stages it would cost well over a grand to match today, if not more, and can also be used as outboard phono stages via the tape outputs. With the low low price of used LPs, some serious fun - AND sound quality - can be had on a budget.

Experimenting is fun, satisfying curiosity is fun, and the music from good ol' vinyl is entrancing and rewarding. Vinyl is also a lazy and relaxed music-lover's medium (the dust on my Nitty Gritty is a 1/2" thick), not only the preserve of masochists ;-).
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