2. analog
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Suggested entry path into vinyl...

...if cost is not a major constraining factor (within limits :-)). I guess my question is do experienced vinyl enthusiasts recommend starting with a "entry-level" analog set up and tweaking and upgrading over time to maximize one's learning of what one likes by sampling different tt/tonearm/cartridge/phono setups (as well as learning how to correctly set-up and handle tts and associated gear on less expensive equipment), or would you just buy a more "evolved" (and likely more expensive) setup at the outset that you have heard within the context of the rest of your playback system and that you like the sound of (but perhaps make expensive mistakes on that gear). I am deliberately staying away from specific examples to get at folks' opinions/recommendations about the approaches. Thanks for your thoughts in advance.
cmalak
sibelius
256 posts
 
I suggest if possible you find a local dealer and spend lots of time auditioning gear. If anything, I've found the sound of analog gear varies much more than digital. While I routinely buy Amps and CD players from Audiogon I would never buy a used tonearm or especially cartridge. The benefit of a dealer is he will normally help set-up your cartridge/tonearm and may offer very good trade-in credit toward future upgrades. I found a local dealer (Analog Room in Northern California) that has been immeasurably helpful in my analog journey.

I would not recommend necessarily starting off with a budget system and upgrading - unless you really don't know if you will like vinyl. If you are committed to analog I would buy to the budget you have available to spend.

Good luck.
cmalak OP
681 posts
 
Thx Sibelius. I don't disagree with you at all. I have a number of dealers in the area. What has been frustrating is that even with very high profile dealers in the Boston area, the number of vinyl rigs available to audition is very limited to almost non-existent. Let me ask a follow-up question for those of you who own ARC CD7 and a vinyl setup. I have an all ARC front-end, including the CD7, which I found to be the least digital-sounding CD, with very liquid, smooth and natural sounding sonic character to CD playback. I envision well-put together vinyl can better the ARC CD7 on those sonic traits, and that one can get these types of results without necessarily spending an arm and a leg. Am I barking up the wrong tree here?
clio09
3,353 posts
 
No you're not barking up the wrong tree. You have to be very careful about selecting the right components and ensuring they match up well together, especially the tone arm and cartridge. Proper set-up is important as well and having access to the right tools to do it yourself or resources to do it for you will help achieve your goal.
sibelius
256 posts
 
No, you should expect a good analog system to sound better than digital. If not, why spend the $? I have recently come back into vinyl after a 25 year absence. To my ears it is no contest. While I have a fairly expensive analog system ($20K) I have heard a good $2K system (Rega P3-24) sound better than digital. To my the major attribute of analog over digital is lack of listener fatigue. I can listen to vinyl all day. The only downside is that with LP's the quality of the pressing (old and new) is variable. A bad pressing will sound bad regardless of the equipment used. None the less, I can't see my going back to only buying CD's.
cmalak OP
681 posts
 
Thx Clio and Sibelius for your follow up answers. To Clio's point, any thoughts on component matching or any "truisms" regarding approaches to vinyl (i.e., suspended vs. mass loaded designs, use of motor controller vs. not for speed stability, certain types of tonearm technologies vs others). Also, any rules of thumb regarding how to match cartridges/tonearms for better tracking, and or cartridge/phono stage matching that I should be aware of? I know these are very broad questions, so any thoughts or any reference pieces folks can point me to on the net or other places that discuss these basic "matching" principles would be very much appreciated. Thanks again.
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