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Considering analog...but nervous

Well, I've been here before. Once again, I'm thinking of venturing into the Analog world, but before doing so, I wanted to pose a few questions to fellow agoners to make sure my head (ears?) are in the right place.

Some Background: My current setup consists of a Modwright Transporter, Musical Fidelity KW 500 (hybrid tube pre/SS Amp), and Focal/JM 1027be speakers. My entire current collection is digital and I have NEVER owned Vinyl before NOR have I ever heard a high-end Analog setup.

My Tastes/musical likes: I am all about soundstage and imaging. Vocal accuracy is hugely important and instrument placing (hence, imaging) are part of what I look for when listening. Genre wise, mostly rock, folk, acoustic and blues. Some jazz as well. I generally try to stick to labels that produce good-sounding material...not over-compressed garbage.

On with the questions:

1. One of the biggest things that has kept me from trying Vinyl thus far is the concern of excessive hiss and crackle/pop that vinyl is known for. Is it safe to assume that purchasing new Vinyl and played on a higher quality setup will reduce (eliminate?) the pops and crackle sounds? I have no problem purchasing exclusively new vinyl, knowing full well that the process of shopping used is what draws so many to this market...

2. If I purchase new vinyl, only play it on a decent player, and store it properly, will I still have to clean it? How expensive is a cleaning machine? Are there (reasonable), less expensive alternatives to a cleaning machine?

3. Based on my integrated (tube-pre,SS amp) and speakers, are these a good match for Vinyl? Does anyone know if the KW 500 Phono input is adequate for a good turntable? My digital system has a tendency to be on the bright side for a lot of material, but not everything. Strangly, even at 31 years old, I can still hear up to around 19Khz so I'm a bit picky about the highs...

4. How complicated is the setup of the TT? Being that I've never worked wtih it before, I'm somewhat intimidated by the "setup" requirements of the equipment. What are the core requirements/knowledge to properly setup a TT.

5. And finally, the most subjective question of all. If I had a budget of about $1,000-$1,500 for a TT, Tonearm and Cartridge, what would be a good starting place? I'd obviously be looking for used here from Agon.

I know this was a long post so thanks for hanging in and reading it all :-). Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

-gh0st
fatgh0st
rockitman's avatar
rockitman
417 posts
 
Fatgh0st,

Congrats. Good thing you didn't listen to the digital naysayers. I myself took the vinyl plunge 2 weeks ago. Clearaudio: Performance SE, Satisfy Carbon arm, Talismann V2 MC cart and the Balance Plus Phono Pre. My digital system is top of the line 24 bit playback capacity. I will give digital one advantage over analog...if 24 bit, then the vise like grip on the lowest octaves is tighter in digital. Where digital blows it is in the actual texture of the musical notes whether it be voice, percussion, instrumental. This tangible feel of the music is completely lost in the A/D conversion. I also feel sound stage is much deeper and wider in analog playback.

Vinyl certainly has it's drawbacks in terms of cleanliness, surface noise pops, clicks and crackels but in the end, it doesn't matter. Nothing beats vinyl sound quality save for the studio analog master tapes. I am stilled stunned by the analog experience.

All the best and welcome to the sickness. I'm already looking at future turntable/tonearm/cart upgrades...disturbing as that is...
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
02-23-11: Rockitman
... My digital system is top of the line 24 bit playback capacity. I will give digital one advantage over analog...if 24 bit, then the vise like grip on the lowest octaves is tighter in digital. Where digital blows it is in the actual texture of the musical notes whether it be voice, percussion, instrumental. This tangible feel of the music is completely lost in the A/D conversion. I also feel sound stage is much deeper and wider in analog playback.
Yes-yes-yes! I've heard high end 24/96 playback at some high end audio store open houses, where 1st generation 24/96 masters are played back through insanely expensive D/A converters, line stages, amps, and speakers. I just heard such playback through a complete chain of ARC Anniversary/Signature components 2 wks ago. I can relax and enjoy 24-bit music in a way that I can't with 16/44.1, but it still only gets me 80% of the way there compared to vinyl, and in the ways you describe--texture, timbre, tangible feel, continuity and smoothness, and soundstage. Basically it comes down to how low level detail is handled, such as room ambience and the ways that sounds coming from instruments and voices start, bloom, fade, and the last room ambience decays.

These are the cues that make music musical, lush, rich, and enveloping.
fatgh0st OP
43 posts
 
Rockitman - I couldn't agree with you more. It's the naturalness in the sound that's got me hooked like a drug. Instruments sound like real instruments, not recorded instruments and voices sound like the singer is in the room. Digital could come close on some 24/96 material I have but at the end of the day, there isn't much 24/96 material out there that peaks my interest. On the other hand, just about every album I ever wanted is available in Vinyl and sounds as good or better than a 24/96 digital.

Analog playback = musical nirvana?

-gh0st
rockitman's avatar
rockitman
417 posts
 
02-23-11: Fatgh0st
Rockitman - I couldn't agree with you more. It's the naturalness in the sound that's got me hooked like a drug.
***********************************************************

It sure is a drug ! I just got my table last friday (CA Performance SE). On sunday, my basic plus phono-pre (Clearaudio) blew it's left channel. I have been w/o vinyl listening as of the writing of this note. I need a fix bad. Hopefully my replacement phono pre arrives by tomorrow. I upgraded to the CA Balance Plus.

To make matters worse, I feel like upgrading my table already. Needle Doctor has a 30 day return policy. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Magnum version (70mm platter) for the Avant Garde Magnum:
http://www.needledoctor.com/Clearaudio-Avant-Garde-Magnum-CMB-Turntable-w-Satisfy?sc=2&category=347

or the Master Solution CMB
http://www.needledoctor.com/Clearaudio-Master-Solution-CMB-Turntable?sc=2&category=347

I'm gonna kill my friend for bringing my attention to the analog world...LOL !
morgenholz
61 posts
 
Fatgh0st: I mean, to the point where I'm thinking about going exclusive analog in my main rig and leaving digital for the "convenience" listening elsewhere.

YES! YES!
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