2. analog
  3. 1302143113

higher end jazz vinyl: where to turn?

I'm a lifelong jazz listener but only new to entry-level hifi, as presently marketed--by which I mean Rega p3-24 turntable, Linn Classik amp, Vienna Acoutics Mozart Grand Speakers, and a lot of heart.

Anyway I have a choice set of old ECM records, Miles Davis records, and so forth, that I bought in the early 1980s. Most of them have some noise and crackle now and again--which I largely discount as the distinguished marks of age and memory. Nonetheless a clean sweet classic jazz LP played at substantial volume, even through a low midfi system like mine, is a beautiful thing. Beauty is a rare thing, I read somewhere. And it makes me wonder about upgrading the vinyl.

So here are questions:
1. Are these $50 classic content and such rereleases of Blue Notes really so good? Including worth the effort of getting up and turning the 45 over in middle of a strong Coltrane solo-a double indignity, to a genius and to the lazy.

2. What to say of all these 180g and 200g re-releases at higher prices versus the $10-20 unopened recent copy meant for mass market (or as massy as the jazz list allowed/allows)?

3. I'm using Disc Doctor record cleaners on my old and newer vinyl, but wonder how great the different is to move to a machine, say vpi 165?

4. I'm just a poor righteous teacher so I'm a bargain hunter: an Inexpensive Audiophile down with the feel of the Expensive Winos aestheticist mentality.

5. Thanks!
paanders
paanders OP
43 posts
 
Well I guess now I will be writing to any potential internet seller for clarification on cosmetic condition versus playback condition.

This is ridiculous: what's the point of staring at an lp to see if it provides the nicest reflection, as in a black pond, and calling that a condition (other than narcissistic personality disorder or NPD)? Any of those sellers I will presume is a joker and not to be taken seriously by music-lovers.

pryso
1,928 posts
 
Paanders, think about it, what store could possibly "play grade" (common term for sonic evaluation) the many records they buy then sell over the counter, or on line? That benefit may likely come only from private sellers with a few offerings or dealers when selling expensive, rare recordings, knowing the buyer will likely demand such.

I may guess that your experience of clean, quiet recordings from one store and noisy records from another was likely luck. It may have been that all the quiet records came from one owner who simply took better care than the average person, who knows?

The point remains that buying used records is ALWAYS a bit of a chance, and then after you've owned them and played them several times they will need cleaning again. You certainly shouldn't need to wash and vacuum after every playing but eventually you likely will. Don't spin your wheels here, find some means of wash/vac that meets your budget and go for it.
hevac1
812 posts
 
Paanders

Most used record stores will only visually rate records. I usually only purchase records that are Play Rated or sealed over the internet, there are exceptions but very few. I buy from local stores if they offer a 100% money back guarantee, again with some exceptions. Some rare items in not so good condition can be marked asis if they are not asking lots of cash for them. Mono records can look bad and sound bad with a stereo cartridge but sound great with a mono cartridge. They to me are worth the risk.
It is better if I have to bring a record back to the store in my travels than to pay return shipping. Plus I may find more records to buy while I'm there.
What a vicious circle!

BTW play rated only means that they put the needle down in some areas and listen for a few seconds or they listen to the hit songs on the record to rate it by that. Not too many if any stores would do a full listen to every record they sell. This does not guaranty that their opinion is the same as yours for a VG++ record even if they did a full listen anyway. This also holds true for persons selling their private collection.

Used records are a crap shoot.
ThatÂ’s also why most stores Give little money for used records and have lots of dollar bins.
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,307 posts
 
FWIW - I do use the KAB EV-1 in conjunction with DIY record cleaning fluid for initial cleaning + steam cleaning and Audio Intelligent cleaners as part of the final process. I vaccuum with the EV-1 between the various steps.
paanders OP
43 posts
 
Are there any internet sellers y'all can recommend who do "play ratings" of used jazz vinyl (without going into budget-buster territory, which for me is a mere $50)?

Meanwhile, I guess everything depends on satisfaction guaranteed policies and the like.

It's funny being a neophyte getting his overdue sentimental education here. I buy used books online all the time, and the sellers always open the book and look through the pages for marks, marginalia, stains, even at the meagre $3 price point. Yes, it easy to do.

I very naively figured used record salespeople would do the same (perhaps beginning at $10 price point), otherwise these "condition ratings" really are only somewhat useful.

And to think that we are to trust NM and Mint ratings (and pay accordingly higher prices) on the precariousness of someone eyeballing a record for five seconds.

And the new 180g Coltrane lp I bought was slightly warped and with some telling crackles. Should I translate that crackling code into English as... "sucker! We pulled you back into vinyl with the sweet sounds of today's analog playback systems, and once you were up and ready, we brought back the noise...again."

So I guess this secondary theme regarding used vinyl and ratings folds back into the master theme of the necessity of vacuum RCMs and the invisible logic of luck.
More to discover