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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
jazdoc
365 posts
 
I believe a good RCM makes sense if you have a large record collection or are a volume buyer of used vinyl. If you spend $2500 on an RCM and clean 2500 records, it's a $1 a record. The difference in sound quality is worth it. Your software is the most important part of your system.

What may not be worthwhile is the investment of time required to clean a large volume of vinyl.
jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
Very few Ebay jazz sellers play grade anything. The biggest and best sellers jusy sell too many to do this. I would be crazy and the experienced sellers can tell from looking at a record what to grade it. But never buy from anyone who doesn't offer at leasy a 7 day money back guarantee.

In the end, you still need an RCM to buy used records. Don't expect even a near mint record from the 50's or 60's to sound good unil it is very carefully cleaned. Near mint doesn't mean clean.
paanders OP
43 posts
 
Robob queried what cartridge and stylus I'm using for used jazz vinyl. It's a newish Elys 2 cartridge and stylus attached to Rega 301 on a p3-24 turntable. I was under impression this was a good entry-level midfi cartridge.

manitunc
795 posts
 
If you are serious about playing vinyl, a VPI or similar record cleaning machine is a must. Just accept it and do it. As for $50 records, most are wonderful, but not 3 times better than an original 50s or 60s record in its original condition, unless it has been remastered and the remastering is better than the original.
paanders OP
43 posts
 
Thanks, and I was further wondering what blogs or chat sites jazz-listening audiogoners give four or five stars to.

I've found this community very well-informed about gear and used jazz vinyl, though rockers seem to dominate the music discussions.

I wish I could learn of a site where jazz folks did little reviews of cd/new vinyl comparisons. For example, Herbie Hancock's fairly recent RIVER: THE JONI LETTERS is available on cd (of course) and also vinyl (not a cheapie, though). I'm curious if anyone's heard the vinyl and can compare
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