Is it too late to get into vinyl now?

When new vinyl first came out I was hesitant to start collecting again because I didn't know if it was going to be a passing fad.
The CD industry was going strong and I wasn't sure if vinyl would catch on again.
A couple of years ago I saw that the vinyl industry was pretty solid so I started collecting and today it shows no signs of going away anytime soon.

So, if anyone is considering starting a vinyl collection I would say go ahead and do it.
If vinyl does go away some day then what you have will be worth a lot more than you paid for it.

 

If you've never had this feeling, then it might be hard to explain: HAVING the vinyl that I have accumulated from 1982-2001, mostly, means a lot to me; each one has resonance, heft in memory, the pleasure of having gotten it when I got it. This explains why I don't just get rid of them all (yet). (I think if someone could invent a foolproof way to timestamp WHEN a certain record entered someone's collection, hipsters would pay for it....)

However, I have only and always cared about being able to hear the music at an acceptable, not pristine or best-possible, level of quality. I got thousands of vinyl LPs mostly because that was the most affordable way to get the music at the time. I'm a $200 turntable/$500 speaker set kind of guy, with the exception of obvious surface noise I don't have a lot of feelings about whether vinyl sounds a ton better than CDs or vice versa.

And in the streaming age, out of the speakers I have attached to my computer, there is not that much of a sound difference to overbalance the enormous cost difference, that is, the $10 I pay for Spotify a month to hear nearly everything ever.

Thus, I have no emotional attachment to physicality anymore, so there is no emotional benefit to paying the anywhere from $5-35 it would cost to pick up any given "new to me" music I'm interested in on vinyl to make it worth that when I can in nearly all cases hear it via streaming. (The streaming age has also made me a shuffle addict---in most cases I can barely stand hearing 5 songs in a row by the same artist, much less listening to lps or cds as unified things.)

 

Well he's only been a mastering engineer for 15 years, mastering all formats including the box set of singles from Andrew Oldham's record label.

 

Having spent most of my life listening to vinyl through a "normal man's" stereo (Whole setup under a grand) and the last few year's listening to streaming via a $350 set of speakers attached to my computer headphone output, it is my somewhat educated opinion that for those not spending the huge bucks on their setup (and bless them that can) that spending 2017 prices on new or used vinyl as opposed to just listening to streaming is largely motivated more by emotion than a sensible balancing of money vs. experience.

 

Yes, the main point is if the mastering is done properly there is no reason why one cannot be used for both. As an opposite example, many early CDs were transfers from vinyl or cassette dub tapes. Some were awful, some mediocre while others, exceptional.

The whole discussion about which CD master was used can be confusing. Typically, though not always, the CD master is a more processed version of the 24/48, 24/96 or 24/192 master to cater for the target audience or preferences of the artist or label. There is no reason, cost or convenience, why the higher master would not be used for LPs, and often that is the case. But sometimes it is the CD master that is used and it should make no difference if it is unfutzed or it can even be better if the CD master is a good mastering of the higher version. Unfortunately, sometimes a label will use a heavily processed CD master because the highly compressed sound is what they want. I have seen this happen in a Melbourne studio, where the just the volume was set lower (and a few other tweaks) for the vinyl cut and I'm pretty sure this is the case with one or two Death Magnetic albums.

 

Do it, if it makes you happy!

 

This thread is 4 months old. And unless I missed it, the OP hasn't stated whether or not he went the vinyl route. So I guess all of this advice given now is still relevant.

 

Yeah right, I didn't realise it was an old thread until I read your post. It would be interesting to note what path the OP has chosen, if he is still around.

 

I don't buy new repressings, for what it's worth. Vintage 70's/early 80's vinyl for vintage turntables. WIN/WIN.

 

Wasn't it extended though due to the continuation of RSD?

 

Hi, guys and gals. Seeing that this thread that I started last year is still going strong, I would like to describe which path I chose.

In January I bought a cheap used turntable (25 Euros) with a cheap stylus (10 Euro) just to compare a few tracks from CDs with LPs. I remember that I compared Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (german first pressing with the first CD pressing), Accept - Breaker, Blue Öyster Cult - Tyranny and Mutation, Simon and Garfunkel and Nuclear Assault - Handle with Care. In every case the LP sounded better to my ears. I then resold this turntable.

And so the real journey began, so to speak. I knew I wanted a good turntable and I like fully automatic ones. I researched the internet, telephoned with members of a German Dual forum and Ebay sellers, but somehow I could not yet acquire a good turntable for a reasonable price.

Meanwhile, after I got into comparing CDs, I was interested in comparing them to SACDs and other "special" CD formats (SHM SACD, SACD, Platinum CD, DCC Gold (ELO - Eldorado), MFSL and Audio Fidelity Gold CD...). But before that, I bought new speakers, rearranged their location in my room, and an OPPO 93 SACD-Player. I liked what I heard, for the beginning.

Meanwhile, the search for a good turntable was accompanied by the purchasing of numerous LPs (used and new) and a big cabinet for them, the selling of my subwoofer, visiting a record fair for the first time and buying a new receiver which will arrive today (together with a better preamp for vinyl), because my old one couldn't quite handle SACDs (background noise).

Last week I had the chance to buy a reconditioned Luxman PD 277 for 200 Euros and was already in agreement with the seller, but after Easter I was unfortunately turned down. On the same day I luckily bought a Technics 1610 Mk2 (the turntable I wanted in the first place) which will arrive in a few days, hopefully in promised full working condition. The next step probably will be an upgrade of the stylus.

So, in the last months I seriously upgraded my possibilities of formats which I can listen to and my equipment. I still will enjoy CDs and plan only to exchange them, if I caught bad masters or if they are some of my favourite albums (I already have a copy of Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath and a third UK pressing of Deep Purple - In Rock, for example). Because I not only listen to 60s, 70s and 80s music, but also to metal old and new, vinyl is sometimes (unfortunately not always) the only mandatory option to get newer metal material mastered well. And I also won't stop to buy digital formats, because I listen to guitar instrumental music, which mostly comes from independent artists who often publish their music through platforms like bandcamp, iTunes or cdbaby.

Vinyl, together with SACD and DVD-Audio, now gives me the freedom to compare and research beforehand which material will likely sound best. So I'm glad that I found this forum and the encouragement in this thread. And although this research process can be quite a pain I'm glad that I spend the time and money to be able to access this freedom (which also can be turn into a constraint, I´m sure). I only wish I'd done this sooner - like a lot sooner.

 

Sounds great, having a good quality set up for all formats, keeps all options open etc.

 

Your story parralez mine in some ways. I just upgraded from A Technics sl-1600 ( you will like the 1610MKII I I'm sure) to a German built Clearaudio Performance DC table with an Ortofon 2M black cartridge. Its everything I've wanted to convince me that vinyl should be my predominant media. You should see if an Ortofon. 2M Bronze will match the arm on your Technics...the 2M blue if budget is a concern....the Technics is that good of a table that a budget cartridge and stylus would hold back its true capabilities....even though you can get these Technics 1600-1610 tables for a fraction of the cost of a new competitive table, that doesn't mean they can't closely equal the newer tables if set up right.....I still use my sl-1600 daily and my Clearaudio for critical listening.
I do like some mfsl cd's and blu-ray music discs but 95% of my listening is vinyl....there is no pack of vintage or new vinyl available so go nuts and build a nice collection And lastly , invest in a decent vinyl cleaning system as that will bring those old records back to life!!!

 

It's about sound for me but I come at it from a different angle (similar to MF) in that I had a good vinyl rig in 1982 and heard one of the best rated CD spinners being demoed in a well known (now defunct) store. It just sounded pretty appalling compared to what I was used to. CD players have got better but so has vinyl reproduction. So basically I remained committed to vinyl playback even when most people assumed it was dead and am now having the last laugh. I do listen to digital formats as well so I think I am in a good place to know the pros and cons of both formats. It's actually a good time if you are buying new vinyl and there is a big enough catalogue to start a decent collection. Until a wave of mint used vinyl resurfaces the pre-owned market will remain pretty problematic on quality and well overpriced.

 

It's funny that you mention the Ortofon 2M Bronze, because that's the upgrade I had in mind. I think that I saw or read somewhere that the Ortofon Bronze should match the tonearm of the Technics 1600/1610 Mk2.

Blu-ray Audio is another format I want to try soon: Steven Wilson's The Raven That Refused to Sing and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life are coming to my mind.

 

I never got into vinyl myself. Always found it too much of a hassle to store, clean, play, flip, clean, play, etc. A CD is far easier to manage and I don't care enough about the supposed and subjective differences in audio quality to change it up. Between CD, SHM-CD, DVD-A and BD-A i'm more than content. At this point my vinyl collection is the Guns N' Roses releases that were marketed as new albums that have been released on vinyl (everything save Greatest Hits), 2 Guns N' Roses 7" releases (It's So Easy and Chinese Democracy) and one of the super rare (1 of 300) Sixx: A.M. 7" singles. The only way it'll grow anymore is if GN'R puts out another record on LP, which, like every other release, I'll buy on CD, SHM-CD and LP.

@Martgrol, BD Audio is so fkn good. Def give it a shot if you haven't already.

 

Killing Jokes last few, The Sounds-Weekend to name a couple that were just re-leveled for the vinyl cuts... I've found no benefit on US Atlantic late 80's pressings where the disc and lp were simultaneously released, (Bad Company, Ratt, Camouflage etc..)

 

as someone who got into vinyl in the 90s, and kept buying up to present day, i'd say that it's all good, man. I've got stuff in my collection that I paid waaay too much for...back in the 90s. I've got stuff in my collection that I snagged for next to nothing....from last week.

 

I like my copy of Animals without a bunch of surface noise.

Ymmv.

 

ah, friend, those days will never be over. it's a right place/right time thing. I was at my local thrift store last week (value village) standing next to the vinyl section when they put out a batch of vintage country pressing. 2 bucks a pop...among other things, I scored a mint pressing of wanda Jackson's debut.

 

Nobody likes a bunch of surface noise. My vintage copy of Animals doesn't have a bunch of surface noise. New pressings, vintage pressings, good vinyl is good vinyl.

 

Its never to late but the fun in vinyl is searching for vinyl and finding something you have been hoping to buy.

Everyone has jacked up prices on used vinyl that it has taken a large chunk of the fun out of it.

Now listening to records will always be fantastic.

 

Not too late. With all of the reissues out there, you can get the great music of the 50's 60's 70's on a perfect record. Not to mention the 45 releases. A great time to collect vinyl.

 

Quite a bit of my collection stems from garage sales, thrifts. Most of it i'd probably wouldn't of bought (ebay,discogs etc.) for casual artists I enjoy. I mean c'mon I wouldn't of grabbed a nice German cut of Roxette's Joyride or Duran Duran's Decade from ebay, but out in the wild for a few bucks why not? I love the search Todd, agreed it can be fun

 

Yep so many, probably more than what some care to admit.