The imperfections of vinyl playback, and isn't it wonderful!

G'day all, right now I'm listening to 'Cross Eyed Mary' from Jethro Tull's 'Aqualung' with my Ortofon OM10, and after fiddling with its cartridge loading for the last day, I've got it sounding as I like it.

It makes me realise that despite all the imperfections of vinyl playback I'd still be rather be listening to a 'record' than anything else (most of the time anyway). Now back to 'Aqualung'. Regards, Felix.

 

TBH, I've only returned to vinyl this year... When my parents finished transferring their classical records and passed them on to me! I'm really enjoying the discipline of listening to a complete album again.

 

Phono pre is in for repairs, and I have enjoyed listening to CDs, but I am getting pretty anxious to get the system spinning again.

 

No imho
Last night I was listening to a BBC Transcription Service disc of 'Journey into Space' from the 50s
It wasnt bad but it certainly wasnt 'wonderful'

 

Meh. It's a pain the ass, and the surface noise, pops and clicks drive me bats. I really WANT to love it again, but if I'm REALLY listening too much gets in the way.

 

I've introduced my fair share of folks to vinyl and although I would be the last to try to convert anyone to records, quite a few of my audiobuds have taken on the expense and labor of love that vinyl demands in order to have that format in their systems. I don't sugar-coat the format, in fact if anything, I tend to dissuade my friends but I'll also demonstrate vinyl the best I can by spinning clean copies of a few exceptional LP's. I'll also play any requests and I'm not apologetic for any 'ticks' or 'pops' that may occur on an older, used record - especially one I have yet to clean. If I feel the need, I'll clean the record on the spot and show them what a good cleaning can do as the difference in sound and noise level can be quite an eye-opener for those unaware of the procedure. Still, compared to digital files and CDs, vinyl requires a lot more work, its a PITA to set up properly, needs maintenance and adjustment on occasion and if you have a really nice digital set up, a comparable TT/arm/cart/phono pre, etc. can be quite expensive to put together.

Unless you can appreciate the nuances of vinyl and can actually hear the difference between it and other formats, over and above its drawbacks, both sonic (ticks, pops, rumble, IGD, etc.) and the time commitment (cleaning, maintenance), I'd suggest limiting yourself to listening to friends' systems. OTOH, if you can get past the downsides, you'll discover that vinyl can be a sublime experience that adds energy to the music and pulls me in like no other format I've experienced (except maybe a GREAT tape on R2R).

 

Yes, now that I'm back into vinyl, and particularity Jazz, I prefer that format. I did pickup a used SA-CD player, and enjoying SA-CD's when I can find them. Lot of the Jazz records I'm finding aren't on CD anyway. Since I re-installed my OMP-10 yesterday, I'm sort of enjoying the different sound, Thanks Felix.

 

IMO an overlooked aspect of vinyl is how an album side fits together, and almost becomes encapsulated by the silence as you turn it over.

I like how it gives my mind a moment to assimilate what I have just enjoyed, and appreciate it.

It is too easy with digital to bounce around thru a disk or server collection, overwhelming my mind and losing perspective on how the artist intended for their work to be presented.

Can't beat an album side listened to the whole way through for learning that.

 

I'm curious to what level I can raise CD playback quality in my system/on my budget. I just connected my Philips CD/DVD player [DVP 5140] to my Lafayette LR-9090 and I'm listening to Nirvana Nevermind. Meh, it's ok, even enjoyable but not exciting the way my vinyl set-up sounds. I would drop $300 or so on a CD player if I could get that same or similar excitement. I know what Felix means.

 

True.

 

No doubt if somebody really wants to enjoy and receive all the benefits that vinyl has to offer they'll have to keep the OCD levels to a minimum. I am so much happier with my set up now, that is essentially set and forget. No more constantly messing with VTA, VTF(unless I'm changing carts), azimuth, etc. using the vintage tables that I adore. I do have a Nitty Gritty cleaner that I use if I visually inspect a record and it's dirty. But if it comes out of the sleeve with just a few specs on it a good brush with my Discwasher and I'm off to the listening session. If the record is excessively noisy, I'll give it a wet clean, which may or may not help. But the bottom line is I listen to records because it gives me enjoyment listening to them that other formats don't match. If they're beat up, if they have a few clicks, pops, etc., that's all a part of it(typically on only my oldest records anyway). I don't troll Goodwill, I don't search the 50 cent/dollar bins at stores. Not interested. So all my stuff is generally in great condition. But noise on a record for me does not get in the way of the music. It's part of the process that I'm comfortable with. For those that don't like it, thankfully there are other formats that eliminate that aspect.

 

You could transfer your cds to a laptop and then its possible to compare and contrast different artists playing the same content instananeously
This I find utterly fascinating, also different masterings (strange when they are level matched, how similar they sound!)
The library system can codify your music and make it supremely accessible
This is wonderful
The fidelity is a given.

 

As I improved my system, my turntable setup tools and obtained a record cleaning machine, all of the pops and ticks seem to have been reduced and have somehow been moved to a different dimension or plane. They just aren't objectionable now, unless the LP has been abused. And this includes LPs that previously I thought weren't in very good condition.

 

I have a VPI Scout II with a Dynavector 20x2H, both considered decent pieces of equipment, yet I can't get rid of surface noise or distortion in one of the channels. It's maddening really. I just bought an Ortofon Cadenza bronze to replace the Dynavector, and a Lehmann Black Cube SE II to replace my Pro-Ject Tube Box. We'll see if this helps, but after throwing as much money as I have at equipment, to have a NM record with noise is really irritating.

Otherwise, I really enjoy records and wouldn't have it any other way, in spite of the flaws.

 

I'm wondering about the imperfections, what are you referring to, Felix?

Someone said something about 'surface noise, pops and clicks" I have as good as zero of this on most of my LPs, and a fair few nothing of this stuff at all, at worst maybe some static on the lead-in, and a some with just the odd very faint click that is usually masked by the music, and a few that are noticeable on some LPs. Over all nothing to warrant a complaint of any sorts.

Maybe I'm more pedantic than some folk?

I do have a "Split Enz" lazer etched LP that has surface noise, it will be binned and will not live to see a stylus again.

 

You just might not be sensitive to it. There are hardly any records that have zero surface noise of some type, whether slight pops/clicks form contaminants to pressing problems (like non-fill on new records-- does not seem to be an issue as often on older ones). These can be pretty subtle - sometimes non-fill can be very brief bits of low level distortion, on some material you might not notice unless your system is revealing (of course, other times it can be awful-). Even new records that have been cleaned can still suffer minor noises in my experience.

 

I'm, very sensitive to distortions too, enough that I'm very fussy about the quality of hook-up wire I use, but that's not really here or there at this time.

But I admit that the very occasional faint click doesn't bother me so much (only as I accept this). I am fussy with the media I keep and any more than the odd faint click and it doesn't stay in the collection for long. That reminds me, I have an LP with a small scratch that I need to find a better copy of, but damned if I can remember what one it is

OCD, me......I would say so

 

Yes it is wonderful! Much more involving than digital, which slides so easily into 'music as background noise'. I use both, but for me, analog is just so much more fun to listen to. Sounds good too...

 

Very nice table and cart, indeed.

Where you say "yet I can't get rid of surface noise or distortion in one of the channels" that suggests to me that the distortion is from another component, or a contact either in the connections of components or something like the track of a pot, many other possibilities, and sometimes hard to track down.

I hope that you find the offending thing and have a solution to this

 

If you have pops and clicks on your vinyl, a good record cleaner can work wonders

 

I was walking through the Student Union and saw a college girl unwrapping a postal package and, lo and behold, it was the vinyls for AQUALUNG! I thought I'd never see that sort of thing again.

I think for the young customers, the surface noise and cover wear is part of the object's authenticity.

 

G'day all, although I hate to admit this, it seems to me that clicks and pops are generally inevitable despite all care in record handling and I suspect that placing records in and out of record inner sleeves contribute to this! Regards, Felix.

 

Hay Felix, I have found that paper sleeves are the worst, they scuff and sometimes leave long fine scratch marks, do you find this is with records that live in paper sleeves?

I try and replace the paper sleeves ASAP.

 

G'day mate, yes! Many of the very old second hand records I purchase come in paper sleeves that feel like sandpaper! They get replaced very quickly! Regards, Felix.

 

Vinyl still sounds the best.
If you can afford the gear, you are going to get the best sound from vinyl.
I have a lot of people around to my place.
I get requests for records to be played, be it Sinatra, the Beatles, the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Classical pieces, whatever.
No-one, but no-one has ever requested a CD.