Considerations before going down the vinyl rabbit hole

Which models are you thinking of? I don't keep up with most modern production turntables so I don't know what the trends are right now.

 

Likely the AT-LP140, AT-LP5, AT-LP7 and the Pioneer PLX-1000. Audio Technica even has some decent looking belt drives with the AT-LPW30/40/50.

Heck, the AT-LPW30TK sits at $299 now, that is the same as a U-Turn Orbit Custom and only $50 more than a Fluance RT81. Comes with a better motor and tonearm than the U-Turn, and no preamp bypass to muck up the sound. And cheaper than a Pro-Ject T1.

 

Boy, do I ever feel this. My ability to rationalize LP purchases seems boundless. "Oh, it's an AAA release." "Well, I need a better copy of that one." "One day I'll do a shoot-out between Music Matters, Analogue Productions, and OG Blue Note!" And the current favorite on the various vinyl-centric forums: "Get it while you can."

AP and BN and others are doing an excellent job stoking the acquisitive lusts of the vinyl mad. On the other hand, there's probably never been a better time for LP re-issues, at least in the jazz world.

I'm glad I decided early on to focus on only one genre. And to really only buy all-analog releases. Still, one can drop an insane amount of money on just those. And then one thinks of the all-digital rig, beautiful German horn speakers (or whatever) one could've probably gotten with the same outlay.

My current way of justifying LP purchases is that one day I'll have a little cabin in the woods with no internet, and I'll just unplug and relax into analog bliss. Ha. Right.

All of this said, when my vinyl rig is sounding good, it really is a ton of fun. I don't actually think it sounds better than digital. Such a relatively primitive technology probably never could--on an objective level. But I do think a good LP on a good turntable with a good cart and arm sounds, in some ineffable way, more relaxing. There's something slightly relentless about digital or something. The way the stream never ends. The lack of breaks between sides and albums. Maybe even the frequency extremes being more accurately represented. (I find bass bass bass a bit wearying at the end of the day.)

So, for better or worse, vinyl has become my method of relaxation. And I do think that, for 50-70s jazz especially, it somehow gets the bite of horns and the weight and shimmer of drums and cymbals more correct than digital.

As far as rigs go, I feel you can go a long way with a well set-up Technics 1200 or clone. But I think, ultimately, one needs a better arm (Jelco and above) and a circa $1500 cart and up to really start to best digital (in some parameters). But that's just me.

 

LOL:

 

That's @brencho if I've ever seen him.

 

That was ME, except I yelled at Digital right at the beginning (but not before I foolishly had already sold a bunch of my records). I then re-entered the LP world with a Rega Planar 3… and started the long slog to re-acquire all the best LPs I’d sold (and subsequently over the 1980’s) another 2000+ LPs; mostly used, and all of which were NOT digitally mastered.

I only got back into digital once the “experts” had figured out how to actually perfect “perfect sound forever”. For me, and my now 64 year old ears, My Cambridge Audio Azur is good enough, though I may go end-game at some point (not soon, just bought last/retirement house).

So, my railing stopped (in direct proportion to, and as, digital started to suck less as they figured out how to make the engineering actually fit the theory).
But the passion for truly excellent vinyl (especially Jazz, Folk, Classical, etc.) continued. Got some money and went straight for end-game front end (see Signature). Still have and still works a treat.

As to “better”? Depends. On older, AAA mastering chain properly recorded materials, Vinyl blows digital, including careful remasters, away. Don’t believe me? Try one: Leo Kottke, the Armadillo album. I’ve seen Leo live 4 times in my life over the decades. I know what he should sound like. And my system, driven analog the whole way DOES IT. As it does with original Miles Davis Kind of Blue and all the other amazing old records I have.

Any SBAF’ers in the New England region want to try, just PM me.