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Classical and vinyl

I guess the experience of classical on vinyl can be an extremely variable. I grew up with it and while most of my recordings are pretty quiet the odd tick here and there doesn't really register. If I grew up with digital maybe it would be a different case? For full orchestra recordings a good LP (for me) resolves more information and communicates the music better... to me. RTR is even better generally, though availability of recordings is much more limited, sadly.

I started buying classical LPs in the 70s, had a slowdown in the mid-80s for a couple of years and then when folks started dumping their vinyl really got into buying. Who could turn down the entire Beethoven Bicentennial collection on DGG for $6? A few thousand later I'm still picking up a few every week, though finding interesting recordings I don't already own is getting tougher. As a musician the collection is enormously valuable for study as well as pleasure. Hey, I even get to right my purchases of as a business expense....
 
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vmartell said:
I will take advantage and reply to a few postings using this one - BTW - THNX EVERYONE for taking the time, really appreciate it...

1) To the RTR suggestion... YEAH, I agree... RTR is the non-plus ultra of analog, beyond even vinyl... way more cumbersome too... thought about it, but decided against it... but yeah, I agree very tempting to go that way

2) Replying Forward! I don' have ultra-high end cart/stylus combo, but very decent - own 3: Shure M97xe, AT120E and currently in place, Ortofon 2M Red - stylus regularly cleaned with an Onzow Zerodust, checked using a jewelers loupe - stylus looks normal, no apparent mold. but good suggestion... will probably get a new stylus just for the tests, to ensure that is not a factor

3) First time I've heard of the KAB EV1 - what a clever idea... strip out everything that makes an RCM expensive... wow - will definitely try

4) And last.. yes... maybe too used to to classical on digital... not a bad suggestion, just to stay on it.. I do however, would love to experience classical on vinyl, the way my parents learned to love it... the way the greats did it... Culshaw, Legge, McClure at Columbia and those Deutsche tonmeisters at DG... all worked with vinyl in mind...

Will try for little bit more.. if using an RCM fails, then I will admit defeat... again, I am not unreasonable - don't expect digital silence, but if I can eliminate most pops and clicks and the loudest scratch, I think I can live with everything else. Thnx for your help

V
Click to expand...

The carts you've got there aren't really good enough for the intended purpose. I'd reduce them into one good cart with more than an elliptical stylus.

And yes definitely give KAB EV1 a go. This is more urgent than the carts upgrade.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk 2
 
When I resurrected my classical vinyl collection a few years ago, most of my LP's were very dirty and in need of serious deep cleaning. I bought a Spin Clean unit only to discover that it sometimes made the surface noise even worse, as if the brushes were just distributing the grime on the record surface. This was disappointing for sure! While the Spin Clean did work well to maintain newer vinyl, I just couldn't get my old favorites cleaned up, and ended up setting them aside until I was able to get a Record Doctor V. I couldn't afford one of the more elaborate vacuum machines out there, but this little device really did the trick. Some of the more grimy records needed a few treatments, but it really worked well! What's more, I use my Spin Clean to "prep" the record with solution, and then run it through the Vac. I wish you luck with your collection!
 
"I use my Spin Clean to "prep" the record with solution, and then run it through the Vac" .....same here. Clean the LPs with the Spinclean & then vacuum with the EV-1. Seems to work well. I think that imersing the record & running it thru the brushes to be more effective than a squirt & a brush wipe. But I have no conclusive evidence of that & I could be completely mistaken.
 
I wash mine in the sink and use a shop vac which has much more suction than any RCM that I know of. If you want to see if a RCM will make your vinyl acceptable simply wash your records very clean in a sink and most everyone has a shop vac you can make a wand with the most basic of parts from your home improvement store and a fabric store will sell you a small piece of velvet for hardly nothing to glue to the PVC wand you make so that it doesn't scratch your records. You can do it all for less than ten dollars.

As I said in a prior post each medium has it strengths and weakness, including tape, personally I would rather deal with the pops and ticks of vinyl as they are here and there verse the ever presence hiss of tape. I just can't deal with that constant top end hiss that tape has, and when you use dolby or other means, to my ears, its like taking an EQ and killing the upper end frequencies, I just can't take it. I would rather listen to FM if you have a good close station. And even FM I don't know if other people hear it but if the station is not really good, locked in, they have some hiss on the top end to, you can hear it when it cuts in and out of stereo mode. Sometimes it bothered me so much I would just put them on mono. I grew up with all mediums so their are things I like about each and things I dislike about each, even live music ever go to concert and have to put up with all the noises other than the performer? One concert I went to, the guy next to me sang along the entire time, and he sang like crap! Learn to enjoy what each one has to offer. I just listened to a concerto released in 1941, on 12" Shellac at 78 RPM's and they generally are not all that quite, but the music was great, just thinking that in 1941 while the world as at war, someone put this record on a turntable, probably a wind up one at that, and sat down and listen to it and at the time it was cutting edge, and how they sat there in joy, happy that they were able to bring such wonderful music into their homes. We might take things for granted that we have to put up with a few pops and clicks.:smoke:
 
I grew up listening to classical on vinyl. I guess I've just learned to tune that stuff out. Strings sound so much better on vinyl.

Other than the cleaning suggestions my other tip is just to be extremely selective about condition. I will happily buy a thrift store classical record if it's flawless. If it isn't it stays there. I don't have the space or patience to buy records in lots.
 
My method is similar to Ken's but I don't have a shop vac. Yes being able to use various VACs is one advantages of cheap manual RCM.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk 2
 
davidro said:
But you really got to adopt a VAC cleaning. KAB-EV1 is an inexpensive solution. Hell I think it's CHEAP considering the level of improvement it brings to any vinyl rig. You can sell your Spin-Clean and use the proceed to purchase the KAB. Vinyl can be hand-washed on your sink.
Click to expand...

This is what I did. Sold the Spin Clean and got a KAB EV-1. Allows you to clean just 1-2 LP's as well without having to fill the SC basin and the cleaning goes faster.
 
captouch said:
This is what I did. Sold the Spin Clean and got a KAB EV-1. Allows you to clean just 1-2 LP's as well without having to fill the SC basin and the cleaning goes faster.
Click to expand...

A wise man.

Another thing to remember is that you want to replace the old inner sleeves with new anti static round inner sleeves after cleaning.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk 2
 
davidro said:
The carts you've got there aren't really good enough for the intended purpose. I'd reduce them into one good cart with more than an elliptical stylus.

And yes definitely give KAB EV1 a go. This is more urgent than the carts upgrade.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...


Wow... Those carts have reputation of being great even without taking price into consideration... Was thinking of getting a Nagaoka MP110...

1) Should I hold off on that?

2) If not, what are the recommendations in the married man with kids price range - meaning $200 tops... Unfortunately, can't use Grado, as they hum in my table as per the database... Top of my head can only think of the AT440M and the Sumiko Pearl as the only ones left in that price range other than the already mentioned ( 2m red, mx97xe, at120e, nagaoka mp110 and Grado)

3) The Shure can take some stylus upgrades (Jico SAS)... Is that good enough?

4) Certainly, RCM first!


Thnx for your kind advice

V
 
vmartell said:
Wow... Those carts have reputation of being great even without taking price into consideration... Was thinking of getting a Nagaoka MP110...

1) Should I hold off on that?

2) If not, what are the recommendations in the married man with kids price range - meaning $200 tops... Unfortunately, can't use Grado, as they hum in my table as per the database... Top of my head can only think of the AT440M and the Sumiko Pearl as the only ones left in that price range other than the already mentioned ( 2m red, mx97xe, at120e, nagaoka mp110 and Grado)

3) The Shure can take some stylus upgrades (Jico SAS)... Is that good enough?

4) Certainly, RCM first!


Thnx for your kind advice

V
Click to expand...

I'd try the SAS first....perhaps sell off all the other carts.
Consolidate them into one nice cart.
Yes RCM first and KAB-EV1 isn't expensive.
 
vmartell said:
Wow... Those carts have reputation of being great even without taking price into consideration... Was thinking of getting a Nagaoka MP110...

1) Should I hold off on that?

2) If not, what are the recommendations in the married man with kids price range - meaning $200 tops... Unfortunately, can't use Grado, as they hum in my table as per the database... Top of my head can only think of the AT440M and the Sumiko Pearl as the only ones left in that price range other than the already mentioned ( 2m red, mx97xe, at120e, nagaoka mp110 and Grado)

3) The Shure can take some stylus upgrades (Jico SAS)... Is that good enough?

4) Certainly, RCM first!


Thnx for your kind advice

V
Click to expand...

If the Denon DL110 is a good match for your arm I think of it as a great cart for the price.
 
Ken Boyd said:
If the Denon DL110 is a good match for your arm I think of it as a great cart for the price.
Click to expand...


Shoot - forgot about that... right on the budget, but from what I understand, that was before there was a price increase.... yep - quick research shows it went up from ~$200 to ~$300... still kind of in the ballpark... Might go for it...

Anyway I think a bigger priority is getting the RCM... BTW while the EV-1 is mighty clever, striping out the expensive components of an RCM ( vacuum, spin motor), remembered about the Record Doctor V- only $30 dollars more! Includes vacuum, but no motor...

Any sense of what would be a better first RCM?

I found a desk shop vac mild enough for the EV-1 for $30, so price would come to about the same...

BTW - Since I got the attention of the classical vinyl crowd... wanted to share something I found...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dsWCrvCdH4

Almost sold the family van... although I think the table is way more expensive than the family van... :D

Damn the British music industry that forgot these guys... from what I understand Gordon Parry died as a factory worker... and don't get me started on Alan Turing! (way OT, BTW)
 
I purchased one less than a year ago and it was less than one hundred, but yes they have gone up but I see as many as you want on ebay for 135 plus 20 dollars shipping, still a very good buy IMO.
 
These are going to sound stupid, but it will help.

1. don't listen so loud. Volume up, noise up, volume down, noise down.
2. Get used to it. The more you get used to noise the less it will bother you.
3. Cleaning, you know. Humdifier, you know. How about spraying the area with static guard, too...
4. Buy mono records. If your amp has a mono switch, use it. Otherwise look at how to add one with a back to back y cord or check youtube for videos on how to diy one easily. Summed mono will help reduce background noise (not eliminate, just reduce some)...
 
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