Vinyls Big Future

[Bluespower]

Special Event

Last night I hosted a special event for a friend and myself (both 54 years old and huge Beatle fans). I just received a brand new unopened copy of Rubber Soul. We warmed up the lava light, poured an adult beverage, took the prize out of its sleeve, and qued it up.

Bliss​

 

[koseltri]

Today at work I was presented with an apprentice on his first day in the shop to give me some assistance. When in later conversation I happened to mention I enjoy messing with my vintage stereo equipment, he asked me, "So you have a record player?"

"A turntable? well, yeah, actually 17."

After his initial reaction, he said, "I need a new belt for mine."

"For your turntable?" This kid is no more than 21.

"Yeah, I like records, I think they sound better than CDs." It took some effort to keep from yelling "YESSSS!" I have already decided that it made my week.:yippy:

 

[greenmark59]

Today at work I was presented with an apprentice on his first day in the shop to give me some assistance. When in later conversation I happened to mention I enjoy messing with my vintage stereo equipment, he asked me, "So you have a record player?"

"A turntable? well, yeah, actually 17."

After his initial reaction, he said, "I need a new belt for mine."

"For your turntable?" This kid is no more than 21.

"Yeah, I like records, I think they sound better than CDs." It took some effort to keep from yelling "YESSSS!" I have already decided that it made my week.:yippy:

Now you have an apprentice to learn the magical mysteries of vintage audio - teach him well :thmbsp:

 

[greenmark59]

Last night I hosted a special event for a friend and myself (both 54 years old and huge Beatle fans). I just received a brand new unopened copy of Rubber Soul. We warmed up the lava light, poured an adult beverage, took the prize out of its sleeve, and qued it up.

Bliss​

Yes indeed, that's what it is all about - music lovers loving music - not just background "noise" to help block out the unwanted world around you.

I bet you guys also were singing along on some of the songs too weren't you?
Come on confess up - what was your favorite song to sing to?

 

[Edriz]

Hope you were able to help him with his belt? That will get him spinning vinyl again. Keeps the conversation going, point hime to where to keep the supply of new vinyl.

Picking up good used vinyl is okay but we also need to buy new vinyl. That is how to get the industr back on it's feet again :thmbsp:

 

[koseltri]

I have every intention of helping him out--I told him to get the make and model, and I'd look it up for him. I do have an ulterior motive here, namely to make sure that he has a decent TT. I would rather give him one of mine than have him use a really cheap plastic thing. From our conversation I gathered that he is buying new vinyl.

 

[HypnoToad]

Yeah vinyl is a real pain in the @ss isn't it?

You have to wash them, treat them with care, change them every 20 minutes or so, be careful not to bump them.

Why don't they invent something that's hard wearing, doesn't have surface noise or clicks or pops, is small, has over an hour of music on it, can be played in the car etc etc.

Oh wait they did that but they don't sound good.

Think I will stick to vinyl that classic vinyl sound it more than worth all the hassle.

 

[Beav7]

Well.. this seems as good a time as any for my first post.. Seems like everyone here is on the same page as me! I've never met fellow enthusiasts such as yourselves in "real life" so I feel at home here
I have so many questions, as I'm just starting to upgrade my system from an Onkyo HTIB and Numark TT-200 (opinions on that?) but I'll do that elsewhere so we don't get off-topic. Soon I'll be blowing peoples minds with the superior sound of vinyl!

 

[HypnoToad]

Well.. this seems as good a time as any for my first post.. Seems like everyone here is on the same page as me! I've never met fellow enthusiasts such as yourselves in "real life" so I feel at home here
I have so many questions, as I'm just starting to upgrade my system from an Onkyo HTIB and Numark TT-200 (opinions on that?) but I'll do that elsewhere so we don't get off-topic. Soon I'll be blowing peoples minds with the superior sound of vinyl!

Welcome to AK and you will find a wealth of knowledge on here, although some are a little unhinged, did I say that out loud?

 

[Beav7]

Welcome to AK and you will find a wealth of knowledge on here, although some are a little unhinged, did I say that out loud?

I'm already drowning in the knowledge and don't even know where to start! Watch for me in the turntable and speaker sections if you'd like to offer any guidance! Need an amp/receiver also.. But as I was saying, I'll shut up now so I don't hijack the thread!

 

[Cornbread]

There's still hope for the younger generation getting into vinyl.

About a year ago, my youngest nephew, who is 12, came over to my house with my parents and was very curious to see a bunch of records spread out on the floor that I was trying to categorize. "Are those records", he said, "I've never heard a record before." Well, I broke out my Mom's old copy of "The Beatles Again" and gave it a spin. "Wow! That's Cool!" were his first words.

That got me thinking, why not get my 3 nephews their own stereo systems complete with turntable and some vinyl to get them started. So for the past year I scoured all the thrift stores in search of turntables, receivers, speakers, and records. It took me nearly a year but I found some pretty decent stuff, Polk Audio and Cerwin Vega speakers, NAD and Technics receivers with phono stages, and simple turntables from the '80s. I made up a few batches of home brew record cleaner and purchased some carbon fiber brushes and microfiber sponges and towels to stress the importance of cleaning the few dozen records I gathered.

Well, needless to say, the new stereo systems were a big hit on Christmas Day. Not only with the kids but the parents as well. My drunken brothers in-law and younger brother had more fun spinning the records and jumping around the room than anyone. The middle nephew, who is 16, was very intrigued. He could not understand how sound was actually coming from the record. He was even more amazed that there was actually two sides with music on them!

The real payoff came a few weeks later when I was over at my young nephews house and he proudly had to show-off his system to me up in the bonus room. He made my sister take a picture of the two of us in front of the turntable and records. He then looked at me and said simply, "thanks for getting this for me." There is hope.

 

[reidcc]

Cool thread Kids!!!

I gotta admit when CD came out- my vinyl sat neglected in the corner, and some of my pieces got sold(expendable stuff). Back then I had maybe 200-300.

Well- now I gotta have 600-700 CDs, and I have been REAL careful to not jump on the bandwagon that Remastered is always better.

I now gotta have a good 400 LP's, and I have culled the herd somewhat from my junkers. I even bought me a VPI 16.5 which is something I always thought I would never be able to have. Over the last few months I have amassed 5 turntables from my original 1(B & O RX), and have even given one away to a 19 yr old.

The thought of Vinyl transports me back to a time when it was FUN to read the cover and liner notes and be mesmerized by the sound(it also means I may NOT need my reading glasses any longer to see liner notes:thmbsp.

Chris

 

[Socktown]

I was once lost in the digital jungle with CDs as my music source. Don't get me wrong...I grew up on vinyl. Listened to it on my own stereo through college and then, around 1992, the vinyl train left the station. Why? Who knows...cost, difficulty finding new records, lack of space in my poor single existence. Stupidity. Naive belief in the superiority of new technology. Pick your reason.

I never let go of my small but trusty collection of LPs. Even during my years in the wilderness with no turntable at all. I held onto them through relationships, jobs, marriages and divorce. Some place inside of me always refused to part with the magic black discs as if just being close to them would somehow still connect me with their magic.

My time in the wilderness ended when I married my wife. She saw and hear me pine for my vinyl and so, on our first Christmas together a few years ago, bought me a new TT. Nothing too fancy, an Audio Technica AT-PL120. I didn't have a phono preamp or an amp/receiver with a phone pre which she knew, so she bought the AT because of the built in phono amp. The house we were renting didn't have a good space for my stereo but I found a corner in a basement room and finally spun some wax. Joy! It didn't sound great. Or, at least, not as great as I knew it could.

Fast forward a bit to 2007. We built our own house and in it a music/excercise room. I had to share my music space with my wife's excercise equipment but at least I had room for a full size music rack and storage for my CDs, LPs and (yes) cassettes. I slowly started replacing and upgrading my equipment and aquiring new LPs until this past Christmas when I got my new TT (MMF-5.1) and a few final toys to bring my stereo into focus. My wife, seeing the joy this brought me and knowing there were musical compromises I was making to accomodate her excercise equipment, decided to give up her side of our garage and relocate the excercise equipment to give me a music only room. So now she parks in the driveway and excercises in the garage to give me my own slice of vinyl nirvana. Have I mentioned that my wife is the greatest woman on earth?

Is vinyl dead? Oh no my friends. My own first hand evidence would be a close friend and co-worker of mine. He hadn't heard my good vinyl rig, though he did come over for some music time listening to CDs. He professed no interest in LP playback and in addition typically listened to 128kbps MP3 files as his principle music source. Despite this he still bought me a couple of albums for Christmas. So on the eve of this album gift he finally came by to listen and I told him we should spin my two new LPs. The album in question was British Steel by Judas Priest (he and I have many headbanging miles behind us) and dropped the needle on the first track and about thirty seconds in he said "Damn!". I asked him what was wrong and he said "Damnit! It sounds like a record!"

So...he now owns my AT-PL120 and has a 75 LP collection that is steadily growing. He tells me that he can hardly listen to his MP3s any longer because they produce not tangible involvement for him with the music. He and I both order a lot of LPs online new and used so when the mail (or UPS, etc.) deliver we often have a blast opening our new treasures and comparing. We also try to get together at least once every week or two and have a music night. Crack some beers, spin our latest LP treasures. So...some people DO get together and just listen to music. For what it's worth I'm 37 and he's 33.

Have a great day everybody!

 

[ranf1970]

I was once lost in the digital jungle with CDs as my music source. Don't get me wrong...I grew up on vinyl. Listened to it on my own stereo through college and then, around 1992, the vinyl train left the station. Why? Who knows...cost, difficulty finding new records, lack of space in my poor single existence. Stupidity. Naive belief in the superiority of new technology. Pick your reason.

I never let go of my small but trusty collection of LPs. Even during my years in the wilderness with no turntable at all. I held onto them through relationships, jobs, marriages and divorce. Some place inside of me always refused to part with the magic black discs as if just being close to them would somehow still connect me with their magic.

My time in the wilderness ended when I married my wife. She saw and hear me pine for my vinyl and so, on our first Christmas together a few years ago, bought me a new TT. Nothing too fancy, an Audio Technica AT-PL120. I didn't have a phono preamp or an amp/receiver with a phone pre which she knew, so she bought the AT because of the built in phono amp. The house we were renting didn't have a good space for my stereo but I found a corner in a basement room and finally spun some wax. Joy! It didn't sound great. Or, at least, not as great as I knew it could.

Fast forward a bit to 2007. We built our own house and in it a music/excercise room. I had to share my music space with my wife's excercise equipment but at least I had room for a full size music rack and storage for my CDs, LPs and (yes) cassettes. I slowly started replacing and upgrading my equipment and aquiring new LPs until this past Christmas when I got my new TT (MMF-5.1) and a few final toys to bring my stereo into focus. My wife, seeing the joy this brought me and knowing there were musical compromises I was making to accomodate her excercise equipment, decided to give up her side of our garage and relocate the excercise equipment to give me a music only room. So now she parks in the driveway and excercises in the garage to give me my own slice of vinyl nirvana. Have I mentioned that my wife is the greatest woman on earth?

Is vinyl dead? Oh no my friends. My own first hand evidence would be a close friend and co-worker of mine. He hadn't heard my good vinyl rig, though he did come over for some music time listening to CDs. He professed no interest in LP playback and in addition typically listened to 128kbps MP3 files as his principle music source. Despite this he still bought me a couple of albums for Christmas. So on the eve of this album gift he finally came by to listen and I told him we should spin my two new LPs. The album in question was British Steel by Judas Priest (he and I have many headbanging miles behind us) and dropped the needle on the first track and about thirty seconds in he said "Damn!". I asked him what was wrong and he said "Damnit! It sounds like a record!"

So...he now owns my AT-PL120 and has a 75 LP collection that is steadily growing. He tells me that he can hardly listen to his MP3s any longer because they produce not tangible involvement for him with the music. He and I both order a lot of LPs online new and used so when the mail (or UPS, etc.) deliver we often have a blast opening our new treasures and comparing. We also try to get together at least once every week or two and have a music night. Crack some beers, spin our latest LP treasures. So...some people DO get together and just listen to music. For what it's worth I'm 37 and he's 33.

Have a great day everybody!

:thmbsp:

 

[Jcricket]

We are a dying breed of people that actually LISTEN to music. The majority just use it for background noise. I still like to sit down at night with the lights off and just listen. You would be amazed how much more you will hear in a dark room. (good and bad) Try it tonight.

NO joke!
I have lots of memories of Elton John and his piano in a dark room and a cold brew.
Some of my other favorite "lights out" bands were pink floyd, supertramp and the alan parsons project. All I have to do is peruese the albums and cds and I will get lost for hours on end.

I may just have to do this tonight. Yep its going to happen!

 

[koseltri]

Well, I picked up more info on my young (I can anctually say that--I'm twice his age:dammit apprentice's setup--it's an old Zenith all-in-one, complete with 8-track, so I need to get him upgraded (The Kenny KD-2055 for $75 on the local CL comes to mind). So I'll be working on getting him over to listen to my PL-L1000-AT 15Sa/SX-D7000/Monitor 10 rig. We'll see what happens from there.

 

[JimJ[VT]]

We are a dying breed of people that actually LISTEN to music. The majority just use it for background noise. I still like to sit down at night with the lights off and just listen. You would be amazed how much more you will hear in a dark room. (good and bad) Try it tonight.

You'd be surprised, not as dying as you might think.

No matter what format.

 

[Edriz]

From what I've been seeing, hearing and readin, vinyl sales are up 40$ from 2005-2008. Not bad in just 3 years. Compared to what it was from 2000-2004. At the same time, CD's sales have been dropping at almost the same rate. :thmbsp::yippy:

Did I happen to mention... I really don't like CD's !!

I prefer LP's R2R's and yes... Cassettes. I buy a new record, it's immediately recorded to save the LP.When I'm alone or just one or two and listening, the record is on. When it's party and people time, the tape is on. Due to lack of funds, for now, I haven't had the opportunity to secure a R2R yet, but I will. Soon!

 

[MarantZappa]

MP3s don't seem to have any benefits. I've never had an iPod, and it's never even occurred to me to want one. I only ever listen to CDs in my car, and records at home. CDs have such a dry, sterile, flat sound, which is in no way engaging during home listening, I think. Granted, they are very clear and detailed, which makes them very good to listen to in a noisy moving car, but the interactions among the sounds just feel kind of unnatural when you're really listening. It's like the different tones are somehow disconnected from one another, and artificial. Records just sound so much more alive and natural, like the subtle harmonics in the recording are working together better and more realistically. However my CD player is just a Playstation 2, which is just OK from what I've heard.

 

[melofelo]

The middle nephew, who is 16, was very intrigued. He could not understand how sound was actually coming from the record.

it still fascinates me after all these years too.....