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What should be my next step with my stereo/vinyl collection?

YoSeth

YoSeth

New Member
Hey everyone,

I'm new here and hope to get some advice and direction regarding my journey with vinyl. I’ve been a musician for about 13 years but have only been interested in vinyl for the past 3-4 years. So let me break my collection and setup down:

-I use a 1975 Pioneer PL-A45D turntable. Sat in my dad’s attic for 30+ years until I resurrected it. I put in a Sumiko Oyster, aligned it with a protractor, but I am just guessing on the tracking force since I don’t a have a gage yet. It sounds pretty good and performs as it should.
-Receiver is a Pioneer SX-737 also from ‘75. It works perfectly fine.
-Speakers are locally made.
- I have around 175 albums. My records are mostly rock from the 60s-90s. Majority are originals and old repressings but I also have around 25 new albums.

I think I have a decent setup for now, but I want to get more serious. So, what should be my next steps in improving my setup and collection? Thanks!
 

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The counterweight with its weight scale on it is perfectly adequate for almost every use for setting the tracking force according to the Owner's Manual of the device. Times when you need better are when the counterweight is not original to the machine or you fine tune the tracking force by ear. So if you don't have the OM for you tt, go the vinylengine sign up and download it if it is not in the akdatabase.

Then you say you want to get more serious. Fine, what is not good enough for you with what you have now. Sound, features, volume, details. Just rattle off anything you can think of that you believe could be better and there are folks here that will be happy to help you spend money. Do you have a budget? Spend $25 of it on a subscription to AK and be overloaded with opportunites to buy in Barter Town the buy/sell/trade forums for gear, parts and media.

Looking at that gear I might add a powered subwoofer to the system to fill in the bottom octave or three.
 
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Looks like you have a pretty good sounding system.

My suggestion for now, is to pick up some jazz LPs from the 60-70s. They're recorded and mastered differently than newer rock albums. On a good system, what you can hear is amazing. Especially un-amplified music. By listening to detailed music, your hearing becomes more refined. Better hearing will better help to determine what in your system may be lacking.

Welcome and have fun!
 
YoSeth said:
Hey everyone,

I'm new here and hope to get some advice and direction regarding my journey with vinyl. I’ve been a musician for about 13 years but have only been interested in vinyl for the past 3-4 years. So let me break my collection and setup down:

-I use a 1975 Pioneer PL-A45D turntable. Sat in my dad’s attic for 30+ years until I resurrected it. I put in a Sumiko Oyster, aligned it with a protractor, but I am just guessing on the tracking force since I don’t a have a gage yet. It sounds pretty good and performs as it should.
-Receiver is a Pioneer SX-737 also from ‘75. It works perfectly fine.
-Speakers are locally made.
- I have around 175 albums. My records are mostly rock from the 60s-90s. Majority are originals and old repressings but I also have around 25 new albums.

I think I have a decent setup for now, but I want to get more serious. So, what should be my next steps in improving my setup and collection? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Get a record washer to clean the LPs before playing them. :thumbsup:

Example:

Spin Clean
https://spinclean.com/
 
+1 on record washer. Spinclean or even less cost Studebaker brand similar washer. Plastic dish rack to dry records. If you want to replace album sleeves after washing try Mofi brand plastic sleeves are quality. Or other brand, so not using old dusty sleeves after cleaning.
Anti-static record dusting brush to lift dust off record just before play as rotates on TT.

Move your bookshelf speakers off the shelf onto some speaker stands and away from wall. If critical listening, over background music is your thing. Read up in Audiokarma threads how to fine tune speaker placement in your room. No cost improvement.
Post pictures of your room, if you would like opinions on speaker placement tips. Can make big difference with same speakers.
Welcome to AK.
 
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I would lean towards speakers, some floor standers or at least the addition of a sub. Those don't look like they would cover the full spectrum of the audio range.
 
I'll go a different route.
Go to discogs.com and open a account FREE. You will be able to load in all your albums and then have access to them on your computer, phone or tab.

I have found this very helpful when shopping. I have over 500 albums and sometimes it can be difficult to remember if I already own the album.
They can also estimate the value of the collection and provide detail of album contents
 
I would suggest speakers too. If you go vintage to match your other rig components, consider having any new speakers you pick up recapped (replacement of tired old electrolytic capacitors in the crossovers).

The amp could probably benefit from the same capacitor treatment but I don't want to descend into yet another 'recap or not' debate :-)
 
Figure out how to run a line from your PC or streaming device into one of the tape inputs. Lots of music out there to explore for very little $.
 
Second vote for a Spin Clean since you're buying used records.

For a bigger ticket item, I'd agree with those who've said speakers. Changes to the rest of your system will likely be more subtle.
 
I'd buy a decent 10" powered sub to fill in the bottoms on those speakers (someone else suggested that also). Not sure how anyone can recommend different speakers, considering they haven't heard yours.
 
Once you have the basics down- record cleaning, speaker placement, etc- I'd suggest looking into having your TT and receiver restored by a pro.
 
onepixel said:
Looks like you have a pretty good sounding system.

My suggestion for now, is to pick up some jazz LPs from the 60-70s. They're recorded and mastered differently than newer rock albums. On a good system, what you can hear is amazing. Especially un-amplified music. By listening to detailed music, your hearing becomes more refined. Better hearing will better help to determine what in your system may be lacking.

Welcome and have fun!
Click to expand...
Thanks! I’ve slowly been dipping my toe into jazz over the past year. I absolutely love rock artists with improvisational jazz elements like the Dead or Jeff Beck (I’m a guitarist). I did recently pick up some Mahavishnu Orchestra (closet thing to jazz in my collection so far). I’m also interested in Herbie Hancock and Miles but don’t really know where to start, haha.
 
EJC1 said:
I'll go a different route.
Go to discogs.com and open a account FREE. You will be able to load in all your albums and then have access to them on your computer, phone or tab.

I have found this very helpful when shopping. I have over 500 albums and sometimes it can be difficult to remember if I already own the album.
They can also estimate the value of the collection and provide detail of album contents
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I love discogs! I have probably 30% of my albums loaded in there so far.
 
YoSeth said:
Thanks! I’ve slowly been dipping my toe into jazz over the past year. I absolutely love rock artists with improvisational jazz elements like the Dead or Jeff Beck (I’m a guitarist). I did recently pick up some Mahavishnu Orchestra (closet thing to jazz in my collection so far). I’m also interested in Herbie Hancock and Miles but don’t really know where to start, haha.
Click to expand...
Jazz!!!!! There is a Jazz Playlist thread in Music section, where some jazz lovers post thier sellections daily. Audiokarma is also about the music, besides gear.
 
Forgot to mention that I do already have a static brush. And yes, I absolutely do need something to clean my albums.
 
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