Another notion that is probably best dispelled, is the idea that many new-comers to vinyl express … and that’s that they’ll simply digitize (“needledrop”)the LPs they buy so they don’t have to buy the digital copies as well (or they’ll make do with Amazon Auto-Rip copies*).
Unless you have a very well sorted, higher-end, turntable, and are willing to invest in proper hardware and tools to get the job done, as well as a considerable amount of time, this is a fools errand.
I HAVE the gear to do this … have done it for years … and it just isn’t time/cost effective to do properly unless you’re dealing with unique masters and very high-end vinyl replay. 99% of the time, now, I just buy the LP and the best digital master of it I can find at the same time. The time I save is worth FAR more than the modest extra cost for the additional digital copy.
*I swear most of the LP auto-rips are done on a $99 USB turntable and recorded straight to MP3.
Back in the early days of CDs, I visited a guy who was doing needle drops to cassette(!) I got scolded a few times for walking across the hardwood floor and causing thumping sounds due to the needle bouncing. I stopped visiting the guy when he was doing this…I’m sure he treasures those money saving cassettes to this day…
Before he got a “music center”, in which the output from the turntable went straight to the tape deck, he would play his LPs on a Fidelity HF43 “record player” and record them, from the speaker, into a JVC RC-S11JW, mono, radio/cassette player/recorder.
If my siblings, or I, happened to not realize he was doing this, and even hinted that we might enter the kitchen (where he did this), a sound beating was in order.
Looking forward to getting my turntable moved from my desktop area to a more enjoyment centered area in the same office. I don’t have a super advanced setup but for the money I spent I am hoping it will do well for awhile as the majority of my listening is still done via Qobuz. I have the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB Direct-Drive Turntable (Analog & USB), Plays 33 -1/3, 45, and 78 RPM Records, Anti-Skate Control, Variable Pitch Contrail, paired with the Schiit LYR3 with phono stage.
Other than replacing my turntable you guys see any affordable upgrades to the table that could be made down the road?
The recent purchase of the LYR3 and Bifrost 2 combo has exhausted my audio budget for awhile.
One of my Dads favorite cassette recordings was of a Bob Marley compilation which he was recording from his records to cassette in similar fashion…in a couple of the tracks you can hear 6year old me telling my dad that it was recording or rushing in to talk to him lol…but, yeah he would then hurriedly escort me out and quietly scold me to go outside for the next couple hours lol
Don’t like the term Needledrop at all. While like you, I had proper hardware and tools, the only times I would digitize my vinyl was if I had some special or rare pressing, or if it was an album I knew would get played a lot, possibly in circumstances where it might be damaged.
Vinyl has COVER ART. Now that’s worth nostalgia. I value my old Jethro Tull “Stand Up” album, and my 3D Stones and Funkadelic covers.
Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve re-joined the club
I found a gently used Pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit that was calling to me from the moment I saw the ad for it. Went and got a few old favorite albums and a couple of new gems. Unfortunately since I’m in the middle of moving she’s now packed away for a couple of more weeks. I’ve bought a new stylus for her (Ortofon 2M Blue) and we’ll be rocking at the end of the month. Can’t wait!!
Hmm, interesting. But I think at that price range the Fluance tables offer a better product. I saw the RT84 with the Ortofon 2M Blue for $380 on sale this week.
Looks better than a 1965 Garrard record changer. For entry level, I like Rega. There are also some OK Marantz, Pro-Ject, and Music Hall models. These days, I’m a VPI guy, they start a bit higher, but hey it’s not only Made in USA, it’s made in New Jersey.
It is great! but, I haven’t used it in a couple of months… we almost moved a couple of times before Covid struck so a bunch of my Turn-table stuff is still packed away in the garage.
Oh snap! I came across and was aware of an AR in play, but not about the Shure and Shibata goodness.
I believe seeing that you might have a VPI Prime Scout - very nice.
These seem to be the inflection points / tiers for North American made (okay headquartered) decks:
Less than $500 (U-Turn)
$500 (Fluance RT85)
$700 (Schiit Sol)
$1000 (VPI Cliffwood)
$1k to $2k (MoFi)
$2500 (VPI Prime Scout)
Beyond
I think I’m trying to decide between the RT85 and VPI Cliffwood, but am uncertain of the margin between them. And then pairings/upgrades of preamp, cartridge, stylus as appropriate.
Yes, I have the VPI Prime Scout, with the Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge. My beloved spouse, Barbara, finding that it was difficult to change the man she married, decided to occasionally improve his audio system instead. A few years ago, my winter solstice gift was the VPI.
Having the VPI, I did not want to leave my trusty and beloved AR in my basement unimproved once an office but now just a place room, so I looked for a good home for it. Tyler was willing to accept it, claiming to have almost no way to play vinyl, and would pay shipping. So off it went (not sold). However, in a somewhat nerdy fashion, @TylersEclectic found there might have been some cartridge shell damage (they are delicate, and I gave him a reputable parts supplier, Vinyl Nirvana), decided to also rewire it, which has taken, ahem, well over a year. I strongly suspect him of hand sanding the walnut plinth, and scouring the Internet for purple stain.
This was quite a nice post to read. Your better half sounds like a gem. That’s awfully generous of you and noble of Tyler to be up to the task of safeguarding/caring for it/her.
I also noted your prior post on Vinyl Nirvana and am tracking their offerings.
Spinning a Stevie Ray LP as i type this. Actually never left vinyl, hell never left CD’s either. I have two systems, my smaller system for the den/office and a larger system for the large open family room. VPI’s in both rooms. The wife has a huge collection of Elvis and Beatles LP’s and CD’s and she plays them all the time. Interesting, she can operate a TT & CD player but has a hard time using a streamer LOL
