Do you still collect vinyl?

[Szykneij]

I built all the record shelves myself and they are super-sturdy with lots of reinforcement.  LP's are heavy ...

That's for sure. At least vinyl is lighter than the shellac they used to use for the old 78 RPM recordings. If you had 4,000+ 10-inch recordings, I'd be worried about your floor holding up!   

[Bogey]

I built all the record shelves myself and they are super-sturdy with lots of reinforcement.  LP's are heavy ...

Word.

[DavidW]

Word.

Oh that's how you racked up those ww activity points-- bench pressing your vinyl collection!

[Bogey]

Oh that's how you racked up those ww activity points-- bench pressing your vinyl collection!

[Coopmv]

Bill,  How do you clean your records, just out of curiosity?

[Bogey]

Nothing fancy or home brewed, Stuart.

[Szykneij]

Nothing fancy or home brewed, Stuart.

Same kit I have. Makes a big difference.

Here's what dirty and clean grooves look like under an electron microscope:

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Re-visiting vinyl: a few thoughts

Interesting to read this thread. I've been back into LPs now for about a month. My feelings on the old LP vs. CD debate have already been summarized by another poster:

It varies.  Sometimes the cd sounds superior, sometimes the vinyl.  A poor piece of vinyl will sound poor....a poorly mastered cd will sound poor. 

That's about it, generally speaking. I don't think one format is intrinsically superior to the other.

But (still speaking generally), I do think they offer different kinds of experiences. I would summarize by saying that CD is more precise, while LP is more ambient. Another thing I've noticed: LPs seem to produce a larger sonic image. It just sounds bigger somehow, like you're sitting closer up in the hall. Strangely, few vinyl fans seem to mention this (they talk about "warmth" and so on, but not the total sonic picture). That said, I have plenty of "big"-sounding CDs, too.

Anyway, I am buying vinyl now not just because of sound quality. There are also these factors:

1. Some LPs were never released on CD;
2. Some were, but are hard to find;
3. Some were, but they botched the remastering or screwed up the reissue in some other way;
4. You can get some great recordings for dirt cheap;
5. LPs are fun to handle and pleasing to look at, and often come with better notes and documentation.

Also, the demands of proper LP listening make one a more attentive listener. If you have to clean the thing and brush it and position the stylus just so, and you are aware that playback is going to inevitably degrade it a tiny bit each time, it forces you to get more involved emotionally.

All things considered, CDs win on points (convenience and durability). But I'm really glad I've resurrected the vinyl option.

[bigshot]

In the 80s, there was a lot more reason for classical music fans to collect LPs and 78s. The transfers of older material to CD were all over the map, from over processed sound that was like listening with pillows over your ears, to completely unprocessed sound where every click and pop was presented in all its organic glory. Lately, sound restoration technology has gotten a lot better. The new Toscanini box is better than any record by a long shot, and even the ultra budget Membran Furtwangler box has first class transfers.

[Bogey]

Re-visiting vinyl: a few thoughts



Anyway, I am buying vinyl now not just because of sound quality. There are also these factors:

1. Some LPs were never released on CD;
2. Some were, but are hard to find;
3. Some were, but they botched the remastering or screwed up the reissue in some other way;
4. You can get some great recordings for dirt cheap;
5. LPs are fun to handle and pleasing to look at, and often come with better notes and documentation.

6. And the smell.  Yup.  Brings back wonderful kiddo memories for me hanging out with my dad and his turntable, or going to the record rental place with him, where he would grab a stack and bring them home to put on the reel to reel.  That smell of vinyl and the jacket are always something I will enjoy.

[Parsifal]

I still hold some vinyl because there are still are recordings that never made it to CD.   For instance, just about the entire stereo catalog of Mercury living presence has made it to CD, but only a few of the many Mono releases are available.  I do recognize that some vinyl has its own special sound (particularly Mercury), but I find that unique sound is still apparent when I digitize the LP and listen to the digital reproduction.  I find I enjoy the digitized version more because the temptation to fuss (worry about dust on the stylus, adjust tracking or anti-skate force, etc) is gone.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Classical tends to benefit from digital, though well recorded, well pressed LPs of string quartets sound fabulous.  They sound warmer and almost as detailed.  The Ferras / Karajan LvB violin concerto sounds a bit less impressive orchestrally, but Ferras sounds better.  And Colin Davis' '70s Sibelius is superb in every way. 

I picked up the box set of that Davis Sibelius (after having the Philips Duos of it on CD), and yeah, it does sound fabulous, rather tactile with that "big" sound I described. Yummy listening. And another Philips box of Quartetto Italiano playing Mozart's "Haydn" Quartets backs up your other point...

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

And I, dear leader and originator of this glorious thread, am still collecting vinyl for my juche-based regime of sonic gloriousness and musical excellency. The splendidness of this undertaking will truly make me an immortal ruler of the people.

Now I am back in California. I recently found a near mint Furtwängler Beethoven 3 (Vienna Philharmonic) on LHMV (early 50s) for two bucks. Unbelieveable.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Esperanza Spalding new LP I got for Xmas last year would blow your head off.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

And I, dear leader and originator of this glorious thread, am still collecting vinyl for my juche-based regime of sonic gloriousness and musical excellency. The splendidness of this undertaking will truly make me an immortal ruler of the people.

OK, that's reason #7 for collecting vinyl.

Now I am back in California. I recently found a near mint Furtwängler Beethoven 3 (Vienna Philharmonic) on LHMV (early 50s) for two bucks. Unbelieveable.

The store I bought my turntable from acquired 6000 (count 'em!) LPs, almost all in mint or near-mint condition, from a recently deceased collector, who obviously didn't have time to listen to them all. I go in there and raid the place on a regular basis.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

... a recently deceased collector, who obviously didn't have time to listen to them all. ..

That's the best kind of collector! 

[MishaK]

I'm actually considering getting rid of my vinyl. I never really listen to it very much and recently something broke on my receiver and the right channel on the LP output just won't play. I don't have that big of an LP collection (only about 50 discs compared to well in excess of 2000 CDs) and everything I own exists on CD in the meantime (and I own most of it on CD as well). Anyone interested in buying my collection?

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Anyone interested in buying my collection?

Depends. I might be interested. What sort of stuff do you have?

[Bogey]

Alright.  I do not like to go "other forum" here unless I think it very worthy. I started this thread some time back and got some great info on classical lps and their sound depending on labels.  As stated, this stuff is not a science.  There is subjectivity along with the fact that all these laws do not apply evenly.  Having said that, enjoy:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/classical-vinyl-lps-what-labels-sound-the-best-rca-living-stereo-london-bluebacks-mercury.313997/

[Bogey]

I still have probably 1,000+ LPs, but don't play them that often.  I have made CDs of most of them.  But I recently bought a 180 gram LP of Leonard Bernstein's 1958 Le Sacre du Printemps on Columbia.  It cost me $23.00 and came with a free digital download, which I did, as well as immediately make a CD of it from the first play.

Now that I have taken the plunge with a new purchase I may buy some more.

Heck ya!

[bigshot]

The funny thing about high end vinyl collectors is that they say it's all about the sound but it isn't. I was given a huge collection of minty Living Stereo, "six eye" Columbia, Mercury, etc. because the lady who owned it couldn't find anyone to even offer ten dollars for the batch. Why? Because the person who owned it wanted all of his records to match on the shelf, so he put them in matching custom sleeves and threw out the original covers. That rendered the whole collection worthless.

So much for high end Japanese collectors and their discernment for sound quality!