Do you still collect vinyl?

[Maciek]

Thanks for the input everyone, and thanks for the link, Szykniej! I had a feeling the subject had to have been covered...

[Robert]

Vinyl to CD thread here:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,119.0.html

I've accumulated 1,000+ albums over the last few months, all for less than a dollar each. Classical LP's tend to be well taken care of and there are tons of recordings never re-issued on CD. I buy music cdr's in bulk for 40-cents each and sit down and listen to an LP I've never heard before. If it's something I want to hear again, I press the record button on the machine while I have a second listen and make myself a CD that goes onto my shelf.

How long have you owned this? Do you know if it is still available. If you don't mind my asking, what did you pay for it?

[Szykneij]

How long have you owned this? Do you know if it is still available. If you don't mind my asking, what did you pay for it?

It was a gift from my wife so I'm not sure exactly how much it was. I believe around $350. I've had it for about a year and a half, but it was just over the last few months that I've really gotten into using it a lot. I'd be surprised if it wasn't still available, perhaps even in an updated version.

[Mark]

I've accumulated 1,000+ albums over the last few months, all for less than a dollar each. Classical LP's tend to be well taken care of and there are tons of recordings never re-issued on CD. I buy music cdr's in bulk for 40-cents each and sit down and listen to an LP I've never heard before. If it's something I want to hear again, I press the record button on the machine while I have a second listen and make myself a CD that goes onto my shelf.

This sounds like the ideal situation, but it does bring us back to the question of LP storage. My neighbour, as I've mentioned around here before, has a double garage stacked to the rafters with vinyl - none of which, incidentally, he's yet bothered to transfer to CD, AFAIK. If I were to begin collecting vinyl as insanely as he has, I'd have no option but to copy and resell. Either that, or sleep on the roof of my house.

[Solitary Wanderer]

I have a wardrobe full of vinyl, about 1000+, which I'm slowly selling off. I never listen to them anymore and they fetch a very good price.

[Daverz]

I've started collecting Lps again.  I've bought hundreds  of Lps since upgrading my analog system last April.  In fact, to date, I've put at least twice as money into my analog equipment as my digital equipment.  I do find it fun to play vinyl.

However, lately I've been somewhat disappointed by what's available on the used market and the poor quality of so much vinyl.  At least what I'm willing to pay for; I not interested in audiophile stuff and don't like paying the ridiculous prices for the collectable stuff.  Overall, I prefer CDs, particularly for classical music.  Even after all I've spent on analog equipment, I still think I get better sound from CDs. 

There are still plenty of recordings that never made it to CD, or that were poorly transfered to digital, but I don't think there are enough of them to really justify how much I've spent on analog equipment. 

I also think the "analog is better, digital gives me a headache" people are just delusional.

[Mark]

Daverz, you should try looking round my local Oxfam Music & Book store for used LPs - I regularly see great stuff there by big-name performers, almost always in near-mint condition.

[Heather Harrison]

I prefer CDs, but I still actively collect LPs and 78s.  Sometimes, they are too cheap to resist, and sometimes they have recordings that can't be found on CD.  The last group of LPs I bought was just a few weeks ago; my reviews of them appeared in the "Purchases Today" thread.

One of my favorite categories for collecting is records from the acoustic era (pre-1925).  These are terrible recordings, but they are historically interesting.  I really need to get a turntable that is designed for these records, which were recorded at a variety of speeds, mostly ranging from 71 to 80 RPM.  I have been drooling over these turntables; one of these days I should get around to buying one.

http://www.esotericsound.com/turntable1.htm

The ones that play 16" to 17" records look like good choices; if I had one of those, I would be able to start collecting radio transcriptions.  I already have one super-sized 78 that is too big for my existing turntable.

Heather

[Robert]

It was a gift from my wife so I'm not sure exactly how much it was. I believe around $350. I've had it for about a year and a half, but it was just over the last few months that I've really gotten into using it a lot. I'd be surprised if it wasn't still available, perhaps even in an updated version.

I cannot seem to locate this even at Sony. They show RCD500C period.  Is the W100 part of the number or separate? Do you know where your wife purchased it? BTW do you live in the states? 

[Szykneij]

I cannot seem to locate this even at Sony. They show RCD500C period.  Is the W100 part of the number or separate? Do you know where your wife purchased it? BTW do you live in the states? 

Here it is at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-RCDW500C-Compact-Player-Recorder/dp/B0000B3E8U/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-6478711-9931130?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1188609042&sr=1-1

[BorisG]

I prefer CDs, but I will buy vinyl when I see something interesting for a buck to three bucks, that is not interesting enough to pay ten to fifteen bucks for a CD of.

[beclemund]

My music interest began at the top of the CD revolution. I remember in elementary school during parties, kids would bring in records of modern music and I only had my dad's old records, so we had a lot of Fats Domino and Chubby Checker to spread around.

When I finally began to have the beginnings of a "disposable" income, it was around '88, '89... so only CDs.

[Daverz]

I have a wardrobe full of vinyl

We're talking about records, not fetish gear, you pervert. 

[Robert]

Here it is at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-RCDW500C-Compact-Player-Recorder/dp/B0000B3E8U/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-6478711-9931130?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1188609042&sr=1-1

Does this unit only run on batteries???

[Valentino]

I buy used LPs if the music is interesting. Sometimes I find gems on this format that are not on CD. But I don't buy many.

(I can't help liking to tinker a bit with my turntable and associated equipment even if the rest of my setup is of the fire-and-forget type.)

[Szykneij]

Does this unit only run on batteries???

No, the batteries in the description are for the remote control clicker.

[Robert]

No, the batteries in the description are for the remote control clicker.

Thanks for your help. I am going shopping.....I am hoping that circuit city or best buy carry the unit...I am excited. If not I can always get it from Amazon. I have never purchased anything but discs from them...Christmas comes early this year...Actually my wife would probably buy it for me for my birthday. I will then have to wait till November.). 

[Szykneij]

Thanks for your help. I am going shopping.....I am hoping that circuit city or best buy carry the unit...I am excited. If not I can always get it from Amazon. I have never purchased anything but discs from them...Christmas comes early this year...Actually my wife would probably buy it for me for my birthday. I will then have to wait till November.). 

Good luck! Let us know how you make out.

[Shrunk]

For me, my vinyl collection outnumbers CD by about 2 to 1.  Most of my purchases are online.  For inexpensive stuff Ebay is OK.  However, for more expensive collectible LP's I find Ebay a bit too risky unless I know the seller.  There are a number of reliable online sellers.  Unfortunately (for me, anyway), most are in the UK, which adds a hefty premium in postage.  As well, several of the better dealers have closed up shop over the past year or too.  Here are my favourites of the ones still left:

http://www.classic-choice.co.uk/

http://www.classicrecords.co.uk/index.html

http://www.classicvinylcollector.com/

http://www.mikrokosmos.com/

http://www.spiralclassics.co.uk/

http://www.watsonrecords.co.uk/

The prices can get pretty outrageous if you want first pressings of the desirable labels like Decca or EMI.  I usually settle for 2nd or 3rd pressings. 

I'm so used to hunting down LP's, sometimes just walking into a store and buying a CD feels like cheating.

[sound67]

Even on a high end level I was irritated by the bad pressings, the clicks and tics.

Same here. On the few occasions today that I get to listen to vinyl the clicks thoroughly repel me. Also, the supposed "superiority" of vinyl in terms of sound was always just a myth (or, urban legend).