Vinyl or CD, I know what I prefer.

[Diving Dude]

My youngest was rummaging about in the loft and came across some LPs. When she came down she asked me about the large CDs in the loft.

Loft, best place for vinyl.

[Janos]

I've got a Project II for my Vinyl and it's superb...

I started to feel old when one of my staff asked me what I meant when I said that xxx was the best "side of an album" ever.

Janos

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by endoman

That could sort out my Christmas and birthday present. I've got loads on vinyl that back in the day I only played once to put it on tape, so the quality is as new.

Would something like rega planer 3 or a linn sondek still be considered good? what about the stuff the dj's use for scratching and mixing? I have quite a bit of house music and would fancy a go at that just to annoy the kids.

Yes but you really dont need to go to that expense, see Janos' post, I hear good things about Project decks.

Matt

[Woz]

OK I'll start off the batting with some "embarrasing vinyl"...

"Star Trekkin" by The Firm.

[endoman]

Joe Dolce, "Shud up aya face"

[Marky Mark]

John Ketly is a Weatherman(, a Weatherman)

[aclivity]

I suppose essentially the reason why vinyl sounds better is that it records sound in analogue format, and sound is analogue. Digital formats (from CD, Atrac / Minidiscs, MP3's, OGG vorbis etc) are all actually encoders rather than recorders.

I agonise over my turntable. 4 kids in the house, the oldest is 5, if the turntable was anything less than 5 feet off the ground it would become "the potters wheel". But it's in the loft, and I worry that the long period of no use will affect the balance, or the drive belt (it's a Technics SLBD20, not quite DJ standard but quite good for an at home system). I also had to buy a pre-amp, as my amp doesn't have a phono input, and I'm sure the pre-amp is fried, and I don't even know if you can buy them anymore? Where would I start to look for a cartridge?

But then my amp, tuner, CD and cassette deck, and speakers, are also in the loft, as I said I would store them there until I got somewhere to install them. We moved in 2.5 years ago.

Then I fret about the vinyl. How should it be stored? Vertical was the advice I got a while ago, but other people suggest horzontal. Mine are in cardboard boxes and probably by now on a slight tilt, so they will probably now resemble large black pringles. (I recall once leaving a rare "Peel Sessions" disc on the back seat of my car - it was the Mighty Wah, Story of the Blues - and when I returned it looked a bit like the edge of a bit of paper that has got wet then dried). Vinyl suffers from being played, it also suffers from not being played if there is any chance of dust ingress. How best to clean the vinyl before playing it so as to avoid premature cartridge damage?

And now I'm wondering whether to invest in a music streamer - if I do, and get the rest of the separates out, it'll take the the inputs that the turntable used to take ...

Matt, darn you to heck, I'm now sitting at my desk dreaming of getting my hifi down from the loft. And playing some of that rare vinyl (the 12" of Bing Crosby & David Bowie being seasonal, the 12" of War's "Low Rider" being another favourite). It just means I'd have to install some more power sockets and buy some more furniture to put it on. And run some speaker cable. Probably need new speaker cable for that matter - I never liked putting joints in the cable ...

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

For the youngsters, perhaps go listen to music as it should sound, you really don’t know what you are missing.

I was thinking that this was a total load of whatsit but...

...I confess I do have this chunky Fender valve amp and I suspect it's the same concept.

Music the way it ought to be is a very visceral thing.

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by aclivity

I suppose essentially the reason why vinyl sounds better is that it records sound in analogue format, and sound is analogue. Digital formats (from CD, Atrac / Minidiscs, MP3's, OGG vorbis etc) are all actually encoders rather than recorders.

I agonise over my turntable. 4 kids in the house, the oldest is 5, if the turntable was anything less than 5 feet off the ground it would become "the potters wheel". But it's in the loft, and I worry that the long period of no use will affect the balance, or the drive belt (it's a Technics SLBD20, not quite DJ standard but quite good for an at home system). I also had to buy a pre-amp, as my amp doesn't have a phono input, and I'm sure the pre-amp is fried, and I don't even know if you can buy them anymore? Where would I start to look for a cartridge?

But then my amp, tuner, CD and cassette deck, and speakers, are also in the loft, as I said I would store them there until I got somewhere to install them. We moved in 2.5 years ago.

Then I fret about the vinyl. How should it be stored? Vertical was the advice I got a while ago, but other people suggest horzontal. Mine are in cardboard boxes and probably by now on a slight tilt, so they will probably now resemble large black pringles. (I recall once leaving a rare "Peel Sessions" disc on the back seat of my car - it was the Mighty Wah, Story of the Blues - and when I returned it looked a bit like the edge of a bit of paper that has got wet then dried). Vinyl suffers from being played, it also suffers from not being played if there is any chance of dust ingress. How best to clean the vinyl before playing it so as to avoid premature cartridge damage?

And now I'm wondering whether to invest in a music streamer - if I do, and get the rest of the separates out, it'll take the the inputs that the turntable used to take ...

Matt, darn you to heck, I'm now sitting at my desk dreaming of getting my hifi down from the loft. And playing some of that rare vinyl (the 12" of Bing Crosby & David Bowie being seasonal, the 12" of War's "Low Rider" being another favourite). It just means I'd have to install some more power sockets and buy some more furniture to put it on. And run some speaker cable. Probably need new speaker cable for that matter - I never liked putting joints in the cable ...

My stuff has been in lofts for ages, the records were stacked horizontally, the cartridge was fried but a local hifi shop had in stock the same cartridge that I used something like 15 years ago (25 quid). Pre amps are still aound as a lot of the modern stuff uses a high input straight into the amp whereas the old stuff (record decks etc) dont so pre-amps are now available easily. Record cleaning devices are also available, some quite snazzy looking ones too at about 50 quid, although one website suggested 50/50 water/isoprol alcohol (I'd check before making a mix though in case I have that wrong) and paper towels was sufficient. I'm pretty sure you could get a new belt too. It's a bit of a minority thing but seems to be well served by the community (bit like diving). I was very surprised that al my stuff worked so well after years in lofts.
Go for it.
Matt

belts and cartridges = Record Player Stylus, Styli, Needles & Cartridges
Turntable Basics. Turntable Belts, Parts and Accessories.

[dry suit diver]

richer sounds have a huge knowledge if you go into their shops and talk to one of the older guys there.

www.richersounds.co.uk