2. analog
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Analogue-free system

I have had a TT since 1971, starting with a $99 AR table, then progressed to a couple of Thorens tables and then a SOTA Sapphire in 1984.  It was later upgraded to the vacuum platter.  With a SAEC 407 arm and Dynavector 20x2 HOMC, the sound for years was much better than any digital source I had. 
However, with the acquisition of an upgraded Oppo 103D a few years ago, less and less was I able to discern a superior sound with the TT.  Now, with the introduction of Tidal and Spotify, I find myself listening mostly to streaming music, as well as from jazz stations like KNKX and KCSM.  And of course my large CD collection.

It was the end of an era when the buyer picked up the SOTA rig this week, which has left me with a lot of fond memories of the decades I spent with the very fine analogue set up. I am perplexed that there is still so much interest in TT, but am aware that using a TT provides a more participatory audio experience than simply streaming music or storing all your music on music server.  Cheers, Whitestix
whitestix

Showing 3 responses by jcazador

jcazador
417 posts
 
My system is all digital.  I have a farm with a dog and sometimes cats that live with me in the house.  It is simply too much trouble to keep vinyl clean.  And good digital sounds better than dirty vinyl.  I have probably spent less than any of you on equipment - a cheap teac dac ($300), mostly adcom amps & preamps, plus one mac tube amp and an apt preamp where i sit most of the time, and dell desktop.
My music is all on an external hard drive, and it is all downloaded free from various p2p sites and qbitorrent, all high quality (no mp3 unless it is some song I am trying to learn to play on guitar).  I mostly listen to classical music, mostly solo, rarely more than a quartet.  My first hard drive is 4 Tb, the new one is 5 Tb. 
I am very happy with sound quality, and even happier with the ease of selection and play.
I also download movies and documentaries, ie, Attenborough's latest Blue Planet II - again, that is free, all 7 episodes available while the rest of paying USA waits for its weekly dose.  And they are all so readily accessible when grandchildren show up on a rainy day.
jcazador
417 posts
 
Forgot to mention
4 pairs of speakers, the best of which is a pair of AR90, which I bought for $50 at the local Hongwanji annual sale, and replaced the surrounds.  Just bought a pair of Klipsch, but don't like them as much as my old KLH or my Pioneers.

jcazador
417 posts
 
One more thought
P2P is really a joy, an adventure.
I recently found
"The Complete Million Dollar Quartet"
Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash
Elvis was in studio auditioning for first record ever, Jerry Lee came in then Perkins and Cash, and they all just met Elvis, and they all explore old songs they know, totally raw unrehearsed, meanwhile the engineer recorded it.
Also easy to find a ton of classical Indian music, Ali Akbar, Ravi Shankar, Villayat Khan.
NTM many classical pianists you never heard of who play so much better than you ever imagined.
More to discover