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higher end jazz vinyl: where to turn?

I'm a lifelong jazz listener but only new to entry-level hifi, as presently marketed--by which I mean Rega p3-24 turntable, Linn Classik amp, Vienna Acoutics Mozart Grand Speakers, and a lot of heart.

Anyway I have a choice set of old ECM records, Miles Davis records, and so forth, that I bought in the early 1980s. Most of them have some noise and crackle now and again--which I largely discount as the distinguished marks of age and memory. Nonetheless a clean sweet classic jazz LP played at substantial volume, even through a low midfi system like mine, is a beautiful thing. Beauty is a rare thing, I read somewhere. And it makes me wonder about upgrading the vinyl.

So here are questions:
1. Are these $50 classic content and such rereleases of Blue Notes really so good? Including worth the effort of getting up and turning the 45 over in middle of a strong Coltrane solo-a double indignity, to a genius and to the lazy.

2. What to say of all these 180g and 200g re-releases at higher prices versus the $10-20 unopened recent copy meant for mass market (or as massy as the jazz list allowed/allows)?

3. I'm using Disc Doctor record cleaners on my old and newer vinyl, but wonder how great the different is to move to a machine, say vpi 165?

4. I'm just a poor righteous teacher so I'm a bargain hunter: an Inexpensive Audiophile down with the feel of the Expensive Winos aestheticist mentality.

5. Thanks!
paanders

Showing 5 responses by jyprez

jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
If you plan on doing any significant amount of Jazz record collecting, a record vac is the difference between the annoying crackle and dead silent or near dead silent records. You don't need to go crazy spending money on this. While I have a Loricraft today (and that makes sense given the size and value of my collection) I started with a homemade vac which could do a significant portion of what the Loricraft can do and cost almost nothing. If you are interested, let me know I will give you details or search the web for many plans. VPI is a good choise as well but more expensive.
If you are near central CT, I can give you the names of some excellent used jazz record shops.
jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
To answer your question (from someone who has cleaned thousands of records) "We could all wish it wasn't so, but there is no substitute for a good RCM".
jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
Salectric is correct. If you limit yourself to new LP's, an RCM will not necessarily be essential. I disagree with the comment that because people accepted uncleaned records in the past, that means they were just fine. We all grew up with noisy records but accepted it because we didn't know any better. I have thousands of records from the 50's and 60's and I assure you, nobody from those decades heard them like I am hearing them today.
If you limit yourself to new reissues you will be paying premium price and face the warpage / quality issues you have heard mentioned here. If you search for good quality original used LP's you can find many for far less that are far better in sound quality and repay the cost of your RCM many times over - up to you!
jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
A shop vac with modified crevice tool is exactly what I used for many years before my Loricraft. You plug up the end of the crevice tool, cut a slot on the side with a router and use a removable adhesive to attach felt on either side of the slot so you can wipe it along the record. Any reasonable shop vac will provide way more suction than most commercial RCM's. The only issue I ever had ways pulling the "tool" off after cleaning and leaving a clean edge as the forward piece of felt would still be wet and have some residue. But it gets 80% of what a Loricraft can do. Of course my Loricraft is far quieter. I can play LP's while cleaning the next record.
jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
Very few Ebay jazz sellers play grade anything. The biggest and best sellers jusy sell too many to do this. I would be crazy and the experienced sellers can tell from looking at a record what to grade it. But never buy from anyone who doesn't offer at leasy a 7 day money back guarantee.

In the end, you still need an RCM to buy used records. Don't expect even a near mint record from the 50's or 60's to sound good unil it is very carefully cleaned. Near mint doesn't mean clean.
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