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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 2 responses by pryso

pryso
1,971 posts
 
Paanders, I'm not familiar with the KAB unit, other than knowing he has a very good reputation for what he sells.

More than 25 years ago I bought a Nitty Gritty, their least expensive model which was manual. It did a very fine job of cleaning. Some years later I upgraded to a VPI because I wanted an automated machine. Does it clean any better? Possibly, but I would not say for sure. If cost is truly an issue, do a search for DIY machines. Several folks have reported satisfaction with those on line.

And I also have a different opinion from Salectric on cleaning 30 years ago. As someone already pointed out, we accepted "noisy" records then because we didn't know how different it could be.

Yes, a RCM will be more important for used records than new. But given the pricing for reissues, which records are you likely to buy in any number? And what about a year later when those new records are no longer new and have been played several times?
pryso
1,971 posts
 
Paanders, think about it, what store could possibly "play grade" (common term for sonic evaluation) the many records they buy then sell over the counter, or on line? That benefit may likely come only from private sellers with a few offerings or dealers when selling expensive, rare recordings, knowing the buyer will likely demand such.

I may guess that your experience of clean, quiet recordings from one store and noisy records from another was likely luck. It may have been that all the quiet records came from one owner who simply took better care than the average person, who knows?

The point remains that buying used records is ALWAYS a bit of a chance, and then after you've owned them and played them several times they will need cleaning again. You certainly shouldn't need to wash and vacuum after every playing but eventually you likely will. Don't spin your wheels here, find some means of wash/vac that meets your budget and go for it.
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