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Is it worth expanding into Vinyl???

I've been kicking around the idea of going vinyl for awhile so I figured I'd post some questions. I understand the difference between Vinyl and Digital from a sound recording and reproduction standpoint and the pros/cons of it, but I guess real world opinion specific to my situation is what I seek.

I was born in '79 so by the time I got into music, Digital had already taken over. As such, I was never exposed to Vinyl as a child and have been raised on the digital "sound". At this point, I have a fairly substantial collection of SACD and DVD-Audio which serve as my primary listening material. Genre's are very dispersed including just about everything.

If I decided to venture into Vinyl, I would want to do so with a minimal investment up front (for the hardware)...perhaps around $500-$600. I also see that one can spend over $30k on a turntable with tonearm and cartridge, so that's a little intimidating to me. I don't want to waste even my measly $500 on getting into vinyl if I need to spend substantially more to get sound that exceeds that of my current all-digital setup.

Here is my current setup, so the only addition would be that of the turntable itself, played through these components. I suppose I'm just looking for opinions from anyone who has one regarding whether a ~$500 turntable on this system can yield sonic results that equal or exceed my current capabilities (realizing that the recording itself plays a tremendous role in the reproduction).

SACD/CD Player: Music Hall Maverick (stock)
DVD-A Player: Denon 3910 (stock)
PreAmp: Outlaw Audio 950
Amplifier: Outlaw Audio 750
Fronts: Axiom M80 v2 (Bi-Wired)
Center: Axiom VP150 v2
Rears: Axiom QS8 v2
Sub: Axiom EP500 v2
Interconnects: Outlaw Audio
Speaker Wire: Monster M1.4s BiWire

I should also mention that a nice, wide and open soundstage is the most important characteristic I look for in listening. The more "real" it all sounds, the happier I am.

Any opinions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Turntable recommendations would also be greatly appreciated!
fatgh0st

Showing 1 response by ponnie

ponnie
233 posts
 
You got alot of advice and good advice. Is vinyl worth it yes. If you like the convenience of compact disc you may have a problem getting up and changing the record over. You may have occasional pops and ticks. No vinyl is perfect for ever. And neither is CD! But vinyl has a sound that is different than Compact Disk.
I would go to a friends house and listen to some of the CD's you have on vinyl before getting into vinyl. See if you think the medium is worth it.

If you want a real nice turntable that has been respected for many years look at a Rega turntable with a RB300 tonearm. The table with the RB250 will be fine to. I think Rega has the RB301 out now oops!

See if you appreicate the sound first then ask us the question of really good table that will compare to your current digital setup. I'm sure there are some that will trounce your current CD Player but digital has come a long way and something as simple as a tube Dac could improve your digital front end even more. It all depends on how critical your listening is and your preferences a well.

Good Luck
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