Looking to get TT

I'm curious - if there's a phono card available for your preamp, why aren't you considering this now? Would it really be more expensive, considering that it would save you from having to introduce another set of interconnects? Assuming this is a decently-engineered piece, it would typically have access to a much better power supply - the one already in your audiophile-grade preamplifier - than is case with inexpensive standalone units. Unless you were going for a more premium-quality outboard phonostage, I tend to think the convenience of a built-in can be better suited to the casual vinyl-spinner. And don't worry about not sticking with it: Even a modest vinyl rig can give you a lot of those musical qualities that good records seem to transmit more readily than CD's - and besides, it'll be too much fun to quit... :-)

...Sounds like a plan :-)

RR, the definition of what constitutes "kick-ass LP's" is evidently highly personal. My criteria is rarely as a collector, but primarily as a music lover, and as such I wouldn't care about the Vertigo stuff, whatever it was worth, unless I happened to stumble upon one cheap (but thanks for the educational link). PA undoubtedly has his own definition as well, and I'm sure it wouldn't totally jibe with mine either. Vive la difference, no? (And doesn't this apply a bit in matters audio too?...) I for one would not exactly be surprised if what TWL was reading this hoo-ha with wasn't actually "glee"...Why focus on manufacturing points of contention between us when what's obviously more significant is our similarities? :-)

Ron: You would be correct in deducing that I don't prefer the type of 'progressive' rock featured on those releases...I'm sure our tastes must have some overlap (rock is my main music), but one thing I must agree with you on the need to weed out the stuff in the collection that doesn't personally appeal, something I'm perpetually overdue for myself! ;^)

Agreed 4yanx, which is why I won't be listing any of my several thousand 45's from the 50's and 60's here... :-)

Ron, I hope you have the Crusaders LP "Unsung Heroes", which to me is their strongest overall effort from the electric phase of the band (and yes, I have a Japanese pressing - I'm such a dork), but calling "2nd Crusade" their second album would be to ignore their previous multi-album history in the 60's as the Jazz Crusaders, a primarily acoustic - and to me much better - incarnation of the same core group.

BTW, I hope your "guarantee" comes money-back, my friend. ;^) If you want to get a better idea where I'm coming from regarding 70's album rock, here's a couple of archived threads (one of which you were briefly on):

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1042258684

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1046668937

Or, put another way that you'd understand, the only Kinks albums that mean anything to me (quite a lot, in fact) were all on Reprise (last one, 1970... :-) TEHO

Yeah, it was a joke...I'm not a 'pressings' hound (though I really do have it :-) And I'm also glad you didn't take this offline; Records are the reason we have record players (and the reason we have records, hopefully, is music).

As far as I'm aware, you are not incorrect about "2nd Crusade" - but then that would seem kind of self evident, no? The Jazz Crusaders not only had Sample and Henderson, they also had Hooper and Felder - the same group of childhood friends that formed in Houston at the end of the 50's. Their first LP ('61) contained the title track "The Freedom Sound", which they reprised on "Unsung Heroes" over a decade later - still a great, haunting tune. Their 60's material was mostly released on the Pacific Jazz label, including the popular string of "...At The Lighthouse '6_" live albums, and much of it was re-ished in various packagings and labels during the height of their 70's fame.

Those Kinks LP's are both great (the Kronikles is a collection of latter-day Reprise material released after the group had moved to RCA). About their vintage stuff you must've had and sold off, the less I think about that the better! ;^)

RR, if you're still around, you might like to know that I found the first Captain Beyond LP cheap at an estate sale (no 3D cover, 4" spine split, but clean vinyl) and picked it up just so I could come back here and tell you how much I didn't care for it, heh heh :-) I place it somewhere between Captain Beefheart and Captain & Tennille (think I'll stick with Mr. Van Vliet...) Happy New Year, everybody!