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New vs vintage/original vinyl

Hello all...

I hope I am in the right area subject-wise...

I wanted to share a basic observation about vinyl and get some feedback.

In the late 90’s, like a dope, I gave away my vinyl collection.

A couple years back I was tired of the sterile, empty (albeit clean and clear) sound of CDs...so I went back to vinyl. I bought what i used to have...a Dual 1219 and proceeded to rebuild my vinyl collection with what i used to have.

I thought today’s new, fresh. intelligent, informed technology would serve me...that is, I thought the "new" vinyl with the heavy materials would sound better and do service to the older analog format. I was very disappointed. The "new" heavy 180 gram versions sound awful. Sounding like what they are...processed, muffled, softer...limp...sounding "rounded off". No punch. I’ll admit...they are clear and clean...but sounding sterile...ironically, like the CD’s. Am I nuts?

Sadly, I then realized what I originally had with my old collection. Original first and second pressings on the original type of vinyl. That is why...(duh) today...there is such an industry for the original vinyl I bought when I was a kid...right when the vinyl was released and somewhat after. iIam even thinking that some of the origianl pressings i has were mixed through analog equipment...whereas today’s "new" vinyl is "processed" and...the marketing tool word "remastered"...all done through computers digitally.

There are so many of us Boomers out there that gave away or sold our vinyl...thinking we were making way for the future. A life’s regret.

The biggest irony of all...I went into the CD world kicking and screaming...I didn’t buy a CD player and start buying the little silver discs until years into the 90’s. I hated the sound then...and I hate it now. But, cost prohibits the all analog tube system I want...

Ok, I am done...

Thanks for reading...

Vinylspin...
vinylspin

Showing 2 responses by snackeyp

snackeyp's avatar
snackeyp
455 posts
 
The digital vs. analogue argument is a pointless one.  People who have already made up their minds and remain close-minded to honest evaluation are a waste of good energy.
I believe both formats can produce excellent results, given the right combination of gear and setup. 
I've found the digital realm is much easier to navigate in finding excellent sound quality.  A good CD player/transport paired with a very good DAC in a revealing system can produce magic in a simple plug and play manner.
By comparison, to get excellent results in analogue you need a turntable that is typically 2-3 times more expensive than a good CD player once you include tonearm, cartridge and phono stage.  Don't forget that setting it up properly can takes hours of trial and error until you find the magic.  My analog front end cost me around $30K, and my digital front end was only around $10K.  Both produce amazing sound quality.  I'm dedicated enough to be very happy spending that kind of money on analogue and digital both, because of my love of music, combined with a desire to find the absolute sound.  
There is no point in arguing about what's best.  It's up to you to find musical enjoyment, not anyone else.  It's your journey.  Take your time and enjoy the ride!
snackeyp's avatar
snackeyp
455 posts
 
I have heard others say what you are saying, but in my experience I find the high end reissues beat the originals most of the time.  I'm referring to companies like Mofi and Analogue Productions as examples of companies who do it right.  
As far as other generic reissues I agree that many of them are not well done.  It's really hit or miss on those, so in recent years I have generally avoided them.  
I've purchased quite a few original pressings from the 70's and 80's especially that I find sound thin and lifeless.  The Dire Straits records are good examples of this.  It's probably because they were so over pressed that the stampers wore out long before they stopped pressing copies.  You might find a hot stamper but most of the copies are not very good.  
By comparison, the Mofi reissues of the Dire Straits releases are fantastic.  
My point is that there is no simple answer to this.  I look carefully to find original pressing of the recordings I love the most, and sometimes they are better than even the best reissues, but not often.  That's just my experience.  I know our ears are not all the same.
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