Records are better. I actually heard it


Just went to a friend's house whose dad has a (somewhat low end) audiophile system. He had on a couple CD's in the background, but once we started talking audio stuff, he plopped on a record.

And I actually heard with my own ears how much better records sound than CD's! Granted, maybe his CD player was crappy, but really so was his record player. He bought the table at the swap meet for like $50 (supposedly great for bargain tables and records as well), and added a $200 MC cartridge.

But the music, oh the music. I had always just assumed it was going to take a ridiculously expensive system for me to be able to hear the difference. But no. The music was alive. Like it was right there, that's the only way to describe it. And it flowed. The highs seemed effortless and non-fatiguing. The record even had some scratches or whatever in it so that it crackled and popped a bit, but even with this I still preferred it.

I need to find a way to make room, but I don't think I'm going to be able to hold off on getting a turntable for very long. Is there anyone who thinks it would be a big mistake to follow in my friend's dad's footsteps and buy an old table at the swap meet for $50 and add a nice $200 MC cartridge to it? He's picking up records at the swap meet for $1-$2 apiece. That's an entry cost of like $300 for sound that appears to kill CD sound.
matt8268
Of course LP's are better, but I need both because the world did not end in 1989 when they stopped making LP's.

Just make sure the alignment of the cartridge is proper, and check your tracking force.

Since LP's actually have something physical going on (the stylus vibrating in a record groove, and the "moving" magnet or coil) they really come alive. There are some records where the stylus can jump off the record, the music is so violent (Some recordings of the 1812 Overture come to mind.)

CD players need some help; mainly interconnect cables and power cables to take the glare and edge off. But they still can be a little flat, since nothing physical is going on.
I can verify the smell thing, for sure! I actually bought some old Beatles albums that had been in a flood. The covers and jackets were a mess (the records, too... but the water hadn't reached the labels) Well, the guy thought I was nuts for buying them ($1 apiece, off the cuff pricing). Hooray for VPI 16.5!!!!
They are now perfect! I don't know if we like the music better, or just getting these bargains.

One addendum, my latest 'take' of old albums included these long but benign bugs (silverfish?)

Can a cockroack live in an album?