2. analog
  3. 1080013997

Vinyl, should I take the plunge?

I've assembled my dream system over the last 10 years, a nice mark levinson system with b&w n802 speakers. I've been contemplating the next step, vinyl, sacd, dvd audio. I've heard good vinyl and know how good it is, but have lingering questions...

1) What are some web sites that sell vinyl. I'd really like to see what I can buy. New releases? My old classics? I need to really see what's available and what peoples opinions are for the future. I tend to classic rock, jazz, blues, classical, and some new age music.

2) I have a 15 month old and am planning at least one more. Am I nuts for even considering vinyl (wife speaking)? I haven't had many problems so far, but my little guy just started walking a month ago. Have others successfully raised kids w/o major repairs to their vinyl or dream audio system? Or do I just need to accept that some bad things are bound to happen and start saving :( ?

I'm not convinced sacd/dvd audio are all that they are cracked up to be. Both from software that is available (limited) and the fact that so much of the software available is a crap shoot depending on how it was mixed/sampled. Comments for those w/ sacd?

Thanks in advance...

JJ
jjurich

Showing 2 responses by fatparrot

fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
Eldartford, you're correct! I misspoke in my post. I meant to say that CD's are quieter and have better channel separation than vinyl. Thanks for picking up.on that!
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
If you are buying used vinyl you will absolutely positively need a wet record cleaning device (VPI, Nitty Gritty) that has a vacuum pickup tube...the only civilized way to clean. No doubt about it, cleaning and vinyl prep is a pain in the ass! And don't forget that you will be jumping up every 20 minutes or so, to flip sides, clean the second side with a carbon fiber brush, compressed air, zero-stat, and check the stylus for dust. And still, you will never, EVER, get the silent black background that digital will give you. However, if you can put up with the inconvenience of vinyl, the MUCH lower S/N ratio and channel separation vs. redbook CD, then you will be rewarded with a much more "musical" presentation than is possible with CD's.

Hi-rez digital audio can be considered as the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players"! As stated, the software is a crap-shoot, with some titles being nothing more than a remastering of a 16 bit digital redbook master tape! SACD is a very limited niche market, although I would image that classical listeners are in ecstasy now being able to listen to a complete performance generated in true hi-rez from an analog master, rather than 4 sides on vinyl. Multi-channel SACD is nothing more than a gimmick, bought by people who are audio fanatics demanding the latest technology and possessing copious amounts of disposable income, or the status conscience buying "braggin' rights". Universal players or DVD-A would appear to be the way to go, due to the flexibility of source material vs. SACD. Watch for "re-issue" hi-rez digital titles to start hitting the market in a year or two, correcting some of the crappy sounding titles (especially SACD) and as an additional marketing ploy.
More to discover