Why Do You Still Have Vinyl if You Don't Play it?

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Mark, you may have something there. I remember when the first iMac came out, it didn't have a floppy drive. It was the first computer to omit a floppy drive. Well, that was just unheard of. The next few desktops that I owned, I made sure that they were configured with a floppy drive. Never mind that no one was using floppy disks any longer....I wanted one on my machine "just in case". I kept getting floppy drives on my machines until I was told "um, sir, we don't do that anymore". Same thing with a land line in my home. Several years ago a co-worker mentioned that he had gotten rid of his land line and was using his cell phone as his only telephone. That was blasphemy! How can you not have a phone in your home? I woke up several years later and noticed that I rarely used my home phone because everyone in the house had their own cell phone. I also looked at how AT&T was socking it to me every month for the bill for the land line that I never used. I got rid of my land line and have never missed it. In hindsight, I should have dropped the land line years ago.
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Let me add that I have a relatively large collection of 78's dating from the early oughts (or is it aughts?). These I will *not* be getting rid of, if not solely for historical reasons. There's something about these discs and the music on them that will always fascinate me... And they're all perfectly flat! Something that just can't seem to be mastered, even in 2011. I guess that's good ol' shallac for ya.

Cheers,
Mark

Ballywho,

I have some old 78's also that I recorded to CD and then ripped to music server. I bought an old Admiral ceramic cart record player that plays 78's for $10 at a yard sale. Then I used my Denon recorder to burn to CD. Then I ripped to music server like any other CD.

The recordings are pretty good. The sound of the 78s comes through, flaws and all, but the sound is similar to what I've heard recently when a dealer played me several old 78s on several restored Victolas, minus perhaps some of the artificial horn speaker artifacts that gives an actual Victrola an authentically appealing touch of warmth.

These are a lot of fun and very enjoyable to listen to at a touch of a button off the music server! A nice mix of teh old and new!

I have plans to do that very thing. I just haven't gotten around to it. Having those tunes on hand like all the other music in the house will be real nice, not to mention the peace of mind knowing that it's *finally* been archived after 100 years!

i have about 1500 lps. i don't play them. it is somewhat inconvenient, i don't have a great phono stage or phono pre amp and i'm lazy.

Dev, to paraphrase your own advice to Timrhu on 8/6/11, no disrespect but if you re-read my posting on 8/7/11 you'll find that you left something out. Namely the 6TB server fronted by a MacBook Pro/Amarra setup.

8/7/11 is after my post you pulled up from 7/15/11 expressing disatisfaction with the Sooloos so please explain to me what is so funny?

And yes the Sooloos will be for sale as soon as I transfer all the data the RAID.

I'm glad you find yourself so amusing convoluting other people's posts. You should take your head out of your Stereotactic Device and get out a little more.

You have a great system. Why don't you post it on Virtual Systems as any pre-sexagenarian surely can do?

Khrys, if you are a computer geek, you may not need this advice, but here goes..

Abandon the RAID array, and buy a Drobo. I have just installed my second Drobo, and although a bit more pricey than a RAID array, it is so much simpler. Mine is a Drobo FS. Just load the software and plug the Drobo via LAN into the back of your router and instant backed up network storage. I put in (5) 2TB drives, that give me 8 TB of storage with back up. If any 2 of the drives fail at once, I can just swap them out for new ones with no loss of information. The Drobo tells you what's up with drives, and manages everything.

Much simpler than when I had RAID array, and much easier to maintain.

Khrys,

you directed your posting to me and in reading such my understanding was you preferred your Sooloos to your vinyl front end mentioned which is funny and only tells me ...

adding to your post you added the sacasm directed to me saying;

Too bad for you "it's game over".

Mine's still going on.

I find individuals of such going this route for convenience which is okay, it's your system and your choice and opinion so enjoy, no need to debate.

I also realize you have a 6TB server fronted by a MacBook Pro/Amarra that you prefer over the Sooloos, so what.

That all being said you were the one who initiated originally and not me so I responded to such and now you seem to want to step that up by adding;

"You should take your head out of your Stereotactic Device and get out a little more."

also saying;

Why don't you post it on Virtual Systems as any pre-sexagenarian surely can do?

Firstly WOW! using the word "sexagenarian" must be describing yourself, a person who is 60 years old or between the ages of 60 and 70.

Sorry but I'm in my 40's and don't need to use a piano to calibrate my ears, that was so funny what you posted had me rolling around on the floor.

10-07-00: Khrys
My 1992 Steinway M recalibrates my ears daily.
Khrys

My system, thanks yes I agree as you mentioned above my system involves ... highly precise and complex instruments.
I don't need to get out more, maybe you need to take your own advise. Also I see no need to post but looking at your picks in general they look very nice.

Enjoy!

I did end up replacing all my lps for cds but I still kept, and played, my vinyl. No way to digitize in those days (easilly).

Every recording and/or playback technology will have drawbacks. Vinyl is better than current digital at the moment. But with rediculously expensive digital system, they are sometimes better. The analog to digital converters and clock system must be top notch and sample at rates so high the resulting signal will look like analog. We aren't there yet. So, I have both analog and digital. When I really want to hear the soul of music, it is definitely analog. However, my digital rig is very good also. My CD transport through my DAC sounds wonderful. I do remember however, that back in the day, reel to reel blew away vinyl. But it was a serious pain to record to tape unless you bought directly from the master tape recording to reel to reel. But I can tell you that tape produced that way was much better (to me) than vinyl.

But for now, until digital surpasses vinyl, which it will eventually in one form or another, a very good vinyl rig is still better. But not by much anymore. However, a very good vinyl rig will seriously blow away an inexpensive digital set up if the DAC is not very good.

enjoy

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Just to put everyone back on track again with the original post. I was asking why do you still have vinyl if you DON'T PLAY IT. The intent of the post was intended for those who have pretty much given up on vinyl and play digital 99% of the time. The argument about whether one format is superior to the other has no place in this thread. Also, if you are still playing a lot of vinyl and prefer playing vinyl over digital, this thread is not intended for you. So please, no more posts here about how great vinyl is, this thread is for those of us that have left vinyl and have moved on.

Again, I have TWO TURNTABLES and spend more time dusting them off and keeping them clean than I do playing them. So, I already know how good vinyl is, I have 3,000 LP's to remind me....that was never the point.

Mitch -- I agree, this shouldn't be a discussion about formats. Which is why I proposed the idea that there are no "old formats". I realize now that 'old' was a poor choice of words; by 'old' I didn't mean a format's chronological age. so much as a format's viability as a storage medium for MUSIC. In other words, I believe ALL formats are viable means for storing music.

So, assuming the MUSIC is the issue, and not the records per se, when you say "I think it's time for me to let go." I take it to mean that you are OK with letting go of the MUSIC on those LP's, and with it, the LP's themselves. And that's a perfectly legitimate position; especially if you've taken the time to transfer ALL that music to another (more convenient) format. Why not? You can have your cake and eat it too ;--)

For me, there are additional reasons why I would hang on to the LP's themselves (rather than transfer their contents to CD's, tape, or a hard drive.) So, assuming I have room for them, here are some of those 'other' reasons I keep my LP's:
1.) I'm lazy: I don't want to lose any of the music, but don't want to take the time to transfer it.
2.) I'm cheap: I don't want to buy the hardware necessary to do the transferring properly.
3.) Even if 1 and 2 were not factors, I'd still worry about losing the transferred content -- both physically, and/or to some as-yet-unrecognized form of 'digital' deterioration'.
4.) And, as others have mentioned, my not wanting to give up (or have to transfer) that (sometimes great) cover art and liner notes -- which I still enjoy reading or re-reading.

And Mitch, despite the wording of your title, even YOU admit to playing your vinyl SOMETIMES ;--) You've bought the gear; you have the room (I assume); so why pitch it? You'll never get the money out. Are you worried about what happens when you croak?!

Don't!
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1.)I’m lazy: I don't want to lose any of the music, but don't want to take the time to transfer it.
2.) I'm cheap: I don't want to buy the hardware necessary to do the transferring properly.
3.) Even if 1 and 2 were not factors, I'd still worry about losing the transferred content -- both physically, and/or to some as-yet-unrecognized form of 'digital' deterioration'.
4.) And, as others have mentioned, my not wanting to give up (or have to transfer) that (sometimes great) cover art and liner notes -- which I still enjoy reading or re-reading.

Nsgarch, your four points are dead-on. I guess I just
didn't want to face it or admit it. I don't know what it's
going to take for me to let go.
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Or maybe another reason, unconscious perhaps, is what happened to me the other day, spending an afternoon listening to some great music on a pair of Quad 2905s on a really fine vinyl rig, a "you are there" joyful experience that never happens with digital as much as I enjoy the convenience of that format. I'm no vinylphile either, believe me, and it isn't this vs that however.....

I would keep your beloved recordings and dump the rest. What is for sure is that if you do have any regrets later, probably unlikely but still possible, you can't go back to where you are now so maybe a compromise is in order, for now. One of those experiences may happen to you at some time in the future and your interest may be rejuvenated, another perspective.

I think the discussions were on track. They drifted because discussions do that. Why people don't play their vinyl? Well, many reasons were listed and I will list some also that I can think of.
1. Lazy
2. Cleaning records to the extent that by the time you are done you have lost all of your time.
3. Getting up every few minutes to change sides.
4. New and better phono stages require upgrading. I guess this could be true for CD transports and DACs also.
5. Totally forgot how much better analog recording/playback is to digital and can no longer remember the difference.

The other night, I was at home with a friend listening to music. I have a McIntosh Labs music server through a Theta DS Pro Gen III DAC. I also have a stand alone CD Transport through a Theta DS Pro Gen VA DAC and also my Sota Star Turn Table through an Audio Research phono stage. We had a blast listening to great music and comparing.

We listened to music via the music server/DAC combo. It was great. Then, I switched to the same CD via my CD transport/DAC combo. Night and day difference. Much more open sound and sound stage via the CD Transport DAC. Oh and by-the-way, the music server digital output through the gen VA day sounds not close to as good as the CD transport DAC combo. but wow! great sound. CD transport made you not want to get up. Then, I swithed to the album and turn table for the same recording and lo and behold, extreme night and day difference. The Turn Table/phono stage combo versus the music server and CD elements was wonderful. It reminded me why I listen to albums. I remind myself all the time why I need to take the time to clean my records and listen. One can get complacent listening to digital and then when you go and compare. You match levels and listen. The turn table analog sound is just wonderful. So add complacency to the list also as to why people don't listen.

But, for fun. turn your system on. Get the cd of your favorite music and the album (recorded analog, not from digital). match levels on your pre-amp and sit back and listen.

enjoy.

Mitch, it occured to me that perhaps this last part of your OP is the 'real' question:

I don't know what it's going to take for me to let go.

My own answer would be that whatever 'it' is (that it would take for me to let go) it would be outside of any 'audio considerations'. It would be something more 'life affecting' like: a fire, or an illness, or a physical move to smaller accomodations; something like that.

In his preceeding post, Minorl again recounts a (purely anecdotal) experience many/most of us have had: comparing the same piece of music in different formats. But for me, and for many people (including Minorl, I bet ;--) the likelyhood of having a given piece of music in multiple formats is nil. Which is why, earlier in this thread, it suggested that when viewed through the lens of "the music", the idea of completely abandoning a particular format sort of goes out the window ;--) And as a matter of fact (coming back to Minorl's experience) one evening a friend and I assembled all the music we could find between both our collections which we had in two or more formats. This included not only LP's and CD's, but reel-to-reel and cassette. We even had a few selections in all four formats! And the startling and unexpected outcome, was that there was no clear winner or loser!

At one point not long ago, I had considered doing some serious culling (of all my 'formats'.) Then I remembered that years and years ago, I had done just that -- and lived to regret it. So once again I say, "if you hang on to the music, you'll never have reason to regret it."
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Nsgarch; your post is well stated and written. I guess the point I was trying to make but failing, was that the music was great using my digital format, but when I actually listened to vinyl and more importantly, compared using the same recordings in digital and vinyl, this showed me clearly what I am missing in digital. This is not to say that digital isn't great now. it is very good. However, there still are great differences between the formats. Not as wide a gap as before, but everyone I know that has listened to digital and then to vinyl (especially the ones that are not into music or audiophiles), jaws drop at the differences they hear.

To me, and my absolute enjoyment of good music, this is why I still have vinyl.

When a format comes that is compact as digital and as good or better than vinyl in terms of sound stage reproduction, dept, etc. I have no problem moving to that new format. having albums around and turn tables and phono stages, etc. and cds all over the place does take up room. I would love to have a music server/DAC do everything as well or better than my analog equipment. Unfortunately, it is not there yet and when it does come out, initially, I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway. So to me, it isn't about storage or space it always has been about the music. I played classical music via violin, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, sax, etc. I have a real problem if the reproduced music doesn't sound like I know it should. The worst part as I mentioned previously, is one can get use to a certain sound reproduction and come to believe it is accurate, and then listen to a different set up or analog and understand that they really are missing something.

so, really,,,enjoy

Like many here, I've gone back and forth with this very experience. I had a collection of 1,000+ back in the late 80's that I sold off in bulk when CDs overtook my musical life. My regret was not hanging on to some of my favorites and collectibles.

On three separate occasions I've done the same thing with my CD collection - only hanging on to a handful of favorites and/or collectibles. Most recently, I've dumped my favorite CDs since I have them all ripped to FLAC on multiple hard drives (which is how I predominantly listen to music now anyway) and kept only the collectibles. They are stored in a box and will get sold off when the economy is better and people are willing to buy such things again.

All this said, I bought a turntable a few years ago and picked up some old favorites cheap and have fallen in love all over again. Mostly, it is acoustic jazz where vinyl just does it for me - even more so than my high resolution digital versions.

So my advice is; Get rid of the bulk and listening to what is convenient and makes you happy (I do file based network audio). BUT hold on to your favorites and collectibles - even if it means boxing them up and putting them in a closet for now. In ten or twenty years you will likely cherish the memories and the experience again.

I have about 1000 Lp's...I thinned them down from 5000 around 8 years ago...The sonic refinement of CD's and associated playback equipment seems to have improved greatly in the past few years.
Because of the comparable simplicity and ease of using CD's I find myself growing more and more lazy...I used to find the "ritual" of selecting an Lp...removing the jacket from its vinyl sleeve..removing the LP from it's inner sleeve..setting it on the platter..setting the pressure clamp..using the static gun & using the dust brush well worth it because of vastly superior sonics. Now all that occurs to me is that I have to put it all back when it's finished.
I've got some really great stuff..(I'm an acoustic jazz lover)..I've decided to put some time into making high quality CD's from the probably 100 or so LP's that have both performance and sonic worthiness..The third requirement
will be a quiet surface...There's no fast way to do this.
I have a product called a "Super Scope"..I believe it was designed by Marantz..It is a studio grade pro-gear CD recorder and the quality of reproduction is truly excellent.
I don't know if I'll be able to part with my hard won and precious vinyl..but at least this way I'm going to listen to all the wonderful music.

I think it comes down to nostalgia. LPs sound different, there is no getting around that (I said different, not better) But there are clear advantages to digital, especially hi-res. I think there is no coincidence that almost all my LPs are from the 70s and 80s (I am 37, see where I am going with this?). The sounds takes us back. Flipping records takes us back. There is a reason I also have a modest collection of CEDs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc.

With CEDs, Blu-ray is FAR superior in every way (heck, even LaserDisc is superior!) but it looks the way video did as a kid, just as vinyl sounds like music did.

I would guess when you do listen to vinyl, you are in that kind of mood. Pare down your collection, but keep the music that is imprinted on times of your past.

Macdadtexas, thank you for your suggestions. I am a computer geek who has been lucky enough to sell my ideas for substantial profit and I will check out the Drobo.

Sold my vinyl and all my film cameras, luckly before hey lost too much value. Then late one night with too much timeon my hands I fell victim to the need to figit and tinker. The very next morning I went straight to the pound and bought two friskey new puppies. Youll get over it honest. Once you question it, its done. Youre in denial

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I waited too long to sell the film camera. I couldn't give it away.
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Yeah, I have a couple of really nice SLRs in my closet. I held on tho them for sentimental reasons, DOH!

I kept my fathers Cannon AE-1 Program with all the original boxes, tags, receipt and manuals. He also had several lenses and filters all in 9-10 condition. He passed in 2003. We both loved photography and music and I could not bring myself to get rid of it back then. Any clue what it would be worth to a collector?

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The lenses might be worth something. I can't see much value in the camera body. The lenses from my Canon film slr work beautifully with my digital slr.
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Frisbees?

Some more notable film camera bodies may acquire value as collector items or museum pieces eventually if you and your heirs hold on to them long enough.