Considering giving up vinyl - thoughts please

[tuga]

One late '80s AAD album which to me sounds badly mastered in CD is Suzanne Vega's "Solitude Standing", all top and no bottom.
According to a chap named John Dyson, apparently this happened often because the master tapes were not Dolby de-emphasized for the transfer to digital.

 

[uzzy]

I am currently listening to Eddie Brickel, the only one I own.
The dynamic range is way above average, pretty good in fact:

https://dr.loudness-war.info/?artist=&album=Shooting+RubberBands

What exactly is worse in the CD version?
I would expect it to sound 'colder' and perhaps a bit 'dry' sounding when compared to the vinyl edition.

The CD version lacks life and dynamics compared to the CD - it also lacks the same timing and snap. You would really have to compare it to understand methinks

 

[Jules_S]

The Edie Brickell and Suzanne Vega albums you mention are both excellent though - firm favourites of mine, and I would never let the production quality affect my enjoyment of the music. All I ask of my system is that it doesn't make them sound unlistenable. As it happens I have Solitude Standing on both CD and LP - I must dig out the LP later and compare them to see if it's any better.

(BTW Days of Open Hand is much better produced, sounds excellent on both formats)

 

[Audio Al]

OK DomT what are you going to do after 160 posts ? Keep your vinyl or give it up.

 

[DomT]

OK DomT what are you going to do after 160 posts ? Keep your vinyl or give it up.

Pick your favourite answer from this list:

A) I actually did a deal this weekend. I swapped my Luxman PD171 for the Chinese DAC streamer that many have been getting excited about and donated all my LPs to charity shops.
B) Still undecided
C) Will keep t/t and important LPs for special occasions
D) Going to see my psychiatrist this week to ask their opinion
E) Going to let the Wam vote

 

[rabski]

Pick your favourite answer from this list:

A) I actually did a deal this weekend. I swapped my Luxman PD171 for the Chinese DAC streamer that many have been getting excited about and donated all my LPs to charity shops.
B) Still undecided
C) Will keep t/t and important LPs for special occasions
D) Going to see my psychiatrist this week to ask their opinion
E) Going to let the Wam vote

I think, did C, maybe should have done D. But then so should most of us

 

[Tony_J]

Pick your favourite answer from this list:

A) I actually did a deal this weekend. I swapped my Luxman PD171 for the Chinese DAC streamer that many have been getting excited about and donated all my LPs to charity shops.
B) Still undecided
C) Will keep t/t and important LPs for special occasions
D) Going to see my psychiatrist this week to ask their opinion
E) Going to let the Wam vote

Dom - it would be rude not to turn this into a Wam poll

 

[Headcoat]

I'd say C. But as mentioned a Wam Poll is called for.

 

[Ady]

I would say E and would vote to keep turntable and all vinyl obvs
Cheers
Ady

 

[hiesteem]

I'm about to register as a charity and Will take any old vinyl and turntable off your hands. I will throw in free collection all I ask is a cup of tea upon arrival and my petrol money covered.
Ta!
Ps also a fee holiday in Portugal and a loan of your snorkel please..,.......

 

[Audio Al]

 

[Ceko]

Which Chinese DAC are you talking about @DomT ? So that means your vinyl is off to charity already?

 

[bigrod]

I guess we will all have to make similar choices about our hobby in the future.
Downsizing, expense etc
I’ve given Becky my daughter the WAM details, just in case I become incapacitated as both Diane and her wouldn’t be able to manage and I’m 100% sure if the WAM still exists my HIFI assets would be treated fairly by my fellow Wammer’s

 

[bigrod]

I guess we will all have to make similar choices about our hobby in the future.
Downsizing, expense etc
I’ve given Becky my daughter the WAM details, just in case I become incapacitated as both Diane and her wouldn’t be able to manage and I’m 100% sure if the WAM still exists my HIFI assets would be treated fairly by my fellow Wammer’s

Anyway that comment calls for this to played
Steely Dan
Everything must go

 

[Jules_S]

I guess we will all have to make similar choices about our hobby in the future.
Downsizing, expense etc
I’ve given Becky my daughter the WAM details, just in case I become incapacitated as both Diane and her wouldn’t be able to manage and I’m 100% sure if the WAM still exists my HIFI assets would be treated fairly by my fellow Wammer’s

Downsizing, schmownsizing. The vinyl stays, even if I end up living in one-room!

And there will probably be an almighty Wam fight over the Cabasse

 

[DiggyGun]

Hello everyone

As some may know I am have a change in life circumstances and am looking afresh at everything and especially when it comes to possessions. I was horrified to find out with my current house move that just my personal possessions (no furniture and mostly audio and studio gear) occupy 15 cubic meters of space and weigh 1200kgs. That’s ridiculous and so a lot of stuff has to go especially as I will probably be country hopping again in another 12 months time.

On the vinyl front I am a little hesitant as if I sell my current t/t and phono stage I will never be able to afford it again and also I may miss the glorious sound. (Luxman PD171 with Audio Note arm2 and IO and a Trilogy 907 phonostage.) This is one of the best turntable set ups that I have heard (according to my preferences).

Has anyone sold a high end turntable going full digital and regretted it or felt liberated? Is it worth keeping a small handful of meaningful LPs (especially those not available on digital) and a cheap turntable? (Just bought my wife a Project EVO).

I don’t need kit suggestions and am more interested in considerations and experiences of others who have gone on this journey particularly both positive and negative.

Also I have received my Audio Note IO back from a service at Audio Note. It’s still in the shipping box. Should I open it and enjoy one more year of this cartridge or better to sell in this ‘newly refurbished’ condition? Not sure how much resale would be affected? I suspect as is it’s worth maybe £1600 as is but if I used it then maybe £1000? What do you guys think?

Sold my Linn LP12 Akurate + spec and Naim CD5 XS last year along with all my records and CDs.

Now just stream with a Linn Klimax DS3 / Katalyst streamer with Qobuz.

No regrets at all, best upgrade I’ve done for a while. We are now listening and enjoying a greater diversity of Jazz.

Initially, it may be scary making the first step, but once done there are many benefits.

DG…

 

[hiesteem]

Sold my Linn LP12 Akurate + spec and Naim CD5 XS last year along with all my records and CDs.

Now just stream with a Linn Klimax DS3 / Katalyst streamer with Qobuz.

No regrets at all, best upgrade I’ve done for a while. We are now listening and enjoying a greater diversity of Jazz.

Initially, it may be scary making the first step, but once done there are many benefits.

DG…

Takes courage, that!
Linns streaming equipment does seem of excellent quality and makes sense to use their support service.

 

[StingRay]

Sold my Linn LP12 Akurate + spec and Naim CD5 XS last year along with all my records and CDs.

Now just stream with a Linn Klimax DS3 / Katalyst streamer with Qobuz.

No regrets at all, best upgrade I’ve done for a while. We are now listening and enjoying a greater diversity of Jazz.

Initially, it may be scary making the first step, but once done there are many benefits.

DG…

I nearly bought a turntable to play Jazz albums on but at the time prices of turntables were high and same for records. Availability in the UK of used Jazz albums is rather limited especially in my area. So I did go down route in the end. Some HiRes remasters have improved some of the Jazz classics which helps. Do you use Qobuz?

 

[DiggyGun]

Do you use Qobuz?

Yes, we do and find it to be very good.

Their Hi-Res recordings are very good quality and the breadth of tracks is superb.

I used to buy three or four new albums a month, but was finding that the quality of new presses was very poor. Was always having to return some because of warps, etc.

I used to have a very good local second hand record shop for the older albums, but over the years had started to get more new records in of, as stated above, lessor quality.

In the end, I used to buy new albums from Amazon, as it was always easier to return the bad ones.

Qobuz has allowed us to check out different artistes much easier and to experiment with different styles.

We also use the radio station, Jazz24 for background listening which plays the type of Jazz that we like. This then leads us to investigate other artistes that we were unaware of.

DG…

 

[DiggyGun]

Takes courage, that!

I know, tell me about it, big step.

But, haven’t looked back.

Since doing this in June last year, we have also made some significant changes to the system;
- split the rack in two, brains and brawn
- swapped the two HiCaps for a SuperCap DR got the 282

This made a significant improvement.

Future plans include upgrading the Katalyst DAC to the. Organik DAC. Also considering trying a Network Acoustics Ethernet Filter as been reading some excellent reviews of this.

One other big benefit was getting back space in the house. Storage for around 1000 records and 1000 CDs does take up a large amount of floor space.

A year later, we are still very happy and have no regrets.

DG…