No, it's not. I have about 1000 lps, I love vinyl, but unless you're comparing a well mastered lp against a badly mastered cd, the cd will sound better every time.
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I want to get into vinyl.
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No, it's not. I have about 1000 lps, I love vinyl, but unless you're comparing a well mastered lp against a badly mastered cd, the cd will sound better every time.
RomanticHeroX
Member
I've never seen a source for this other than people jumping to correct others on GAF. OED has multiple citations of vinyl and polyvinyl ending in -s, and doesn't show that it's an irregular plural. The plural of vinyl is vinyls bro.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Same here but I have had a 2,000 plus collection of vinyl and never said "vinyls".
U-Turn Audio is a very good starter turntable.
Try and get the receiver and speakers at a thrift store.
Try and get the receiver and speakers at a thrift store.
apocalidiot
Banned
Everyone keeps on saying records are expensive.. it depends what you're looking for to buy. If you're looking to re-buy all your favorite classic records, then yeah, it can cost more than $10 a pop per record. Personally, I try to go into the record store with the goal of buying 4 to 5 LPs for around $20. I'm typically looking for jazz, soul, whatever... used stuff ($2/3 a record)
You can do what you want, but if every single record you're buying is over $12, you're going to be spending a lot of money... Occasionally if a record shop has a record I really love and it's $12 bucks or whatever, I'll pick it up. But it's really not worth it to blow all your money on records... The more you buy records, the more you'll understand what you want out of it.
NEW records, as in records that haven't come out yet/came out this week, will be a typical $12-15 or whatever - if it's a current band/artist that I really dig, I personally have no issue with spending the $12 to get their new record. But if I wanted to get all of Zeppelin's records for $15 a pop... I probably won't be doing that
my advice is ask older people that you know (family/friends/friend's family) if they have their record player sitting in a closet. Take theirs off their hand for $15, buy a new needle ("replacement stylus"), make sure it is compatible with the turntable you got (there aren't too many different types as far as I know). Also - if you buy a used turntable, make sure it has the grounding cable. The turn table that I bought used didn't have the grounding cable, I found one that fit in my turntable on some random website.
Record players have RCA out, but you need to plug it into a phono preamp. If you have a receiver with a PHONO input, that will do the job. Otherwise, you can buy a phono preamp on Amazon for like $15, the reviews say it does the job fine.
You can do what you want, but if every single record you're buying is over $12, you're going to be spending a lot of money... Occasionally if a record shop has a record I really love and it's $12 bucks or whatever, I'll pick it up. But it's really not worth it to blow all your money on records... The more you buy records, the more you'll understand what you want out of it.
NEW records, as in records that haven't come out yet/came out this week, will be a typical $12-15 or whatever - if it's a current band/artist that I really dig, I personally have no issue with spending the $12 to get their new record. But if I wanted to get all of Zeppelin's records for $15 a pop... I probably won't be doing that
my advice is ask older people that you know (family/friends/friend's family) if they have their record player sitting in a closet. Take theirs off their hand for $15, buy a new needle ("replacement stylus"), make sure it is compatible with the turntable you got (there aren't too many different types as far as I know). Also - if you buy a used turntable, make sure it has the grounding cable. The turn table that I bought used didn't have the grounding cable, I found one that fit in my turntable on some random website.
Record players have RCA out, but you need to plug it into a phono preamp. If you have a receiver with a PHONO input, that will do the job. Otherwise, you can buy a phono preamp on Amazon for like $15, the reviews say it does the job fine.
Just call them records... vinyls sounds dumb as fuck
Sorcerer
Member
Wow you get your records cheap. At Barnes and Nobles and from what I have seen online, albums average 25 to 30 dollars a piece (single disks)
Do you only buy used?
I have a pretty decent player and a bunch of vinyls. I enjoy the experience, but they don't sound better. Also don't buy newly released vinyls, they haven't been mastered properly for vinyl in my experience. I just go to store to buy old records for $1-3. Not worth buying a brand new $30 record.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Fuck the sound if you have two technics 1200s and a mixer it's fun to do some turntablism with records.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
Your first mistake is looking at Barnes and Noble for records. Every major chain is trying to cash in on the vinyl craze. No brand new record should be more than $15. If it's 18+ then just go to a different store.
Find a local, established, record store and become friendly with the used bins. My favorite activity when I would buy used stuff was spending an hour or two just thumbing through used records.
If the used records are 10+ leave, and find another one.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Just how big is the vinyl buying craze?
TarpitCarnivore
Member
Based on RIAA data they were down 9% in the first half of 2016 (http://www.whathifi.com/news/vinyl-record-sales-drop-in-2016) but overall physical media sales were down.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
8.4 million though damn.
The nice thing about new releases on vinyl is they often include the digital download, so it's usually only $5-10 more expensive to get into vinyl. You're also getting a non-drm download.
We got into them because we like album art and display some on the wall, rotating in the new ones. Can't to wait to get home and throw ATCQ up there.
As far as music quality, can certainly tell a difference, it's warmer, but it's not like I cringe when I hear streaming music vs vinyl.
We got into them because we like album art and display some on the wall, rotating in the new ones. Can't to wait to get home and throw ATCQ up there.
As far as music quality, can certainly tell a difference, it's warmer, but it's not like I cringe when I hear streaming music vs vinyl.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
When every pop star is releasing vinyl and having it featured in Best Buy you know there is a craze going on.
Like I said, I just feel bad when all these people buying up vinyl have to move them. If you aint in a permanent place the last thing you want to deal with is lugging around 100+ records.
Worst trend for vinyl: buying every color of "random hardcore band no one will remember in 6 months but is hot right now"
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Lol I had to move 2,000 + records, a dj set up and a wall of speakers it was brutal.
The quirkiest record I had was one that started from the label of the record to the where a normal record would start. Friend of mine had a record that when you stared at for a bit when you looked up it would give you a mini trip.
I recently bought a Pro-Ject debut carbon. I'm totally fallen in the vinyl sinkhole and can't get enough. Recently bought records from Cursive, Bright Eyes and Pains of Being Pure at Heart and I just want to buy more :lol
Turntable running through a Rotel 2 channel with built in phono pre-amp to a pair of B&W CM6 speakers.
For me, it just brings back a sense of intimacy and experience when listening to music that I haven't felt in a long while.
Turntable running through a Rotel 2 channel with built in phono pre-amp to a pair of B&W CM6 speakers.
For me, it just brings back a sense of intimacy and experience when listening to music that I haven't felt in a long while.
Bubbavelli
Banned
I think the most expensive records i bought were Mobb Deep's The Infamous and DJ Shadow's Private Press for $40 each. The only reason i pulled the trigger was because both still had original packaging and all that.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
In case you're wondering about the lunacy of hardcore (music) collectors, someone paid over six grand for a limited/test press for a record that even the band thought sounded like ass. https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/judge-chung-king
Adam_Vania
Banned
i've been listening to vinyl records since i was a kid, inherited my parents collection, then started building it mostly from thrift stores.
thrift stores are where it's at my friend. antique stores are mostly there to rip you off. $30 for a beat-up copy of a Beatles album. sometimes you find good stuff but especially post-Ebay if there is anything worth anything it will be behind the counter listed for the highest price they could find online. record stores and used music stores may have discount vinyl sections that rule. i dropped $75 last week and walked out with a dozen great albums, most of them $5 and under. thrift stores are usually good deals and even if you have to do some digging you may find amazing stuff. i was thrift shopping yesterday, got a great haul, bought some albums for $1.99 at Goodwill (Black Oak Arkansas, Mountain, Procol Harum, Roberta Flack, Nancy & Lee). some thrift stores sell LPs for less than a dollar. even if it is beat to hell and covered in scratches, that's a not bad chance to take. even covered in scratches sometimes LPs will play flawlessly.
as for a player, i picked up an Ion USB player last year, $60 from Best Buy, and it sounds great. even has external speakers that can get pretty loud, so i can take it out on the porch if i want. maybe an audiophile would think it's a lesser player but it sounds really great and does the job.
imo don't spend too much on equipment, save that money for the records =)
thrift stores are where it's at my friend. antique stores are mostly there to rip you off. $30 for a beat-up copy of a Beatles album. sometimes you find good stuff but especially post-Ebay if there is anything worth anything it will be behind the counter listed for the highest price they could find online. record stores and used music stores may have discount vinyl sections that rule. i dropped $75 last week and walked out with a dozen great albums, most of them $5 and under. thrift stores are usually good deals and even if you have to do some digging you may find amazing stuff. i was thrift shopping yesterday, got a great haul, bought some albums for $1.99 at Goodwill (Black Oak Arkansas, Mountain, Procol Harum, Roberta Flack, Nancy & Lee). some thrift stores sell LPs for less than a dollar. even if it is beat to hell and covered in scratches, that's a not bad chance to take. even covered in scratches sometimes LPs will play flawlessly.
as for a player, i picked up an Ion USB player last year, $60 from Best Buy, and it sounds great. even has external speakers that can get pretty loud, so i can take it out on the porch if i want. maybe an audiophile would think it's a lesser player but it sounds really great and does the job.
imo don't spend too much on equipment, save that money for the records =)
manueldelalas
Time Traveler
Vynil does not sound better than digital.
The only reason you would want one, is because some of songs were arranged in a way that sounded good on vynil "using" it's defects (i.e. warmth) as part of the don't, so the digital perfect version sounds good.
Think of it like setting up a CRT TV to play old games and they look "right", but when playing on a modern set, with perfect square pixels, the game looks weird, has stuff on the borders, etc.
And those records are rare, new records are mostly based on the digital ones, and when not, you are probably not gaining anything. Analog to digital conversion is perfect by all means, in fact, if you convert a signal to digital, and then reconvert it to analog, you will get the exact same waves, and all those stair graphics shown in dubious internet pages are nonsense.
Quality of the sound is objective, and everything is digital now, so CDs, and especially downloadable songs are much, much better, no discussion.
Subjectively, you may prefer the distortion vynil gives the songs, and that's perfectly fine. You may also like the big boxes, and the art, that's also fine, but never buy vynil for better quality.
The only reason you would want one, is because some of songs were arranged in a way that sounded good on vynil "using" it's defects (i.e. warmth) as part of the don't, so the digital perfect version sounds good.
Think of it like setting up a CRT TV to play old games and they look "right", but when playing on a modern set, with perfect square pixels, the game looks weird, has stuff on the borders, etc.
And those records are rare, new records are mostly based on the digital ones, and when not, you are probably not gaining anything. Analog to digital conversion is perfect by all means, in fact, if you convert a signal to digital, and then reconvert it to analog, you will get the exact same waves, and all those stair graphics shown in dubious internet pages are nonsense.
Quality of the sound is objective, and everything is digital now, so CDs, and especially downloadable songs are much, much better, no discussion.
Subjectively, you may prefer the distortion vynil gives the songs, and that's perfectly fine. You may also like the big boxes, and the art, that's also fine, but never buy vynil for better quality.
You'd be right, but if it suits you fine, there's no issue. Just be careful the stylus doesn't chew up any records once it starts wearing out.
I once paid $100/£75 for a Dr. Steel CD on eBay, but it had the wrong disc in it, so I got a refund. I managed to get the CD on Discogs later on for the same price. I don't think I'll ever spend more than that on a CD, ever.
Adam_Vania
Banned
i have never had this issue in 20+ years of playing vinyls. and i play records every day, usually until the player itself fails and i just buy a new one.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
weremichael
Member
I agree on the turntable, but disagree on the speakers and to a lesser extent on the preamp/amp (or receiver) bought at a thrift store. Conventional wisdom says that speakers should make up the majority of the cost of one's hifi budget. Going to avsforum or the budget audiophile subreddit is a good place to research an amp and speakers. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg, but there definitely is a sweet spot for everyone's budget. Typically one upgrades amps, turntables, cartridges and keeps their speakers for longer. I don't see myself replacing my 15 year old speakers until I build a system for a different room.
TheCowboyPoet
Member
Please tell me how I was snooty and unwelcoming. I just answered his question.
Perfect Blue
Banned
Please don't buy an AT LP60. Or any table without an adjustable tone arm you'll just end up destroying your records. If you don't care about that, whatever.
Start here if you want an affordable entry table: https://uturnaudio.com/pages/turntables
There speakers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2LG/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Start here if you want an affordable entry table: https://uturnaudio.com/pages/turntables
There speakers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2LG/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Mental, I remember reading like ten years ago how much one sold for, I could never spend that much on a record, especially when it's 99% likely it will never be listened to. Bringin' it down is fine for me anyway.
I wouldn't spend too much OP, if you're gonna listen to Slipknot and shit I think you'll be a bit disappointed, but early Metallica records are a good shout.
theepicoftyler
Member
I'm glad we're through the plural of vinyl is vinyl discussion. I always assume someone had no idea what they're talking about when they use the word "vinyls".
Go buy directly from labels or at shows. Go buy from a local record store. Don't get ripped off at big box stores. Local stores can be expensive, but I'd rather they exist than not so I'm good with giving them money.
Go buy directly from labels or at shows. Go buy from a local record store. Don't get ripped off at big box stores. Local stores can be expensive, but I'd rather they exist than not so I'm good with giving them money.
Rip your CD's into flac or wav files instead of MP3s.
You can also buy from websites such as bleep or hdtracks.
You can get something like this which will hookup straight to your PC using a USB cable, these speakers have an internal DAC that will convert the digital from your PC into analog, and these are active or powered speakers so they also have internal amplifiers to amplify the sound directly, so you don't need anything else:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003R6U6HG/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Or, you can get a seperate DAC and powered speakers like these:
DAC:
http://schiit.com/products/modi-2
Active speakers:
https://emotiva.com/products/emotiva-pro/powered-monitors-0
That'll get you exponentially above what you have right now. Once you get used to that in a year or so...and you wanna have more of a physical format to handle, and play around with, consider vinyl.
I DJed for 18 years and never said it, nor heard any of my peers say it.
De La Soul "Me, Myself and I" "3 sided" 12 inch single. It had 2 songs pressed on parallel grooves, and you could switch between them by bumping the turntable to skip the needle.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Whoa, blowing my mind do you have pic of it by any chance? Can you see it when you put your eye up to it?
apocalidiot
Banned
I typically buy used records. When I'm going to the record store, I usually am buying records I haven't heard before. When I'm buying new records (90% of the time it's a new release) I'll either buy from a local record store, or from the label online.
Discogs is a good and dangerous place to buy cheap records. Especially stores that combine shipping when you buy a bunch of records...
chris121580
Member
I got this earlier this month for my birthday and I love it. Nice to be able to hook it up through a receiver or go blue tooth. Both sound fantastic
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BE5CT8U/?tag=neogaf0e-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BE5CT8U/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Lackadaisicool
Neo Member
Do you like paying $30 for a digital album put out on vinyl? I just spent three years in the vinyl game. I'm out with about 500-600 records. I just couldn't do it anymore. Pre-orders. Damaged records. Broken needles. RSD. I just went back to digital.
If you see a new record for $15, that shop is selling it at a loss.
Lackadaisicool
Neo Member
The indie record industry disagrees with you.
Adam_Vania
Banned
i only buy used. well, sometimes i buy new (if it's a friend putting out a record themselves, hell yeah i'll go for vinyl) but i pains me to see new records sold for so much. new releases can go for $45, which seems insane to me.
there are soooooo many old records out there in the world. they printed millions and millions of them and sold them for 40-50 years, they are still floating around, ripe for the taking. good record stores almost always have a used vinyl section. and thrift stores are a godsend. yesterday i bought a half dozen great albums for $1.99 each. sometimes you can find them for less than a dollar. yeah i got "Led Zeppelin II" a few months ago for 45 cents.
imo no reason to get stuck paying $30 when there is a used version for cheaper. a used record will play and sound just fine. if i'm looking for something specific, i can usually find it on Amazon. recently i picked up a 2xLP copy of Hawkwind's "Space Ritual" for less than $25.
davidwhangchoi
Member
you need good needle.
I have never heard anyone over the age of 30 say vinyls. Seems to be exclusively a young person thing to do.
Just asked my dad, who's in his 70s and has been an audio nerd all his life (had a reel to reel system, unprompted told me a story tonight about the first time he bought a cassette deck in 1970) and he's never heard anyone say vinyls either.
As far as novelty vinyl goes, I have a record with 1000 lock grooves, and another from the same label that is field recordings of record stores.
PassiveObserver
Member
If you're not going to dig in the crates, don't bother.
Unfortunately no. The brunt of my collection is in storage in California, and that is one of them.
Tawney Bomb
Member
I'm close to being in your boat. I'm starting to sell off parts of my collection. Just getting tired of the headache of some things associated with collecting.
John Harker
Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
This.
The Debut Carbon is a beautiful thing.
Yes! I have mine in red - with the dust cover - and I love her, she's my baby.
My speaker system is not good but that's on me, everything is quality and owning your music and putting in the motions to drop the needle is beautiful
I buy most of my records off amazon, especially new music. They auto rip the tracks and put them into your Amazon prime music player so I have my vinyl at home and my tracks on my phone for when I travel or commute. It's seamless and super efficient.
Risible
Member
Vinyl is cool. However, don't get into it to get better sound. You can get different sound, sure, but it's not objectively better. Every recording and playback method adds coloration to the sound, it boils down to which one sounds most pleasing to your ears.
A lot of audiophile info is snake oil and confirmation bias.
Records (while cool) are heavy and take up a lot of space.
I've lived through records, then 8-tracks, then cassettes, then CDs, and now digital. I've switched formats so many times and sold off so many formats. Digital is a godsend and sounds far better than (or at least as good as) anything else. It's also cheaper, easier to store, and more portable.
I own an Audio-Technica AT-PL120 turntable with a nice cartridge and a good sound system and frankly I rarely use my turntable.
A lot of audiophile info is snake oil and confirmation bias.
Records (while cool) are heavy and take up a lot of space.
I've lived through records, then 8-tracks, then cassettes, then CDs, and now digital. I've switched formats so many times and sold off so many formats. Digital is a godsend and sounds far better than (or at least as good as) anything else. It's also cheaper, easier to store, and more portable.
I own an Audio-Technica AT-PL120 turntable with a nice cartridge and a good sound system and frankly I rarely use my turntable.
Yes, I'm aware this post will raise a shitstorm, with audiophiles rushing in to tell me how wrong my opinion is and pick my post apart. Ignore them and heed my words 
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