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The Courteous Vinyl Playback Discussion

Not to me, if I had to choose between one record and a thousand audio files, I would have a 1000 audio files. I am not going to be happy with listening to one record.
We do not have to choose, it is not either or situation. They both serve a purpose.
I am a lot more happy with my TT now that I have also access to digital sources that when my TT was my only source.
Very much this. Plus perfect digital playback can be really cheap, much cheaper than half decent vinyl playback.
 
Not to me, if I had to choose between one record and a thousand audio files, I would have a 1000 audio files. I am not going to be happy with listening to one record.
We do not have to choose, it is not either or situation. They both serve a purpose.
I am a lot more happy with my TT now that I have also access to digital sources that when my TT was my only source.

Exactly.
For me, with all the knowledge of how easy access it is to music in digital formats, as in the ease of distribution of digital files making it possible to buy them directly from the artists and listen to it a minute later, or having access to almost everything through streaming, all that makes it possible for me to also enjoy listening to vinyl records whenever I have a relaxing moment for everything involving vinyl playback.

I would say about 80% of my music consumption is listening to music in digital formats, and if I ever lose that ease access to music and only had vinyl to listen to, I would likely start to find the vinyl playback pretty frustrating. :)
 
I stand by the 'bass tunes' test - whatever you do as regards isolation, the better and clearer the bass, the better vinyl tends to 'sound.'

As mentioned, I went to somewhat heroic efforts to isolate my table. I find the sound incredibly clean and the bass generally speaking very clean and precise. Virtually never muddy.

I don’t know that I would attribute it to the isolation though. I have presumed that the isolation effects of my turntable platform is largely isolating from things like footsteps - and perhaps the occasional rumblings of our air-conditioning unit on the other side of the wall. I don’t know how much the sound from the speakers actually affects the sound of a turntable, but my turntable is in a separate room for my speakers anyway.
 
Not to me, if I had to choose between one record and a thousand audio files, I would have a 1000 audio files. I am not going to be happy with listening to one record.
We do not have to choose, it is not either or situation. They both serve a purpose.
I am a lot more happy with my TT now that I have also access to digital sources that when my TT was my only source.
Great ! My harddrives are filled with photos: raw and jpeg's ! The one record could be The Bealtes White Album mono #1.
 
Exactly.
For me, with all the knowledge of how easy access it is to music in digital formats, as in the ease of distribution of digital files making it possible to buy them directly from the artists and listen to it a minute later, or having access to almost everything through streaming, all that makes it possible for me to also enjoy listening to vinyl records whenever I have a relaxing moment for everything involving vinyl playback.

I would say about 80% of my music consumption is listening to music in digital formats, and if I ever lose that ease access to music and only had vinyl to listen to, I would likely start to find the vinyl playback pretty frustrating. :)
Just curious how much do you pay on a average month for streaming and paying artists for digital formats ? If I want to listen to digital music I can listen to YT all day long no ads with Brave Browser.
 
Just curious how much do you pay on an average month for streaming and paying artists for digital formats ? If I want to listen to digital music I can listen to YT all day long no ads with Brave Browser.

It's not that many digital albums I buy, maybe just about 3-4 a year. The rest is streaming using Tidal as the provider, which is only $12 a month. It's definitely worth it. To me, listening to music using YouTube doesn't come close to the experience I have using Tidal, so that is not an option for me.

I only buy music from artists that I care most about and want to support, which are usually fairly small bands where I think it makes a difference compared to what they probably get from streaming. I buy from Bandcamp, which takes only about 12-15% of the revenue, and the rest goes directly to the artist, or usually to a small record company that I like to support.

Since I got my turntable 8-9 months ago, I have bought 30 new vinyl records, which have cost me around $1,000. That's about $110-$125 a month, and that has also been worth it to me. Of course, that ratio will drastically go down now that I have already acquired most of the records that are most important to me. :)
 
It's not that many digital albums I buy, maybe just about 3-4 a year. The rest is streaming using Tidal as the provider, which is only $12 a month. It's definitely worth it. To me, listening to music using YouTube doesn't come close to the experience I have using Tidal, so that is not an option for me.

I only buy music from artists that I care most about and want to support, which are usually fairly small bands where I think it makes a difference compared to what they probably get from streaming. I buy from Bandcamp, which takes only about 12-15% of the revenue, and the rest goes directly to the artist, or usually to a small record company that I like to support.

Since I got my turntable 8-9 months ago, I have bought 30 new vinyl records, which have cost me around $1,000. That's about $110-$125 a month, and that has also been worth it to me. Of course, that ratio will drastically go down now that I have already acquired most of the records that are most important to me. :)
Interesting ! Why is Tidal better then YT if playing the same track ? I know Tidal can play list of songs and do many searches for artists is that draw to Tidal ? For newcomers to vinyl it can get expensive when buying new. I usually buy used which cost a lot less. You can get some great Lp's in very good condition for good prices on Ebay .
 
Interesting ! Why is Tidal better then YT if playing the same track ? I know Tidal can play list of songs and do many searches for artists is that draw to Tidal ? For newcomers to vinyl it can get expensive when buying new. I usually buy used which cost a lot less. You can get some great Lp's in very good condition for good prices on Ebay .

I will just give you a quick reply on this, as this thread is not about comparing different streaming services.



Compared to just browsing the regular YouTube, as you are talking about, Tidal is a dedicated music service. If you at least had been talking about YouTube’s dedicated music service, called “YouTube Music”, the services could be compared to each other, but to get access to “YouTube Music”, you must subscribe to YouTube Music Premium, which cost about the same as a subscription to Tidal.

Tidal streams music in lossless audio quality, which YouTube doesn't. Regular YouTube streams sound in lossy low quality at only AAC 128 kbps, and if you subscribe, that goes up to just AAC 256 kbps. Tidal steams CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz, 1,411 kbps) and up to Hi-Res quality (24-bit/192kHz, 9,216 kbps). That is a significant difference in sound quality between these services.

Even if you use an Add blocker, I doubt streaming an album with regular YouTube can even do gapless playback, well, unless the album is put together as a single audio file.
And how do I even get listening to a full album to work, using the regular YouTube, if I’m on-the-go listening to headphones while biking to my work? I can probably find a way to let YouTube play in the background while turning off the screen on my phone, but will I get to hear the next track on the album when the previous track has ended?



I think I stop there even though there is likely way more things to add to the list why I use a dedicated streaming service for my digital playback. If you want to discuss this further and have more questions, you should probably start a dedicated thread, or maybe just read up on the subject a bit more if you are truly interested in learning the differences. :)
 
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I will just give you a quick reply on this, as this thread is not about comparing different streaming services.



Compared to just browsing the regular YouTube, as you are talking about, Tidal is a dedicated music service. If you at least had been talking about YouTube’s dedicated music service, called “YouTube Music”, the services could be compared to each other, but to get access to “YouTube Music”, you must subscribe to YouTube Music Premium, which cost about the same as a subscription to Tidal.

Tidal streams music in lossless audio quality, which YouTube doesn't. Regular YouTube streams sound in lossy low quality at only AAC 128 kbps, and if you subscribe, that goes up to just AAC 256 kbps. Tidal steams CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz, 1,411 kbps) and up to Hi-Res quality (24-bit/192kHz, 9,216 kbps). That is a significant difference in sound quality between these services.

Even if you use an Add blocker, I doubt streaming an album with regular YouTube can even do gapless playback, well, unless the album is put together as a single audio file.
And how do I even get listening to a full album to work, using the regular YouTube, if I’m on-the-go listening to headphones while biking to my work? I can probably find a way to let YouTube play in the background while turning off the screen on my phone, but will I get to hear the next track on the album when the previous track has ended?



I think I stop there even though there is likely way more things to add to the list why I use a dedicated streaming service for my digital playback. If you want to discuss this further and have more questions, you should probably start a dedicated thread, or maybe just read up on the subject a bit more if you are truly interested in learning the differences. :)
Thanks for the explanation, I can now see the difference between them ! I was thinking more for home listening. You can listen to live concerts on YT if the recording was done well. On YT there lots of 'Official tracks by groups that sound very good. On YT sometimes there are whole albums that play track after track with short 'gaps. I guess for your use case Tidal makes sense - on the go with headphones, Enjoy !!
 
Thanks for the explanation, I can now see the difference between them ! I was thinking more for home listening. You can listen to live concerts on YT if the recording was done well. On YT there lots of 'Official tracks by groups that sound very good. On YT sometimes there are whole albums that play track after track with short 'gaps. I guess for your use case Tidal makes sense - on the go with headphones, Enjoy !!

My main speaker system is the central part for everything from 2-channel listening to both digital and vinyl playback, video live music clips from YouTube, to surround sound for movies, TV shows, and Atmos music. I don't discriminate against any format, I want access to everything with the best possible sound and visual quality. Yes, I enjoy it all! ;)
 
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My main speaker system is the central part for everything from 2-channel listening to both digital and vinyl playback, video live music clips from YouTube, to surround sound for movies, TV shows, and Atmos music. I don't discriminate against any format, I want access to everything with the best possible sound and visual quality. Yes, I enjoy it all! ;)
It sounds like you are on the right track ! What speakers are you using for your playback on 2-channel ? When I listen to YT I just take the output from laptop/computer to receiver or tube pre-amp -> amp. The sound I get it quite good.
 
It sounds like you are on the right track ! What speakers are you using for your playback on 2-channel ? When I listen to YT I just take the output from laptop/computer to receiver or tube pre-amp -> amp. The sound I get it quite good.

To turn this discussion back to vinyl, the playback system for 2-channel audio is a Technics SL1200GR2 with a AT33PTG/II cartridge, a Linn Akurate DSM as phono pre-amp, a Musical Fidelity M6i for amplification driving a pair of ATC SCM20, and a pair of REL S/510 subwoofers for the full-range bass extension.

1783695297411.jpeg
 
To turn this discussion back to vinyl, the playback system for 2-channel audio is a Technics SL1200GR2 with a AT33PTG/II cartridge, a Linn Akurate DSM as phono pre-amp, a Musical Fidelity M6i for amplification driving a pair of ATC SCM20, and a pair of REL S/510 subwoofers for the full-range bass extension.

View attachment 543997
Wow, nice system you have, I am sure you get great sound from it, impressive !
 
To turn this discussion back to vinyl, the playback system for 2-channel audio is a Technics SL1200GR2 with a AT33PTG/II cartridge, a Linn Akurate DSM as phono pre-amp, a Musical Fidelity M6i for amplification driving a pair of ATC SCM20, and a pair of REL S/510 subwoofers for the full-range bass extension.

View attachment 543997
Really nice system, I've got the same turntable and cartridge.
 
Compared to just browsing the regular YouTube, as you are talking about, Tidal is a dedicated music service. If you at least had been talking about YouTube’s dedicated music service, called “YouTube Music”, the services could be compared to each other, but to get access to “YouTube Music”, you must subscribe to YouTube Music Premium, which cost about the same as a subscription to Tidal.

I use Tidal as my main streaming service.

But for music exploration, I use YouTube a lot more. It seems like virtually everything is on YouTube. If you’re looking for the most obscure album somebody has ripped it to YouTube. I’ve just found so many recordings that people have mentioned, or obscure albums that I’m looking for to purchase on vinyl, on YouTube that aren’t on any of the streaming services.
 
obscure albums that I’m looking for to purchase on vinyl, on YouTube that aren’t on any of the streaming services.
It has happened to me too, only once, for an album I had on tape, but the tape is in bad shape and YT is the only place I could find it.
But 99% of the time I find everything on Spotify, most of the time the original version and all the subsequent including remaster.
 
It seems like virtually everything is on YouTube. If you’re looking for the most obscure album somebody has ripped it to YouTube.
Unfortunately that either isn't the case for a lot of classical music, or my search skills regularly fail me.
 
Really nice system, I've got the same turntable and cartridge.

I have not tried any other cartridge as I’m fully satisfied with the sound. I have even bought a second one to have when it’s time to change, and speaking of that, what are the first signs of a worn-out cartridge?

According to the manual for the Technics turntable, the spacer should be used for cartridges with a height of 16 millimeters or less. As the AT33PTG/II is only 16 millimeters in height, did you follow that advice or did you skip the cartridge spacer for your setup?



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1783777199071.jpeg
 
what are the first signs of a worn-out cartridge?
Back in the days, when in doubt, I would’ve make trip to my dealer and he would have had a look with his microscope to check where the diamond was at.
Is there a test record that could test for wear?
 
I have not tried any other cartridge as I’m fully satisfied with the sound. I have even bought a second one to have when it’s time to change, and speaking of that, what are the first signs of a worn-out cartridge?

According to the manual for the Technics turntable, the spacer should be used for cartridges with a height of 16 millimeters or less. As the AT33PTG/II is only 16 millimeters in height, did you follow that advice or did you skip the cartridge spacer for your setup?



View attachment 544187

I have not tried any other cartridge as I’m fully satisfied with the sound. I have even bought a second one to have when it’s time to change, and speaking of that, what are the first signs of a worn-out cartridge?

According to the manual for the Technics turntable, the spacer should be used for cartridges with a height of 16 millimeters or less. As the AT33PTG/II is only 16 millimeters in height, did you follow that advice or did you skip the cartridge spacer for your setup?



View attachment 544187

View attachment 544185
When I was setting up the turntable with the AT33PTG/II a few months ago, I saw your previous post explaining this information in the owner's manual and it was very helpful! I set mine up with the spacer too.
 
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