Why Audiophiles Are Shopping for Vintage Turntables

[Robin L]

For you.

I'm making the case for why it's a feature, not a bug, for many of us.

Nonsense. If I want to hear a recording from beginning to end, I do. If I don't, I don't. I would skip around tracks on LPs, found cassettes a bit more irritating in that it was harder to skip tracks. Welcomed the cassette players that could skip tracks. Remember Mix Tapes? What people always want is choice.

As a radio DJ, I would have to go through the whole backtracking routine to cue up tracks on an LP. Guaranteed to accelerate record wear. CD? Select track, hit pause, hit play. I could do the same thing with my DAP, if I wanted to be a radio DJ again, which I don't.

A feature opens up additional, desirable, options. A bug is something that is harder to work around.

 

[thefsb]

Good Reasons:
1. Some albums on vinyl never made it to CD or downloads, or is very hard to get.

2. Some vinyl has better mastering than available CDs.

Bad Reasons:
I. Some people like certain distortions

II. Some people are not quite sane.

OK Reasons:
A. Some people get bored and like to mess with things

B. Some people like the aesthetics of mechanical contraptions.

I. is not a bad reason. If someone likes sound A more than sound B, that's their perfectly fine. I prefer Burgundy to California pinot. I know that objectively measured the California guzzlers prefer a distorted taste but it's their taste and that's OK.

II. all my favorite people are not quite sane.

C. Some people have a hobby of buying, selling and trading vinyl that they enjoy and haven't been able to transition to doing something comparable with computer files.

 

[thefsb]

NO, it counts you as a luny.

Possibly just stoned. I remember some time in the 80s listening to Peaches En Regalia about 10 times over before we noticed/figured out the CD player was repeating the track.

 

[scott wurcer]

At least the awful pre-recorded cassette will be consistently bad.

Was there a time when they were made one at a time? I remember circa 1981-82 pre-recorded VHS and Beta movies cost as much as $75+ dollars and were made one at a time in a room full of NV7200's.

 

[sergeauckland]

Was there a time when they were made one at a time? I remember circa 1981-82 pre-recorded VHS and Beta movies cost as much as $75+ dollars and were made one at a time in a room full of NV7200's.

Yes, there were a few 'audiophile' cassette labels that duplicated on a bank of Nakamichis in real time. Can't remember the name, as I never bought any as being stupidly expensive.

Knowing something about how difficult it was to keep tape machines aligned, I was never convinced these 'real time' copies would be anything other than a gimmick. I designed high-speed tape duplicators, so understood perfectly well why commercial tapes were so poor.

S

 

[waltzingbear]

Well, as long as you are playing vintage albums you are going to be OK.

But about 3/4 (or more) of the world supply of blanks for making records today burned up about a week ago. Apollo Masters, who supply(supplied) most of the US market, had an explosion and fire that basically burned the whole plant down. That leaves a Japanese manufacturer the only supplier of blanks for new records.

Apollo has made no comments about reopening their facility at this time.

 

[xr100]

You wouldn't like my music room then!
I found years ago the more cluttered my room the better the sound.

Oh, sure, shelves full of books and and so on are good for room treatment. Room treatment can be hidden with fabric, though. ;-)

 

[xr100]

Well, as long as you are playing vintage albums you are going to be OK.

But about 3/4 (or more) of the world supply of blanks for making records today burned up about a week ago. Apollo Masters, who supply(supplied) most of the US market, had an explosion and fire that basically burned the whole plant down. That leaves a Japanese manufacturer the only supplier of blanks for new records.

Sorry vinyl fans... as far as I'm concerned, that's fantastic news.

 

[xr100]

[Listening to the same track on repeat for hours...]Possibly just stoned. I remember some time in the 80s listening to Peaches En Regalia about 10 times over before we noticed/figured out the CD player was repeating the track.

Nah, I've never been stoned... I've driven people mad on long car journeys listening to the same track on repeat.

 

[SimpleTheater]

Hollywood seems to have glommed on to this.

The last big fight scene in John Wick 3 has them fighting to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" played on a turntable.

There's a final fight scene in John Wick 3? Next time please start your post with "Spoiler Alert".

 

[xr100]

Was there a time when they were made one at a time? I remember circa 1981-82 pre-recorded VHS and Beta movies cost as much as $75+ dollars and were made one at a time in a room full of NV7200's.

Presumably, at those prices they were intended for rental?

 

[Robin L]

Was there a time when they were made one at a time? I remember circa 1981-82 pre-recorded VHS and Beta movies cost as much as $75+ dollars and were made one at a time in a room full of NV7200's.

I mentioned them upstream: the Connoisseur Society In Sync cassettes. Not metal tape, but type II with dolby, one at a time on Nak decks. Competitive with LPs of the era in performance, predictably costly and limited in repertory, chamber music, classical piano and "world" music.

 

[Robin L]

Well, as long as you are playing vintage albums you are going to be OK.

But about 3/4 (or more) of the world supply of blanks for making records today burned up about a week ago. Apollo Masters, who supply(supplied) most of the US market, had an explosion and fire that basically burned the whole plant down. That leaves a Japanese manufacturer the only supplier of blanks for new records.

Apollo has made no comments about reopening their facility at this time.

As it has to be rebuilt from scratch and current rules concerning toxic substances might entirely prevent its re-opening, the magic 8-ball's indications are not good.

 

[xr100]

As it has to be rebuilt from scratch and current rules concerning toxic substances might entirely prevent its re-opening, the magic 8-ball's indications are not good.

Hmm. I'm confused as to why those regulations wouldn't have applied to the plant operating as it was.

 

[MattHooper]

I listen in EXACTLY the same way to music whether the carrier is LP or CD.
I put on the recording I wish to listen to, whether on CD or LP, then listen to it. The only difference is how often I have to stand up and change disc.

I suspect the "those of us" to whom you refer is just you.

Then, Frank, with due respect, you would need to get out more (from this forum?) to discover how wrong that is ;-)

The sentiments I have described can be found as a constant theme in the many articles explaining the vinyl revival and pretty much wherever significant numbers of vinyl lovers hold discussions.

Examples:

https://www.ligo.co.uk/blog/the-vinyl-revival-how-records-came-back-into-fashion/

"It may be down to just how disposable music has become in the streaming era. With tens of millions of songs available instantly through Spotify, our listening experience is radically different to what it once was. For many, vinyl is a way of making music more immersive again. Rather than shuffling random songs, a record forces us to listen to an album the way the artist intended. By taking the time to lower the needle into the grooves, and flip the record over halfway through, we appreciate the simple act of listening to music a whole lot more."

Or:

https://manofmany.com/entertainment/music/why-vinyl-is-making-a-comeback

Vinyl Invokes Appreciation
"When streaming music or listening to a playlist, there often comes an ADD-like tendency to skip tracks in the middle of a song or bounce around from artist to artist. On the flip side of that coin is a vinyl record, which more or less forces you to put something on and stick with it. As a result, you often gain not just a new level of appreciation for the music or the artist, but for the experience itself, which is more immersive and meditative by comparison."

Or:

https://www.independent.ie/entertai...tes-record-revival-this-weekend-37531882.html

This could go on and on.

Remember, the point isn't whether YOU agree with the above or have the same experience listenig to music. The point is that there ARE PEOPLE for whom vinyl changes their listening experience in a desirable way. And it's hardly limited to lil' old me.

 

[Robin L]

Hmm. I'm confused as to why those regulations wouldn't have applied to the plant operating as it was.

They've been skirting the law for a long time. Originally built when such regulations were not yet in effect.

Edit: wanted to link to the L.A. Times for their article, you should Google it.

 

[waltzingbear]

the making of the blanks is not so bad, lots of similar plants in operation all over, Its the plating of the masters and mothers that gets toxic fast.

The plant was in California, not a state known for skirting toxic regulations.

 

[scott wurcer]

Hollywood seems to have glommed on to this.

The last big fight scene in John Wick 3 has them fighting to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" played on a turntable.

It's everywhere now, including some esoteric setups, The Mechanic remake for instance. Super villains and super anti-heros seem most smitten. This is not new, there where several movies where WW1 era German officers wandered around Africa or South America with Wagner playing on wind-up Victrolas.

 

[DSJR]

DSJR, Yes, but my Dual is actually 1216/Salora LS2000, without changer. I had/have also Salora 2000 FM-receiver. My sister used Dual until 2015 and it still runs. Pickup is Shure M75 with elliptic needle. The chassis and cover are so small that cover must be open when playing LPs! My Thorens TD 145 has that issue fixed.

Salora brand history

The Dual 1216 is great (I have a rebuilt (transit wrecked) 1214 with 4 pole motor and I retro fitted the cast 1216 platter as the chassis are almost identical save for minor tonearm details which don't matter once the anti-skate is tweaked underneath - yours is easily adjustable) - very quiet as regards rumbles and drive noise through the speakers an dit makes a very refined player of 7" singles with a Rega Carbon cartridge fitted, which is a posh AT91 (it'll take far better but I digress). Salora was available in the UK I think, but I don't know them myself. Steering off topic - my apologies..

 

[xr100]

They've been skirting the law for a long time. Originally built when such regulations were not yet in effect.

Edit: wanted to link to the L.A. Times for their article, you should Google it.

Is this the article to which you refer?

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-02-14/apollo-masters-fire-vinyl-lacquer