Why Audiophiles Are Shopping for Vintage Turntables

[Robin L]

Is this the article to which you refer?

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

Yes, the one that pops up saying "You've reached your limit". Good article. Not good news for LP fans. The other option, instead of lacquers, is Direct Metal Mastering. It appears that vinylholics prefer LPs mastered to lacquers. On top of that, the DMM capable mastering companies are doing all the work they are capable of right now. Looks like a probable reduction in LP production for the foreseeable future.

Over at the Analog Planet there's an interview with Abbey Road Mastering Engineer Miles Showell, don't sound like good news either:
https://www.analogplanet.com/conten...miles-showell-comments-apollotransco-disaster

 

[mhardy6647]

DSC_8876 (3) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

 

[Sal1950]

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

Same ole, same ole BS repeated by people who fell for the Stereophile/TAS/etc line that vinyl sounds better, along with the current fad that playing vinyl makes you KOOL. In reality it's not justifiable in terms of SQ, convenience, or at the top of the list-cost/value. Like pet rocks and bell bottom jeans it will soon fade into history.
If you want an immersive listening experience you won't get it from jumping up and down to clean a record and turn it over. Get a multich rig and enjoy true immersive music.

 

[scott wurcer]

Same ole, same ole BS repeated by people who fell for the Stereophile/TAS/etc line that vinyl sounds better, along with the current fad that playing vinyl makes you KOOL. In reality it's not justifiable in terms of SQ, convenience, or at the top of the list-cost/value. Like pet rocks and bell bottom jeans it will soon fade into history.
If you want an immersive listening experience you won't get it from jumping up and down to clean a record and turn it over. Get a multich rig and enjoy true immersive music.

Why not let go of it you guys jumped down my throat when I said I couldn't give a F*** about cars so I just ignored those threads.

 

[Robin L]

Why not let go of it you guys jumped down my throat when I said I couldn't give a F*** about cars so I just ignored those threads.

Has a lot to do with having been all in for LP s when that was the only viable option only to discover how imperfect and imperfectabable LP s are and LP playback is. Once bitten, twice shy.

 

[MattHooper]

I just find it strange when people can't understand that others have different criteria goals and experiences, which makes sense of their choices.

My father-in-law is a penny-pincher and simply can not fathom why anyone pays much at all to eat out when you can cook at home. He wouldn't be caught dead in an expensive steak-house because "I can make steak at home." And for him "just as good steak." If you try to talk about how you value the various aspects involved in going out to dinner it falls on deaf ears. It doesn't appeal to him; why would it appeal to anyone else?

It often feels similar when defending why some of us enjoy vinyl playback. Some react with "Well, it doesn't appeal to me or suit my criteria, so it's just dumb."

 

[Juhazi]

This discussion sounds like some fights at daycare center...

 

[Frank Dernie]

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

Indeed, but I have thousands of books, LPs, CDs and videos so I may as well benefit from them in more ways than one.

 

[xr100]

Indeed, but I have thousands of books, LPs, CDs and videos so I may as well benefit from them in more ways than one.

Curtains. ;-)

Seriously, each to their own but my view is the entire listening environment should be perfected visually as well as aurally. For me, clutter = headache.

 

[Sal1950]

Curtains. ;-)

Seriously, each to their own but my view is the entire listening environment should be perfected visually as well as aurally. For me, clutter = headache.

I don't know if it did much for acoustics, but the Harley I used to keep in the living room didn't equal clutter to me, it was parked nice and neat. Also the chromed 1966 Shovelhead engine I had on the kitchen counter looked much better than the silly Coffee, Tea, Sugar, etc; decanters the ex-wife used to keep there. That chick had no designer taste.

 

[KozmoNaut]

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

Yes, the one that pops up saying "You've reached your limit". Good article. Not good news for LP fans. The other option, instead of lacquers, is Direct Metal Mastering. It appears that vinylholics prefer LPs mastered to lacquers. On top of that, the DMM capable mastering companies are doing all the work they are capable of right now. Looks like a probable reduction in LP production for the foreseeable future.

Over at the Analog Planet there's an interview with Abbey Road Mastering Engineer Miles Showell, don't sound like good news either:
https://www.analogplanet.com/conten...miles-showell-comments-apollotransco-disaster

It's bad news for people who like to buy newly produced records. I do that once in a while, if a sufficiently retro-styled and old-school album comes out, harking back to the days of fuzzy hard rock and early heavy metal.

But for all of us who vastly prefer frequenting second-hand stores for our vinyl fix, this changes nothing. Luckily there are millions of previously-owned records out there, usually much more interesting than the latest mainstream band on a brand-new record.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Curtains. ;-)

Seriously, each to their own but my view is the entire listening environment should be perfected visually as well as aurally. For me, clutter = headache.

Interesting.
In my business there was famously one boss who insisted every desk was cleared and clean before the employee went home, wouldn't allow food or drink in the office and was famous for having his gravel drive raised, cleaned and re-laid every year but every good person I know in the business has a cluttered office, including the best guy he ever hired (he had to hide him in an office where he couldn't see him).
Edit: I should add that he was a mechanic who got very good at marketing and to be fair the clean look is certainly good for that. It is not for engineers of any worth IME.
I am an engineer and empty desk=empty mind IME, so I suppose that just carried over to my home.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I don't know if it did much for acoustics, but the Harley I used to keep in the living room didn't equal clutter to me, it was parked nice and neat. Also the chromed 1966 Shovelhead engine I had on the kitchen counter looked much better than the silly Coffee, Tea, Sugar, etc; decanters the ex-wife used to keep there. That chick had no designer taste.

That reminds me of an old eccentric motoring journalist I knew (he is long dead, google Denis Jenkinson) who i visited once at home. When I asked him why he had a twin plug Jaguar XK engine cylinder head under the table he said "because the bedroom is full".
A great character, much missed.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1955/14/moss-mille-miglia

 

[xr100]

Interesting.
In my business there was famously one boss who insisted every desk was cleared and clean before the employee went home, wouldn't allow food or drink in the office and was famous for having his gravel drive raised, cleaned and re-laid every year but every good person I know in the business has a cluttered office, including the best guy he ever hired (he had to hide him in an office where he couldn't see him).
I am an engineer and empty desk=empty mind IME, so I suppose that just carried over to my home.

The super-tidy thing is an "ideal," not really "practical" in all situations.

Areas can be allocated as "untidy" or "tidy." Empty desk is the same not empty listening room with non-empty supply of digital content.

 

[xr100]

I don't know if it did much for acoustics, but the Harley I used to keep in the living room didn't equal clutter to me, it was parked nice and neat. Also the chromed 1966 Shovelhead engine I had on the kitchen counter looked much better than the silly Coffee, Tea, Sugar, etc; decanters the ex-wife used to keep there. That chick had no designer taste.

We get into the question of "what is clutter?" ;-)

Harley in the living room...? Seriously?! Hmm. Is that healthy... oil?

^=

 

[Frank Dernie]

Harley in the living room...? Seriously?! Hmm. Is that healthy... oil?

I have a friend with a Formula 1 car on the wall.
It probably wouldn't be healthy running the Harley in the living room but having it there? Why not if you like looking at it.
My son is an expert on air pollution and measures it all over the world. There is nowhere in Greater London at any time of day or night where the air is healthy to breath.
A Harley in the living room is no problem compated to that!
That room is a tad more cluttered than mine, but not much

 

[xr100]

I have a friend with a Formula 1 car on the wall.
It probably wouldn't be healthy running the Harley in the living room but having it there? Why not if you like looking at it.

Harley in the living room is cool. Oil leaking onto the floor and then skin contact etc... hmm...

My son is an expert on air pollution and measures it all over the world. There is nowhere in Greater London at any time of day or night where the air is healthy to breath.

You couldn't possibly have guessed that I have HEPA air purifiers. ;-)

That room is a tad more cluttered than mine, but not much

Ouch! All I can say is that I hope it has a better selection of objects than random "lo-fi" trinkets!

 

[Frank Dernie]

You couldn't possibly have guessed that I have HEPA air purifiers. ;-)

Do they do a facemask for use outside, or more importantly, the tube?

 

[xr100]

Do they do a facemask for use outside, or more importantly, the tube?

Well, if you want to go around wearing something like this:



It's all about total exposure though. And where I reside, there isn't any Tube service, anyway--National Rail only. So no interminable trips on the Piccadilly Line or whatever...

On an auditory-related note, the Tube is NOT good for your ears!

 

[Juhazi]

I would never take a HD in my room, but friend's Ducati Streetfighter V2 looks kinda cute in his listening room.