The analog thread.

[bhjazz]

VPI replaces the Traveler with the Scout Jr. in 2015.  Blurb and photos 

Oh, and take a look at the VPI Prime photos as well.  I always wondered if the HRX would have any trickle-down.  

[bhjazz]

but the Soundshop says that the connectors on the wires are too fragile to do another cartridge swap.

 

Could the Soundshop replace the tonearm cables?

[Grahame]

 

http://www.dustandgrooves.com/book/

 

 

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/eilon-paz-dust-and-grooves-book-excerpt

 

DUST & GROOVES

Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting is an inside look into the world of vinyl record collectors in the most intimate of environments—their record rooms. It all started out several years ago as nothing more than a way for photographer Eilon Paz to make use of his idle hours. Adrift in Brooklyn after emigrating from Israel, Eilon—a record collector on the side—thought it might be fun to start taking photos of people whose record collections were both larger and weirder than his own.

Adopting this as his personal project, he began traveling the world, from Australia to Cuba and Argentina to Ghana, in pursuit of intriguing and memorable subjects. Unearthing the very soul of the vinyl community, the assembly of portraits he created quickly turned into the Dust & Grooves website.

In the summer of 2012, Eilon launched a Kickstarter campaign that funded his road trip to shoot collectors throughout the American heartland, and since then, the project has been embraced by many friends and supporters who have volunteered to work with Eilon along the way. This year, Dust & Grooves expands even further, complementing the website’s cloud with a physical book that profiles over 130 vinyl collectors with photographic essays and in-depth interviews.

Dust & Grooves has engaged and connected the underground community of record collectors. As well as becoming a go-to place for vinyl lovers, it maintains the integrity and history of vinyl, as well as the musical heritage that goes along with every record in these collections. As technology moves forward and many music formats go digital, Eilon’s endeavor helps keep the rich, warm, analog life of vinyl spinning.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Grahame

[Dusty Chalk]

Real, working turntable made out of Lego (click picture for link).

[HeadphoneAddict]

Could the Soundshop replace the tonearm cables?

 

Yes they can, but I just don't want to pay for that when I hardly ever listen to vinyl, and my MM preamp is so cheap it can't work with the nicer newer MC cartridge.  I was going to downgrade my new MC cart back to my older MM cart so I could save money by not buying a new preamp.  

 

Now my choices are to (1) pay to re-cable the tonearm and use my MM cart, or (2) pay for a preamp to work with the MC cart that's already installed, or (3) sell the TT with the currently installed MC cart.  

 

I'm leaning towards #3 now, which is a shame because while I had the RSA Nighthawk preamp on loan I thought the NAD + Benz Micro Red L cart + Nighthawk sounded almost as good as the 24/96 PWD Mk1 DAC with the same song playing on both rigs.

[Grahame]

 

http://www.laweekly.com/music/why-cds-may-actually-sound-better-than-vinyl-5352162

[spritzer]

In that same vein, one of my bakers told me about a large vinyl swap meet here over the weekend today.  "Biggie, you should go and explain to them why vinyl sounds so bad..."   

[grawk]

[DefQon]

You liking the Sony Grawk?

[grawk]

Yes, I was an idiot for selling my ps-x500.  

[postjack]

 

Don't know if I've bragged on my local record store before, but I consistently find amazing deals on rare records at Mobile Records. The guy who runs it Keith is a real pro. From Australia but fell in love with a southerner and relocated to the deep south.

 

Yesterday's haul:

 

Peter Gabriel - Melt: Apparently he recorded alternate versions of his early albums with German lyrics. I had no idea. This is the german version, haven't listened yet.

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead: original Rough Trade pressing, hell yes!

Pearl Jam - Vitalogy: original pressing, not the remixed recent release. hell yes again!

Also noted, but did not purchase, he has an original pressing of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Too rich for me at $300 but was happy just to see it.

[MexicanDragon]

DUDE! Vitalogy? OMS, I want to hear that!

**BRENT**

[Dusty Chalk]

IIRC, Ein Deutsches Album sounds completely different, I don't know if they completely re-recorded it or mixed it differently, or what.

[blessingx]

The Universal Record

http://youtu.be/K-v_R1wsnbE

[Dusty Chalk]

(squints)

 

Wha...WHY?!?!?  That is definitely targeted at a different audience than one that includes me.

[bhjazz]

Interesting idea, but "...subjected to an unbearable level of nostalgia..."   I so tire of people who have never heard a clean record.

[dsavitsk]

The Universal Record

 

That's hilarious. My own feeling is that people like what records sound like because of an ASM response. The subtle background of scratching crackling vinyl is pleasant. I have old B&W speakers with plastic cones that elicit a similar sort of analog-y sound and feeling.

[dsavitsk]

Also noted, but did not purchase, he has an original pressing of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Too rich for me at $300 but was happy just to see it.

 

Oh, and this. I was a record collector many years ago. Black is common, peach seems to be relatively common, but I've not seen the 1st pressing burgundy swirl very often.

 

Edited April 15, 2015 by dsavitsk

[postjack]

 

 

Oh, and this. I was a record collector many years ago. Black is common, peach seems to be relatively common, but I've not seen the 1st pressing burgundy swirl very often.

 

IMAG0457.jpg

 

 

Oooooooh I see what you doin'. You want to sell some records to postjack don't you? okay okay we can work something out...

 

seriously nice rare record you got there.

[dreamwhisper]

I agree, Vitalogy is a great album.\

 

Lately, I've been enjoying vinyl rips a lot with my Stax rig.

I feel like the Stax speed and minimal-grain approach transfers the mechanics of vinyl rhythm in an intuitive way.

 

My observation is: since vinyl is mechanical, the more dynamic parts of the music seem to flow a little quicker as the vibrations move the needle faster, jumping over hills, and imperfectly across grooves.

This lends itself to a more natural presence particularly when there's /midrangeinvolved. I'm not sure it has the same effect on electronic music.

But overall, the more complex/dynamic parts of music seem 'quicker' and the build-ups and the single melodi parts or melodic counterpoint parts seem very steady, and slightly 'slower' in comparison.

That also gives the music an opportunity to 'breath', but overall I perceive it as a 'new' dimension of pace rhythm and timing.

Whereas my HD800's seem to reveal it just as a 'warmth'.

 

The lack of dynamic range that makes some new CD's listenable is separate to what I'm talking about, but I started being a vinyl rip collector for that reason.

When I do douwnload new (live band) albums, I usually do so as a 16/44 vinyl rip, and for the classics, I get 24/96 or 24/192 rips.

Usually I need to keep the regular CD copy too, and occasionally end up having 4-5 versions of the same album.
I keep the regular CD copy for when I need to convert one of the FLAC rips (vinyl or CD) to mp3 for portable headphones.

Since the portable headphones I'm using are budget and not that resolving I find I prefer the compressed CD rips for my mp3 player.

 

You want to sell some records to postjack don't you? okay okay we can work something out...

 

seriously nice rare record you got there.

 

Posty, if you want some 24/96 vinyl rips, I have some access to some private sites online that share them.

Just tell me what you're looking for.

Edited April 21, 2015 by dreamwhisper

[dreamwhisper]

I've never heard of the band, but this looks amazing.

 

http://enjoytheride.storenvy.com/collections/27394-vinyl-records/products/1849893-hrvrd-2xlp-the-inevitable-and-i-3rd-pressing-red-beer-swirl-with-blue-sp

[Grahame]

Unsure if this should be in the deals thread, but 

 

 

 

Record fan collects every UK chart hit in history Keith Sivyer bought every new release from 1952 until February this year. Now his extraordinary collection is going under the hammer

 

Single-minded Keith Sivyer bought every new release that entered the UK single charts since their inception in 1952 until his death in February aged 75.

 

When he divorced from his wife in the mid 1970s he moved back in with his mother Louise along with his collection.

 

After his death his younger brother, Gerald, was left with the daunting task of finding a new home for the collection.

He found approximately 27,000 7ins vinyl singles and 8,000 12ins singles neatly filed in alphabetical order on purpose built floor-to-ceiling shelves that covered the four walls of Keith's lounge.

The collection has been divided into three lots for the auction, with the 27,000 seven inch singles conservatively estimated at £6,000, the 8,000 12 inch records at £1,500 and 10,000 CDs and cassettes at £600.

The sale takes place on May 21.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11576512/Record-fan-collects-every-UK-chart-hit-in-history.html

 

lots of pics in daily mail

 

It's like the tardis ...

 

Outside 

 

Inside 

 

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3064019/The-ultimate-jukebox-Dedicated-record-collector-bought-single-UK-charts-six-decades-45-000-them.html

 

 

Auction Details (Eh, Stretch?)

 

http://www.ewbankauctions.co.uk/The-Sivyer-Collection-of-over-50000-Vinyl-singles-LPs-and-CDs-spanning-the-last-60-years/2015-05-21

Edited May 1, 2015 by Grahame

[Grahame]

http://www.factmag.com/2015/05/07/pressed-to-the-edge-vinyl/

[postjack]

http://www.factmag.com/2015/05/07/pressed-to-the-edge-vinyl/

 

I've been reading about this a lot, namely that the demand for vinyl is higher then the world's capacity to produce. 

 

In other words, its up to somebody to take a gamble that this vinyl popularity thing will continue, and invest in more production facilities and skilled employees. If the gamble pays off they make money.

 

seems like a lot of hand-wringing for a problem that market should correct eventually.

[Augsburger]

Well it would seem most prudent for any business owner  wishing to enter this segment to hedge their bets and develop a music download branch as well.  After all they have to license the music to produce the vinyl, why not the downloads as well? If supply of quality vinyl remains constrained and demand continues to be strong then eventually the price of vinyl will rise to the level that demand drops off precipitously because people can no longer afford those prices which in turn will leave the new vinyl business stuck with manufacturing assets with no resale market for those assets and plummeting vinyl sales/revenue.