Aaron, I agree with your point about a gentle-on-the-vinyl high-value playback system for "the 
kids." I'm shocked that "Stanton" hasn't come out with one of their Technics-knockoff turntables 
built into a little base that includes a pull-out iPod dock, headphone amp and some tone controls, 
as well as the usual USB output for vinyl-to-ipod via the computer. It wouldn't be much to build in 
a modest power amp or offer matching powered speakers. This would be a major upgrade/update of the 
old "all in one" from the 70's that usually included a record-eating BSR changer. The key would be 
to put a moderately good-quality and mechanically gentle turntable into the thing, not like those 
junky "Crosly" all-in-ones sold at Wal-Mart.

Man, thinking of this reminds me of lugging New Advent Loudspeakers, a 40lb/40wpc Philips receiver, 
Technics turntable and Pioneer reel to reel deck up flights of stairs to college dorm rooms. Even 
then (mid-80's), most of my peers had those semi-boomboxes with detachable speakers, a radio and a 
cassette deck, no turntables. But also, the music freaks like me all had turntables and we all had 
lots of good times sitting around spinning vinyl and burning brain cells.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aaron Levinson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 3:26 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Two articles of interest


> As someone that is pretty heavily involved in the vinyl trade these days I'd have to concur on all 
> points. The market for most
> used vinyl tanked in the midst of the meltdown and I personally used that dip to pick up things 
> that were otherwise out of reach for a little pisher like me. It was quite a boon for collectors 
> and I've seen things rebound quite nicely. The one note that Tom did not mention that I learned 
> from the 78 oracle John Tefteller was that really blue chip items (Skip James, Robert Johnson, 
> rare jug band stuff etc) actually rose in price over the crash as they were seen as true 
> "investment grade" items that would only increase in value.
>
> I am really glad "the kids" are rediscovering vinyl in large numbers and as someone the is a 
> college teacher I have seen a huge increase of interest. Not only is it sonically a major step up 
> from a low grade MP3 file I think that the ritualistic aspect of playing records makes people more 
> involved in the listening process itself and that in turn makes them value the music itself more, 
> a virtuous circle. These young vinyl folks they seem to treat all music as far more than audio 
> wallpaper for playing video games unlike their digital peers...
>
> I always encourage them to obtain better playback gear and they are uniformly amazed at how much 
> better everything sounds through a superior system. The vinyl market is here to stay and someone 
> will make a fortune providing a fair priced and aesthetically pleasing audio component system for 
> this new generation.
>
> Now if we could only get them to actually clean things...
>
> AA
>
>
> On 2/26/11 2:24 PM, Tom Fine wrote:
>> Regarding the USA Today article ...
>>
>> My observation over the past 2 years is that vinyl has moved from a fad to a long-term niche 
>> industry. I think there will be a constant flow of few-numbers/high-margin new vinyl releases, 
>> especially from certain types of musicans and certain smaller (and some larger) labels. The vinyl 
>> copies I've bought here and there aren't usually better-sounding than the CD's, but the artwork 
>> is always better and most of them don't sound much worse than the CD (there's one pressing plant, 
>> the one in Tennessee, that doesn't do good pressing, and alas a lot of indie labels use it).
>>
>> All this activity in new vinyl is definitely driving up prices for used vinyl if you want really 
>> nice condition and pressings. There are still plenty of mass-market 70's and 80's disks to be had 
>> for a dollar or two, some in superb condition if you look carefully, but what was in the $5-8 
>> range a few years ago is in the $10-15 range nowadays as far as better pressings and more rare 
>> titles. I've also seen the return of dozens- or hundreds-dollar prices on the audiophile 
>> favorites from the "Golden Era."
>>
>> In my own case, I've found I've replaced in recent years records that I gave away when 
>> decent-sounding CD versions came out in the early 90's. My old records were played out, so I 
>> don't regret this, but I never though I'd own the nice 12" sleeve art again. All of this has been 
>> from good dollar-bin $5 shelf trolling and eBay, so it's been a minor investment.
>>
>> Bottom line, I think the used vinyl market hit bottom a year or so ago and is rising and will 
>> continue to rise, within reason. And the new vinyl market is here to stay. I do find it amusing 
>> to hear some of "the kids" raving about vinyl and then find out about the junkola equipment they 
>> use to play it. First of all, unfortunately, it probably does sound better than 128kbps MP3 
>> streamed thru their phones, but their low-grade phonographs are ruining their $50 records as 
>> quickly as they take them out of the sleeves without cleaning them. So the old vinyl problem of 
>> quick wear-out in the hands of the average consumer is still ever thus.
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott D. Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 1:25 PM
>> Subject: [ARSCLIST] Two articles of interest
>>
>>
>>> Here are two recent articles I thought might be of interest to those involved in analog and 
>>> vinyl:
>>>
>>> From yesterday's USA Today:
>>> http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2011-02-25-vinyl25_ST_N.htm#
>>>
>>> From today's Wall Street Journal:
>>> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703529004576160300649048270.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_6
>>>
>>>
>>> Scott D. Smith
>>> Chicago Audio Works, Inc.
>>>
>>
>