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Most people starting out in vinyl won't be fooling with anything pre-RIAA. -- Tom Fine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Smolian" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2014 2:32 PM Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] WSJ article on vinyl playbackl equipment > All this assumes stereo records that are RIAA, which is fine if you care to > limit yourself to stereo or mono that was recut to RIAA. > > Steve Smolian > > -----Original Message----- > From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stewart Gooderman > Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2014 2:03 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] WSJ article on vinyl playbackl equipment > > What about buying a half-decent stereo receiver? Are the pre-amps in these > units so inferior? Then attach speakers to the receiver. > > DrG > > On Mar 15, 2014, at 8:34 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> One other comment about this "starter" vinyl system. It will definitely > produce far superior sound to vintage record-wreckers, anything sold by > "Crosley" and most other catalog-sold self-contained "record players." If > any listmembers or their friends/family are considering plungeing into vinyl > (it'll be a deep dive before you're done, be forewarned!), I recommend the > following: >> >> 1. read the manual carefully to your turntable. Understand how to align a > cartridge. You will not enjoy playback without a properly aligned cartridge. > Any of the Technics-like Chinese turntables can use the Technics alignment > gauge/headshell holder. You can still find these little plastic do-dads for > a few bucks from Needle Doctor or KAB. You can find a good, useful alignment > grid from Sleeve City. >> >> 2. also from Sleeve City, you will find several options at low cost for > record cleaning, I would say that the Spin-Clean is the minimum system > likely to properly clean the records you get for a buck at the Goodwill or > yard sale. There is a good stylus cleaner sold by Sleeve City, too. They > also sell reasonably-priced record crates. The assemble-yourself model, for > about $20, can be copied if you have a few wood-shop tools. It's very useful > for keeping your "in rotation" records near your turntable. >> >> 3. finally, from Sleeve City or the place in Rochester NY (which is more > costly than Sleeve City), invest in good plastic-lined inner sleeves. Always > dump old paper and plastic inner sleeves, and dump most of the inner sleeves > included with new-issue vinyl, especially those pink plastic inner sleeves > used by Sony. A few cents invested will save a lifetime of scuffing on the > record. Vinyl "guru" Mike Fremer makes a convincing argument that if you > clean and store your records properly from the get-go, and keep your stylus > clean always, and set your cartridge tracking angles correctly, and track at > the light weights recommended by the manufacturer of your cartridge, your > records should not wear out over hundreds of plays. Antique record-wreckers > will destroy your platters from the first play forward. >> >> 4. A good phono preamp will sound superior to what's built into any of > these "USB turntables." I would say that should be your first upgrade. There > are many choices under $200 that do the job well. >> >> Bottom line, if I were starting out in the world of LP records, I'd set it > up this way: >> >> 1. Music Hall USB turntable - $250 >> >> 2. Shure M97 cartridge - $100 or Denon DL-110 cartridge - $130 >> >> 3. Cambridge Audio phono preamp/USB ADC - $230 >> >> 4. Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones - $150 >> >> 5. figure $300-500 for a good headphone amp, more like $500 if you want a > decent USB DAC so you can listen to your laptop or PC. >> >> 6. if you want powered speakers, there are many choices at many price > ranges. Anything with a woofer smaller than 8" will not give you very good > bass response, so figure on a subwoofer. >> >> -- Tom Fine >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Ramm" <[log in to unmask]> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2014 11:04 AM >> Subject: [ARSCLIST] WSJ article on vinyl playbackl equipment >> >> >>> Not to start a discussion but for those who don't get the Wall Street >>> Journal you might enjoy reading this if interested in NEW "Home" >>> playback >>> equipment: >>> >>> _Svelte Systems for Spinning Vinyl - WSJ.com_ >>> (http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB1000142405270230379590457 >>> 9433222363701870-lMyQjAxMTA0MDEwNTEx >>> NDUyWj) >>> >>> Steve Ramm >>> > >