The AUDIOPHILE Thread

[sharptonn]

Oh I had it all back in the day....Even the dual cassette deck!
Every song that came-up, I just HAD to get up and tweak that equalizer or SOMETHING!

Gone are the days I like to feel music in my bones. These days, I just like to listen.. Not as loud any more.
I have a wider range of musical interests than I used to...Some don't lend themselves to all that, IMO.
I like it when others still use that old tube high-power stuff! Keep it running!
Glad you don't live next door to ME!

[thebigspendur]

Oh I had it all back in the day....Even the dual cassette deck!
Every song that came-up, I just HAD to get up and tweak that equalizer or SOMETHING!

Gone are the days I like to feel music in my bones. These days, I just like to listen.. Not as loud any more.
I have a wider range of musical interests than I used to...Some don't lend themselves to all that, IMO.
I like it when others still use that old tube high-power stuff! Keep it running!
Glad you don't live next door to ME!

Yea and in my case I have a hearing loss in the mid frequencies that makes most music sound a tad on the tinny side. The old FM isn't bad however CDs just aren't that pleasant.

[whoever]

Yea and in my case I have a hearing loss in the mid frequencies that makes most music sound a tad on the tinny side. The old FM isn't bad however CDs just aren't that pleasant.

30 years ago everyone was getting rid of their records in favor of CDs now everyone is trying to find a record player and rebuild their record collection that they gave up on decades ago.

[ZipZop]

30 years ago everyone was getting rid of their records in favor of CDs now everyone is trying to find a record player and rebuild their record collection that they gave up on decades ago.

Well, not everyone. Some of the guys I network with in Audio forums never got out of Vinyl, but in fact, turned up the heat on collecting Vinyl before (so they thought back then) it was gone forever. I was the same. I remember buying Vinyl at a screaming rate when CDs took over. I am glad Vinyl has made a comeback, but some of it is simply not manufactured well. Yet some is.

I recently purchased some BlueNote Jazz releases on 180 gram vinyl. Horrible. Noisy surface, off-center hole punch so the record wobbles terribly on the platter, and the general pressing itself is not at all what we were used to in the 70s. But some manufacturers are really stepping up to the plate and trying to put out some quality vinyl. I hope the trend continues.

[thebigspendur]

Well back in the 60s and 70s there were plenty of bad recordings. The physical records were well made but some of the sound quality was horrible. There were the usual quality brands and second grade made by them and then there were plenty of off brands some great and some not so great.

I kept all of my vinyl and got a good record cleaning machine to maintain them. I replaced all my sleeves with quality stuff years ago and I'm glad I did.

These days if you stick with the audiophile brands you'll get good recordings.

A few years ago our local classical radio station converted from LPs to CDs. They have been around since the 50s. They sold all their records for a buck a piece. They held the sale in a far corner of a piano store thinking no one would show up. They had to get the fire Marshall to control the crowds. The sad thing is most of these folks couldn't care less about the records themselves. They were looking for quick profit. many of the records were old RCA Red Seal and Masters Voice and Columbia Masterworks albums and all were in immaculate condition. Some of those records are worth hundreds of dollars a piece.

[sharptonn]

Absolutely!

[whoever]

Hotta love them typoes, thank you auto uncorrect

[ZipZop]

Well back in the 60s and 70s there were plenty of bad recordings. The physical records were well made but some of the sound quality was horrible. There were the usual quality brands and second grade made by them and then there were plenty of off brands some great and some not so great.

I kept all of my vinyl and got a good record cleaning machine to maintain them. I replaced all my sleeves with quality stuff years ago and I'm glad I did.

These days if you stick with the audiophile brands you'll get good recordings.

A few years ago our local classical radio station converted from LPs to CDs. They have been around since the 50s. They sold all their records for a buck a piece. They held the sale in a far corner of a piano store thinking no one would show up. They had to get the fire Marshall to control the crowds. The sad thing is most of these folks couldn't care less about the records themselves. They were looking for quick profit. many of the records were old RCA Red Seal and Masters Voice and Columbia Masterworks albums and all were in immaculate condition. Some of those records are worth hundreds of dollars a piece.

True. However the numbers were different. Now I expect a 50/50 ratio on good to bad pressings. Back then I would put it at 75 percent or slightly higher good pressings. The $1.00 W.T. Grant pressings and similar are the ones that usually were pressed inconsistently.

A very high percentage of the pressings today are made on equipment that has sat idle for decades. Guys that can service and fix old pressing equipment are getting scarce as are the parts. Many have to be fabricated.

I suppose that if the "craze" of vinyl continues, we''ll see some re-manufacture of quality pressing equipment. 40 years ago, you would most likely NOT have seen a bad 180 g audiophile pressing. Now, it's fairly common. I've really been disappointed in many of the re-issue 180g pressings I have purchased recently. YMMV. Let us know.

[thebigspendur]

This is one area where estate sales can really uncover a trove of vinyl. Most of the folks who were collecting in the 50 and 60s are dying off now and some have some pretty big collections.

[ZipZop]

This is one area where estate sales can really uncover a trove of vinyl. Most of the folks who were collecting in the 50 and 60s are dying off now and some have some pretty big collections.

Such a good tip. Absolutely true. I don't get to many estate sales, but the few I have been to that had collections of Vinyl were amazing, and the price was fair.

Oddly, here in Hawaii we have a very decent used vinyl at the primary record store in Honolulu. "Hungry Ear Records" is actually quite amazing for used vinyl finds. My suspicion has always been that military personnel brought their vinyl to Hawaii in droves, and then when shipped out, they left it here. I have found amazing values in their $1.00 and $2.00 bargain bins.

The owner is a Jazz lover, so that makes it nice for me, a serious Jazz aficionado. They have moved a few times over the years, but their new location is no better or worse. I'm just glad they are here. Best mom and pop record store on Oahu. For sure.