Thread: Anyone got back into old records?

Back in my youth and into being an adult I collected hundreds of LP's, loved them, then in the early 1980's CD's came along and at the time seemed to much better. No crackles and pops, you didn't have to turn them over and they sounded so clear they made my records seem old fashioned. So I sold the lot to a dealer and continued collecting my music on the new format.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago, for some time I'd got interested in restoring old valve (tube) radios, I then picked up a 1960's record player and with the knowledge I had gained with the radios I was able to fix it without too much trouble. I got hold of a few records, ones from abut the same time as the player and I got the bug and have been collecting vinyl LP ever since.
I absolutely love playing them on this period record player, even with the crackles there's a real magic to the sound!
The revival of vinyl records has really taken off in the UK, I was wondering if it's the same in the USA?

I decided about 20 years ago to switch as much of my music collection over to vinyl. I am not sure if it is as much about the sound as it is nostalgia and the enjoyment I get out of actual records. Growing up i always enjoyed flipping through liner notes and examining the album art as the record played out. And some of the stuff I wanted to listen to was only being released on vinyl anyways.

I do pay for a monthly digital music subscription for my phone or in the car but I still probably buy 5 or so albums a month. There's nostalgia in digging through crates of old records. There's also the novelties artists are including more and more in LP releases like colored vinyl, reverse grooves, hidden tracks under the labels, and loops. And it is a good way to support music I enjoy.

Originally Posted by 7Seconds

I decided about 20 years ago to switch as much of my music collection over to vinyl. I am not sure if it is as much about the sound as it is nostalgia and the enjoyment I get out of actual records. Growing up i always enjoyed flipping through liner notes and examining the album art as the record played out. And some of the stuff I wanted to listen to was only being released on vinyl anyways.

I agree nostalgia is a big part of it, but a lot of the records I buy I've never heard of the artistes before or knew very little of their music, this discovery has been most enjoyable. As for the sound, I'm constantly surprised how good vintage equipment can sound. With components replaced a new stylus and a unworn record, it's becomes quite a treat to listen too.

There are mastering differences for sure, also vinyl distorts in a particular "warm" analogue way. For classical (not my taste) definitely CD and recent digital is the way to go but for some guitar analogue mixing and mastering and vinyl reproduction is "better" (YMMV) I lost most of my vinyl over the years, I think there are still some of my albums in my Mom's garage, but I don't currently own a turntable. One track that to me anyway would sound much better in vinyl is this, although here is a YouTube link, I assure you in my vinyl album somewhere it'll be way better. It's an example of a style that benefits from vinyl



Another example of improved by vinyl, another record I hope I still own!



I've got to go and find my vinyl, and on that note I'm going to have a glass of rye!

I tried to start a vinyl collection, but then couldn't get a vintage Pioneer turntable needle/arm end to work or anyone to fix it. Sold it on ebay for a few hundred.

What turntable you all using? I was debating just picking up a budget Audio Technica on Amazon. I still want to get into it. I know the sound is superior and warmer as everyone says.

However, I've also started to get my favorite albums in FLAC format and stream it from the server on Plex (it projects the album art on my TV beautifully as well), using a DAC, Denon AVR and some Polk towers for now.

It's not for me, I couldn't do it, I see all these people buying turntables and hunting for old albums. I have a friend that is right into it. To me it's a big step backwards, the sound wasn't that great, you had to put the music on. I prefer the digital age, press a button and top quality sound.

Originally Posted by _zman

What turntable you all using? I was debating just picking up a budget Audio Technica on Amazon.

I recently upgraded my turntable to the Rega Planar 6 with ania cartridge.

I have heard good things about the Audio Technica AT-LP7 which is around $800 on Amazon. The used market will often have some pretty good sets at much lower prices.

I know the sound is superior and warmer as everyone says.

There are “analog purists” that think the only music worth listening to is analog recorded, mixed and mastered and put in vinyl. They’re free to think that, but has no real basis in reality in terms of better sound. Vinyl records don't automatically sound better or worse than high quality digital. It depends on the specific recording, mastering, pressing. And of course, your playback gear. Similar quality vinyl playback gear is generally several times more expensive than equivalent digital.

Most important factor is mastering - a well mastered LP will sound better than a mediocre mastering of digital, and vice versa. It is case by case.

However, I've also started to get my favorite albums in FLAC format and stream it from the server on Plex (it projects the album art on my TV beautifully as well), using a DAC, Denon AVR and some Polk towers for now.

As a child of the 80s I grew up with physical media. I loved to study the artwork and read every single word of the liner notes. I lost a lot of that as I amassed a giant digital collection (pre-subscription days), and then got waaaayyyyy bogged down trying to recreate it with metadata tags. Now most of my casual/background/driving music is streaming/satellite. It's mostly my way to listen to random playlists, find new music, and explore older music that I never gave a chance "back in the day." In the end though, nothing beats the experience of physical media for me.

Originally Posted by OldFartTom

There are mastering differences for sure, also vinyl distorts in a particular "warm" analogue way. For classical (not my taste) definitely CD and recent digital is the way to go but for some guitar analogue mixing and mastering and vinyl reproduction is "better" (YMMV) I lost most of my vinyl over the years, I think there are still some of my albums in my Mom's garage, but I don't currently own a turntable. One track that to me anyway would sound much better in vinyl is this, although here is a YouTube link, I assure you in my vinyl album somewhere it'll be way better. It's an example of a style that benefits from vinyl



Another example of improved by vinyl, another record I hope I still own!



I've got to go and find my vinyl, and on that note I'm going to have a glass of rye!

Original pressing of the debut Stooges album is incredible on vinyl. People argue if punk started in NY or UK. Perhaps it started in Detroit, with this album.

If I could do it all over I would probably have collected CD's. My Jeep has a 10 CD changer in the back and the sound is wonderful, if I'm alone I can tell the difference between the CD sound and an MP3 on a flash drive that's plugged in.

As for LP's, no that's just dinosaur stuff, I can't imagine doing pullups with a record player strapped to my back, c'mon man

Originally Posted by Bando

As for LP's, no that's just dinosaur stuff, I can't imagine doing pullups with a record player strapped to my back, c'mon man

At night after the kids have gone to bed I head down to the basement, pick out a record, sit back with a drink or two and and listen. Sometimes, on the weekends, the younger kids will come downstairs and pick out a record to listen with me. Sometimes my oldest is willing to hang out with his old man and listen to a record - either mine or one he has purchased for himself (I'll sit through Travis Scott if it means I get to hang out with him...it's admittedly an okay enough listen.) Sometimes my wife will come down and listen to an album she picks out while we play cards or just chat away from the kids.

It’s a nice space to be in.

Originally Posted by 7Seconds

At night after the kids have gone to bed I head down to the basement, pick out a record, sit back with a drink or two and and listen. Sometimes, on the weekends, the younger kids will come downstairs and pick out a record to listen with me. Sometimes my oldest is willing to hang out with his old man and listen to a record - either mine or one he has purchased for himself (I'll sit through Travis Scott if it means I get to hang out with him...it's admittedly an okay enough listen.) Sometimes my wife will come down and listen to an album she picks out while we play cards or just chat away from the kids.

It’s a nice space to be in.

Really?

I just get a text to turn it down, followed by a couple slamming doors.

Originally Posted by Bando

Really?

I just get a text to turn it down, followed by a couple slamming doors.

The basement is also a studio with two drum kits and many guitars. I have done my best soundproofing with acoustic panels and whatnot but my wife has been with me off and on for almost thirty years, she stopped slamming doors a long time ago.

Originally Posted by LWW

You should really grab a drink and listen to the "Sleep Dirt" album (or CD, or Youtube), the whole thing, every track from beginning to end. A hard drink really compliments that one.

I will do that. As I said I am big fan of the solo on the title song, need to go back and listen to the whole album again. Tonight we went with the first Black Sabbath album and then the Hamilton soundtrack. Good night it was.

Originally Posted by Bando

...no that's just dinosaur stuff, I can't imagine doing pullups with a record player strapped to my back, c'mon man

Don't be ridiculous, that's why they invented these
move with the times

Originally Posted by 7Seconds

Original pressing of the debut Stooges album is incredible on vinyl. People argue if punk started in NY or UK. Perhaps it started in Detroit, with this album.

I don't know where it started, but what I heard from someone I used to know (who was former guitarist in one of the founding big-name punk bands) was that it gained the momentum to become a "thing" in Canada. Partly with Toronto's Crash 'n Burn club but also extensive touring in beaten up old cars and vans across Canada that various bands did.
Well, that was his account of it anyway.

Originally Posted by OldFartTom

I don't know where it started, but what I heard from someone I used to know (who was former guitarist in one of the founding big-name punk bands) was that it gained the momentum to become a "thing" in Canada. Partly with Toronto's Crash 'n Burn club but also extensive touring in beaten up old cars and vans across Canada that various bands did.
Well, that was his account of it anyway.

Teenage Head and I believe The Dead Boys came out of that Toronto scene but I don’t think they had quite the reach of the New York Scene based around CBGB's and Max's Kansas City (the Ramones, New York Dolls, Blondie, Television, the Talking Heads, the Dictators, Patti Smith, the Velvet Underground, etc.), at least here in America anyways. Then to the much more working class British Punk scene, often called "77 Punk" (Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Damned, Sham 69, the Undertones, but also stranger bands like Wire, the Fall, X-Ray Specs, Crass, Gang of Four, and the Jam.) Then It came back to an America without the class conflict of the British punk to suburbanized kids in LA who were angry and bored and it became “hardcore”. Sorry I can go on about this stuff forever.

I have a pretty decent collection of classic 70s and some 80s kind of music. I have no idea why but I have this old school stereo and like 3 turntables, only one works though.

Originally Posted by clive

Back in my youth and into being an adult I collected hundreds of LP's, loved them, then in the early 1980's CD's came along and at the time seemed to much better. No crackles and pops, you didn't have to turn them over and they sounded so clear they made my records seem old fashioned. So I sold the lot to a dealer and continued collecting my music on the new format.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago, for some time I'd got interested in restoring old valve (tube) radios, I then picked up a 1960's record player and with the knowledge I had gained with the radios I was able to fix it without too much trouble. I got hold of a few records, ones from abut the same time as the player and I got the bug and have been collecting vinyl LP ever since.
I absolutely love playing them on this period record player, even with the crackles there's a real magic to the sound!
The revival of vinyl records has really taken off in the UK, I was wondering if it's the same in the USA?

I go to garage sales, consignment stores, and buy almost every record I see. I don't know why.
I bought a record player for $5 but it doesn't work. It is glorious though. The radio works and there's like curtains over the speakers. Actually talking about it, it's pretty awesome.

Originally Posted by 7Seconds

At night after the kids have gone to bed I head down to the basement, pick out a record, sit back with a drink or two and and listen. Sometimes, on the weekends, the younger kids will come downstairs and pick out a record to listen with me. Sometimes my oldest is willing to hang out with his old man and listen to a record - either mine or one he has purchased for himself (I'll sit through Travis Scott if it means I get to hang out with him...it's admittedly an okay enough listen.) Sometimes my wife will come down and listen to an album she picks out while we play cards or just chat away from the kids.

It’s a nice space to be in.

Good times.

In the digital age you can just jump around to your favorite song, or even parts of it, playlist or whatever

With the vinyl, you paid a good buck, probably you had to search for it at different record stores if you were into really obscure stuff....like Ska in the lates 70s and early 80s...The music was proportionally more expensive then than now...so you put the needle on and had to be patient and listen to the song and not risk damaging your new LP that you carried home under your arm on the subway on a rainy Tuesday night. You only traded and lent to certain trusted friends. Something about slitting the plastic and sliding the precious disc out while carefully holding the edges. Maybe you sat there listening to your new find start to finish while examining the art on the cover and the sleeve. Like most things now people have no attention span or patience. One of my favorite records, was by "Split Enz" the record had laser etched shapes on it that put on a little show as it revolved on the turntable. Like my "House of Guitars" story in another thread we often travelled to distant parts of the city or another town all together because they had a record store that had everything. Cant believe I gave most of that away many years ago.

Originally Posted by Cantplankwell

Good times.

In the digital age you can just jump around to your favorite song, or even parts of it, playlist or whatever

To paraphrase Brian Eno, I need limits to enjoy art. When I choose to put on a record, i like to play it in full. With digital I can skip songs or randomize thousand of songs which, to me, is a weird way to enjoy music. I like to define a headspace for a period of time. Melvins followed by Abba followed by Dylan? That’s not the way I would do it.

I do like the portability of digital though and use a digital subscription for the car. That's how I discover music, but if I like it I'm getting the LP.

Maybe you sat there listening to your new find start to finish while examining the art on the cover and the sleeve. Like most things now people have no attention span or patience. One of my favorite records, was by "Split Enz" the record had laser etched shapes on it that put on a little show as it revolved on the turntable. Like my "House of Guitars" story in another thread we often travelled to distant parts of the city or another town all together because they had a record store that had everything. Cant believe I gave most of that away many years ago.

I enjoy the engagement of the music and listener. A good example is The Beatles Abbey Road. Side one ends with I Want You as the music just builds and builds and then silence.....you walk over to the turntable, flip the record, drop the needle and.....Here Comes The Sun gently flows in. It’s perfection and it’s such an emotional switch. I can listen to this album digitally and I just don’t get the engagement with the music in the same way.

On your phone, you can have thousands of albums to choose from, pick one at whim and then change it ten seconds later if you're not feeling it. Vinyl is an investment, there's a process - you've got to flip through your collection by hand, find one that speaks to you in that moment, remove it from the sleeve, run the brush across, start the spinning, set the arm down. It's almost a form of meditation for me, an act of prayer.

I get so pissed at garage sales when people write the price on the jacket. Seriously who does that?