The Return of Vinyl: Turntables and Analog Audio

[DKDetective]

Hey all, like many, I've happily noticed that vinyl is making a comeback and I've decided to invest in a turntable so I take advantage of the killer vinyl collection my Dad left me and can resume collecting again... Unfortunately, some quick internet research has shown that its a crazy complicated area and there is a ton of information...

Can anyone help point me in the right direction in investigating potential turntables. My preference would be something mid-range with good sound and build quality, but not so much of the customization and tweaking of a lot of the high end, audiophile stuff. I would like some as plug and play as possible. Bluetooth streaming functionality would also be a huge plus. I have a killer set of wireless Sennheiser headphones and I would love to use them with the turntable especially until I can save and add a nice set of stereo speakers. I'm okay with an external phono preamp/bluetooth transmitter if it helps improve the quality of the turntable and potential upgradeability.

 

[InCali]

I have to say, I'm SHOCKED this thread showed up.

While I don't know what you mean by mid-range, I did some quick poking around Amazon and Best Buy and found a lot more than I thought I would (including bluetooth). Those are my general go to places to get a general idea of what I want. There are also several review sites I use (techradar, and best reviews are a couple, but there are lots of good ones out there). Get ready to launch some plastic!

 

[ComicChick]

i'm not really helpful but i inherited a record player/stereo from my grandparents. i have a few vinyl and i'd like to get it fixed so it will play them. it still plays radio and cassettes haha, (i think it has an 8track slot too? have to check to confirm).

 

[DKDetective]

i'm not really helpful but i inherited a record player/stereo from my grandparents. i have a few vinyl and i'd like to get it fixed so it will play them. it still plays radio and cassettes haha, (i think it has an 8track slot too? have to check to confirm).

The vintage stuff is often great. Really heavy, made from read wood, great for dampening vibrations and a clean sound. Do you know the brand or model of the one you inherited?

 

[ComicChick]

The vintage stuff is often great. Really heavy, made from read wood, great for dampening vibrations and a clean sound. Do you know the brand or model of the one you inherited?

Magnavox
super heavy wood like you said.
i know it's at least 40 years old because i have a picture of my Grandma standing in front of it in 1979

 

[Micromind]

I had grandfather's Vinyl collection but had to throw away most of them as they got damaged, I never thought Vinyls would come back again. Though I'm happy to hear this.

 

[InCali]

Have you decided whether or not to go old school or new? If sound is really your #1 priority, new tech is probably the way to go. I have to say though that character counts and some of those old stereos are beautiful. I have one of those and a bunch of 45s; along with some of my old 33s (Stones, The Who, etc.) my sister passed down to me.

 

[antsman41]

My Discogs is - Antsman41.

I’m at around 750+, heavily curated... a lot of ‘60s folk through ‘80s new wave, along with “finally pressed” ‘90s grunge/rock stuff. “New” indie like The National/Say Hi.

Current tt is a U-Turn with the upgraded platter/needle.

My top finds;

1) og Prince - Black Album [german import]
{paid $100}

2) og The Cranberries - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? [radio promo]
{paid $100}

3) og Sigur Rós - Takk...
{paid $150}

4) Fiona Apple - Tidal [VMP]

5) og R.E.M. - Automatic For The People [german import] doesn’t have the warp on Nightswimming like the US print does...

6) og The Beatles - The Beatles Again (aka Hey Jude)

7) Radiohead - In Rainbows [deluxe boxset]

8) og Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets
{paid $350}

9) Marcy Playground - Marcy Playground
Just never thought it would ever be pressed...

10) og New Order - Low Life [w/ slip sleeve thing]
{stole it from a bin for only $11}

honorable mention(s)

og John Carpenter’s Halloween | Original Score
{paid roughly $50}

og The Replacements - Let It Be
...doesn’t sound great, but it’s og and the ‘Mats

 

[antsman41]

Can anyone help point me in the right direction in investigating potential turntables. My preference would be something mid-range with good sound and build quality, but not so much of the customization and tweaking of a lot of the high end, audiophile stuff. I would like some as plug and play as possible. Bluetooth streaming functionality would also be a huge plus. I have a killer set of wireless Sennheiser headphones and I would love to use them with the turntable especially until I can save and add a nice set of stereo speakers. I'm okay with an external phono preamp/bluetooth transmitter if it helps improve the quality of the turntable and potential upgradeability.

Price ++ Worth +++

• U-Turn | Orbit [what I own]

Price +++ / Worth +++

• Pro-Ject _________ (any of their lineup)

Price + / Worth ++

• Audio-Technica (start at $100 auto and go from there)

I’ve “invested” too much for little worth with used/refurbished, etc. tra, before settling on a Audio-Technica $100 tt for a couple years and then purchased the U-Turn Orbit, and love it. It hasn’t let me down now after 3 years...

I upgraded my Onkyo 5.1 surround system to a Onkyo 7.1 surround system at the same time. Yes, you’re not supposed to split up a tt 2.1 out into more speakers, but it’s not that big of a hindrance/change.

I plan to get another 2.1 system if I ever split my tt from my “living room” home theater location and into another space if we move in a couple years.

 

[DKDetective]

Price ++ Worth +++

• U-Turn | Orbit [what I own]

Price +++ / Worth +++

• Pro-Ject _________ (any of their lineup)

Price + / Worth ++

• Audio-Technica (start at $100 auto and go from there)

I’ve “invested” too much for little worth with used/refurbished, etc. tra, before settling on a Audio-Technica $100 tt for a couple years and then purchased the U-Turn Orbit, and love it. It hasn’t let me down now after 3 years...

I upgraded my Onkyo 5.1 surround system to a Onkyo 7.1 surround system at the same time. Yes, you’re not supposed to split up a tt 2.1 out into more speakers, but it’s not that big of a hindrance/change.

I plan to get another 2.1 system if I ever split my tt from my “living room” home theater location and into another space if we move in a couple years.

I have it on good authority that Santa is bringing me a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo with an upgraded Ortofon 2m Bronze cartridge, Tube pre-amp, and a Monitor Audio Bronze 2.1 speaker system.

 

[antsman41]

I have it on good authority that Santa is bringing me a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo with an upgraded Ortofon 2m Bronze cartridge, Tube pre-amp, and a Monitor Audio Bronze 2.1 speaker system.

Sexy.

And to expand on my previous post, NEVER EVER DO BLUETOOTH FROM A TT.

As an audiophile, well anyone who buys LPs and doesn’t own a Crosley... it’s just not a good idea. Always use those sexy red/white cables, baby.

It honestly took me till last Christmas to indulge into Bluetooth cans. They’re the Bose Soundlink ones, for around $300. While I let my audiophile heart slip on them, it’s fine since they’re mostly used with my iPhone... and they still sound great considering they’re just streaming Spotify or Overcast.

Plus, they also come with a cord/adapter for tt listening or if you want to use them like I do, on my iMac sometimes.

I also have a vinyl Insta, called SeeThisNeedle.

 

[antsman41]

One of my favorite things to do... is come home at night, after a few local brewery beers.

Slide on Purple Rain, and just blast it to 11.

 

[DKDetective]

Sexy.

And to expand on my previous post, NEVER EVER DO BLUETOOTH FROM A TT.

As an audiophile, well anyone who buys LPs and doesn’t own a Crosley... it’s just not a good idea. Always use those sexy red/white cables, baby.

It honestly took me till last Christmas to indulge into Bluetooth cans. They’re the Bose Soundlink ones, for around $300. While I let my audiophile heart slip on them, it’s fine since they’re mostly used with my iPhone... and they still sound great considering they’re just streaming Spotify or Overcast.

Plus, they also come with a cord/adapter for tt listening or if you want to use them like I do, on my iMac sometimes.

I also have a vinyl Insta, called SeeThisNeedle.
View attachment 40848

Yep, ahead of you on that already! My Sennheisers have an analog in so we also grabbed a nice, long headphone cable for when I want to listen to the turntable without annoying my wife.

Yeah, this setup is pure analog, red and white all the way... The amplifier is true 2.1 analog only. Our house is open concept, so it's not really possible for us to have a surround sound system in the family room since there is nowhere to put rear or side speakers.

We bought it all from our local independent Hi-Fi shop that has been around for decades (they advised me against Bluetooth as well). My speakers did not come in for Christmas, so they offered to give me their display model set for the holidays until mine come in.

 

[antsman41]

Yep, ahead of you on that already! My Sennheisers have an analog in so we also grabbed a nice, long headphone cable for when I want to listen to the turntable without annoying my wife.

Yeah, this setup is pure analog, red and white all the way... The amplifier is true 2.1 analog only. Our house is open concept, so it's not really possible for us to have a surround sound system in the family room since there is nowhere to put rear or side speakers.

We bought it all from our local independent Hi-Fi shop that has been around for decades (they advised me against Bluetooth as well). My speakers did not come in for Christmas, so they offered to give me their display model set for the holidays until mine come in.

That’s really nice of them.

Yeah, on my 7.1 system... I just space the speakers all along the tv wall. It still “works” since our living room is very long, yet skinny.

 

[DKDetective]

Sexy.

And to expand on my previous post, NEVER EVER DO BLUETOOTH FROM A TT.

As an audiophile, well anyone who buys LPs and doesn’t own a Crosley... it’s just not a good idea. Always use those sexy red/white cables, baby.

It honestly took me till last Christmas to indulge into Bluetooth cans. They’re the Bose Soundlink ones, for around $300. While I let my audiophile heart slip on them, it’s fine since they’re mostly used with my iPhone... and they still sound great considering they’re just streaming Spotify or Overcast.

Plus, they also come with a cord/adapter for tt listening or if you want to use them like I do, on my iMac sometimes.

I also have a vinyl Insta, called SeeThisNeedle.
View attachment 40848

My collection is not very big, but the ones I inherited from my parents are pretty awesome and in good condition:
Track Canada first pressing of The Who's Quadrophenia (which will be my first album played, it is such a wonderfully produced and complex album)
Early pressings of Fleetwood Mac's Rumors, The Band, The Last Waltz, BB King Live at Cook County Jail, Santana's Greatest Hits, Led Zeppelin 4, Pete Townshend's White City, Pink Floyd's Animals, and Ennio Morricone's Soundtrack from the Dollars Trilogy.

My in-laws got me UK first pressings of Who's Next and Layla and Derek and the Dominos' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

I was never serious about analog audio before but I would always consider myself a bit of an audiophile. Since university, my main way of listening to my digital audio collection has been my THX-certified Logitech 5.1 speaker system for my gaming PC.

 

[antsman41]

Animals is easily my favorite Floyd album.

 

[DKDetective]

Animals is easily my favorite Floyd album.

I'm partial to The Wall myself (I love big operatic prog rock), with Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here in second and third respectively. I need to listen to Animals again. It was a gift and I have never really given it the right attention.

I need to find a near mint condition first pressing of The Beano Album by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with the original mono mix. It is possibly my favourite album of all-time and probably the most influential recording on my music taste. It also has the greatest guitar tone ever recorded in my opinion:

(Followed by Townshend's on Who's Next and Quadrophenia). Which is the two guitars I own are a 1959 Gibson Les Paulreissue and a 1959 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins reissue. Either of those played straight into a vintage tube amp, like a Fender Tweed or early Marshall, (no effects) is possibly the greatest endorsement of analog audio ever.

 

[InCali]

I'm partial to The Wall myself (I love big operatic prog rock), with Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here in second and third respectively. I need to listen to Animals again. It was a gift and I have never really given it the right attention.

I need to find a near mint condition first pressing of The Beano Album by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with the original mono mix. It is possibly my favourite album of all-time and probably the most influential recording on my music taste. It also has the greatest guitar tone ever recorded in my opinion:

(Followed by Townshend's on Who's Next and Quadrophenia). Which is the two guitars I own are a 1959 Gibson Les Paulreissue and a 1959 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins reissue. Either of those played straight into a vintage tube amp, like a Fender Tweed or early Marshall, (no effects) is possibly the greatest endorsement of analog audio ever.

Not a big Tommy fan? I have the album courtesy of my sis. I wish she hadn't signed it, but her and her friends used to trade albums....

 

[DKDetective]

Not a big Tommy fan? I have the album courtesy of my sis. I wish she hadn't signed it, but her and her friends used to trade albums....

Oh, I love Tommy. I still remember when my parents got me the cd as a Christmas present when I was 14 or 15, and putting it on on Christmas morning and having my mind blown.

I just prefer the guitar sound and production on Who's Next and Quadrophenia. Kit Lambert, while so important in the band's ascent was a bit amateur-ish in the recording studio, whereas Glyn Johns was a brilliant producer and engineer. One of the all-time greats.

 

[InCali]

Oh, I love Tommy. I still remember when my parents got me the cd as a Christmas present when I was 14 or 15, and putting it on on Christmas morning and having my mind blown.

I just prefer the guitar sound and production on Who's Next and Quadrophenia. Kit Lambert, while so important in the band's ascent was a bit amateur-ish in the recording studio, whereas Glyn Johns was a brilliant producer and engineer. One of the all-time greats.

Who's Next is clearly one of the all time classics. The thing I really liked about Tommy was the variety of sound. Pete on the ultimate ego trip. LOL.

 

[DKDetective]

Who's Next is clearly one of the all time classics. The thing I really liked about Tommy was the variety of sound. Pete on the ultimate ego trip. LOL.

It's funny that you consider Tommy the ego trip (which makes sense given it is a rock opera). Ironically, it was a very humbling record for Pete. Their last major single, I Can See for Miles, did not chart as expected nor did The Who Sell Out. And their equipment smashing was eating all of their profit, so Tommy was Pete's last ditch at commercial success.

Who's Next was the product of the real ego trip if anything. Pete felt he needed to follow up Tommy with an even grander rock opera combining film and audience participation, etc. It was to be called Lifehouse. It was so abstract and out there and came crumbling down around Pete. For Who's Next, they just salvaged the best and most complete songs from Lifehouse and released them as an album, which is probably the best, most consistent hard rock album of all time in my opinion, even if it lacks the grandeur of projects like Tommy or Quadrophenia.

I'd probably say Quadrophenia is my favourite. It combines the grandeur and operatic qualities of Tommy with the mature Who sound, with Townshend at his best in terms of songwriting and composition.

 

[DKDetective]

One of my favorite things to do... is come home at night, after a few local brewery beers.

Slide on Purple Rain, and just blast it to 11.

You gotta give Live at Cook County Jail by BB King a try. It's actually my first vinyl that I pinched from my parents and he was the first real concert I saw at 15 or 16 (my Dad took me in one of his many moments of parenting brilliance). I love the album and it has been forever since I listened to it on vinyl.

I just gave it a good cleaning and threw it on the new system while making coffee... And holy **** is all I can say. Such an amazing proof of how much better analog is than digital. Every time BB does his "hummingbird" vibrato on Lucille, I get literal shivers up my spine.

 

[antsman41]

That's also why my deluxe In Rainbows is soooooooo wonderful, they're like 200gram. There's a point on Reckoner when Jonny/Thom layered in backing vocals of them singing "......Innnnnnnn RRRRRaaaaaaiiiiinnnnnbooooooowwwwssss" during the breakdown in the latter half of the song. You can barely hear it on digital... but on vinyl it's so prominent, it's crazy.

When vinyl showcases backing vocals or a buried guitar note(s), its like magic.

 

[DKDetective]

That's also why my deluxe In Rainbows is soooooooo wonderful, they're like 200gram. There's a point on Reckoner when Jonny/Thom layered in backing vocals of them singing "......Innnnnnnn RRRRRaaaaaaiiiiinnnnnbooooooowwwwssss" during the breakdown in the latter half of the song. You can barely hear it on digital... but on vinyl it's so prominent, it's crazy.

When vinyl showcases backing vocals or a buried guitar note(s), its like magic.

Very nice!

Yeah, I was looking into the heavyweight, audiophile re-releases for the older stuff I like, but the reviews have been mixed, mainly it seems because the re-mastering is often from digital masters and the like and you lose some of the nuances. But that obviously depends on the reissue... It just seems for the older stuff vintage pressings are less hassle that way, condition issues notwithstanding.

BTW, noob question, how forgiving are vinyls if you make a couple stupid mistakes when first getting serious... I realized I accidentally got the direction of the RCA Discwasher brush mixed up when I cleaned my parent's old copy of Fleetwood Mac's Rumors this morning. Like the arrow was pointing clockwise instead of counterclockwise (not anything like across the grooves or anything). I don't hear any damage, but am now a bit paranoid.

 

[InCali]

It's funny that you consider Tommy the ego trip (which makes sense given it is a rock opera). Ironically, it was a very humbling record for Pete. Their last major single, I Can See for Miles, did not chart as expected nor did The Who Sell Out. And their equipment smashing was eating all of their profit, so Tommy was Pete's last ditch at commercial success.

Who's Next was the product of the real ego trip if anything. Pete felt he needed to follow up Tommy with an even grander rock opera combining film and audience participation, etc. It was to be called Lifehouse. It was so abstract and out there and came crumbling down around Pete. For Who's Next, they just salvaged the best and most complete songs from Lifehouse and released them as an album, which is probably the best, most consistent hard rock album of all time in my opinion, even if it lacks the grandeur of projects like Tommy or Quadrophenia.

I'd probably say Quadrophenia is my favourite. It combines the grandeur and operatic qualities of Tommy with the mature Who sound, with Townshend at his best in terms of songwriting and composition.

I wanted to think about this for a bit before answering. Generally the first stab at inspiration has some rough edges, but, IMO, Tommy broke the mold for the genre and opened up doors for future possibilities. Plus, the variety of sound kept my interest. While not perfect and maybe flawed, though not by the standards of rock music, it pushed boundaries.

For me, Quadrophenia was an attempt to take a gem and smooth the edges. Less interesting to me is the way I would put it.

I'll give you the Townshend ego thing, but I believe there were even words on the Tommy album describing it as his ultimate ego trip.