[navin]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

I don't know what the right word is but there is a certain transparency and openness to the sound that I've found hard to replicate on digital.

Newer CD players with upgraded DACs are pretty good.

Originally Posted by HDarsi

The turntable was let go at 10CHF and the Vinyl box sets at 5CHF each.

Awesome stuff. Slowly build on this as you come across more deals. Today new LPs sell for Rs. 2000 or more.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Anybody with Linear Trackers here?

Attachment 2063552
The black one in the foreground is mine
The silver one in the belongs to a random dude on FB for whom i offered to fix it for free (and did) - Technics linears are a bit more complex than regular DD's, but still simpler than other makes
There is actually a third technics direct drive in the background (but only a piece of it visible)

I have 4 more at home in india

OMG, the Technics SLQL1

I had one, which I bought in Hong Kong in 1982 and upgraded the cartridge to Ortofon OMS10. Along with the turntable, I had a collection of over 150 LP's which I bought from overseas. In fact, with my first salary of USD 250/- way back in 1983 I bought records worth USD 200/-, and a Nikon Camera for USD 300/-/ The rest of the money was spent in sightseeing and eating hamburgers

The SLQL1 had an active life; used to record all my LP's onto metal tapes on my Nakamichi 582 and then play the cassettes. Then in 1989 (afrer marriage) I bought a Nakamichi OMS10 CD player and the Technics SLQL1 took a back seat. Had it for over 20 years, eventually gave it away to some person who came to repair some gadget at home.

Fast forward to 2008, I picked up a Pro-ject Debut III turntable in the UK and slowly bought a few LP's again. The price of LP's in the 80's was maybe USD 10/- for a new release - in 2012 In used to pay Rs. 2,000/- at Rhythm House.

The analogue sound of the LP's is unmatched. In the 80's some companies used high quality vinyl and re-mastered LP's. One such company is Mobile Fidelity Sound labs. They used virgin 180 gms vinyl for their pressings. I have bought jazz LP's from erstwhile USSR too.

Storage & keeping LP's clean and Pop-free is a task; and one has to get up every 15-20 minutes to change sides.

Currently, I have a Primare Pre 30/Primate 31.2 Power Amp combo driving Spendor D7 floor standers. Added a Cary CDP-1 CD Player in 2008 and a Cambridge CXN Network Player recently.

A Laser LP Player was developed a few years back by a Japanese company ELP Japan, check out their website "www.elpj.com". Believe the price was USD 15,000/-

A keen audiophile is pretty much like an avid car enthusiast ! Mostly crazy - sometimes sane, but always controlled by the Mrs.

[navin]

Originally Posted by rpunwani

Fast forward to 2008, I picked up a Pro-ject Debut III turntable in the UK and slowly bought a few LP's again.

Storage & keeping LP's clean and Pop-free is a task; and one has to get up every 15-20 minutes to change sides.

A Laser LP Player was developed a few years back by a Japanese company ELP Japan,

Technics made some excellent turntables including the SL-Dx series. Ofcourse the SL-1200 was a popular DJ favourite (equipped with a Stanton 680E that could withstand reverse play) for almost all record stations in the US.

My first pay check, also in 1983, was $80 ($4 per hour, 20 hours a week, part time). I bought a leather bomber jacket. I think one never forgets one's first pay check no matter how small it is or how old one gets.

After giving away my collection, I had no heart to start down the analog path again besides the storage and time require to maintain LPs is deterrent enough.

The Laser turntable was first developed by some company called Finial Technologies founded by 3 students from Stanford all called Robert/Bob (I remember thinking "how weird is that"). It was somewhere just after CDs first came out so must have been early-mid 80s (maybe 84-87). I think the price was $5,000 which a princely sum in the 80s.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by navin

Newer CD players with upgraded DACs are pretty good.

I have a Trigon Recall and a Ayon CD-2 for digital. The latter is dated for handling the latest digital audio formats but I've left it at that. Have not invested in a dedicated DAC as it is next to impossible to listen to the multitude of options out there.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by rpunwani

A Laser LP Player was developed a few years back by a Japanese company ELP Japan, check out their website "www.elpj.com". Believe the price was USD 15,000/-

Originally Posted by navin

The Laser turntable was first developed by some company called Finial Technologies founded by 3 students from Stanford all called Robert/Bob (I remember thinking "how weird is that"). It was somewhere just after CDs first came out so must have been early-mid 80s (maybe 84-87). I think the price was $5,000 which a princely sum in the 80s.

From what i recall hearing, the laser turnable is better in concept than execution - minor dust flakes and fibres that a regular stylus just brushes aside are captured an all their low fidelity - and that unless you have a record with an immaculately pure surface, you'll end up hearing more surface noise than regular TT!

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

minor dust flakes and fibres that a regular stylus just brushes aside are captured an all their low fidelity - and that unless you have a record with an immaculately pure surface, you'll end up hearing more surface noise than regular TT!

That is true, however, there are some positives with this design which you simply cannot have with a traditional one. No physical contact with the record (Other than disc spinning on the platter), takes out the complexity of setting one up, sound retrieval is consistent no matter where the stylus is on the record and you can't wreck your stylus and record with incorrectly set anti skate (I made this mistake once). Here's a Japanese company that's still making one. I still prefer a tonearm based one though. Where's the joy in operating one with a bunch of buttons. Might as well just get a CD player.

https://www.elpj.com/ltfeaturesandspecs/

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/analog-corner-101

[Locomotive]

"...I began realizing that digital convenience had its own flaws. Now I was spending more time worrying about what to play next than listening to what was playing. Scrolling through thousands of albums was so easy that it seemed like an opportunity loss if I did not do it while hearing music. Suddenly listening to vinyls seemed to be a purer endeavor..."


My own journey into analog,

Confessions of a Pseudo Audiophile,

https://medium.com/@sabya.das1603/co...e-b2a7ec0a9ceb

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Locomotive

"...I began realizing that digital convenience had its own flaws. Now I was spending more time worrying about what to play next than listening to what was playing. Scrolling through thousands of albums was so easy that it seemed like an opportunity loss if I did not do it while hearing music. Suddenly listening to vinyls seemed to be a purer endeavor..."

If someone finds a technology to be incompatible with their emotions, that is not the fault of the technology. Nor does it indicate that it is any better or worse than another.

It is true that playing LPs is an entirely different experience. When I'm thinking what to listen to, or searching for a song, then I fondly remember flicking through the album pile. Still... my deck now lives in the cupboard.

I don't need to be told that the sound of analogue vinyl is better than digital: I don't believe it. But if someone tells me that the whole experience of playing vinyl is "better," I not only accept that that is the case for them, but I sympathise. The real experience of albums, their covers and booklets, the tactile and aesthetic experience rather than the audio one, died with CDs. Particularly as the so-called "jewel-case" was and is a fragile, horrible thing: the joy of appreciating and handling the records and covers was gone.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by navin

Newer CD players with upgraded DACs are pretty good.

Not sure if you missed the trend, but there is an increasingly retro trend going on in the DAC side of things. R2R DAC's are apparently back in fashion, and oversampling (once the savior of high fidelity in the 90's) is now a 4 letter word. boutique DAC manufacturers are bending backwards to create all sorts of multibit/non oversamping/R2R ladder DAC's - there are even a couple of fully discrete ones out there.

I got myself a TDA 1541 based CD player to find out what the fuss is about - and it does sound better than most older devices, and had a sort of nice bloomy warmth to it, but my newer Wolfson DAC based CD player did sound better technically.

Of course i have a bunch of Chinese DAC's with top shelf DAC chips, but they all sound very average (probably their implementation sucks)

[navin]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Not sure if you missed the trend, but there is an increasingly retro trend going on in the DAC side of things. R2R DAC's are apparently back in fashion, and oversampling (once the savior of high fidelity in the 90's) is now a 4 letter word.
Of course i have a bunch of Chinese DAC's with top shelf DAC chips, but they all sound very average (probably their implementation sucks)

Hey Greenie! I am still trying to ascertian what the fuss is about with one company touting ESS 9038PRO chip set while another touting AKM 4499EQ chips etc and $2000-5000 DACs from Denafrips, Cary, Auralic, Berkley Audio, Chord, Bryston, etc. Heck even Schitt whose claim to fame was cheap value for money stuff is making a $2500 DAC (Yggdrasil).

Meanshile some others like RME, SMSL, Topping, etc are offering more reasonable alternatives. The RME ADI-2, SMSL M400 or Topping D70/90 might be what I would try next.

I have one friend who swears by the Denafrips though. You can read more about this DAC here. https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...897934/page-34

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The real experience of albums, their covers and booklets, the tactile and aesthetic experience rather than the audio one, died with CDs. Particularly as the so-called "jewel-case" was and is a fragile, horrible thing: the joy of appreciating and handling the records and covers was gone.

When CDs first came out, several different forms of packaging were suggested. Oddly the jewel case which was one of the worst won because ostensibly it was a format that was least offensive to any of the big boys (Sony, CBS, Columbia, etc). My view is that they knew it was fragile and hoped that they would have a recurring source of income by people buying replacements for their damaged CDs. There was no streaming or Napster or MP3 in those days.

I am jealous of friends who have made/taken the time to develop a serious LP collection and get into analog. Often when I visited them (pre-Covid), LPs is all we played even though they had equally expensive/competent CD players (as their turntables). When they ask me why I gravitate to the turntable I reply, you can't measure soul on an oscilloscope.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Of course i have a bunch of Chinese DAC's with top shelf DAC chips, but they all sound very average (probably their implementation sucks)

Bought a "Chi-fi" Fiio K5 Pro DAC/Amp for my Sennheiser HD 660s and 650 headphones, this one comes with a AKM 4493 DAC. They compromise on the pre-amp section where the implementations are sub par, the pre-amp output is not as good as headphone out according to reviews on the net. But whatever said and done, it is great value for money being able to drive high impedance 300 Ohm headphones with gusto. Not the same level as my brother's Oppo HA-1 DAC/amp but it'll do.

This is only one step in a journey towards buying a separate DAC (maybe a Topping or SMSL) + a Violectric 288 or Sennheiser HDV820 depending on who offers me a sweeter deal. The DAC will feed my amp via RCA to be used only once in a while. I have begun to become a head-fier - the peace of mind to me and the family is unparalleled nobody comes and tells me to turn the volume down when I hear some head banger tracks. It's an audio cocoon I love to be in

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by R2D2

my Sennheiser HD 660s and 650 headphones

The HD6nn family are beautiful headphones. One can have more, but the need of it is questionable.

(maybe a Topping or SMSL)

Gets a big push from a schill who claims to have a scientific approach but who should not even be allowed on the internet. You probably know who I mean.

But... Although I'm still an active member of SuperBestAudioFriends (bailed out of Headfi long ago) I don't really follow the hardware stuff. Hearing not good enough, it's not worth it so I won't be buying. So I'm not a good person to recommend. Schitt? iFi? <???>

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The HD6nn family are beautiful headphones. One can have more, but the need of it is questionable.

Absolutely! If one has money to burn there are plenty of options that offer superior performance in one particular aspect of audio or the other. But none strike a sweet spot in terms of price/performance as these Sennheiser HD 600/650 and dare I say even the livelier 660s.

Gets a big push from a schill who claims to have a scientific approach but who should not even be allowed on the internet. You probably know who I mean.

But... Although I'm still an active member of SuperBestAudioFriends (bailed out of Headfi long ago) I don't really follow the hardware stuff. Hearing not good enough, it's not worth it so I won't be buying. So I'm not a good person to recommend. Schitt? iFi? <???>

I signed up for SBAF and others but only care to read not chime in with my thoughts. My geographic location, experience, knowledge and most importantly budget are an automatic limitation.

In the world of audio "Mine is bigger than yours, even if I don't say so" applies to the 'T". One chap I know has a SME turntable in Pune..a beautiful machine. But the price had me gasping for air.

[greenhorn]

The main reason I have sort of put a pause on vinyl is that once kids happened, I rarely have time for it any more. All those Lovely weekends where it was just a bunch of records, my spin clean and getting high on Isopropyl alcohol fumes (and the odd glass of wine) are no more. Plus after my son damaged two very irreplaceable vintage styli, that was the last straw. My TT's are all boxed up and in storage, waiting for my 1 and 4 year old to become a bit older.

Plus the other part is that Now that vinyl has gone somewhat mainstream, prices are crazy and the supply of cheap NOS replacement styluses have vanished. I am not paying $4-20 for an old willie nelson record. 1 GBP/2USD is where i draw the line - and you don't get them like you used to, 10 year ago. Even in india where i used to get used records for 100Rs or so, the prices have shot up significantly, and the quality has gone down (It's mostly the junk ones left).

I had the good fortune of being in the market for cassettes when people started switching to CD's (I was a broke college student who could not afford a CD Player in the late 90's/early 2000's) and was able to build a very nice collection of cassettes for which i paid Rs 5 on average - very good stuff - middle/far east bootlegs, Type 2 US tapes etc.

I had sworn off CD's because once i did get a CD writer in the later 2000's - I found out that my back ups on even the branded CD's did not last. My mom had a similar experience at her office where they digitized all the records in her office, threw them away, and then found out the CD's were not readable either. That put me off optical media pretty much.

Then Recently my dad who had been wanting to go CD finally took matters into his own hands and bought a CD player locally - and being the good son I wanted to get him something better. I found a 1 year old onkyo C7030 which was being sold locally for $20 - apparently it was skipping heavily and the owner had upgraded. I bought it, and replaced the laser for $10 and was back in business. I bought some used CD's here for $1 and the sound quality blew me away. Plus i found that these Stamped CD's were still working perfectly, and you could get a mint CD for $1 as people are in the process of disposing them now just like they were throwing away cassettes 20 years ago. You can find a mint pink floyd, or Fleetwood mac CD for $1, which you cant' say about Vinyl any more today.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Casting my mind back to 1980s, when I was still buying records, anything at 1 GBP would be rubbish-heap stuff in the second-hand London shops. There were bargains, but usually only because they didn't sound as bad as they looked, which is rare with vinyl, but can happen. My Stephen Stills: Manasas double album looks as if it has been sandpapered, but plays well. I still listen to my own rip of it rather than the new, clean CD which I bought later, because it sounds better. Somehow they took the life out of the CD mix. (No, not because-digital: I have CDs and rips that sound as good as the vinyl).

Originally Posted by R2D2

One chap I know has a SME turntable in Pune..a beautiful machine. But the price had me gasping for air.

If I was to dream of turntables, SME might be my choice! I have a friend here who has everything in the headphone world, from Schitt to Stax. Used to have a friend who spent money on analogue audio. Probably tens of thousands of pounds. Each to their own hobby!