So....how many of you like vinyl with your tape?

[vinyldavid]

How many vinyl fans here?

I am DEFINITELY one. :)

[Des-Lab]

For now, I'm pretty much neutral on vinyl. As I built my system up, I basically did so around tape and CD, bypassing vinyl completely. It's not that I have anything against vinyl. Lord knows I grew up on and around it. By the age of ten, I knew the proper way to hold a record (by the center and edges), how to set the stylus either on the outer edge or in between tracks, how to brush the needle, and so forth.

As I said. I just never incorporated it. But someday, I'll probably capitulate and add a platter to the ol' Des-Lab. My father still has those boxes of records (as do several relatives) that I wouldn't mind going through and listening to again. Just don't know when or what type I'll get.

Although I should point out two things that my father still won't let me forget and I swear I have absolutely no recollection of.

First, he claims, when I was a toddler, about 2 or 3 years old, he was listening to "Teaser And The Firecat" by Cat Stevens. I allegedly waddled up to the player, grabbed the tonearm, and dragged the stylus across the face of the record, allegedly carving a nice gouge on the surface of the record. He still HAS the bent Bang & Olufsen cartridge to this very day to show me. That's how he CLAIMS it happened. If true, I can only IMAGINE what that would've sounded like.

Of course, the Cat Stevens record with which this supposedly happened is nowhere to be found. "Pops" claims he disposed of it and bought a replacement copy (which he still has in one of those boxes).

His other 'claim' is that when I was a little older (around 5 or 6 and which I still have no recollection of) was that he was recording "Yell Help" by Elton John on a reel to reel tape. And me, being a kid, was jumping and bouncing around the house. The vibration caused the stylus to skip a groove and jump. And it was recorded on the tape. Which is there to this day. I sometimes listen to it. I asked him, being that he was so fastidious and only worked perfection with his music, why he let that 'error' stay on the tape, and how come he never fixed it. His simple answer: "To REMIND you....."

So who knows.

[vinyldavid]

For now, I'm pretty much neutral on vinyl. As I built my system up, I basically did so around tape and CD, bypassing vinyl completely. It's not that I have anything against vinyl. Lord knows I grew up on and around it. By the age of ten, I knew the proper way to hold a record (by the center and edges), how to set the stylus either on the outer edge or in between tracks, how to brush the needle, and so forth.

As I said. I just never incorporated it. But someday, I'll probably capitulate and add a platter to the ol' Des-Lab. My father still has those boxes of records (as do several relatives) that I wouldn't mind going through and listening to again. Just don't know when or what type I'll get.

Although I should point out two things that my father still won't let me forget and I swear I have absolutely no recollection of.

First, he claims, when I was a toddler, about 2 or 3 years old, he was listening to "Teaser And The Firecat" by Cat Stevens. I allegedly waddled up to the player, grabbed the tonearm, and dragged the sylus across the face of the record. He still HAS the bent Bang & Olufsen cartridge to this very day to show me. That's how he CLAIMS it happened. If true, I can only IMAGINE what that would've sounded like.

His other 'claim' is that when I was a little older (around 5 or 6 and which I still have no recollection of) was that he was recording "Yell Help" by Elton John on a reel to reel tape. And me, being a kid, was jumping and bouncing around the house. The record jumped. And it was recorded on the tape. Which is there to this day. I sometimes listen to it. I asked him, being that he was so fastidious and only worked perfection with his music, why he let that 'error' stay on the tape, and how come he never fixed it. His simple answer: "To REMIND you....."

So who knows.


Like on the other forum:

I know of your fondness for black gear, and I heartily Recomend a Technics SL-1210 to ANYONE that likes TT's and black gear.

http://www.arar93.dsl.pipex.com/mds975/Images/vinyl_heaven/sl-1210_01.jpg

Great, affordable, easily modded and upgraded, killer speed stability, the whole works.

[Des-Lab]

Someone else recommended that 'table to me as well. I guess it's now just a matter of finding a place that has it. That, and all of the needed accessories:

stylus brush
D3 (or similar) record cleaner and felt pad
Spare stylii
45 spindle adaptor

Anything else I'd need?

But I'm faced with a bigger problem: vibration and resonance isolation. I live less than a block from an active railroad line. And it's a pretty busy one too. Most of the time, when the BNSF, Amtrak, and Metrolink trains go by, they are quiet (thank God it's a 'quiet/no horns' zone) and seldom a problem.

It's when those long tanker trains carrying oil and ethanol come through it's a problem. The whole freaking house shakes like a mild earthquake. I have yet to figure out a way to set up the TT so that in the event one of those trains go by and the place starts shaking, the cartridge doesn't start skipping grooves like mad. But neither do I want to set the tracking so high that the records get carved every time they get played.

So I dunno what I would do.

[vinyldavid]

Someone else recommended that 'table to me as well. I guess it's now just a matter of finding a place that has it. That, and all of the needed accessories:

stylus brush
D3 (or similar) record cleaner and felt pad
Spare stylii
45 spindle adaptor

Anything else I'd need?

But I'm faced with a bigger problem: vibration and resonance isolation. I live less than a block from an active railroad line. And it's a pretty busy one too. Most of the time, when the BNSF, Amtrak, and Metrolink trains go by, they are quiet (thank God it's a 'quiet/no horns' zone) and seldom a problem.

It's when those long tanker trains carrying oil and ethanol come through it's a problem. The whole freaking house shakes like a mild earthquake. I have yet to figure out a way to set up the TT so that in the event one of those trains go by and the place starts shaking, the cartridge doesn't start skipping grooves like mad. But neither do I want to set the tracking so high that the records get carved every time they get played.

So I dunno what I would do.

OK. I'd get a VPI 16.5 (also black) as a record cleaner. FAR More effective than a Discwasher. in fact, if I had something that was worth the purchase price of a VPI, I'd sell it in a HEARTBEAT.

I'd also do a wall mount stand, and some sort of isolation on top of that. I have heard that Memory Foam pillows work well for DJ's...and then set the tracking at 2gm....

www.kabusa.com

Get it from them, and put whatever mods you want on it.

[Nak_novice]

[QUOTE=Des-Lab;157]Someone else recommended that 'table to me as well. I guess it's now just a matter of finding a place that has it. That, and all of the needed accessories:

stylus brush
D3 (or similar) record cleaner and felt pad
Spare stylii
45 spindle adaptor

Anything else I'd need?

A few new goodies could help optimise the set up:

A levelling device would be useful to set the deck up.
Perhaps a stylus force guage would be handy too.
An alignment protractor to set up the arm post.
Cartridge Azimuth / Zenith set up tools.
VTA adjustment reference device.

[vinyldavid]

Someone else recommended that 'table to me as well. I guess it's now just a matter of finding a place that has it. That, and all of the needed accessories:

stylus brush
D3 (or similar) record cleaner and felt pad
Spare stylii
45 spindle adaptor

Anything else I'd need?

A few new goodies could help optimise the set up:

A levelling device would be useful to set the deck up.
Perhaps a stylus force guage would be handy too.
An alignment protractor to set up the arm post.
Cartridge Azimuth / Zenith set up tools.
VTA adjustment reference device.

The Technics arm is calibrated for VTF tracking. I assume fairly well.

I would also suggest a Test record...there are meny to choose from.

http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/hfnrrdisc_e.html

This has been recommended.

Also, if you want, get Michael Fremer's TT setup DVD. Might introduce you to a lot of stuff.

[Doug_Olitsky]

Count me in... I think I have seven

Lenco GL75
Thorens TD-125 Mk II (two of these)
Empire 598 II
B & O RX2
Technics SL-5
Dual 1219

[Nak_novice]

How many vinyl fans here?

I am DEFINITELY one. :)

I'm Very Much A Vinyl Fan, Probably my favourite source in fact. (Especially with my Bob Marley Collection Spinning!)

Current deck is a very smooth THORENS TD-160 SUPER, with SME III arm and Music Maker III Cartridge (Moving Iron).

An anti resonance kit has also been fitted and with optimum set up, it is very competent combination hooked up to my Integrated Mac.

[braxus]

Vinyl is the reason I got back into tapes again. I tape all the records I have onto cassettes so I can keep the record from being worn out. My turntable has a hum at the moment I can't locate the problem too, but it works well enough. I have a used Thorens TD 147 in my system. Third one I've owned.

[joeljoel1947]

I have amassed 1500 LP's since getting back into vinyl 3 years ago. There is (usually) no comparison sonically between an LP and it's cd equivelent which is why I prefer vinyl.

I also HIGHLY recommend the Technics 12xx series of turntables. Be sure to buy one from Kevin at KAB. He does an inspection on each unit he sells to make sure everything is A-OK. Technics spent about 2 million dollars in the mid-70's developing the 1200 line. R & D like that just doesn't happen now a days!

Plus, you can add on a bunch of KAB mods for the ULTIMATE in LP playback!

Here is my KAB Technics M5G with a custom base cabinet I had made. This one is "fully-loaded" with every KAB option:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg315/JoelKozlowski_2007/KABTECHNICS.jpg

[Rat44]

I like my tapes for casual listening. For serious stuff the LP gets the duty.
I have an older Technics SLQ-350 with a AT SLT96E on it.
I just did some trading and wound up with a new Project Debut III.
It has a OM5E on it.Its a nice table,my first new one since the 70's:D

[clhboa]

I am a big time vinyl fan, I have around 4000 lps. My turntable is a Technics SL-1210MK5. I bought it new from KAB electronics a few years ago. I ordered it with several of KAB's upgrades like an outboard power supply and fluid dampening for the tonearm. If anybody is thinking of buying a Technics turntable I strongly suggest checking out KAB's website. The guy is very helpful on the phone too with no high pressure sales.

[Fast Forward]

I have increased my vinyl collection over the past year ,,strange Years ago I would buy Vinyl and copy it to cassette so I could play it in the car and save the album which usually never happened,,to many parties ,,When Cds became popular I started buying CDs to replace the Albums I lost along the Way,,Now it seems I,ve reverted back to my old ways and now buy Vinyl again but this time it,s recorded to R2R and Cassette,,, Oh yea I still own the same TT a Technics SL 1700 and Nakamici 600 slant panel bought in the mid 60s

[ferriteman]

I have increased my vinyl collection over the past year ,,strange Years ago I would buy Vinyl and copy it to cassette so I could play it in the car and save the album which usually never happened

Yup...I still tape my LPs...not all of them of course, but many of them....I just picked up another Pioneer car deck on E-Bay a few months ago that plays BOTH cassette and CD (my woman has the CDs, not me!). The tape/CD units are getting rarer by the minute, if you want one, so you can play your tapes in the car...better get one soon!

[ferriteman]

that was my first LP, I bought it in 1969. Have acquired 2 more copies since then, one on the Superdisk label. Still love it!

Incidentally, BS & T live with David Clayton-Thomas are still great in concert!

[clhboa]

I have a Kenwood casette deck in my 2005 Silverado. I had the installers run a line from the aux input on the back to my glovebox. When I want to listen to a cd I just uncoil the wire in the glovebox and plug in my portable cd player thats sitting on the seat beside me. Technically the aux input was for a cd changer but it works quite well this way.

[vinyldavid]

that was my first LP, I bought it in 1969. Have acquired 2 more copies since then, one on the Superdisk label. Still love it!

Incidentally, BS & T live with David Clayton-Thomas are still great in concert!

Incidentally, my former math teacher lived down the block from their trumpeter growing up...:eek: :cool:

[Jay Pemberton]

Still spin them too! I picked up three singles in an antique shop in Harrison today, all on Atlantic. And one of them is a 78.

[vinyldavid]

my vinyl so far......

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii298/vinyldavid/Vinyl_Tape1.jpg
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii298/vinyldavid/Vinyl_Tape2.jpg
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii298/vinyldavid/d_macandalbums2.jpg

[close652]

I prefer vinyl to cd, however many news stuff do nor exist on LP (or no new master is made for the LP).
I use a Pro-Ject Debut III with Ortofon pickup.

[Mr. Lin]

Vinyl is number one for me, no question. Here's my beloved setup:

Thorens TD125 MKII w/Dynavector 10X5

Pro-Ject RM-5 w/Grado Reference Platinum

Wright Sound Company tube phono preamp

Then there's a number of other cartridges and a Pro-Ject Tube Box II as a backup, but that's the main system right now.

[Jay Pemberton]

Here's a couple of mine.

Technics SL 1300 (Mk 1), here with a Stanton 5107 cartridge:
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s88/Perisphere-photo/SL1300.jpg

Fairchild 412-1, with Shure M216 arm and M21 cartridge:
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s88/Perisphere-photo/F412front.jpg

The Fairchild will handle up to 16" discs. There was a version of the 412 that used a tube oscillator/power amp to drive the motor, to give 4 speeds plus a 6% pitch control! State of the art for 1957.

I'll post more later as I can get pix of them, and the preamps I use with them.

[Acoustic]

I love vinyl also but only have about 20 records now. I got a Yamaha YP-D6 and put a Shure M97xE cart on it. To talk about what was... I used to have a collection of about 1500 records (collected from 1968- 1986) that was ruined when water got into the room I had them in Nov of 1992. (AAAARGG!!). Back then I was a B&O TT fan with a 4002.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2138/2122184324_a6a08c309a.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2121406895_a9514fba55.jpg

[stuartypoorty]

Primarily vinyl and will continue to be.

Cassettes; have enjoyed compiling tapes for friends for a long time, around quarter of a century, perhaps more. Received many in return, seems to be a generous reciprocity amongst fellow music lovers.

At one time the New Musical Express - a long standing rag over here - had tapes available on offer. "Smile Jamaica" was my all time favourite with Ska, Bluebeat, Reggae, Lovers Rock and Dub included.

Nowadays I mostly archive on tape in order to preserve the wax and work often means travelling, so the cassette is ideal for that.

For me it's analogue all the way, other formats probably have greater versatility but I don't seek convenience at the expense of quality because quality endures.

I guess I just like the ritual.

[Des-Lab]

I have made the decision that I will be adding a platter to my system by the end of the year. I've already informed "Mrs Des" that's what I want for my birthday or Christmas.

Now all I need to do is try and decide on what I want and where to get it along with all the needed accessories. I already know for sure that I will want a new one. I won't even waste my time trying to tape up parts from a handful of thirty year old Thorens decks and call that an "addition". I'm gonna do it right, right from the get-go.

Or at least attempt to.

[vinyldavid]

I have made the decision that I will be adding a platter to my system by the end of the year. I've already informed "Mrs Des" that's what I want for my birthday or Christmas.

Now all I need to do is try and decide on what I want and where to get it along with all the needed accessories. I already know for sure that I will want a new one. I won't even waste my time trying to tape up parts from a handful of thirty year old Thorens decks and call that an "addition". I'm gonna do it right, right from the get-go.

Or at least attempt to.

SL-1210 finally getcha? :D

I'd also get a Record Cleaning machine, and everything else that was mentioned in this thread....

Congrats!

[close652]

Des-Lab: good move )dance(
I am satisfied with my ProJect Debut III, but I don't know if they have a distributor near you. Entry level with no unnecessary extras. Phono preamp and speed box are also avaiable.

[stuwee]

Vinyl to the front of the line for me every time, well, mostly always!?! Having roughly 7,000LPs gives me alot of options, some good stuff never got released on vinyl during what I call "The Dark Years". I've got a couple hundred CD/DVDs
I've had some Heathens help themselves to my property and I've loaned out some stuff, that I never saw again:( I've luckly got many missing in action stuff on tape. So all isn't a total loss). Getting set up for LPs can scare some folks off but, it's not that hard, I'm willing to help if I can. LPs will be around after the tape binders disentagrate and the digital no longer works, IMO. Tapes and Vinyl if properly cared for can and, have lasted a long time. I'm not knockin' digital. It's just that there are so many formats and it hasn't been around long enough to really say "It will be playable in 60 or 70 years down the road".

Craig

[niklasthedolphin]

I am pretty close to Stuwee's opinion.
Allthough I think tape is as durable as LP's.
I have R2R tapes from the 50's and the 60's that play and looks as if they were new.

I have >5000 LP's, close to thousand CD's and beyond thousand tapes.

In my setup is MD, MC, RT, LP, PC, CD, HD, FM, DVD, VHS, DAT.

I don't want to miss anything here.

No format is more important than the fact that the music is in focus, no matter how to play it.

Meditative listening is best carried out on the best Reel Tapes, the best LP's or the best cassette tapes. IMHO.
The essential is how is the original studio/live mastering quality.

"dolph"

[gamve]

I'm new here but I have to admit my passion is vinyl. Getting back into tape to try and preserve the LP stuff I don't have on D##ital

Present decks (some are fixer uppers and Ebay bargins) Been into this awhile.
In Use
Pioneer PLC-590 I stole recently of Fleabay $ 311.00 AUD (no arm)
Look it up rare item from the series 20 stuff
FR54 arm ZYX Airy III cart

Technics SP10 MKII in SHB10 Base, Soon to be fitted EPA100 (being repaired)

TD150 Thorens heavily modded, Grace 707, ATOC9

Townshend Rock Elite Mk 1, Rega 300, FR101 MM

To be mounted\restored\repaired

Garrard 301 cream grease bearing

Garrard 401

SP10 MkII This one spins at correct speed but does not stop. Leaky caps?
on brake circuit

And now I'm getting back into cassette's.......go figure
cheers
gamve

[gamve]

I have made the decision that I will be adding a platter to my system by the end of the year. I've already informed "Mrs Des" that's what I want for my birthday or Christmas.

Now all I need to do is try and decide on what I want and where to get it along with all the needed accessories. I already know for sure that I will want a new one. I won't even waste my time trying to tape up parts from a handful of thirty year old Thorens decks and call that an "addition". I'm gonna do it right, right from the get-go.

Or at least attempt to.

Hi Matt,
If you wanna do it right 1st time with good repeatable no messin about results, look for a better quality direct drive from EMT (expensive) Technics, pioneer, JVC or similar (heavy is better) and mate it up with a Rega or better arm and a Dennon 103. Easy upgades after this with simply arm/cart/plinth modds/replacements
cheers
gamve

[1979TDKAD-C90]

I am very much a vinyl fan. I have around 300 records so far. I collect a variety classical, jazz, rock, electronica, disco, but I am not into country, bluegrass or rap.

[JaeTee]

VINYL RULES SUPREME!!!!!

(but you run out of space......)

http://ic2.pbase.com/o6/01/380001/1/108592544.EgY3BZZ0.DSC_0066.JPG

[perry]

Me too. Vinyl still outnumbers pre-recorded tapes.

[1979TDKAD-C90]

I only have a handful of pre-recorded tapes. Never really got into them. I'd rather have a copy of the vinyl on a nice TDK or Maxell.

[tstover]

Some might ask, "what else would you be doing with tape?". How about a long winded answer...

I'll be 30 this summer. I've collected close to 2,000 CDs, and another few hundred I only have on CDRs. They are all kept safely stored away while I listen to them at home and at the office as FLAC files on hard drives. While most of the world has completely turned it's back on music with it's itunes, mp3, DRM, earbuds, and ring tones, I still maintain there is a place for digital. Sad though it is that it digital almost never means anything more than 16bit/48khz, there is a certain amount more heart and soul that is missing from this picture.

Then there are the vinyl records. I only have about 60 of them, but even with an entry level turn table, 90% or more sound vastly superior to their CD counterparts. One thing some you who have been into music for much longer may not understand is that these days vinyl is MUCH more expensive. Sadly it is almost the "fine wine" of audio formats. I have personally payed as much as $50 for a rare piece. The best you can do is get releases within the first few months of issue for "only" around $23 for new sealed double LPs. Outrages? Yes, but thank goodness they are as available as they are. Some people have no problem spending hundreds on vinyl editions of things not even 20 years old! So naturally people in the vinyl revival scene are looking to tapes to solve the same problems people originally did. (btw the super audio cd / hdcd / dvd audio scene in my opinion is stupid)

Which brings me to tapes. In my view since getting back into cassettes about a year ago, there are 3 main reasons someone would use tape: 1) just for fun / get off of my lawn, 2) as an analog recording medium / back up records, 3) for the "effect" / nostalgia of tape distortion (which of course varies in the extreme depending on what you are using). I personally have never seen a prerecord tape that wasn't a joke, but apparently the are out there.

So in conclusion, for most people just getting off of ear buds and lossy compression would be the most bang for the buck. From there the world gets much more complicated.

[Naknut]

I'm all about vinyl and tapes. I record all my new records to tape ,it is something I've done since 1974 when I got my first cassette deck. I am slowly getting around to taping some of my rare and obscure stuff that I've collected to tape also. I love prerecorded cassette too as I'm a completest when it comes to finding music I like on all formats. I'm just built that way.
It helps to have a Dragon to play them back on.

[heiff]

I was an early adopter of CD in the 80s (had a Sony D5 portable I bought with money from my first job!), but by the early 90s, I realized that CDs just weren't that much fun to collect. I missed the cover art and all the other packaging possibilities that came along with vinyl. I still firmly believe that there's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you tear the shrink wrap off a fresh LP.

I feel as though vinyl has weathered the "dark ages" now - it survived the death-knell of falling out of favor with the general public. You don't ever hear anybody say that vinyl's "dead" anymore; maybe our love affair with it was underestimated. And now it seems, in a sense, to have trumped CD - you buy the vinyl LP and get a free download of the MP3s...why bother with the CD?

I watched a short documentary about a small pressing plant in Florida, and since it was filmed a few years ago, I think they've actually acquired a couple more presses and their output is now greater than it was in the 1970s.

[Bird72]

I like vinyl even if the records have the played a few times, err, ambience....

I played Workingmans Dead, Bonnie Raitt's Sweet Forgiveness, and Neil Young's Tonight's The Night on the turntable last night. All were not pristine and I thought how I should get virgin copies if possible, and then I just sat back and enjoyed the wonderful sound anyway.....

had not heard all three of them except on CD for last 25 years at least, so hearing them last night was just more icing to my belief that CD's are indeed really great..... for setting drinks on.

the path is clear, and it is not in deconstructed, turned into math, reconstructed and made into analog anyway in the end, bits of bits.....

favorite vinyl poster redicovered this week: Hendrix on the horses in western gear with the Experience. try getting a 24 X 36 poster in a jewel case, haha.

[katana1100]

I have never liked vinyl, viewing it as a necessary evil. I was a teen in the early 80's and I would take a new record, record it to tape on my Teac 2300s r2r and rarely reuse that LP.
Didn't like the attention they required nor having to flip them. I used to end my night plugging my Koss headphones into my Teac 2300s, listen to the reel that had Pink Floyd's "The Wall" in it, after smoking a few bowls of uh....

[Squank]

I think vinyl is the top consumer format to listen to music as far as sonics go,not to mention the utterly addictive experience of watching a record playing on a turntable or the art and info that a record sleeve carries.*Spin*

[macman007]

Me! I love the way albums sound on tape. Even CD'S (god Forbid) sound absolutly wonderful and more like music should sound when copyied to open reel and encoded in DBX, on my machine at least.

For me, tape just gives and gives with no compromise, provided a healthy deck and quality tape with quality peripherials are used together. *reelspin*

I have loved tape since age 6 when I was first introduced to it. For me, there is no other sound like it, and nothing compares.

Long Live Tape (and Analog!) *reelspin*

Phil

[Robroy]

VINYL RULES SUPREME!!!!!

(but you run out of space......)


Thanks for the pic! I've saved it. Now, whenever my wife says my setup is out of control I'll just show her this picture. :D

[Robroy]

I think vinyl is the top consumer format to listen to music as far as sonics go,not to mention the utterly addictive experience of watching a record playing on a turntable or the art and info that a record sleeve carries.*Spin*
I've seen hundreds, if not thousands of LP's, many in excellent condition, at estate, garage, and yard sales. I've seen maybe 50 open reel tapes. And I don't have to worry about shedding with vinyl. I'm not meaning to dis open reel, it's just that your post is spot on.

After all, it is really hard to find Ferrari parts at the junk yard too.

[shadowlord]

I have never liked vinyl, viewing it as a necessary evil. I was a teen in the early 80's and I would take a new record, record it to tape on my Teac 2300s r2r and rarely reuse that LP.
Didn't like the attention they required nor having to flip them. I used to end my night plugging my Koss headphones into my Teac 2300s, listen to the reel that had Pink Floyd's "The Wall" in it, after smoking a few bowls of uh....

didn't you just buy a new TT?

[Robroy]

I have never liked vinyl, viewing it as a necessary evil. I was a teen in the early 80's and I would take a new record, record it to tape on my Teac 2300s r2r and rarely reuse that LP.
Didn't like the attention they required nor having to flip them. I used to end my night plugging my Koss headphones into my Teac 2300s, listen to the reel that had Pink Floyd's "The Wall" in it, after smoking a few bowls of uh....
Your post rings a bill. I remember, back in the late 70's, when I was a hi-fi salesman, when we salesmen would discuss the business during slow times, we were very excited about the concept of "digital" when the first digital album came out. I believe it was Ry Cooder's Bop 'till you Drop.

And like you, we saw Vinyl as the "current" medium waiting to be replaced by something better. I used soundguard on my records to keep them from wearing out, and like you I recorded my albums onto tape with the idea that I would never play them again because of wear. When CD came out, I considered my records to be the equivalent of old 78's. Heck, when my HMA 8300 lost a channel in 2001 (bass part of bi-amped system), I saw it like an old car that finally bit the dust. I threw it in the trash. :(

But I digress...

Then a funny thing happened about six years ago. I had room for a recording studio/music room in my house and set it up complete with a sweet standup recording/rehearsal area. I pulled out all my old stuff and mixed and matched with my pro gear and it blew my socks off. Now I am hooked. And I added cassette last year.

However, I confess that over half of my perspective is rooted in reminiscing. It's just fun to be more involved with the listening experience. And since I never had open reel back in the day, that part is not as important.

So now I have 6 turntables, five cassette decks, four receivers, two preamp-tuners, three preamps and five amplifiers. With the exception of the stuff I bought new in the 70's, I purchased all of it in the last few years and for
most of it I paid $5 or less per unit. All of it works great except the Adcom tuner-pre that has a finicky FM section. But then, FM really IS dead, so no biggie. And I even got a Denon tuner to replace that function. :)

It's about being over 30 and living in a world that is changing more rapidly than our creator designed us to handle. And those under 30 will have it worse. It is accellerating exponentially. It will implode, probably very soon, but in the meantime, to keep myself sane, I've shunned the modern pace except at my job, where I'm "part of the problem", and this sort of chat. I've returned to riding my bicycle, rollerblading, hiking and taking walks with my wife and dog (and in that order), doing my own car repair, reading books while smoking a nice cigar with a good single malt and listening to records the same way, sans the stogie (no smoking indoors). We also do a lot of "Estate sailing" (just started this last fall), where I buy most of my stuff now, including the records. Frankly, that is actually feeding the beast and it is chock full of vitamins making him very powerful indeed. ;)

Vinyl is a huge part of my enjoyment of music and gear now, even with the flaws. Digital is strictly for background sound while I do something else.

[katana1100]

Yup, world is bad for the under 30 gen, my daughters remind of that and tell me that they wish they grew up when I did. We had great music, great concerts (saw queen 3x, Supertramp,Thin Lizzy, etc). I felt an obligation to take then to see Rush when they were in town (going again to see their last show in WA in July).
Funny thing about CD's- the first ones sounded pretty good! Then later CD's sounded ok, then bleh! I got my first CD player, a Sanyo front loader in '82 and at the time, the cd collection at the Music + store was small. Most of the CD's were around $18, while records were $6. I have first CD versions of Dark Side of the Moon (actually, got all the Floyd early on) Super Tramp and some others. Dire Straits Brother in Arms sounded good too. Then, something happened to CD's down the years. Seems like once records vanished, they started doing a crap job of mastering CD's. I have bought very few CD's in the last five years, but have also, during that time, compiled a good collection of SACD/DVDA discs. Most of these discs are now worth far more than I paid. I think they are the standard for sound quality too and have an edge over vinyl in that they can be multichannel- discs like Dark Side of the Moon and Brain Salad Surgery (ELP) can sound down right creepy in 5.1!
I have had to explain to my daughters the concept of an audiophile and how people used to sit and just listen to music, rather than use it as background filler.My older daughter doesn't understand what the big deal is about sound quality. She has spent hundreds of $ on Itune down loads and probably has earbud induced deafness like the rest of her generation.

[Robroy]

Yup, world is bad for the under 30 gen, my daughters remind of that and tell me that they wish they grew up when I did. We had great music, great concerts (saw queen 3x, Supertramp,Thin Lizzy, etc). I felt an obligation to take then to see Rush when they were in town (going again to see their last show in WA in July).
Funny thing about CD's- the first ones sounded pretty good! Then later CD's sounded ok, then bleh! I got my first CD player, a Sanyo front loader in '82 and at the time, the cd collection at the Music + store was small. Most of the CD's were around $18, while records were $6. I have first CD versions of Dark Side of the Moon (actually, got all the Floyd early on) Super Tramp and some others. Dire Straits Brother in Arms sounded good too. Then, something happened to CD's down the years. Seems like once records vanished, they started doing a crap job of mastering CD's. I have bought very few CD's in the last five years, but have also, during that time, compiled a good collection of SACD/DVDA discs. Most of these discs are now worth far more than I paid. I think they are the standard for sound quality too and have an edge over vinyl in that they can be multichannel- discs like Dark Side of the Moon and Brain Salad Surgery (ELP) can sound down right creepy in 5.1!
I have had to explain to my daughters the concept of an audiophile and how people used to sit and just listen to music, rather than use it as background filler.My older daughter doesn't understand what the big deal is about sound quality. She has spent hundreds of $ on Itune down loads and probably has earbud induced deafness like the rest of her generation.

I just watched WallE and the life of those people on the Axiom ship is eerily analogous to what has already happened to the human race in just a few short decades. It is interesting to watch the whole thing play out like a movie before your eyes.