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arguments against starting a vinyl collection?

Hi,

I have a pretty elaborate setup for cd playback. I use the emmlabs cdsd transport and emmlabs dcc2se dac with the dartzeel amplifier and the wonderful evolution acoustic mm2 speakers with powered woofers.

I own roughly 2600 cds and about 175 sacds.

The vinyl crowd still swears of course that great digital playback cannot equal vinyl so have been somewhat tempted to dip my toes into analog and get a turntable and phono preamp. Here is what is holding me back!

Please note that I would not get vinyl to find obscure vinyl only vintage or otherwise recordings.

It would be mostly targeted at recordings that sound better on vinyl than cd.

Here is the arguments against:

1. hard to find a turntable and phono preamp that is class A and thus as good as my emmlabs cd equipment without spending serious bucks?

2. Even if I could find a reasonably priced class A turntable, the best sound requires more skill than a newbie like I would have? In other words, the better turntables are harder to setup and use?

3. A lot of heavy weight albums are double albums so you need to switch sides three times?

4. You need to clean the vinyl before every listen?

5. If you listen 15 times to a particular vinyl album you will likely begin to hear some deteoriation?

6. Even with a good setup, you will probably still hear pops and hiss on many vinyl albums even some well mastered ones?

7. I will not hear for modern recordings a big difference between vinyl and cds given that my emmlabs equipment is so good and I cannot afford a $10,000 phono preamp and a $25,000 turntable/cartridge....

thanks

Michael
karmapolice
karmapolice's avatar
karmapolice OP
141 posts
 
Tvad,

Someone else had suggested $8,000 in the thread and i was tentatively agreeing with him.

I think emmlabs is great but maybe now there is something equally good or almost as good for less but that won't help me know.

Sure i could buy a real basic unit but it might be stacking the deck against vinyl......if i would try, i would probably get a well regarded unit like vpi scoutmaster with sds....4k and then good phono preamp and then interconnect cable cartridge and so probably close to 7k.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
owning a turntable and a cd player offers one more choices for recorded music. beyond that, it all just opinions and preference and mo money to through at the hobby.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Sure i could buy a real basic unit but it might be stacking the deck against vinyl......if i would try, i would probably get a well regarded unit like vpi scoutmaster with sds....4k and then good phono preamp and then interconnect cable cartridge and so probably close to 7k.
Karmapolice (Reviews | Threads | Answers)

Another recent thread has discussed the Galibier Design Serac table outfitted with an Artisan tonearm and Dynavector 20X cart for $4700. Plenty of excellent phono preamps for under $2000 (JLTI-$1650, Graham Slee Era Gold MK V-$1000).

So, according to your target price level, perhaps $7k is about right.
karmapolice's avatar
karmapolice OP
141 posts
 
Tvad,

One other thing about emmlabs and that while expensive the dac unit has a good preamp that has served me well saving me cost of buying a preamp and extra interconnect cable

I know i could always upgrade to a better turntable later but i believe in buying equipment you might keep longterm than upgrading every few years.....

Seems like a lot of people get a basic turntable and then upgrade within a year

leaning towards getting the final upgrade for my speaker unless vpi shows up used here in LA
karmapolice's avatar
karmapolice OP
141 posts
 
One other hesitation to report is that i have heard a heavyweigth vinyl mastered version of my favorite album ok computer converted lossless to cd and did not hear any appreciable difference....

This could be related to this album or something gets loss of vinyl yumminess when not played on a turntable or difference is only subtle when have a great cd player unless mastering on cd is especially bad and mastering is really good on vinyl!
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