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Is it worth expanding into Vinyl???

I've been kicking around the idea of going vinyl for awhile so I figured I'd post some questions. I understand the difference between Vinyl and Digital from a sound recording and reproduction standpoint and the pros/cons of it, but I guess real world opinion specific to my situation is what I seek.

I was born in '79 so by the time I got into music, Digital had already taken over. As such, I was never exposed to Vinyl as a child and have been raised on the digital "sound". At this point, I have a fairly substantial collection of SACD and DVD-Audio which serve as my primary listening material. Genre's are very dispersed including just about everything.

If I decided to venture into Vinyl, I would want to do so with a minimal investment up front (for the hardware)...perhaps around $500-$600. I also see that one can spend over $30k on a turntable with tonearm and cartridge, so that's a little intimidating to me. I don't want to waste even my measly $500 on getting into vinyl if I need to spend substantially more to get sound that exceeds that of my current all-digital setup.

Here is my current setup, so the only addition would be that of the turntable itself, played through these components. I suppose I'm just looking for opinions from anyone who has one regarding whether a ~$500 turntable on this system can yield sonic results that equal or exceed my current capabilities (realizing that the recording itself plays a tremendous role in the reproduction).

SACD/CD Player: Music Hall Maverick (stock)
DVD-A Player: Denon 3910 (stock)
PreAmp: Outlaw Audio 950
Amplifier: Outlaw Audio 750
Fronts: Axiom M80 v2 (Bi-Wired)
Center: Axiom VP150 v2
Rears: Axiom QS8 v2
Sub: Axiom EP500 v2
Interconnects: Outlaw Audio
Speaker Wire: Monster M1.4s BiWire

I should also mention that a nice, wide and open soundstage is the most important characteristic I look for in listening. The more "real" it all sounds, the happier I am.

Any opinions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Turntable recommendations would also be greatly appreciated!
fatgh0st
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I agree with TELARC. Columbia three eye (or six eye) jazz has also been consistently good.

Also, ECM vinyl has always been spectacular in my experience. For some reason, owners of ECM vinyl seem to take excellent care of the discs.

I'll keep my eyes open for Concord.
steveaudio
328 posts
 
Like some others here have mentioned, you WILL need a good LP cleaning machine--I had a VPI HW16 that I paid about $400 for. Takes a few minutes to clean EACH Lp.

You will want to buy high quality inner sleeves if you have older LP's w/o them.

You WILL need a good phono stage if your amp or pre-amp doesn't have one. I'd budget at least $500-$1000 (it's as important as your cartridge or TT).

A good cartridge alone might start at a few $$hundred. And if your $700 Benz cartridge fails after a few years, you might not be happy. And if you're not good at installing & aligning cartridges, that's another issue.

IMHO, (I hope the vinyl addicts don't shoot me!), digital players & CD's & SACD's have improved so much, that it would be very difficult to best a $1000-$1500-$2000 CDP with the same amount spent on vinyl equip.

OTOH: If you find a used rega p25 w/cartridge for $500-$600, spend a few $$hundred on a phono stage, & get some used vinyl, have fun with it!! This is a hobby after all. Like in the move "Risky Business", where Tom Cruise's friend says to him: "Sometimes you just gotta say, What the ----!"
drumarty
10 posts
 
I love records, & think that it is a great idea to expand into vinyl. Try something inexpensive used, so that if you change your mind, or prefer to upgrade, there won't be a financial loss.

I saw a nice Systendek table with a Linn arm & cartridge here...http://www.echohifi.com/inventory.php#initswap#initswap

I have bought a dozen components from Echo, & it is a good company. This set up for under $400 will give you a taste of the potential of vinyl.
Cheers, Marty
tvad
9,467 posts
 
That Systemdek IIx w/Linn Basic tonearm and Linn cartridge is a good suggestion. The Systemdek can then be upgraded through Audio Note if the OP wishes.
fatgh0st OP
43 posts
 
Wow...37 replies in 24 hours...amazing!

Thank you all for your input. I think that after reading all of this, I'm going to put this idea on hold again. Convenience is a huge factor for me, which obviously lends itself favorably to the digital approach that I've already ventured into. I have two small children (1 and 3) so at the end of the day (the ONLY time I have to enjoy this hobby) when I head downstairs, I just want to pop in, kick back and relax. The thought of having to get up and flip is probably not what I'd want to do at that late hour. In addition, I do think that the clicks and pops would probably drive me nuts.

Truth is, my digital system sounds great...my interest in vinyl was more for the wider availability of titles, but it sounds like the TIME investment, coupled with the financial investment probably just doesn't make sense for me ATM.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their time and comments in helping lead me to a good decision (for now anyway :-) )
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