Rediscovering my LPs

Emre, perhaps better just to accept that digital is better! At least, with a decent DAC, and decent mastering, whereas vinyl often seems to need megabucks to come anywhere near, albeit that it can be enjoyable.

i don!t expect everyone to agree!

Innocent Bystander posted:

Emre, perhaps better just to accept that digital is better! At least, with a decent DAC, and decent mastering, whereas vinyl often seems to need megabucks to come anywhere near, albeit that it can be enjoyable.

i don!t expect everyone to agree!

We finally agree on something High-end digital playback can be magical (say NDS level). To beat that a turntable must be a bit special too. From my personal experience - RP10 + Aphelion and high-spec LP12 do sound better, but then again we are talking price levels comparable to the NDS + 555PS.

Emre posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

Emre - what is your turntable?

Rega Aria is a very good phonostage. One of the benefits is that is can accept both MM and MC cartridges (dual input).

Eat c major with ortofon quintet blue mc connected to stageline/flatcap2

it is good but not better than digital

I had to look this one up - have not heard the name before.  
It looks like a decent deck. It's difficult to offer advice on something I have not heard before.

However.... if such a turntable does not sound better than N272, perhaps an alternative phono-stage might be needed. Phono-stages are often overlooked, and if anything this is probably one of the most important components. If you think about it - a weak MC signal needs to be amplified to match the line-level of other sources. We are talking around 350 micro Volts that need to be boosted up to close to 2 Volts.

Adam Zielinski posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

Emre, perhaps better just to accept that digital is better! At least, with a decent DAC, and decent mastering, whereas vinyl often seems to need megabucks to come anywhere near, albeit that it can be enjoyable.

i don!t expect everyone to agree!

We finally agree on something High-end digital playback can be magical (say NDS level). To beat that a turntable must be a bit special too. From my personal experience - RP10 + Aphelion and high-spec LP12 do sound better, but then again we are talking price levels comparable to the NDS + 555PS.

Oh dear, got that wrong then. Must be the Polish influence breaking through - sorry, will try to do better!!!

Innocent Bystander posted:

Emre, perhaps better just to accept that digital is better! At least, with a decent DAC, and decent mastering, whereas vinyl often seems to need megabucks to come anywhere near, albeit that it can be enjoyable.

i don!t expect everyone to agree!

unfortunately i agree after a turntable / okki nooks / stage line and 1000Lps

it is not fair to compare EAT Major-C  ( a entry level 2500$ turntable ) with a 272/555PS maybe......

or i need to invest a lot in order to hear a difference...

but still two things will always be there, get up wash the record and  put the gloves and put the record on TT, change sides etc.... it is a hassle  and i am lazy...

also the digital era records does not make sense to me.... they sound same...  so you have to hunt good pressings, good masters in order to enjoy true analog sound - it will be a 100$ a pop album

so unless with a major collection or records my advice is just dont... it may look nice and cool but it is hard

Innocent Bystander posted:

Emre, perhaps better just to accept that digital is better! At least, with a decent DAC, and decent mastering, whereas vinyl often seems to need megabucks to come anywhere near, albeit that it can be enjoyable.

i don!t expect everyone to agree!

I'm afraid I have to disagree. it depends on the mastering. Digital is not always better.

I have purchased rather expensive 45 RPM "sourced from analog master tapes - by Bernie Grundman" Metallica - Load album

even on my lowly project debut carbon. it sounds better than the same album on my Chord DAC.

But if mastered from digital, the Chord DAC is better on some albums, not always, as the vinyl could be cut from a 192/24 bit master.

All pretty subjective, but Emre makes a very valid point, Vinyl is very expensive, and a real luxury spend compared to TIdal streaming at 20 USD per month.

analogmusic posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

Emre, perhaps better just to accept that digital is better! At least, with a decent DAC, and decent mastering, whereas vinyl often seems to need megabucks to come anywhere near, albeit that it can be enjoyable.

i don!t expect everyone to agree!

I'm afraid I have to disagree. it depends on the mastering. Digital is not always better.

I have purchased rather expensive 45 RPM "sourced from analog master tapes - by Bernie Grundman" Metallica - Load album

even on my lowly project debut carbon. it sounds better than the same album on my Chord DAC.

But if mastered from digital, the Chord DAC is better on some albums, not always, as the vinyl could be cut from a 192/24 bit master.

All pretty subjective, but Emre makes a very valid point, Vinyl is very expensive, and a real luxury spend compared to TIdal streaming at 20 USD per month.

 

Yes, I did indeed qualify re mastering. The mastering was brought home to me some years ago when a friend came round with some CDs and LPs, and we were comparing vinyl and CD. One CD he had brought I also had. I can't remember how this came about, certainly not looking for some difference,  but having played the CD we had in common, it got put on again - or rather the other copy was put on. And it sounded distinctly different. We changed back and forth, astounded. Scrutinising, the only difference between them was that one sain pressed in UK, the other pressed in Germany. Same date and everything. So, complete news to us, you could have two apparently identical CDs, sounding completely different: what hope comparing LP with CD?! We gave up doing that and just enjoyed the music!

Dungassin posted:

I took the plunge and have updated my LP12.  It's now Radikal/Urika/Keel/Ekos 1/Dynavector TKR.   I wasn't going to do it so soon, but Peter et al had a used Radikal/Urika and I couldn't resist it.

Well, what can I say?  I've been listening to a LOT of LPs over the last few days.  Turntable now significantly better to my ears than my NDS/555PSDR.   Just been listening to Carol Kidd "All My Tomorrows",  John Hiatt "Bring The Family, Eddie Cochran, Gendron Bach Cello Suites, various Julian Bream albums, etc.  All sound absolutely lovely.

The bass end is the most obvious improvement, along with detail and the old 'I never heard that bit before' thoughts.  Now I no longer feel the need to switch the nSub in on some of the tracks.

I've started hunting around and buying LPs again.

Very happy!   Just going to wait until my TKR needs replacing (probably another year) then I'll go for the Ekos SE, but don't know which cartridge yet.  

Very pleased to hear your interest has been rekindled Dungassin. Enjoy!

KR

Peter