Where to buy vinyl.

Smithfire posted:

Where do you guys buy your vinyl?  Used and new. 

Many thanks 

Clive 

i use discogs. com:  you can choose by date , original or reissue, us or japanese...and you can choose by the quality of the media and the cover.  Difficult to choose better than discogs, from my point of view. I use it since 15 years now, and returned only some, and always been refunded.  You have also a very complete discography of each artist or group.

A backwards answer -  when I abandoned vinyl I sold some of the to eil records (eil.com), who seem to have a big range.

Innocent Bystander posted:

A backwards answer -  when I abandoned vinyl I sold some of the to eil records (eil.com), who seem to have a big range.

i understand the op wants to buy , not sell....  eil. com i don't know this site....maybe a good choice too.

French Rooster posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

A backwards answer -  when I abandoned vinyl I sold some of the to eil records (eil.com), who seem to have a big range.

i understand the op wants to buy , not sell....  eil. com i don't know this site....maybe a good choice too.

I know, that's why it was a backward answer - but although I have no experience buying from EIL, this identifies a website that otherwise might not be known.

Innocent Bystander posted:

French Rooster posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

A backwards answer -  when I abandoned vinyl I sold some of the to eil records (eil.com), who seem to have a big range.

i understand the op wants to buy , not sell....  eil. com i don't know this site....maybe a good choice too.

I know, that's why it was a backward answer - but although I have no experience buying from EIL, this identifies a website that otherwise might not be known.

you seemed to have some interest in vinyl reproduction, i refer to your recent post" best turntable...". Have you changed your mind or was it only curiosity ?

For myself i love jazz-rock, jazz-funk and soul music from the 70's: herbie hancock, the temptations, billy cobham, stanley clarke.... I definitely prefer these albums on vinyl, so much real, alive and dynamic. I had some hirez , 24/96 for the same albums :  it is like looking at photos with first ipad and ipad pro.  

I find still sealed original lps, no cracks, no noise, just magic!   But for contemporary albums, rips or downloads,  the magic is also here: just click on my ipad.   I have to have both...

French Rooster posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

French Rooster posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

A backwards answer -  when I abandoned vinyl I sold some of the to eil records (eil.com), who seem to have a big range.

i understand the op wants to buy , not sell....  eil. com i don't know this site....maybe a good choice too.

I know, that's why it was a backward answer - but although I have no experience buying from EIL, this identifies a website that otherwise might not be known.

you seemed to have some interest in vinyl reproduction, i refer to your recent post" best turntable...". Have you changed your mind or was it only curiosity ?

For myself i love jazz-rock, jazz-funk and soul music from the 70's: herbie hancock, the temptations, billy cobham, stanley clarke.... I definitely prefer these albums on vinyl, so much real, alive and dynamic. I had some hirez , 24/96 for the same albums :  it is like looking at photos with first ipad and ipad pro.  

I find still sealed original lps, no cracks, no noise, just magic!   But for contemporary albums, rips or downloads,  the magic is also here: just click on my ipad.   I have to have both...

Not changed my mind, nor likely to - far more expensive it seems than digital for anything really decent, yet an inherently more flawed medium (and that is not knocking those who vinyl and to whose ears it sounds better).

With this thread I'm simply sharing info, today having received an email from EIL reminding me of their existence, and with TT thread trying to learn more about a subject on which it seems I had been more ignorant than I realised not having followed turntable development in the past 20 years or more: I was under the blissful impression that the Sondek LP12 was recognisied near universally as the be all and end all (though some other manufacturers had managed to match it, with different features that appealed, and never realised that the sound of the higher echelon is as different as people describe. 

Another vote for Discogs.  It's also a great way to catalogue your own vinyl collection.

Thanks for the answers guys....ill check out discogs!

Clive 

I don't buy used vinyl online very often. Discogs has been reliable overall, but I've been stung once or twice where it was not worth the cost of sending the vinyl back, so I eat it.

For me nothing beats the thrill of getting into a record shop, digging through the used vinyl bins, and directly evaluating an LP's condition, A record cleaning machine is indispensable for this route and if you don't want to spend for one, then I'd recommend to buy from sellers that explicitly state their LPs have been cleaned on a good quality RCM. Then, only buy from sellers with stellar feedback.

joerand posted:

I don't buy used vinyl online very often. Discogs has been reliable overall, but I've been stung once or twice where it was not worth the cost of sending the vinyl back, so I eat it.

For me nothing beats the thrill of getting into a record shop, digging through the used vinyl bins, and directly evaluating an LP's condition, A record cleaning machine is indispensable for this route and if you don't want to spend for one, then I'd recommend to buy from sellers that explicitly state their LPs have been cleaned on a good quality RCM. Then, only buy from sellers with stellar feedback.

Regarding cleaning, received wisdom from this forum is that the gradual deterioration of my records over time when I had vinyl, which I had put down to wear, was much more likely to have been due to ingrained dust despite my routine wipe each play, and that a wet cleaning machine is indispensible if you want to keep the disk in pristine condition.

Most of my (99% classical ) collection was bought in person from 2nd hand shops or individuals.  I like to inspect what I'm buying, usually buy in some quantity and get a significant  discount as a result.  My limited experience online is that sellers'  descriptions at best sail pretty close to  the wind.  My only experience of trying to buy via  Discogs resulted in the seller cancelling the sale as the item had been misdescribed ( mono not stereo copy) which did not fill me with confidence for future transactions. I just like nosing around record shops and IME  you're likely to  get a better deal in all respects.

i try and use my local record shop - RISE they have a shop local to me in Worcester and also in Bristol

one of the best sites for great recordings for prog rock classics is https://burningshed.com/ owned by artists for artists, also B&W ministry of sound superb recordings - esp Peter Gabriel

dare one say Amazon to, one site I now avoid is The Sound of Vinyl - idiots!!!

Great info....very helpful. My main concern when buying s/hand is warping....I hate, HATE warping!

Clive 

If you use a TT with a record clamp, warping shouldn't be an issue.  I have thousands of LPs bought s/h,  never had a problem.

Diverse Vinyl

https://truckmusicstore.co.uk/

JamieWednesday posted:

https://truckmusicstore.co.uk/

 

i went to this site:  no information of the media and cover condition, no information on the year , reissue or original,  nothing.  And relatively expensive for some.

Sorry Jamie, go to discogs, you will never  go back after.

Norton posted:

If you use a TT with a record clamp, warping shouldn't be an issue.  I have thousands of LPs bought s/h,  never had a problem.

Interesting supposition as in my experience the greatest degree of warpage occurs at the outer edge of an LP and I can't see where a clamp has much effect on that. In fact, a clamp would seem to exacerbate the issue, but I've never tried one.

Yeah....Ive often wondered about that?

Clive 

Anyone around here tried an LP flattener?   I have seen these advertised.

An alternative solution appears to be to use a domestic oven and put the LP between 2 solid sheets and bake for a while - there are/were some videos on 'tube, with suitable 'cooking instructions'.

Most of my LP's are fine (thankfully) although, lately, I have noticed a few have a crown/are very slightly 'bowled' in the centre, obviously dependent on which way up you have them.

Wow!....2 solid sheets of what?

Clive 

Typically sheets or panes of glass.

Clive - suggest do a web search 'vinyl record flattener'.

There are variations on a theme, as some use metal plates which are locked (screwed) together, some suggest using glass plates and there are vinyl flattening machines. I have seen positive mag reviews on the machines - the ideas seem to fit all budgets!

I've never needed to investigate - I just raised as I know some vinyl can be highly warped and these things may be worth considering, although I've no info on what another heat cycle can do to the vinyl.

joerand posted:

Norton posted:

If you use a TT with a record clamp, warping shouldn't be an issue.  I have thousands of LPs bought s/h,  never had a problem.

Interesting supposition as in my experience the greatest degree of warpage occurs at the outer edge of an LP and I can't see where a clamp has much effect on that. In fact, a clamp would seem to exacerbate the issue, but I've never tried one.

Not a supposition, but rather ja recommendation from 20 years experience of using them as part  of Michell  and Townshend TTs, resulting in warp being a non-issue with my 4000+ collection of mainly s/h LPs.  Proper record clamps designed for the TT generally come with a "packing" piece or pieces that fit under the LP, as the clamp is tightened the edge of the disc are pressed to the platter.  

There are those who also suggest that such coupling of the LP to the platter is vital for SQ.  I certainly wouldn't  consider buying a new TT that didn't come with a purpose designed record clamp.  

You can in fact buy after market weights that fit to the very outer edge of the LP, but I've never tried one nor seen the need.

French Rooster posted:

JamieWednesday posted:

https://truckmusicstore.co.uk/

 

i went to this site:  no information of the media and cover condition, no information on the year , reissue or original,  nothing.  And relatively expensive for some.

Sorry Jamie, go to discogs, you will never  go back after.

I went to Discogs once. I will never go there again. Once bitten... Neither the record nor the sleeve were as advertised. I left appropriate, honest, feedback and the seller tried to offer to refund my money if I removed it. I declined and took the record straight to the charity shop. The only safe way to buy s/h vinyl is from a shop where you can inspect it before purchase. Caveat emptor. 

EDIT I've just read Norton's response above - it seems I am not alone in such experience with Discogs.