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Tried analog yet again after decades of digital

Ok Im posting this on the digital format because Id be handed my head if on the analog side.I like many over the years decided to try analog again.Ive hauled around records for years from place to place and never really wanted to part with them,more a memory thing I guess.To the point,I purchased a VPI scout recently,mounting a benz micro cartridge to it and various phone preamps I have inside such things as receivers and integrated amps along with a stand alone phono.Bought the record cleaner machine and all the stuff necessary to use the format properly,I think.Set the table up with time and patience and dialed it in as best I could without getting anal about it.What Im finding is a format that is really inferior to digital IMO.I say this forgetting the fact I wasn't expecting much as years ago I tried the same venture with disappointment of the out come.The constant snap ,crackle pop even on unplayed records,the hassle of having to get up every 15 minute to change the side,constant cleaning,setup of the table,all the bobbles needed to make it all go.I think to even come close to digital one must spend tons of money and tons of time.Im sure there are sytems that sound incredible,but at what expense and how much time devoted to it..Dont get me wrong its fun to play music that never made it to disc but anyone thinking alone these same lines as to recapturing what was once the only game in town,think long and hard.
missioncoonery

Showing 2 responses by lowrider57

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,393 posts
 
Missioncoonery, I don't think there's anything wrong with the medium, it's just different than digital. The same goes for the different analogue tape formats.

Vinyl takes a commitment, with the cleaning and the flipping of the record and I admit very often I'm not up to it and it's easier to have a CD listening session.

But, I grew up playing vinyl and kept my setup during the CD years. So when I listen to a record, I don't expect there to be a silent noise floor, I like the sonic characteristics of an analogue system. Since the digital age, many listeners can't accept that the analogue chain is not as quiet as digital, so maybe your expectations are too high. But with a well setup system, the dynamics and nuances of the music are there.
I have a modest vinyl setup; about $1500 and it's easy for me to get lost in the music.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,393 posts
 
I really respect Theo1124's answer. Like him, I believe it starts with a love of vinyl. I'm not talking about building a mega-dollar system, I sure don't have one, but it's more than entry level and listening is a pleasure.

I'm talking about the love of the medium, the collecting of LPs, their cover design and artwork. And as many of you know, there used to be a high level of craftsmanship that went into producing and cutting a record and it was tactile; you could feel it and see it, not to mention all the collectible vinyl.

I started playing records and collecting as a teenager and now I'm in my 50s. That's why I said earlier, I don't expect vinyl to sound the same as digital; there is some noise and coloration.

But like many, playing vinyl started to become too much work and mostly I listen to CDs now. But I'll still devote an afternoon to analogue.

IMO, vinyl isn't for everyone, and Missioncoonery, it sounds to me like you had a mismatch in your analogue chain or an other than optimal setup.
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