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LP's... Do they sound better now than 30 yrs ago?

Thinking about getting back into LP's. Do they sound better than they did 30 yrs ago? I remember , no matter how well you cleaned them and how well you treated them they always( after 1 or 2 plays) sounded like crap! Pops and clicks. Scratched easy. Are they better made? Thicker? I don't want clicking and popping over my system!                Thanks for your input!



128x128rsa
fast_mick
38 posts
 
I think the minimum spend is
$500 for TT buy a good used one there are many.
$100 min for new cartridge.
$600

A lot of people go digital because the required investment is less ie at $600 you might find digital = same quality as Vinyl. I am not sure where the crossover point is. Digital will be be easily better than a $200 turntable

that's my opinion.. i have both
mick
inna
7,132 posts
 
Buying used turntable is a gamble and turntables don't like shiipping, as if anything did, right.
I think, $600 $800 buy something acceptable to begin with, new, not including phono stage and cleaning devices. Dirty vinyl ruines the experience.
hifiron
102 posts
 
Agreed, dirty vinyl does ruin the experience. That and when the previous owner played the records with a nail.

Get a good cartridge, always listen to used vinyl before you buy it, and get a good TT.

There are plenty of good options in the 500-700 range.
I would rather see you buy a $500 TT and a $300 cartridge than a $700 TT with a $100 cartridge.

MusicDirect has a few great OpenBox options, some even with cartridges.

  • Rega P2 $675 (No Cart)
  • MusicHall 2.3 $500 (No Cart)
  • VPI Cliffwood $900 (w/ Grado Green)

What does the rest of your system look like in terms of equipment? Will you need a phono pre-amp?
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
LP's... Do they sound better now than 30 yrs ago?

No



mr_m
1,900 posts
 
My experience is many of my older recordings (30 yrs, or older) sound very good and most are very quiet noise wise. Condition of those older pressings is critical though. I have bought newer audiophile records and have had somewhat of a mixed bag of results. The one thing they all had in common was a high price tag. To the OP.  I have said this before. If you buy a  $300 turntable, tonearm, cartridge combo, and a $125 phono stage, and expect analog bliss, you are going to be sorely disappointed. If you're serious about analog playback, put as much money into it as you can afford and make sure to do your research! It takes a lot of effort to put together a quality combination on a strict budget.
Cheers,
Tim 
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