I started getting into stereo/hifi equipment when I was around 17 and now I'm 53. I was buying 45s, tapes, albums and 12" singles back in the late 70s/early 80s. I've gone from JC Penny component systems to Bang & Ofufsen turntables. I saw the explosion of CDs and the rise and fall of DAT decks. I've had Nakamichi decks and Radioshack speakers. My last purchase was a Denon cassette deck in 1991. Fast forward to 2019----I am now updating my old system and researching like crazy online and RU-vid. I consider myself an audiophile but I never stop learning. I've learned quite a few things from your channel too. I find it so refreshing to see young people getting into this fun hobby. Keep up the good work!
Glad to see a new post from you. Your beginners guide to collecting classical vinyl has informed my own collecting with super positive results. Quiet wax and stellar recordings from ALL of your recommended labels. I think these beginners tutorials you're doing have a great value and if you're thinking about continuing with them I'd be right on board. Cheers!
One of the first things I did after I got a degree and a job was to buy a Rega Planar 2. That was 26 years ago and it still works perfectly with solid sound. I bought a Rega amp a bit later and B&W speakers and, all these years later...it was 2001 or 2002 and I'm perfectly happy with the set up.
Really good stuff even though you have to invest almost eighty minutes in watching it. Those who take the time to ingest this no-nonsense knowledge will realize their patience has been rewarded. Thanks for making this.
Actually the way the Spin Clean works is it has rollers that help scrub the grooves to loosen the dirt, but the fluid tank has a flocculent in it - same thing that is in aquarium tank cleaners - instead of floating the debris in solution, it sinks it to the bottom, so your fluid choice HAS to be the Spin Clean fluid and is actually pretty effective for the price. Spin Clean ALWAYS recommended drying with a clean cloth afterwards and provided no-shed ones, but people online have sometimes preferred air drying.
I didn't know the spin clean fluid worked in this way, that's actually pretty impressive. But how often do you have to change the fluid before it becomes ineffective? It seems rather labor intensive to me.
@@poetryonplastic Until it gets dirty - they give a guideline I think of 30 to 60 records. For the price, it works rather well. The fluid stays in the tank, rotate 3 times one direction, 3 times in another and done. I used to use a DIY Vacuum setup but switched to a sink setup as I felt it did a better job than everything (I'm on my own well, so I know what is in my water)... BUT, for convenience and quality you can't beat an automatic RCM. Cavitation is not for the timid - they make a racket and take quite a bit of time, but it will yield the best results.
@@rabarebra Distitlled water has a charge, as you notice - but also water itself has surface tension so it rests ABOVE the groove and never actually penetrates, which is why you need a surfactant to break that water tension - photo flo is what some use, but a literal drop of blue dawn will work just fine. If you search for a DIY fluid, you will find distilled water, some 90% alcohol, and a surfactant; use that. The stylus is just fine with what you are doing, but you aren’t really cleaning the record, either.
@@rabarebra Alcohol is in most record cleaning fluids, commercial or otherwise. It isn't applied to the stylus, and any record would have been dried with this fluid. However, even on the Steve Hoffman audiophile forum, some people clean their stylus with a mix of distilled water and alcohol - I wouldn't, but they have and they have thousand dollar + styli. Also, as stated, the spin cleaner fluid is a flocculent, which works by dropping the particulate to the bottom, opposed to suspending it. With a vacuum cleaner, this would be a poor choice since you want the contaminants suspended in the liquid, same for just applying to a record and not removing the fluid with a cloth (which is not ideal either, the liquid should be either flushed or vacuumed). Spin clean works because it is a tank of the liquid and the contaminants sink to the bottom of the tank - you can visually see this working, opposed to it just suspending it in the liquid.
While I've no doubt this is all great advice for someone looking to get more serious with their audio experience, to expect someone just getting into vinyl to drop this much money before buying a single record is ridiculous. Having just started my vinyl journey a few months ago I can assure you that you can get good sound gear for a lot less. I got myself the Audio Technica LP-120 for just over $200 brand new and it's an excellent turn table with all the features you want from the higher end players for a lot less. I also picked up a decent set of floor speakers at Good Will for $35 and some generic speaker wire for about $5. Is it the best gear, of course not. Does it sound good? Absolutely. If anything, this video is likely turn scare off people wanting to get into vinyl, especially if they've never really listened to it before. "$1000+ for a system? No thanks! I'll stick to CDs!" I hope anyone watching this video does some more research unless you're rich and have money to burn.
I know it’s weird responding to a 9 month old comment but this video is an into to Hi Fi not just regular record collecting with an all in one record player.
Hope to see more videos from you. Sometimes life shifts our priorities around. As ling as you aren’t neglecting your amazing collection I’m happy. I learned a lot from you in a short period of time, so I will be thrilled to get those poetryonplastic notifications.
Your Intro was outstanding and sets your points up greatly. Good to hear from you and it’s great that you went after the beginnings. Here is a ton of great info here from how to take out the record from the sleeve to vacuum cleaning to what equipment to buy. When considering budget especially from the beginner level the Record Doctor is an excellent option at 200, but don’t count out the Spin Clean because it does come with towels and with beginners they will get sticker shock. I believe in some cleaning is better than no cleaning or just dry cleaning. You can also take the records out of that Poly Sleeve by tilting it at a slight angle an sliding it out with your thumb as your guide and then placing your fore fingers on the label, the poly won’t create scratches. New records are important to clean, not just because of the mold release, but some are tightly sealed in the paper sleeve and have created static electricity, which in itself will produce pops and clicks. New records also have small amounts of paper debris from the paper liner, combine this with static electricity and even a brush will just push the debris either further into the groove or if you are hand holding the record like you are doing and trying to clean it you can push the debris to the other side. Also playing the record with the debris not totally removed will assist in the stylus moving that debris deeper into the groove creating the click and pops. And is also a great company with good integrated amps like the Nad 326BEE. On a tight budget, get a set of Audio Engine Speakers A5 plus, powered speakers and pair them with one one of the turn tables mentioned and you have an instant small system. Also Music Hall makes good tables and usually mirror Project at the low end, but include the ability to adjust VTA, or vertical tracking force. Elac speakers are a great choice. Kef Ls50s while great speakers, tend to be more bright in nature than the debut series and require more careful set up to get the most out of them and even Elac offers some choices at the 1200 dollar level, but the Kefs are good, I owned a pair for a short time. I agree with you at he beginner level, blue jeans or even Monoprice cables are fine because you won’t see any real value at the cheaper system level. New People can benefit from buying open box or demo or in the case of Audio Advisor their clearance section. With equipment from places like Music Direct and Audio Advisor, you get the Manufacturers full warranty and sixty days to try stuff out with Music Direct and with Audio Advisor, you get 30 days and you can save a ton of money and you don’t pay for shipping and in some States you pay no taxes. If you don’t like the products, you do pay to send the items back. All of this was excellent advise and keep content like this coming. I like that you invested the time because if your advise is carefully followed it will save new comers a ton of headaches.
very much enjoy watching your channel and find it fascinating what you have said on different albums and this one on hifi equipment. I would suggest a couple of things - anyone coming new to a turntable system, should not be thinking of buying a cleaning machine, that is something for the future. They work well but at this stage it is better for them to spend that money on better quality hifi equipment/vinyl. They should buy a hi-fi dust cloth (I prefer them to the velvet brushes, but brushes work well also). The key thing is to follow your advice on handling records, cleaning the record each time before play and using polylined sleeves. Also records need to be always put back in their sleeves straightaway and stored on their side not flat, to avoid warping. If you buy new records and after cleaning with a cloth there are pops/clicks, then return as a faulty product. If you buy 2nd hand records face to face, they should always always check each side for obvious marks/scratches. Only buy 2nd hand records that have minimal or no surface marks. If 2nd hand records still turn out to be very noisy (it's happened to me a few times) then give them away to charity. Buying online I would suggest only buying Very good plus/near mint/mint quality rating. In the end any record that sounds bad on your hifi, don't keep. This will help prolong the life of your hifi and records. One further thought - for those buying Hi-fi on a tight budget , a system of a turntable combined with stereo active (powered) speakers can be a good value for money/quality sound option. Looking forward to more videos from you
As someone who has lived and breathed turntables every day for more than 30 years, you offer excellent and sensible advice. One tiny factual correction: WireWorld is an American company based in Florida, not British. It was founded by David Salz, formerly of Straight Wire.
Excellent and comprehensive guide, you pretty much summed up everything I've been researching the last 6 months in one video! I never thought about the fingers in the run out groove, nice tips. I started with the AT LP60 and I would recommend it to absolute beginners over a Crosley handily.
But I now own the Project Debut Carbon Evo with a Rogue Sphinx V3 and Wharfedale Linton's. Still breaking in... As a side note I have found what I believe to be a more affordable manual record cleaner- It's called the Squeeky Clean, a guy in Canada 3D prints them. I make my own record cleaning solution and have been extremely happy with it.
I had a "dream" building a good setup for years. ( I live in the middle east, so prices of everything are x1.5 / x2.0). After 2 years of owning an Audio Technica LP-60 which perfomed amazingly for it's value with some really shitty powered speakers, of course that didn't scratch the itch I had as my collection kept growing. After saving up for a while I eventually I settled with my first "real" stereo system, starting with the most expensive part: - The new Planar 3 with Elys 2. I mean, what else can I add that you haven't said? Best bang for the buck and I doubt that I'm going to ever upgrade to another table. Rega itself may not have the best company, but this table is a well built machine with some flaws you can overcome by using the large 3rd party market it has, which is it's main plus and flaw at the same time. - Kef Q500 speakers. I got them off presentation in a local shop, (normal US retail price is around $550 for a pair) instead of the crazy local price of $2000 usd for a new pair here. Overall, while they do lack a bit of bass (just a tiny bit though) my amp has a nice bass boosting capability, mids, highs and vocals especially sound amazingly crisp for the price. The Q series driver is great as you mentioned. I do wish to upgrade in the future, when I do upgrade my amp / pre amp setup. - Onkyo A-9050 integrated amp. Again, a very good product for it's price tag. I don't need that much juice to push the 8 ohms KEF's, and 75 watts per channel is just enough for me. Out of these 3 main parts, the amp is probably the 1st one that will be replaced, since I am looking for a warmer, more natural sound. This amp, much like the the YAMAHA series you recommended, are both great, but are clearly on the analytical side of the spectrum in my ears and I really want to balance it all out eventually. This is a fun, expensive, unpractical hobby, but the therapy and excitement I have from doing all this work and research just to put down a needle on a record and get completely submerged in the music immediately is something I will forever enjoy. I love collecting records, I love to be exposed to a lot of new music as a result of it, and the whole process just keeps me sane at times. I'm really happy to find your channel since a lot of out musical tastes collide and I enjoy my Planar 3 each morning I wake up and put a record on it. Would love to hear about your favorite upgrade besides the groovetracer subplatter which is going to be the first significant upgrade for me since I do understand how cheaply made the stock one on P3 is. Any stylus you love on it in particular? I love the Elys 2, but it has no "wow" factor and I have enjoyed it well over a year now = time to move in. Overall, my whole setup was super challenging and satisfying to match with my budget and limited options due to lack of options locally. Thanks for the great video!
Man, the dude in the beginning is VERY dedicated! Does he like music or gear more? I try to maintain a good balance. LOL priceless clip from High Fidelity! Good points on watts. I enjoyed the video, I think people looking to learn more about getting the most out of their records could certainly save a lot of time by watching this. I think you've covered all the bases. Cheers!
saw you mention Morrow cables here, and went back to re-watch your system update for more info, but you really didn't go into them much. I've just bought some interconnects and a phono cable from him, and so far, I like them well enough, just not sure if they're an improvement on what I already have. Just curious as to what your opinion of them was.
I think it's almost by accident that vinyl sounds better.... I think it mostly happens during mastering ; because the mastering must prepare the sound for vinyl (which has relatively limited dynamics) it ultimately produces a more finely tuned tone.... yes, that suits the vinyl medium, and at the same time is appealing to us... this is mostly in terms of tone, timbre, sound quality if you like... and to describe it further it finely tunes the body of sound, the mid range, the thickness and warmth... all essential characteristics of a sound that has to be appealing and accessible.... anyway, some high res is also good, but different... colder, flatter, perhaps more accurate... but again accuracy and fidelity do not equate to warmth of sound. Obviously a good balance is ideal...warm and faithful.... but faithful without appeal is not moving, not exciting, not desirable.
I am down with the vinyl format. I am looking for a turntable, but i don't know how much i should spend to get that golden hi-fi sound. Should I start with a rega P6, or do i get much more if i get an entry level dr feikert? Or something else like a Pro-ject x8 or x9? I guess, if i am going to spend that level.of money, i kind of want it to be an investment that i am going to be happy with a long time. I don't want to buy something then a year later say, I should spent 1 or 2k more. Same thing with the phono stage.
Can you please comment on Polydoor releases of DG? It says at Wiki they are/were a subsidiary, releasing DG for the UK, but what does that mean in terms of quality? Are DG labelled Polydoor releases any good, or stay away? Thanks!
some cheap cleaning methods I've come across online: -vinyl vac, attaches to a vacuum cleaner and only costs 30 dollars -Buy a 6L ultrasonic (cavitation) machine for 100 bucks (the ones for jewelry, not ones specifically made for records), and a method to rotate. vinyl stack and cleanervinyl are expensive at 200-300, but you can just buy the vinyl stack without the motor for 50 bucks. I'm going to try to fit this on a chicken rotisserie somehow lol.
I've had impressive results with the GrooveWasher cleaner spray and microfiber brush. Even my audiophile uncle who owns a vacuum machine was impressed. And it's pretty affordable. Have you seen/used it before? Thoughts?
Great video!! I just got back into vinyl after about 20+ yrs. My starting set up is the rega planar 3 w/ NAD C 316BEEV2 integrated amp w/ Elac B6.2. Think good setup to get myself back into the hobby.
I know what you mean about trajectory,collaro turntables have a low tracking error compared to bsr or vm because the curve allows the tonearm to track without any backswing
Hi there! Huge fan here from Argentina my oboe brother. I saw your tutorial for collecting classical music and i though it was great, but i’d like your opinion on something. Talking about contemporary music such as Luciano Berio, Arvo Part and so on... is there any specific label that you recommend?
I had written off the idea of a cleaning a machine, but thank you for pointing me at the Record Doctor V. In the short term, a 250€ machine is still a bit pricy for me (my entire setup cost 160 and most of that was the receiver) but if I upgrade to a SL-1500C or something of that nature in years to come, it'd probably be wise to take cleaning more seriously.
really brilliant man! loved your channel for ages and this is just fantastic. Would love more content along these lines.. My main system is a vintage Connoisseur w/ a Grace tonearm & stylus with a Denon Amp You've inspired me to just bite the bullet and buy a good record cleaning machine. Brushes & fluids just aren't cutting it!
It's about sound for me as well! People would be amazed how much resolution they can retrieve from those grooves with a good cartridge with an elliptical or microline stylus!
Great video, lots of useful info for the beginner. I'm familiar with most of the brands you spoke of, and most definitely agree with your recommendations and advice, thanks!
Nice basics, thanks for sharing. I hope you can release some more collection spotlights as the Shostakovich video was excellent. Agree with the headphones comment.
You get any distortion tracking issues near the end of a record with the planar 3? I'm planning on buying it but with a much better cartridge than the elys 2 it comes with. Thanks man
Just found your channel, thank you for sharing your passion and knowledge! I’ve been building my hifi since 2019. Currently my set up is NAD T778 Monitor audio silver (5’s I think?) mains B&W CS2 center B&W CS2 bookshelf surrounds Polk audio 12” sub(needs upgrade) Pro-ject 1xpression turntable shure V15 VMR cart with Jico sas stylus. Oppo universal sacd/dvd audio (I think it’s 980?) Looking for a great 1k phono preamp, looking to get the mains on there own valve monoblocks. Anyways, the journey continues! 🍻
I like DALI speakers... Arcam amps for their warmth... Atlas copper cables (no silver) and my turntable is a Project Audio ... then a great setup ... decennt speaker stands, slabs under the stands, isolation gadgets, good copper crystal power cables, and dedicated mains power cables...
Can PLEASE review the Project Vinyl NRS Box S3 it says it removed the cracking and pops! The sugar cubes Vinyl it's too expensive this one is more affordable. Thanks for review!
If you want to buy a Pro-Ject, I would recommend a local brick and mortar dealer who supports his customers. The QC at Pro-Ject has been spotty, and if you have problems you may run into difficulties. If you're buying online, you'd probably do better with a Rega or a Fluance.
I note at some point in the video you mentioned the speed-box speed controller for the Pro-Ject debut turntables (unless I am imagining things again). They appear to no longer be compatible with the new DC versions of the Pro-Ject line like the Debut Carbon DC, except for the project Esprit DC turntable that has a speed-box basically built into the plinth. Bit annoying as that would be a very useful addition to have. Anyway always enjoy watching your channel!
great videos you are the one who taught me the most about buying classical records I have I have to tell you a Big THANK YOU!!!!. IF ever you are in montreal I ivite you to come over to listen to my system!
I pretty much agree with everything but really record presses have a release agent they have to use to get the vinyl to not stick to the press. Ultrasonically cleaning new records has produced much better results. I don ‘t see the release agent any different than oil from your fingers. In fact they can be even oilier ;-)
I’m using my REGA P3 still going good it was 900 Canadian without cartridge. My cartridge Grado . It was 200 . As for cleaning I do have the 40th aniversary Spin Clean it’s brown color it does it’s work I know you mentioned better ones . It was recommended by project. Thanks for more knowledge! Oh my clamp is clear audio
Hi. Thank you very much for your videos. I own a debut carbon dc. Sound quality is superb. However, I get hum and an high pitch “electronic” buzz. How can I resolve this issue?
I had one a few years ago the main culprit I found was the interconnects supplied with the table. Also I swapped the wall wart psu for a old technics one I had this also helped
Hello from iceland :) Great video, love youre channel. Im into classical music as well so its nice to get great info on youre channel about good classical music and hi-fi.. take care :)
I love vinyl and I'm planning on getting a record player soon. I'm saving for an Audio Technica LP60 Bluetooth and once I get my money and have it delivered to me I'm gonna do an unboxing video of it
I don't have a very amazing system. Am I going to get a better experience plugging in my sony mdr 7506 headset over using average speakers? I think I will. I need to try it. the headset i have has been use din studios since the early 90s. great neutral sound.
That is one of the few solid tables that company makes. It may not be a superdeck, but it gets more right than it gets wrong, and it should let you enjoy and protect your records. Happy collecting!
@@poetryonplastic thanks for your answer...the good thing is that I got that turntable for 280€... What about my amplifier and speakers??? Marantz PM6005 and Wharfedale Diamond 225...
Great video. I'm a proud owner of the Marantz PM6006, but I'm not going to tell you what turntable I have because you'll tell me off. Lol. It's not a Crosley though!
I contemplated including it, it is quite good for the money, but it is missing a lot of core features (like a cue lever) that make it not good for beginners. The money you would have to spend upgrading it to make it both functional and above average sounding would be better spent on a Pro-Ject or Rega in my humble opinion.
Im not sure what you mean by all things being equal, but I think that all things BEING EQUAL, would mean that digital trumps vinyl quite substantially. The specs are just in its favor. The reason why vinyl can be superior is because its all not equal, loudness wars etc. I should also note that the Ceramic cartridges dont actually have ceramic styli, its just the internals that are. The styli are usually Sapphire. And while 4 grams is on the heavier side, I wouldnt say thats excessive exactly. Above 6 is what I would call too much, no matter what you use or pay to play. 14:00 The stylis will be perfectly aligned , at 2 points in fact. Thats what the null points are. And I would call it Tonearm Geometry. 22:30 I disagree. 95% of the records you bought were never cleaned before until you did, and they sound quite good dont they? But yes, cleaning is good if you have a good method like an RCM. 24:10 Sorry, but this is just not true. There is no such thing as a mold release compound put on records before pressed. If you disagree I offer you to give me proper sources for this release agent, because never has anyone else been able to so far. As far as Im aware this is just misinformation spread around from a misunderstanding of quotes and how pressings are done.
I meant all things as mastering chain/quality, sources, etc. A record cut from analog tape masters, using an all-analog cutting chain, mastered by a pro like Bernie Grundman, Steve Hoffman, Kevin Grey, etc will almost always outperform the high quality/resolution digital equivalent in my opinion.
@@poetryonplastic Its hard to make a personal opinion on such a thing since there is no example to draw from, no current releases on digital vs analog are perfectly equal in that sense. There has been tests attempting it however, and digital seemed statistically favored there.
@@leon9021 There are tons of examples of audiophile labels releasing in both vinyl and SACD, often using the same mastering engineer. The SACDs sound very good, the vinyl usually sounds much better. On the opposite end of the spectrum I have plenty of records that were pressed cheaply from CD masters (for example, the Dance Gavin Dance reissues) for which I have long owned the actual CD versions, I don't know what it is, but the records still sound better than the CDs, even though its the same 44/16 master. I try not to think too much about it, and just follow the format that gives me the best listening experience. I still listen to plenty of digital.
I'm glad I watched this a second time a year later what about record clamps? I use clear audio one for my rega planner 3 which I got used for 45.00 it was good watching this video again.
I find at their most effective record clamps can really help make everything a little more "accurate", mostly in timing/rhythm. At their least effective they can simply help make a slightly warped record more uniform, which is never a bad thing.
Those Crosley things are not called 'Turntables' - they are record players. Turntables don't have speakers in them. Some modern turntables have a phono stage in them and even Bluetooth now - that is the way that technology has gone.
My opinion is that new direct drive turntables at that kind of price point, have issues with motor noise and rumble that make them rather bland and undetailed. I think under 2k, the best price/performance ratio lies with belt driven tables. The new Technics 1200g however... that is a turntable I would like to own.
It can be found for just a little more than a hundred bucks. You would be much happier with a PL518. Generally speaking, a FULL AUTO turn table, which adds convenience like auto return of the tone arm, auto shut off, auto start, sacrifices quality construction for features. There are a multitude of used direct drive turn tables from the Japanese makers that are quite good. Denon, Kenwood, Pioneer, Marantz, Sony etc. Look for a SEMI AUTO which will return the tone arm at the end of the record. For between $250 and $300 you should find a decent Japanese SEMI AUTO Direct drive turn table. Shop for a MOVING MAGNET phono cartridge, good ones start at $90 and go up. Grado, Ortofon, a used Shure... If your amp or pre amp has a PHONO input on the back it can handle a MOVING MAGNET coil. Avoid the temptation to purchase one of the new turn tables with a built in USB. You are much better off going through a converter (DAC) and there are some starting at $99. Search you tube for turntable set-up tutorials!!!! The brick and mortar store closest too me is The Needle Doctor in Minneapolis, and they are super helpful and carry some very good entry level turntables.
Great video. Regarding your comment about a mold release compound... It is used so the newly pressed vinyl will easily separate from the mold it was pressed into not to prevent mold from forming on the record.
@@poetryonplastic cheers, as for the headphones the HD6XX aren't harder to drive then the K701 in fact I'd say they would be easier. They might be high impedance but they are quite efficient. The K701 are low impedance but are one of the least efficient dynamic driver headphones out there. Both would benefit from amplification but you can get by without it. The headphone out on the Yamahas are more than good enough to drive either of these headphones.
Unfortunately my Spanish is Nada, but if you are comfortable doing content in english and adding spanish closed captions I would be happy to collaborate on something. Email me here: mljohnsonoboe@gmail.com
Keith Monks in the UK were I think were the first company to make a professional machine 1960's a think used by BBC etc ulra sonic cavitation machines should be the best the prices are coming down
Liked , Shared and Subbed , Thank You , Everyone into Vinyl Should Watch Learn and Know this , a Toy table can serve a purpose though , getting children into the Hobby with some dirty old Records , all Children should own a Toy Record Player , just my thoughts :) QC
For me It's about 90% audio, 10% nostalgia! I'd be lying if I said there was no nostalgia! But mostly about audio! And yeah I agree, vinyl is pure sound waves cut into lacquer and pressed into plastic! Borrowing what "Bernie grundman " said , it's a miniaturization of what you want the speaker to do! Can't get any purer than that!
alrighty then, i will agree with the fact that a certain level of integrity of record playing equipment is mandatory. a turntable with a decent counterweighted tonearm and good bearings in both the tonearm and platter is required. the record cleaning is also high on the list of importance and after years of just using a watts disc preener (a velvet wrapped cylinder) sprayed with a fine mist of either distilled or reverse osmosis water, i got a SpinClean. i don't just allow the washing fluid to air dry but dry off the disc with microfiber cloths and then put the record on a three dollar photo tripod from walmart (in the frame department) for a little air drying. if the disc has visible gritty dust on it, sometimes adhered to the fingerprints on the disc, i will rinse the LP off under ther running water from the reverse osmosis spigot on my sink. this greatly reduces the particulates in the fluid so i figure it's worth the effort. for a while, i used a record doctor vacuum cleaner (made by nitty gritty) and it was good but it failed prematurely and they wanted $100 to restore it which hacked me off. so back to preener cleaning. then the SpinClean which if done the way i specified above is more than adequate. i got ten of the tripods to make the cleaning process productive. i will clean 20-30 LPs and then change the water. i don't worry about the suspended detritus in the fluid because i dry the records off with the microfiber cloths (cheap at harbor freight). i likewise have records older than me and i am 74. they play just fine. the wood glue thing would be ok except it is expensive and time-consuming with the required. i never tried it because of the expense. as for the vacuum machines, i think the VPI has the best reputation and cost of about $600. there are DIY units for much less money. the BEST cleaning is done by the ultrasonic method (AKA cavitation) with the best being the KL Audio which is quite costly at $4.5k which uses only distilled water and dries the disc for you. the next is the uS by Kirmuss (~$850-950) but i don't go along with his post-process procedures which significantly increases the cleaning time. because it uses a cleaning solution, i would do my drying process with the microfiber cloths and tripods. then there is the $4k uS cleaner-AudioDesk which uses a solution but dries the record for you like the KL. this is not my personal favorite like the KL. take your pick. there are other devices usually assembled from kits for spinning and drying plus the uS cleaning tank that add up to about $6-700. some claim to clean around 5 records at once. for a first turntable, i recommend a used technics, pioneer, sansui, or kenwood. of course there are other brands. the reason is that most of the ones mentioned have universal detachable headshells that make it easy to mount cartridges on because the tonearm isn't captive of the cartridge like one piece arms are such as the Pro-ject or Rega types. people usually end up having to pay a stereo shop to mount and align a different cartridge which are skills that should be acquired by someone entering this HOBBY. there are turntables that come new with detachable headshells (music hall 1.5) and for the beginner, getting one like i have described new and set up by the dealer can be the right idea. the mounting skills can come later once you are comfortable with the hobby. www.musicdirect.com/turntables/Music-Hall-MMF-15-Turntable?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhJrqBRDZARIsALhp1WR4alAAnr_eTdN9f0e9qz6rZMO0UqQLerMO3ugp65qaOv2ryomggTEaAuqsEALw_wcB i would be careful about badmouthing brand names, regardless of how far down the totem it may be, they COULD have a contentious/litigious legal department. i might recommend a sprout amp by PS Audio for $600. it has a hefty amp, phono preamp, and a dac. i am thinking about one to just use as a headphone amp/dac. they are powerful enough to drive magneplanar LRS speakers which are $650 but require a little bit of room around them. headphones---Grado SR60s or 80s are less than $100 and are well-reviewed by the magazines. i own the sr60s (since they came out) and have been happy with them. ...hifitommy
24:10 Sorry, but this is just not true. There is no such thing as a mold release compound put on records before pressed. If you disagree I offer you to give me proper sources for this release agent, because never has anyone else been able to so far. As far as Im aware this is just misinformation spread around from a misunderstanding of quotes and how pressings are done.
So I was corrected earlier about the mold release agent being for the separation of the pressing equipment. But regardless, this is something I've heard both Michael Fremer, and Harry Weisfeld talk about on occasion. A quick google search will yield information about the patents for vinyl record technology specifically referencing mold release agents. The debate is not about whether this stuff exists, but whether it has any noticeable effect on playback. I would say generally no, but I still clean my new records anyway, for a combination of the reasons stated in the video.
@@poetryonplastic Ive done plenty searches online myself, even for quotes from Fremer about the stuff and I can not find it. Plenty of companies try to convince you of its existence as a reason to buy their products but its never demonstrated. Ive seen through plenty of pressing plant walkthroughs of their processes and not once is there ever mention of such an agent being used. Where is it?
To begin with I'd like to say that I wholeheartedly endorse your efforts to make entering the hobby easier. I'd do, however want to correct you on one point and express a point of my dissatisfaction with your video. First of all, the size of a speaker isn't necessarily correlated with its efficiency. In fact, the floorstanders in a range most often increase in efficiency in comparison to their bookshelf counterpart. You can see this across most mainstream companies. (Kef, Focal, Tannoy, etc.) As for my point of dissatisfaction, you didn't mention anything about our susceptibility to bias and how to check whether you can actually hear something. I feel that this is an especially important thing to mention in a guide for beginners. Since they as a group probably don't know about this, they are highly susceptible to blindly trusting their senses which, as has been overwhelmingly proven, is a bad idea. Telling people about this wouldn't take more than a minute, and would greatly reduce the chance of people being scammed. As such, I feel that you should have included this topic is your guide.
I didnt mean to imply that larger speakers are more or less efficient. I was trying to say that larger speakers provide less bang per buck in the entry level. As to your other point, I simply disagree.
@@kacperuminski1547 I think trusting your senses from long term listening (not switching back and forth, which has its problems) is a great way to find out what equipment sounds good and convincing to you. Trusting my senses is literally what I do for a living.
The Audio Technica LP60X is a very decent entry level TT. There's a video where a reviewer puts it through some intensive scientific tests and finds that many of the adverse opinions which have gained traction in the audiophile world are actually false. He does go on to say that it certainly isn't the best TT available, but his conclusions debunk many of the myths which have been circulating regarding the LP60X.
You use way to many words. Consider outlining what you want to say and practice your presentation and edit before your final video. Learn about stage lighting and how to record quality multimedia video.
I like the depth of information you provide, HATE the framing of it. You make it out like vinyl has to be an expensive hobby, and as a result this video kinda gatekeeps and shames poor people out of the hobby? You essentially told people to not listen to vinyl unless they’re willing to spend $500+ off of the bat. It’s really insensitive. Not everyone is an audiophile, people have different motivations for the hobby. ESPECIALLY for a video aimed at beginners, your presentation is incredibly abrasive and inaccessible. Honestly? Stick to the content for experienced people within the hobby, you’re more likely to dissuade people from doing something they have genuine interest in than help them get a beginner-friendly setup. Please, please rethink your presentation for videos aimed at beginners.
I don't recall shaming anyone, I'm offering honest advice based on facts of how audio is produced and how reproduction happens. I'm more frightened of people having a bad experience with vinyl and getting bored with it than I am scaring people off. Vinyl is on the rise, records are being sold faster than they are being pressed, my video is not going to stop any of that. What I hope it might do is show people how they can actually take advantages of the benefits of the format. It makes no sense to spend $40 on a new record and play it on a toy turntable, you're not getting your money's worth, I feel like this is reasonable and sound consumer advice, not gatekeeping. If you care about sound quality, you will get better sound with a Tidal subscription and a pair of $80 headphones than spending all this money on records and playing them on a $100 all-in-one suitcase turntable. I know dozens of people that have these cheap turntables that are excited by vinyl for a year and then get bored, you know why? Because the sound is trash, then they shrug their shoulders and go "huh, maybe vinyl is just hype". That right there is a bigger danger to the vinyl resurgence than someone feeling like they should save a little more before they take the plunge on their first TT. People can do what they want with their money and time, but I feel like I have a bit of experience and qualification to give advice, and my advice is save and get something that is going to give you a quality experience and keep your interest going long-term.
@@poetryonplastic I understand and appreciate your reasoning here. But I’m not arguing that it’ll damage the hobby as a whole. I’m arguing that it hurts and dissuades people who are worse off from enjoying the lower end of the hobby. Not everyone is an audiophile, not everyone desires that perfect pristine sound from their system. I understand why you made the video in the way you did from an audiophile perspective, but as a broke college student myself, someone who has a variety of hobbies to invest in and appreciates the medium for its imperfections, nostalgia, and ritual? A lot of your advice comes off as elitist to anyone who isn’t as invested in the audiophile aspect of the hobby. I don’t mean to invalidate that approach, but that simply isn’t all there is to it. There are points in this video where you straight up recommend that anyone unwilling to drop a lot of money on expensive equipment just not get into the hobby. I understand that you want people to get the best experience possible, but from my perspective you kinda insinuate that anything beneath audiophile-level equipment is beneath the hobby and people just shouldn’t bother getting into it at that point. It’s exclusionary to people who don’t have the same desired experience as you do, and to people who are barely getting by and just want an escape. I’m saving up for graduate school, I just can’t justify spending that much. The way you presented the information made me feel shamed for having a low end system and mostly buying thrift store records. There’s a place in the hobby for people like me, and you made it seem (to me at least) like these kinds of hobbyists shouldn’t be in the hobby at all. Maybe that’s why people with low end systems tend to leave the hobby. People with suitcase players get a lot of disdain.
@@layneb5002 I think there is simply a misconception here, I certainly do not "disdain" anyone with suitcase record players, I just recommend against them. My channel is primarily an audiophile channel with a focus on vinyl records, that's where I'm coming from. I'm more interested in introducing people to the joys of quality music reproduction than getting them married to a format. For people who have a very tight budget, I'm happy to try and get them the best music reproduction they can afford, but unfortunately in that bracket that's not typically going to be vinyl. Some people really like records as physical objects and that's primarily what drives their vinyl collecting, and I think that's certainly valid, but not really an avenue I explore or advocate for in my content. But as always, I'm just here to share my experience and advice, people are free to disagree or simply ignore me.
@@poetryonplastic Again, I appreciate your perspective and I’m glad that you’re engaging with me and willing to talk about this! Keep in mind, I’m not saying any of the information you presented was wrong. Besides the mold-breaking compound misconstrued as mildicide thing, but that’s besides the point of course. All I’m saying is that in some instances the way you talked about people with lower end systems came off as insensitive to me personally. I appreciate you recommending against these systems, you aren’t wrong in doing so! I just wish you would reevaluate your presentation and attitude a bit regarding people who use these systems. I know they aren’t good systems and they don’t have good quality audio. I really do appreciate your perspective on wanting people to have the best audio experience possible, it’s a noble goal. All I wanted to express was that it’s important to be considerate of people who can’t afford high end gear. I know your intention was not to come across as derisive. Accidents happen though, intention is occasionally misconstrued. I would reckon that a lot of lower income people drop the hobby out of shame rather than disappointment in the audio quality. And regardless of your personal concern levels over whether or not individuals drop the hobby for those reasons, it hurts my soul to see everyone continuously dragging these systems and recommending that people not bother with vinyl if they have a system like a suitcase player or all in one system. I know safeguarding the feelings of all hobbyists isn’t the purpose of your channel or of this video, but regardless, I’m glad I got you to listen and hear me out. Thanks for having this conversation with me, it certainly isn’t an easy one to have! :)
@@rabarebra cool dude, good for you. I really don’t care how expensive your set up is honestly. I hope you enjoy it though and it was worth being mad at a random strangers RU-vid comment for :)
