I recently spent close to the same amount of money on a new turntable as I spent on my first home. I like the turntable better than I liked the house. Good thing.
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If vinyl was noticeably better than digital, there would be a lot of classical reissues on vinyl. There are almost none. That answers it for me, but doesnāt stop me enjoying the touchy-feely side of vinyl and the whole going-to-record-stores thing, and listening to them. The main system has been out of action for building and the stack of unopened vinyl grows, so I enjoy digital in the office.
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Completely agree. Thereās something unique about vinyl playback that will never be the same (for better worse) as playing digital stuff. All the fuss has been worth it for me since getting back into it around 2008. Low cost vinyl front ends donāt do justice to the magic hiding in those grooves though. I have a Rega RP10, Rega Aphelion2 cart and PSA Stellar Phono Pre. A very satisfying combo for me.
Having said all that, digital can also be magical when done right with excellent recordings. I just love having the choice. For example, if I want to hear some great jazz on Blue Note Tone Poet series these are LPs only. Would hate to give up hearing that amazing stuff.
14k records! Holy sh#t thatās a collection.
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I am too much into recording as I have two more sets of mics I need to buy, a pair of pencil/Omniās, and a another pair of pencil/cardioids with 15 db of self noise. I donāt buy that much new vinyl to make it worth my while. I would much rather buy a new Octave release or some SACDS.
Too much new vinyl is the same price as an Octave release. I can understand it as the making of an LP is labor intensive.
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Those Linns can be fun, especially with the Lingo IV and a Kore. A friend just added a Hana ML. Since that change have not been able to break him away from his listening room.
I have multiple turntables as well and canāt land on a favorite, each has attributes I enjoy, (1) Linn Sondek LP 12 Lingo IV/Kore/Ittok LV II/ Denon DL304/, (2) Rega P8 RB 880/Aphetta MC/Neo PSU, EBLT Ref Belt, (3) VPI Prime 3D arm/Ortofon Cadenza Black/Counter Intuitive/Dual Pivot assāy/Road Runner & Eagle PSU. Vinyl is at 10,000 more or less, and yes storage is a problem.
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Nice stack of jazz you have there sir. My understanding is the classical market is shrinking considerably. Demand for it is basically dying off, regardless of format. A rather unfortunate situation. BTW how is that Phantom Thread?
The Phantom Thread (great movie - to be seen in the cinema and shot on film) is an unopened birthday present. My turntable is in storage as the builders are rebuilding things. I reckon I will get to hear it in about 6 weeks, with luck.
Classical musicians I think look at recordings more as PR for selling concert tickets and getting more bookings than making royalties. They are often recorded very quickly at relatively low cost. Last year a friend recorded two major concertos (Brahms, Schoenberg) with the BBC Philharmonic in 3 days, at the BBCās new state-of-the-art recording facility at MediaCityUK in Manchester.
Another recording done in the peak of lockdown last year was just 2 people in the building, the performer and the engineer. It took 2 days, but 8 weeks of learning the music, 10 hours per day. But then she didnāt have anything else to do! It was done for Hyperion, who do not stream, and have been doing well for many years. They have a great roster of musicians and donāt have the expense of their own studios.
From my perspective, classical music, opera and dance has never been better and is well funded.
Thatās an impressive collection of turntables and records.
A contender of the Linn Sondek has been the Thorens TD160. Itās successor is the recently completely redeveloped Thorens TD1601, semi automatic without all the mechanics that might effect resonances. It functions with optical sensor and electronic armlift. Such that at the end of the record the arm is just lifted and the motor turned off electronically. Perfect for me as I sometimes walk away and forget that the turntable needs attention, being used to the Thorens TD105 full automatic.
I listen to vinyl enough to consider the investment worthwhile. Thorens also offers a superb MC cartridge TM1600, which is made by Audio Technica in Japan.
Call me conservative and non audiophile, but the flip open (yet removable) dust covers on those Linn and Thorens turntables are the most convenient way to have the turntable not catching dust and being able to play records on a clean platter. The small form factor cover of the Rega comes second.
Unless, you put your turntable in a drop dead gorgeous cabinet like @stevensegal does. If I remember it is a custom ābespokeā (proper Oxford English) design. Really cool, maybe Steven can show the picture again here.
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Regarding Linn playback, for serious listening sessions the dust cover is removed. The VPI and Rega take care of themselves. My LP 12 replaced a B&O 4002 I had in university, no regrets. The Linn is a keeper for sentimental reasons. Not knocking Thorens, but the Linn did it for me at the time I bought it. Just completed a significant upgrade so it is not going anywhere. Regarding new Linn I will say this, they are not competitive in the US market at this date. If it werenāt for sentimental reasons I would have gone for an AMG Giro/Delos Kleo MC combo versus the Linn upgrade. Currently the Linn is seeking a new MC, either a Dynavector XX MK II or Hana ML.
Competitive or not, the Linn Sondek is an icon Iād keep for that reason alone. Another cartridge can make a huge difference also, itās mechanical, it wears.
Thats what I like about the TD1601 also, for serious listening you can remove it by just lifting the hinges at the back out of their sliding fittings.
OK GOOGLE! Put a record on the turntable. Hey Google. Play a record. Hey GOOGLE. HEY GOOGLE!! 
Alexa, play the album that is on the platter. Alexa. Echo. ALEXA! 
Sunnuva BISCUIT BOX. 
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What is this about?
Yes, the Linn and the Thorens have much in common including the ability to easily remove the dust cover.
Either way, forty years and then some with the Linn and John Zorn is sounding especially good at the moment, on to side 2ā¦
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The Denon DL-304 MC is a real sleeper., and an incredible value. Seems to have plenty of life in it and mates well with the Ittok. Unfortunately Denon discontinued it.
Originally I ran a Grace F9e MM in the Linn. The Flat Earthers would have me run a Linn K9. To my ear the Grace was more musical and my dealer agreed. The only Linn cart I liked was the Troika, a rebadged Supex IIRC.
I have a different interpretation of what the fact, which I donāt deny, that vinyl reissues of classical music are relatively few in number means. Perhaps the view that trend is due to vinyl not being noticeably better than digital for classical has some merit, but I have to point out the economics of the recorded music market must be considered. I dug around a bit to find statistics that perhaps are a bit dated, but not by much, breaking down US recorded music sales by genre. In 2018 the classical market share was only 1% (source: statista). Vinyl reissue isnāt a cheap proposition for the labels doing it, so i could make the argument the fact classical reissues are relatively few and far between has less to do with sonics and more to do with reissue labels being hesitant to fork out the investment to cater to a 1% market. Were I in the business I definitely would hesitate for reasons having nothing to do with SQ. My two cents.
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Exactly.
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My dad bought the Denon DL110 high output MC also was a major improvement over his Stanton MM. My Ortofon OMB 30 was clearly an improvement over the no name cartridge that still sits on the 2nd tonearm. The TD105ās tonearm is detachable rather than just the cardridge holder.
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The other reason is:
Classic music, certainly orchestral music gets played by different performers, certainly every performer give it its own touch but the music is the same.
The recording and mastering quality improves day by day with better mics, enhanced signal transmitters and amplifiers, and mixing consoles. So why re-master old albums when there is a super orchestra playing the music in a superb modern studio.
The best classic source I know of is IDAGIO. It has all the labels, DECCA, Deutsche Grammophon you name it and all classic and modern recordings. In the top year subscription you can even attend concerts in top quality audio and video resolution, live!
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Let me add:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/labels/425/browse?format=Vinyl&size=10&view=large
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/labels/433/browse?format=Vinyl
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/formats/vinyl/labels/530/browse?size=10&view=large&page=2
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/labels
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This is an old photo, it was designed for. large system and more recently was used mostly to store gin and rugs. Itās going in my wifeās clinic for storing her stuff and Iāve got another much smaller one being built.
It may be bespoke but it was made by Simon from Essex and it was not expensive. My other furniture being built - a kitchen, a bedroom, bookshelves and other units - are another matter. I have to call the wife āYour Royal Highnessā as the cabinetmaker, Paul from Wales, will only talk to you if you are a member of a Middle Eastern Royal Family. Fortunately Iāve known Paul for 30+ years and I get mates rates, although it doesnāt feel like it.
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