Vinyl Record Myths I've Changed My Opinion On

Today I present the 5 vinyl record myths I've changed my beliefs and opinions on.
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[@dallasjackson6269]

I grew up with vinyl and then changed to CDs when they became available. About 10 years I got back into vinyl and have enjoyed it. Then recently I upgraded my entire system. When I put on a CD I was shocked at the phenomenal sound. So nowadays there are times when I want the experience of “playing records”. But, if I want to put on headphones and hear music play seamlessly from beginning to end with absolutely superb sound, then I choose CDs. Both are great.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers to that! And thanks for the comment!

[@bacarandii]

While I dislike the awkward artificiality of listening ocver headphones or earbuds, I think you're right that vinyl LPs are not meant to be heard by injection directly into the ears. The surface noise is unavoidable and it's like listening with dirty ears. Keep the Q-tips handy!

[@Vortigan07]

That very accurately describes where I'm at also.

[@dtz1000]

CDs don't include the ultrasonic frequencies that musical instruments emit, so I don't see how it could be better than vinyl which includes those frequencies.

[@scottyo64]

I went from vinyl to tapes to cds then to streaming then back to cds and tapes. Now, for the last 2 months nothing but vinyl. Don't get stuck on any one format as you're only robbing yourself. Change it up, ypu'll have massive enjoyment

[@shimtest]

I have been listening to vinyl exclusively for months, and was blown away when I listened to a new CD for the first time in a while. Now I will happily collect and listen to both

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

And that’s what it’s all about! Cheers!

[@Extremesam43]

After a while you may not want to hear vinyl again

[@michaelmorris7552]

If I could speak for myself Rick, it really is what you like at the end of the day!! I love EQ's, tone controls... Even I had a million dollar amp.... I just love sounds, music, and the joy it brings me!!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Exactly!

[@Extremesam43]

No tone controls just give you a flat response to me that's not natural at all

[@michaelmorris7552]

@@Extremesam43 absolutely!!

[@timessquarerecordscom1469]

Tone controls are great especially when you play vinyl going back the RIA curve was all over the map back then in the 50s and 60s.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Do you remember when stereos used to have different buttons for the different RIAA curve depending upon the company behind the record? 😂😂😂

[@Extremesam43]

Right. Why would anyone prefer to listen to a crappy recording when it sounds much better using the tone controls

[@bikdav]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecordsI never saw any of those. I got into audio and video in the late 70s and 80s.

[@utube4andydent]

I use a audio mixer each channel had its own set of EQ or tone controls. Advantage set tone settings for each device and forget about it. I wonder if there are any amps which allow a preset for each device connected.

[@elgustoesmiochupaki6119]

I do.

[@ReasonablySane]

On a side note, I got back into a vinyl almost 20 years ago. I'll find that what is so awesome about it is the whole experience of playing records. In fact, I seem to be going back in time. I now truly appreciate shaving by using the horsehair brush and shaving soap to lather my face. And of course all my cars except for the main car use manual transmissions.😂 I'm finding I really appreciate the experience of physical contact and the process of doing things, as opposed to just letting something else do it for me. It makes all of those experiences more tactile and more compelling.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I'm the same way! My truck is manual transmission and 13 years old. I'm afraid to let it go as it'll be hard to find a manual transmission these days.

[@davesdream]

I never bought a car with automatic transmission. All my cars have been manual. If you cannot drive manual then you don't know how to drive!!! 😂😂😂😂😂

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Word! 😂😂@@davesdream

[@utube4andydent]

Vinyl has that hands on tactile feel coming from a time before CD and playing music via streaming.

[@faludabutt8253]

@@davesdream Same here. All I drive is manual. Once I bought my first car. I made sure windows were not electric as well 😊

[@mudstone6497]

Since day 1, 45 years ago, still making cassettes, and oh boy, are they sounding great, perfect for camping tunes!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers! 🥂

[@michaelb9664]

I’ve just subscribed to your channel. I’ve watched a few of your videos now and I like your relaxed presentation and I think you choose good topics to discus 👍

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thank you Michael. Made my day!

[@michaelb9664]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords you’re welcome 👍

[@shaneluttrell532]

Very well thought out video, Rick. Thank you!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thanks Shane!

[@Taldock1]

Great episode! I recently put my turntable on an isolated shelf mounted on the wall, wish I had done that years ago. I love that BOC album also!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I keep saying the same thing. Wish I'd bought that shelf years ago too!

[@guitarguyf16]

Absolutely love your channel, please keep making videos. I’ve been a music connoisseur for almost my whole life which isn’t saying a whole lot as I just turned 39. I was into cd’s for the majority up until the last 2 years or so when I discovered vinyl. I started to try to buy basically everything I liked on vinyl. I had a mediocre setup being like 500ish dollars and I wasn’t satisfied at all. It wasn’t anywhere near the fidelity that I had expected or wanted. So I decided to keep upgrading and upgrading to try and get the best sound that I could that was inside my budget. I have a decent cd rig and a decent vinyl rig now. I noticed that my newer vinyl records weren’t really improving as much as I wanted, but the cd versions sounded killer. So I narrowed it down to original pressings and a lot of the older stuff on vinyl and or analogue productions and MOFI releases just sounding amazing. Moral of the story is I believe cds/streaming is at an easier grasp as opposed to buying a proper vinyl setup. But…I don’t regret my decision to invest in vinyl. I’ve found so many amazing old school albums that just sound amazing and seriously blow away the same cds I have….Ive just had to spend way more money on my vinyl setup than what I had thought I would. I hope all that made sense. I’ve had a little bit of rum tonight. Again, thank you for all the help and please keep doing your thing. Also, that tube amp looks sick! Stay safe and thank you again.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thanks, Christopher! I plan to keep going unless funds stop me 😂 And everything you said made perfect sense! CDs are a more affordable entry point for most. For me it's vinyl but I do get that it's not for everyone. Cheers! 🍺

[@johnt1877]

I grew up with records in the 1960s. In order to play music in my car, I had to record them on tape. I bought expensive cassette tapes, and you could hear the difference. One thing I didn't do until the 1970s was clean my records. Once I found out about record cleaning, I also realized that new records are dirty. When I recorded a new record, I would first clean it, then play it once to clear any additional dirt from the grooves, and then clean it again before recording. I found that if I did not do this, there was too much noise on the tape from the dirty record.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

You're right, John. Cleaning is key!

[@Extremesam43]

The better tapes did make a difference

[@Extremesam43]

The better tapes did make a difference

[@louismartinez7387]

@TheJoyofVinylRecords Hey Rick for over forty years now, I've been cleaning my used records with good ole Palmolive dishwasher soap and water to good effect. I learned this method from an article that I read in one of the stereo magazines back in the seventies!! It does a great job of cutting and removing all grease, grime, and dirt buildup in the grooves. First, I fill a rectangle plastic pail in the kitchen sink about 3/4 high with warm to hot water and then add a generous amount (2-3 TBL spoons)of Palmolive dishwasher soap. First, I run the disc under the faucet with warm water doing both sides to loosen dirt, dust and grime. Then I immerse the disc in the water and rotate four or five times in a circular motion while gently scrubbing each side as I rotate with a soft cloth. I then shake off the excess water and remove the rest with another cotton hand towel. Then I place the album upright in a dish rack which holds about twenty-five albums and I let dry for a few hours or sometimes over night to let the record labels dry completely....And don't worry about ruining record labels...once they dry you'll never know they were wet...And prepare to see what initially looked like a worn VG or VG+ transform into a VG++ or NM- or even better, depending on the albums prior condition.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Very nice! Thanks for posting that 🍺@@louismartinez7387

[@pogveteranar9415]

I’m new to vinyl, my parents had a turntable when I was little but I don’t remember much about it. Got an inexpensive “do it all” paperboard player and a mix of older records from my mother in law and some new ones as well. So far I love it. Don’t know that I’ll ever get into the technical side of it or not but I’m very glad to have found your channel.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I'm glad you're here as well! Cheers!

[@andglasgo]

New to your channel (12 minutes ago) and new to vinyl (4 months ago). I have a cheap turntable that I think is technically a record player because it's all in one, and I'm simple. But I'm enjoying this journey. For me, right now, it's fun to browse some great stores in Denver and build a collection. I enjoy the tactile presence with the music and even the crackles of some $6 finds (I'm simple, simple). I have a lot to learn, so thanks for adding to it!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Glad you're here Andrew! There is nothing wrong with starting simple at all. You're only at the beginning. If you ever have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always happy to help if I can.

[@GaryKeepItSimple]

Tone controls are a must ,unless you never alter the Volume.

[@riskydigitsta1794]

This is the second video of yours I watched. I loved your relaxed nature, a welcome change compared to other things I watch. Keep up the good work.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thank you! That made my day.

[@darrenburtoft1792]

Tone controls are great….. when properly implemented, including being able to be bypassed completely if necessary 🤗

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Exactly, Darren!

[@user-pb6nh7pm2v]

Just found your channel this morning. Some thoughts: I will occasionally use tone control, some recordings all but require them. My 66 y.o. ears aren’t what they used to be. I still listen to CD’s and still buy them when the vinyl release is too expensive or can’t be found. Vinyl sounds better most of the time, but certainly not always. I clean every record I purchase, new or used. I got back into audio 4 years ago, the equipment I purchased then has all been replaced. After a lot of research, trial and error, and blind luck I have arrived at a system that I truly love.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

That's great to hear! Like you, it took me awhile to get where I am with the sound. Cheers!

[@supstersmodelrailways3202]

Agreed! I love my tone controls, my loudness button. I buy different speakers to give me a different sound so why not have controls on an amp to give me a different sound. All our ears are different. What I like, you may not etc. I love my vinyl, it’s the interaction part too. I also love my cassettes, watching the spoils go round. The VU meters flicking, whether needle or LED’s. Fabulous times. As for CD’s. Less so, clinical, accurate but no excitement about using them. I will go down the isolation route one day. But now I will start cleaning my vinyl. TBH in the day, before using a brand new tape, I used to run it forward and back before making my mix tape! All in the preparation!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I remember doing that with tapes! To tighten them right?

[@supstersmodelrailways3202]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords kinda. Think it was to help make the tape be of even tension on the spoil or take up any slack?

[@joealberti8553]

Hi Rick. Another great, thought provoking video. The system I use the most is based on a Harman/Kardon AVR-20 receiver, a BSR 810 record changer I(I can hear the gasps and snickering now) with a Pickering XV-15/625E cartridge tracking at 1.2 grams, and a pair of Klipsch bookshelf speakers on speaker stands. All in all, the most expensive part were the speakers because I bought them brand new. I also have tape and CD. For tape, I have an Akai reel to reel tape deck in in perfect working and cosmetic order that I absolutely love. It is a three speed deck that runs at 1 3/8, 3 3/4, and 7 IPS and records and sounds awesome. Besides the speakers, everything in my system was bought used and it sounds great (in my humble opinion, or is that not so humble? 🙂 ). All in all, I've probably got about a grand in it with speakers and reel deck being the most expensive components. I used to have an equalizer too, and I liked it because it could take a room that was not audio friendly and you could adjust the frequencies to make up for it. Don't know why I stopped using it. Probably because I heard people say that they really weren't needed, and I listened to them more than my music. To me, that's the worst thing anyone can do is let other people dictate what your system should sound like. What it all boils down to it, it is your system and and your music. The only one who has to like the way it sounds is you. When I say that, I'm not talking about you. You are my favorite audio channel on KZbin, and I value your opinion a lot, and I always look forward to your videos.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thank you Joe. I am still very, very intrigued by the reel to reel. I actually priced them out at one point but figure it'll have to wait. When I bought the KLH and gave away a couple other speaker sets I had, but not my Klipsch on the stands - love them!

[@thinkIndependent2024]

Bravo!!! I am a Fan od you honest approach and the organic love of Vinyl. My favorite digital setup has no moving parts and I play the music from a 1tb thumb drive with lab grade power. That's coming from a person who was putting the tone arm on Records in 1970

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thank you! That means alot!

[@papoosee]

Analogue > digital myth. Mofi gate opened my eyes to this fact. “Audiophiles” would swear they could hear a difference (many who I listened to), yet not even the most prominent figures had a clue that mofi was digital until the news broke. Mastering matters most

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Love that you brought that up, Tim. I am planning a video on a similar topic brought about because of that whole thing. You read my mind!

[@watdanuqta-mf5ms]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Consider this as I type on my brand new Desktop with the only moving parts are the fans, those One Steps on Super Vinyl were cut from tapes that are over-sampled DSD files that even an SACD couldn't handle all that data from. When cutting an LP, well you're converting the entire oversampled DSD stream to analog and cutting a record. Funny how that works out still in an LPs favor(sort of, (mostly?)).

[@Synthematix]

You dont need to be an audiophile to hear the difference in a CD and vinyl, vinyl sounds stale

[@sbwlearning1372]

Only get originals

[@sbwlearning1372]

​@@SynthematixMy Metallica ,Prodigy, Kraftwerk and Ronnie Size lps disagree

[@TheReal1953]

The biggest 'aha!' moment I've had in yrs was when a sunbeam hit my entire system, specifically my TT. This a battle with dirt/dust/particulates that we can't win, but diminish to some degree. Good quality vid Rick, as usual!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thanks Kevin! And yes - when I see the dust motes in the sunbeam it makes me shake my head. There's no winning.

[@TheReal1953]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecordsUnless you put your record into a sealed bag of some sort(I'm never going that far), even inside their expensive rice sleeves and the sleeve opening turned up instead of out....I can always pick up some dust on the first song or two. I don't mind taking the extra cleaning steps....but how that stuff travels and gets into things is beyond amazing!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

It's like there's a black hole in there sucking the dust in 😂😂@@TheReal1953

[@TheReal1953]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecordsThere is!🤣

[@coolmickey68]

I have a Schitt mini equalizer and I use it to adjust for badly recorded/mastered etc. records. for my ears, the mid and high end can sound harsh on some albums. does work up to a point, love tone controls. My first record cleaning unit was a spin clean. you would not believe the dirt coming off new records...great vid!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Agreed Robert! The Spin-Clean was a great purchase and is still used in my cleaning routine for the rinse.

[@soundbites1152]

Without watching this, I'm gonna say that in the early days of CD's back in the 1980's, the recording masters that were used to make the CD versions weren't properly prepped for that new format. A LOT of them sounded terrible and the vinyl versions of those albums were superior. Pink Floyd's The Wall would be one of those albums. When their catalog was remastered in 2015, The Wall FINALLY got the proper and far superior presentation that a new digital release could bring. Duran Duran's CD/Digital release catalog for example sounds AWFUL, even after Sony "remastered" it, without the bands involvement. They're pissed about it. Having said that, SOME albums will sound better on vinyl if they were never given a proper digital remaster if the original source material was mastered for vinyl. Therein lies the myth since most lay-people know nothing about this stuff. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[@marcbegine]

Great video, totally agree, especially the wallmount😎

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thanks Marc! The wall mount is my favorite recent purchase.

[@13Carrey1]

I have both. CD and Vinyl and both are Great. CD's are also good if u have Limited Space :) Also i prefer these 2 much more than Streaming! Personally i only use streaming to hear some podcasts and that's it.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Same. I thoroughly enjoy podcasts ( have one myself).

[@13Carrey1]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecordsnice like me :)

[@Phil-pq4ks]

No matter how many gadgets and gizmos they come up with at the end of the day digital streaming will ALWAYS have too much compression which music was never intended to be subjected to.

[@edjackson4389]

I agree with you on all those points. Something I was wrong about was cables. For 35 years I didn't think you could change speaker wires or connection cables and improve (or change) sound of your setup. I was very wrong.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I'm with you on that, Ed. I could have easily mentioned that (and should have).

[@guyboisvert66]

Passed a certain basic quality level, wasted money... For example, Canare 4S12F is a very good quality twisted pair speaker cable. Same applies to signal cable, you have Mogami 2534 Star Quad, Canare L-4E6S, Belden 1192a, etc.

[@edjackson4389]

@@guyboisvert66 Just going with a homemade set of braided oxygen free copper speaker cables of equal length did alot for clarity and detail on my setup.

[@guyboisvert66]

@@edjackson4389 No need to waste big money to get very good results!

[@bobadkins7377]

Last year, I upgraded my very modest system. One thing that I reused was the old Radio Shack speaker wires, the type bought on spools and you made your cable. I felt that something was still missing. I bought new cable of a larger diameter and made new speaker wires. I was very pleased with the results! Stronger audio in general with improved bass response. I cut open the old RS wire and found that the wire itself had actually turned black with, I’m guessing, corrosion and general deterioration. In future I’ll be mindful of my cables.

[@NeedleDropRules]

Great video. I agree with your points, and have had similar learning moments myself. I love tone controls (and graphics equalizers as well). My brother in law is the opposite, and leaves everything flat. His argument has always been that changing the settings changes how the artist intended you to hear it. My argument back was that his stereo would sound completely different from their studio. Besides, anytime you change anything such as your amp, cartridge or speakers, the sound will be different than before. Thus I always felt his thought process was wrong. That being said, if that's how you like to hear it, then who am I to say you're wrong. Like you said, enjoying the sound of your music is how you want to hear it.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

We are of the same mind in that respect, Stacey. I try to explain that as well - different equipment = different sounds and tone. Those little knobs can save someone some money.

[@user-st9yd2ct7k]

Hi i love your video on this subject. I agree on most of your options. I got right back into my vinyl system a few years back. I was even moving my deck all around my room for the best sound and it made a massive difference. I am now mainly listening to my music through a bluesound node into my system and i think it sounds fantastic. I also want to add that i use to listen to an old beat up radio and enjoy the songs just as much sometimes as i would on my system and in my case its down to mood. I also was fed up with paying a lot of money for vinyl that was badly pressed i had a Van Hallan record back in 1980 that had terrible pressed in rumble i changed the record several times with the shop only to give up they were all the same. 44 years later i got a remastered copy new just released it was exactly the same what is going on there? Thanks for your KZbin i have shared it with my music friends Mark from Hartlepool England

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers, Mark - and thank you for sharing it! I've had similar experiences with a couple of albums (BOC's Secret Treaties for one) where the pressing was simply bad. Hopefully the new reissue coming out soon solves that.

[@396chevelless]

Love your reviews . Just subscribed. Thanks. I do clean brand new vinyl. When them grooves are cut in they leave particles, and when the needle hits them it burns them in and that is the pop you hear. Just my opinion. I use the spin clean record washer.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thanks for subscribing, Gary! The Soin Clean is a great investment. 🍺

[@bobadkins7377]

I agree, dirt, plastic residue, oils all need cleaned from new LPs. Oh yeah, love the Spin Clean, I’m needing a new set of brushes as I type!

[@bryede]

Great video! My take... 1. I have no problem with tone controls, but I do like having a bypass button to shorten the signal path. 2. There's a lot of great audio bargains out there and I've heard enough six-digit systems to know that sometimes you're just listening to bling or some niche set of preferences, but some of them knocked me on my butt and had me re-evaluating my own system. 3. CDs can be just fine but 44.1KHz sampling took a while to reach its potential, mostly due to artifacts of the required 20KHz brick wall filtering. Cassettes are decent under the best of conditions, but there are a lot of compromises baked into that form factor. 4. I notice an improvement almost every time I wet clean a record. However, getting the contaminated fluid off before it dries is paramount. Cheap systems like Discwasher just moved dirt from one record to the next. 5. Put your stylus on a record that isn't turning and go around the room tapping on things. You'll be surprised how much of it makes it way back to the turntable. One that I no longer believe is that direct drive was inferior to belt drive. Sure, not all DD systems were equal back in the day, but the main reason the high-end guys hated it is because only the tech giants had the resources to implement it. Also, I still love automatic turntables because it gets my wife to play records more often.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

That's a great one - the whole direct drive/ belt drive debate. I'm partial to belt but certainly have no issues with direct. I've owned both. That's great advice - the whole tapping around the room. I once owned an AT LP5 that seemed to pick up everything.

[@guscaldas3]

The Schiit Loki came to stay in my living room, since 2019!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Schiit is a great company

[@stuartshire]

Totally agree re cleaning new records . They pick up static quickly anyway

[@agegroot5666]

40 years ago i read in a Dutch audio/video magazine about the grease or oil that remained in the groove (oil/grease and paper innersleeves...), they cleaned the records with soap and used a drill to dry it. They used a tool that fixed the record, made something myself but it ended up with a Focus record flying through my room. It finished my path of cleaning records but lately i started cleaning records with detergent for wool using a throw away patch and a knosti and it works well, cleaned it with tapwater and dry it with soft toiletpaper....it makes the record a little static but before i play it i use an anti static cleaner and i'm satisfied with the result. There are recordcleaners Dustbug alike with an anti static function. Maybe the next thing to buy. Love the sound of vinyl, very pleasant. CD's can sound great too especially classical music and Jazz but overal i prefer vinyl and my Stanton and B&O cartridges aren't the best available. For classical music i choose CD.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I recall hearing about the oil in the grooves too back in the day. Always stuck in my mind. It was only a few years ago that I began to be very concerned about it. Glad I am now.

[@agegroot5666]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords _Someone said the oil or grease comes from within the vinyl when pressed but it's there and in the beginning it wasn't a problem (with non paper innersleeves! ) but over the years the grease or oil becomes thicker?? and adds negative noise to the music, you hear negative noise but the record looks 100%. Hadn't played vinyl for decades but in my memory many of my records sounded a way better decades ago, not musically but the amount of unwanted noises.

[@bobadkins7377]

I typically always listen to LPs but a thing I like about CDs is that dead silent background in most all situations. I have some vintage LPs that were either made with a great amount of surface noise or previous owners lovingly cared for them but listened ALOT!

[@rael2099]

Sooo #4 I left vinyl behind due to the no nonsense sound of CD, but time went by and with digital mastering increasingly getting worse, I returned to vinyl recently. Unfortunately quality control has never been worse. In the past I never, ever had issues with new records. Now I get a new one from an allegedly good pressing plant and it's like I'm listening to old, dirty records. Clicks, pops, surface noise like never before. It's making me feel it was a bad idea to come back to vinyl, but the sound is so good and my ears don't ache so bad anymore...

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I feel the same way about QC these days. Hopefully it gets better when they get a handle on things. Until then it's just making sure they are clean before hitting the TT.

[@robertjermantowicz-uw3iw]

Try to buy original LP pressings!

[@bikdav]

I DO NOT understand the business with speaker and interconnect cables. Some of them are more expensive than a car. To this day, I still CANNOT hear a difference between these ‘audiophile’ cables and standard cables.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I fall out of my seat when I see some of the interconnect prices 😂

[@peterx1957]

Hi. I am an owner of largish LP, 45 & CD collections. I grew up with tone controls in my audio systems until I got my second-hand Linn Majik-I amp. That was because a I had eventually moved into a 5.1/7.1 surround system. However a few years back I decided to have a seperate audio setup exclusively for my records & CD's. I have an old Graphic Equaliser from my previous systems that I wouldn't mind connecting if I could figure it out (it used to connect through the receiver's tape monitor connection which I don't bother with now). Like you I didn't bother cleaning new records aside from a minor wipe with a cleaning brush. I have however invested in a Knosti Spin Cleaner and it's actually 'repaired' previous 'skipping/popping' issues on some records, including new ones. 🙄 I keep my records inside the sleeves. I have too many to invest in massive amounts of outer sleeves to take them out now. Aside from preventing ring-wear on the sleeve, I really don't see the point of it and it feels quite 'unnatural' to be honest. If anything the actual record is more exposed to damage having it outside the sleeve which offers protection. Plus the records become bulkier taking up more space on your shelf. That's my take on it anyway. I'm a new subscriber from Australia to your channel and I have one myself so you might like to check it out sometime. Cheers mate. 👍👍

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I will definitely check it out and subscribe. Thank you for letting me know!

[@jimmyBside]

Hey JVR. I had to do most of the things on this list to tame the new Klipsch RP-600M II. Tone controls, (haven’t turned those knobs in 12 yrs). Record cleaning, (Ok fine, if I must). Isolation mats under the stands, (hard wood floor over an echo chamber basement). Even had to get the HO/MC cartridge back in the line up. The results are astounding. The 1st pair of speakers, I’ve had, that weren’t just plug and play- that’s for sure. Ask not what Klipsch can do for you…Picked them up because of Cheap AM and Steve G reviews. Thanks a lot guys. You didn’t say anything about needing to use power tools, (had to cut the 3/4” rubber stable mats)…I just wanted to play some Christmas records while the big speakers are on IR…(and I’ll tell you I’m not an audiophile)…😂🍻

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

This made me smile - The speakers I had before my KLH Model 5s were the Klipsch RP-600M IIs, also helped along by a review Steve G did when he talked about how fun they were. I ended up placing them on a pair of Pangea stands filled with sand. They were a bit bright which I attribute to our listening room. Sounds like you have tamed them!

[@louismartinez7387]

Another fine video Rick..thanks for presenting some food for thought for us audio lovers trying to improve our listening experience. Speaking from my own experience, however, as a diehard analog lover for years with the preconceived notion, as well as belief, that digital audio could never rival analog as far as sound quality is concerned, I now maintain a different point of view in support of digital. After adding the Marigo Audio cd mat for improved stabilization and reduction of jitter during playback, and the RD-3 CD Demagnetizer from Acoustic Revive, utilized for removal of unwanted magnetic buildup on new, as well as used cds, I now contend that, to these ears, anyway, digital audio has finally come of age...producing sound which is now both tonally correct and musically pleasing, while eliminating the hard, harsh and bright sound that once characterized the format...LET THOSE WHO HAVE EARS HEAR!!!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Louis! I don’t doubt it for a second based on what I’ve heard and learned. Digital has indeed come of age and can easily equal analog sonically. I will always hear that inexplicable sense of umami with vinyl that enamors me. Cheers!

[@louismartinez7387]

@TheJoyofVinylRecords yea Rick I hear ya...truth to be told I'll always be a diehard analog lover at heart!

[@reneroberts3555]

I always cleaned new or used records before playing them. One time I didn’t clean a new record and played it. I heard a lot of static, hissing and pops. I thought l would have to return it but then decided to clean it. After cleaning it ALL the noise was gone! So now just like you said all new/used records get thoroughly cleaned before being played. I think it also saves your stylus from being exposed to dirt, dust etc… that can be hidden in the record grooves.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Agree about the stylus, Rene. Great callout!

[@danielbdbe]

Hello thanks for your video I subscribed to yr channel . What is the brand name of the platform which is under your turntable ? Thanks

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Daniel! It's a wall shelf unit from Pangea Audio. They are currently out stock (others have asked so I checked with Pangea). They expect more in a couple of months.

[@danielbdbe]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords thanks for your reply . is this platform attached to the wall or is staying on the top of the furniture ?

[@vwestlife]

Use a Bic pen, not a pencil.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I haven't owned a Bic in years 😂😂😂

[@ReasonablySane]

Just thought I'd mention, my 70s preamp actually has a tone control bypass switch on it. I always use tone controls now to match the room to the speakers. But if you really want to amp up your tone controls, get a BBE sonic maximizer. I was turned on to those a couple of decades ago and I swear by them. I even use one in my pa. My bass rig has one built into the preamp.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I had to look that up to see what it was 😂. Thanks!

[@Onyxmoon]

I don't have a record player anymore. So, I decided I would paint my CDs black, stuff some empty potato chip bags into to my ears, cook popcorn cooking in the background and hold the CD inlay up really close to my eyes. Took me back, I tell you.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

😂😂😂

[@thorbostad8406]

Notice your Blue Öyster Cult Spectres on the side there. Great album !

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Had just listened to it the night before 🍺🍺🍺

[@twoarmsteve]

I like the song Godzilla a lot. I really do. If I put the entire BOC canon on a bell curve, it would be in the top half for sure....but how on earth it is widely considered one of their top 3 songs is beyond me. It would be my 4th or 5th favorite song just from the Spectres album alone! 🤣

[@theroadsnearyou...5088]

It’s ok to add a little bass playing records!🤪👍

[@deanhallberg3340]

Bravo! Thanks for sharing. BTW. I challenge you to share your steampunk interest. Honestly, maybe like you, I have nothing in my home that is steampunk... but ...its so cool!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I should do something like that, Dean. Steampunk always catches my eye.

[@elgustoesmiochupaki6119]

Totally in agreement with you. Nowadays I judge CD’s vs Vinyl on a case by case basis. Not true back in the 80’s. But curiously by the late 80’s the musical reproduction capabilities of certain, more costly CD players, was clearly surpassing the quality of majority of the CD’s on the market. In December of 1989 I bought a Harman Kardon 7600 mark II that is still my CD player. I remember clearly all the TV’s at Highland on Allston, Ma were showing the Pan Am Lockerbie bombing as I was handing in my Visa to the cashier. That CD player’s price was around 700 hundred dollars. With inflation by my own reckoning that would be somewhere slightly over 2k today. Every 36 months or so I have it cleaned and oiled by my guy. Still works beautifully. And that is my next point, turntables and CD players ARE musical instruments. You owe them respect and care. I use a cleaning CD I insert periodically into the player to clean the lens. For records I admit my fingers have not touched, without gloves, any of my vinyl records in more than 20 years. When we were taken prisioners by the CD market I guess people thought that now they could use CD’s to put Hors D’oeuvres at cocktail parties and then play them. I witness that in towns like Weston, Concorde and Fisher Hill, Brookline. Whichever your medium be respectful of Art and Science, which is were actually this hobby intersect. By the way, my handle in Spanish means “the pleasure is mine”. And so it is! Long live music.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Oh wow - what a memory when buying the Harman. Crazy that was so long ago. Love the handle - and thank you for interpreting it for me. Cheers!🍺

[@andyshacks7812]

I too never cleaned new records back in the day - thinking they’d be pristine like you did. Wish I knew then what I know now. I’ve always been one for my tone controls!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers, Andy!

[@TheTomryan123]

Love this guy's videos.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers Tom! 🍺

[@david-xg6zl]

Had a couple of questions. I have a Phillips 212 with Statton 681 ee cartridge. When I play my albums they at times do not sound like they have the dynamic range as the Cd's played on my Denon 2560. I do clean the albums with my discwasher brush and solution but I am wondering if the album is still too dirty? Or is the cartridge needing to be replaced to a different brand? Thanks as always for the great video. Dave

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Dave! It could be a few things so its hard to say. It definitely could be that there is still particles in the grooves - it certainly affects playback. There are other reasons too - I'll throw them out there if it helps: 1. The Statton is a great stylus. Yours is an elliptical, I think. Depending on its age - replacing it may help tremendously (maybe it just needs to be cleaned?) 2. Maybe it's the older turntable itself - or the amp it's playing through. This is a hard one because the only way to test it is to spend money. An amp will have a tremendous effect on the sound you get. If it's the same amp you play the Denon through then maybe it goes back to replacing the stylus or maybe the turntable altogether?

[@david-xg6zl]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Thanks for the input. It is the same amp so I will start with the cleaning then the stylus. Thanks for the response.

[@david-xg6zl]

I forgot. I am using my Marantz 2250B receiver for playback. I am not sure if the phono section of it is good or not. It has never been upgraded.

[@mikemoniz4441]

I bought a turntable to play albums for nostalgia. I listen mainly to digital for its clean, uncolored sound and ease of use. I got a subwoofer to get proper low end and tone controls to balance the sound the way I like it. That and a room set up to minimize reflection makes me a happy camper. Noise bothers me the most. And I do miss the Loudness switch.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers, Mike!

[@lexpeters735]

My son in law has been into vinyl records for about 2 years and has subsequently become an expert often giving me unwanted advice. He read about not using tone controls in a magazine and it has now become gospel. His set up is in a tiled room and it sounds glassy when he plays a record, yet he refuses to adjust the tone controls!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Yikes - I know what you mean - I bet it does sound glassy. We recently ripped out our laminate floor (just last week) and treated the subfloor and put in carpet. We also bought thicker curtains for the windows. What a difference.

[@wwz1011]

My pretty expensive vintage McIntosh amp has tone controls. I dumped all my vinyl and turntable back in the early 1980s as I was convinced digital (CDs) were better and they didn't need a lot of care. Well, I was kind of right. Yes, CDs are very reliable and do not require much care. But, I have spent a lot of money recreating my vinyl collection and I am still not where I was.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

That McIntosh must sound awesome 😎

[@mudstone6497]

Interesting, I ruled out CD’s right off the bat in the 90’s. Still have my CD player, lots of cd’s but never dumped my vinyl, 4 milk crates of pristine albums. Guess I made the right choice!

[@vissersven]

Mcintosh setup ass well. And yeah growing up with cd burners etc. I have a huge wall with cd's, no cd player anymore. I trust my vinyl plates more than id trust any of the cd's (burned mind you).

[@mudstone6497]

@@vissersven I certainly don’t have a McIntosh but a medium grade setup. Somehow never bought into the CD craze although I have a lot and made some mix CD’s. I do like the album art as well, nothing like cracking open Quadrophenia and reading the booklet/liner story!

[@markporter7664]

I agree that mastering is the key. Also, so many of us put so much cash and effort into our vinyl system to get the best out of the format. How much do we do in terms of that for CD’s???

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hey Mark! I'm sure it's not comparable. I love records but I'm sure CDs would be a much cheaper way to go (but it's vinyl for me!).

[@markporter7664]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Definitely, me too although I need to stop the double dipping, I’m a sucker for that. Especially the bundle deals on new releases when I think “might as well have the CD too, it’s just another tenner!😂

[@mat.b.]

Quasi-Myth: I'm a huge Tone control advocate and an EQ lover, at this point I'm practically collecting EQs. But that being said, there's some truth to the deniers claims and they do degrade the sound the more you alter it, so it's a give and take relationship to find a good....equilibrium. The optimal world would really be having components that get the tone you want without the added distortion (but not everyone has the time or money to get there) But what I wanted to get at was, on my current amp/phono, it has the ability to completely bypass the pre-amp section and go direct from phono to power....there's definitely a small clarity jump happening when the EQ and rest of that circuit is bypassed, even if the EQ is set to flat. I ended up buying a subwoofer to avoid the bass controls, at least for my turntable & speakers right now (the Tone/EQs stay everywhere else 😅)

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I'm hoping to try out a small sub one of these days. That being said - there are times I want to reach for the tone controls myself for that very reason.

[@3dimensionsofmusic3D]

I always have and will cherish the vinyl experience but recently I pulled the trigger on an RTR DAC - Pontus ll - to enhance the CD experience. No regrets. It doesn't make silk out of a sows ear if the CD is poorly produced. Garbage in garbage out 😊. Greg

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Cheers, Greg! I had to look up the Pontius to see the specs. Looks great!

[@guyboisvert66]

Yeah, exactly the point. Bad recording will always be bad, whatever the format you use. But for high quality, CD hands down. A basic good quality DAC like a 100$ SMSL SU-1 will leave any vinyl in the dust, no pun intended! And the Pontus won't "enhance" the CD experience, it'll be as transparent as it can be regarding to the sound recording in digital format. But surely better compared to the crappy DACs in most of the CD players...

[@JoeOrber]

I just turned 50 two months ago, and looking back to my childhood brings me fantastic memories of enjoying the music for what it was, it could be coming from a great sounding record player console system, a big FM radio or a small AM radio, or maybe from a great-sounding pre-recorded cassette tape, or a mix tape from the radio recorded in a portable boombox (back when I ven the cheap ones were good). Then CDs came in and were the best you could get, then minidisc… then the CD loudness war began, and streaming started getting popular after a while. Then something amazing happened: the vinyl record resurgence! 180-gram pressings with fantastic remastering, but others of very bad quality as well, and many turntable options for all budgets, with a wide variety and availability of moving magnet cartridges and styli… what a journey it has been! And all along the way, our perception changes; our taste evolves and devolves; our opinions turn into new directions, and so it goes on… what a lovely thing music is! Thank you for sharing your opinion and knowledge, keep up the great work! 😊

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thank you, Joe. It really is a journey and you're right - tastes change. I know mine has many times over the years. I even remember carrying around a little red transistor radio as a kid. When the antennae broker off it became a retractable sword to tease my brother with 😂😂😂

[@bobbyyounger7632]

Just learned ELP, Japan co., makes a laser turntable system that reads the vinyl....no cartridge ! Hefty price around 12k

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I heard about that Bobby. I can’t imagine what that must be like. I have a feeling, but I may be wrong that any little particle in the groove would affect the laser. But what do I know. It’s still cool.

[@bobbyyounger7632]

Yes, kind of defeats the purpose, no cartridge stylus on vinyl, why not just leave it at a compact disc especially at that price ! Today also seen a Japan audio engineer had developed a CD player that looks aesthetically like a turntable and the familiar tonearm has a laser where the stylus would be....interesting ! @@TheJoyofVinylRecords

[@roysonparsons3300]

My personal takeaway is that the differences in audio equipment are highly subjective. In recent years I’ve accumulated a lot of new gear based mostly on recommendations here on KZbin. Cheap Audio Man, Techmoan, etc. though I own several high end turntables, I had never bothered with external phono preamps, and never used an external DAC. Now I own 3 different phono preamps and 4 DAC’s ranging in price from $60 to $900. The ear opener for me was trying out A\B comparisons. I purchased a few of my favorite albums on remastered 180g vinyl, and two copies of each album on CD. I have two A/B devices, one that switches line level before final amplifier, and one that can select amp A/B or Speaker A/B. I carefully matched the output levels of everything with test discs and a VU meter. I should mention that though I have a lot of experience with audio (former recording engineer and DJ) I am now 65 years old, and hearing tests show I have a steep rolloff above 10k. BUT, with that in mind, my A/B audio comparisons were consistently unremarkable. LP vs CD? pretty much identical, with a few occasional clicks or pops from the LP’s. Preamps and amplifiers (AB vs D)? No discernible differences. Internal DAC vs external? No discernible differences. The only A/B comparison that made a real difference in the sound character was speakers. With speakers it is easy to choose a favorite. Currently the Sony SSCS5’s are my favorite, but I’ve only compared bookshelf speakers. I have several pairs of tower speakers and some oddball units like homemade DML panels that I plan to A/B compare next. Bottom line for me, other than the prestige and cool aesthetic factor of my more expensive gear, I conclude that my music sounds just as good from $200 worth of components as it does from $2,000 worth of components. Speakers matter a lot. Everything else MEH

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

This really made my day to read. I have a bunch of questions around this because it speaks to everything I think about. If you ever want to chat drop me a line through the website.

[@felixfranzen7318]

You're absolutely right! Speakers and room treatment is where it's at. The rest don't really matter. All reasonably well made hifi amps sound exactly the same (as long as you don't drive them into clipping). Same thing with digital sources.

[@tricotdiko1435]

You sir are my definition of an audiophile! Money is great but it is the time and mental effort you put in so the great music we listen to sounds the best it can. I built a great setup years ago and it still sounds fantastic. Great investment. But, I listen to my $230 + old iMac system in another room and am missing very little on most sessions. (I have the same Sony speakers you have.) I would second the fact that room treatment and speaker placement is important too.

[@djclubberlangley]

As a house vinyl dj I wouldn't touch anything else. Digital has ruined the craft, but more money and opportunities for the DJs who keep it as the lost art. Vinyl sounds way better when mixed compared to cd or digital. Great video, by the way. :)

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@BILLONEE]

I'm a firm believer that all formats have a place in a music fan's library. In the past there have been cassette tape releases with exclusives that still have never been released on CD or vinyl. Now you can transfer those exclusives to CD relatively easy. CD's have the advantage of time. A double LP set can fit on a single CD so you can enjoy the whole album non-stop. Vinyl LP's sound great too & have a "comfort zone" factor included. You can sit back & listen to them while comfortably reading the liner notes booklet. Unlike trying to read a CD bookle or cassette cover (At that size I feel like I'm reading a toaster instruction manual.). My opinion. I'm a new subscriber & will be watching your other videos. In case you didn't cover this yet, here's an interesting question. What is better & what sounds better...A half speed mastered 33&1/3 rpm LP or a 45 rpm double LP? Thank you. --- Bill

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Bill. Love that last question and I do have an opinion on that - great suggestion for a video! You had me laughing out loud on the toaster instruction manual comment. So true. I need a magnifying glass to read them 😂😂😂

[@davesdream]

Good morning Rick. One point that I would like to bring. What about if you like to hear your music with a wired headphones to the amplifier? I don't think equipment is that important. In addition, I just got my Zerostat3. I tested with paper and plastic attracted to the vinyl and how it removes the static. Let see how different is the playing part. 😉

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Can't wait to hear what you think about the Zerostat. I was extremely skeptical for years until I broke down to try it out. I've never really tried out headphones with my system - and I'm definitely a novice when it comes to them. I should check some out one of these days.

[@davesdream]

@@TheJoyofVinylRecords... maaaan... this hobby is expensive... 😂

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

It really really is @@davesdream

[@leonardopapantoniou4227]

Please send a buying link for the stabilizer device mentioned as number 5

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Leonardo! Apparently it's on backorder at both Amazon and Crutchfield (just checked for you). Here's the link to keep an eye on it. amzn.to/48YpfsQ

[@johnross2924]

Owning a album with great cover art work on vinyl is much more satisfying than owning it on cd for me 👍

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I'm with you on that, John. Nothing compares.

[@asokthiagu131]

Once vinyls are AAA, CDS are AAD. Nowadays vinyls are DDA While CDS are DDD.

[@robthis766]

Props to control controls, extra props for equalisers and high end room correction systems. Like yourself, I bought into the dogma that tone controls were bad. I was wrong. Some records are too bright, others too dull, so having the ability to make that little nudge to treble or bass can make a big difference. I am currently using a McIntosh MEN-220 room correction system and I can't imagine being without it. I've done what I can treat my listening room with bass traps, diffusers and absorbers and they help. That said, the MEN-220 still makes a very positive impact. It might be objected that since it digitizes the input signal it somehow reduces the "purity" of an analog source. I don't believe most people can hear it since the signal is converted to 192khz 24bit and it's very clean. A typical listening room contaminates the sound more than a very high end ADC/DAC signal processor which is combined with a powerful and highly configurable crossover. Happy listening.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I hadn’t heard about that McIntosh solution. II’ll have to read up on it. Thanks!

[@bacarandii]

Yes! I can tell you have a background in science and technology -- and I say that because I appreciate it. Every recording (having been captured in some acoustic environment somewhere, mixed, EQed and mastered), every delivery format, every piece of electronics (from players to DACs to pre-amps and power amps -- and tubes, as you mention), every set of speakers and their placement in every room is basically a set of "tone controls" that dramatically affect how musical vibrations sound when they reach your ears. AV receivers often come with room-acoustics technology (Audyssey is a popular one) to help correct and adjust the sound for your listening position in your individual space. There are good reasons for that. If "tone controls" (and "loudness"/"contour" switches for low-volume listening?) are forms of "cheating," then so are speakers. They all add their own character to the electronic signals they receive and attempt to reproduce in your room. P.S. As for dirty brand-new records: They're shipped from the factory, to the warehouse, to the retailer, and somehow wind up in your hands. Cardboard jackets are made of wee fibers, and so are the paper inner sleeves that were the standard until very recently. They shed a lot of debris. I never cleaned my records in the '70s and '80s -- but, I had a record changer for a long time, too, and if I'd known how much dust and damage my records were being exposed to, I would have been happy to clean them routinely. (But I did always have a Discwasher brush and cleaning fluid for when mysterious new noises appeared in the music I was listening to. I still maintain that one of the best record cleaning technologies is your stylus. When a record sounds dirty, wipe it off and play it again!)

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Great advice on cleaning the stylus! Your first paragraph put it wonderfully, especially about the speakers adding to the system's character and sound reproduction in the listening space.

[@jazzhead6775]

I would never buy an amplifier without tone controls as some recordings were made too bright and others too bass heavy. This is especially true with older jazz records when often trumpets and saxes were recorded at a higher volume than the piano, bass and drums which were often too quiet and recessed.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I've noticed that too with older jazz recordings (and especially early 80 rock).

[@lamarw9901]

First, "The audiophile man" recently reviewed in a youtube video some isolation pads for speakers and turn tables. I think yourself and many viewers would be interested. The more stable platform your speakers and turntable sit on the better. I also like the idea of isolating components from vibration and digital/electric noise in a price appropriate level to your system. If it is your golf swing, running, racing, etc the better you get, the closer the competition, the more the details matter. A well mastered recording on any of the forms of media mentioned when played on a good system can sound great. I enjoy good sound and have a Bluesound Vault which I use as a digital media server of sorts as it has a hard drive and CD reader to automatically rip the CD. No more lost, damaged, or organizing CDs. I keep the CDs in boxes out of the way. For me, there is a year and music genre scale to somewhat determine if I spring for the vinyl copy of the music (can't afford to buy it all and used CDs are cheap). 90s or newer rock, I'll buy the CD and rip it in FLAC to the Bluesound. Accoustic of any age, I am more likely to buy vinyl. 80s and older again vinyl. A friend restores 50s, 60s consoles and some sound pretty good, something like Elvis, early Beatles, Patsy Cline or Cash just sounds right on the old console. I am not going to say it is better than say a vintage McIntosh tube amp and Klipsch horns or whatever dream system but the old console has an enjoyable sound. I'd love to buy one but that can't buy it all statement rings true. He believes music sounds great on the type of system it was recorded to be played on. and... I think he has a point Boston probably sounds pretty good on Cerwin Vegas or JBLs and a big watt Pioneer, Sansui etc receiver, which gets back to my biased illogically logical sliding scale on how I determine which form of media I buy for that particular release.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I think there is some truth to what your friend said, Lamar. The current tech for playback when a piece of music is mastered probably does dictate how it is done. Really good point.

[@whome8192]

I was skeptical about Thomas and Stereo “hearting” my comment about audiophiles and tone control. I thought he was just being nice, as he like to do. Then I saw the Galion TS-120 with tone controls. Respect. On my Willsenton R-8 I add capacitance to the global negative feedback because the system was too bright, then I got new speakers, and needed more brightness so removed capacitance to get sound I liked…then changed the power tubes to get the bass and dynamics I wanted. Then I made a tube phone stage and get awesome dynamics and sound when the recording and pressing is right. Still want to turn up the bass on many records. Occasionally I put tone controls in the chain, I enjoy the music better, but it makes an eyesore. My system is now pretty good, that often I use tone defeat. Now I have a solid state and tube setup that I. A cross connect. So I can use dac from here, tone from there, pass it to Ss or tube…I just want a tube amp with tone controls and tone defeat. All that is crazy and gets in my way of enjoying music, I don’t want the “Journey”, I just want music the way I enjoy to hear it.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

You built your phono stage? Respect from me on that!

[@OldGuyHifi]

Great video. We all can evolve.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

That's what I love about all this - always something new to learn! 🍺

[@neilfisher7999]

I think most of us continue to evolve with this hobby over time. "Back in the day" (glad I'm not the only one who says that), I started out collecting music on 8 track for goodness sakes. Talk about an inferior format, it makes cassettes seem like the pinnacle of playback formats. Very quickly I started buying vinyl and instead of buying factory cassettes, I would buy blank tapes and record my albums for playback in the car or make some mixed tapes. Today I embrace the formats of vinyl, cd's and streaming and they all have their place. I am now on my second tube amplifier, something I never thought I would own. Although solid state amps are way more versatile, they don't have that natural sound that I prefer that only tubes seem to be able to replicate. Back in the day (there's that phrase again), I thought you had to have 100 watts of power or more to have great sound. My first tube amp was 8 watts, my new tube amp is 75 watts, and both of those amps have plenty of power with the right speakers to play plenty loud and sound great. Tube power just seems more robust somehow. Wattage is important to some degree, but it is often way over emphasized. Listening to music on 2 channel audio gear made specifically for music is such a fun hobby. I will never outgrow it and I will most likely continue to evolve with it.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I've been dying to hear how well you like the new amp, Neil. Decware tubes amps put out less than 10 watts! And they are raved about. I was speaking to a man who builds speakers - very efficient speakers - and he said a 1.5 watt tube amp will power them just fine.

[@ReasonablySane]

I sold Hi-Fi between 1976 and 1983. And before I sold HiFi I built my own Dynaco 400 and Pat 5 pre. Once I became a salesman and I can buy everything at half price, I ended up with a Kenwood KD 500 turntable with an ADC tonearm and zlm cartridge. I currently own four turntables and that one is still my main turntable. Looks like direct drive basically lasts forever 😁 Anyway, vibration has always been a big deal for me. That's why my main listening room is actually one end of my new shop building. The concrete floor's really good for killing vibrations. And yes I think the vibrations is the most important thing in your list. I will throw this out though: I have several hundred cassettes and a couple of cassette decks and I have them mainly for a curiosity. Back in the day I used a very good cassette deck to record my brand new albums on cassette and then proceeded to play the cassettes rather than the album so they didn't wear out. I have a couple dozen of those original tapes and they still sound pretty much as good as they did back in the day, at least to my ears. But I also think CD ultimately completely replaced cassettes especially when they brought the ability to record. That is, I agree with your assessment of CDs but not cassettes. That's why, though for me it's all about vinyl, I do listen to CDs and I started collecting them from thrift stores because you can get them for 50 cents a piece still. But I'm not interested in cassettes at all anymore. At least I'm not interested in acquiring any more. I have several NOS bricks of blank tapes that I'll probably never use. I probably should sell them to some hipsters. Regarding expensive equipment, I am actually a cheap equipment snob. Back in the day I had a 600-watt per channel bi-amplified system into a pair of ESS AMT 1B monitors. Though I still have half of that system electronically, my current speakers are a $100 subwoofer and three pairs of very small bookshelf speakers that I paid $5 a pair for at garage sales. And two of those pairs blew all their drivers and I had to buy replacement drivers online. And the comical part is though the speakers were different, one pair was advent and one was polk, I put the exact same woofers and tweeters in both. They sound great. Jazz trio sound like they are in the room. Especially when the three pairs of speakers are stacked vertically with the speakers on their side and the dome tweeters lined up vertically But the reason I can do this is because I am no longer purely an audiophile. I'm more into the music now. I've never taken tube equipment seriously because it's just too expensive, regarding bang for the buck. The biggest change you can make in your system to truly improve sound quality is room acoustics. And that's what I focused on when I built my current listening room. And holy cow does it matter.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

"sell them to some hipsters" - love that. As you said - room acoustics may be the biggest improvement one can make. My wife and I finally got rid of the laminate floor and did some other tweaks and I already hear the difference. And those old Kenwoods are beautiful.

[@DanG85]

Like most commercial products the market drives to efficiency by satisfying the average consumer. Bell telephone standardized on 300-3000 hz as the frequency response. CDs were a compromise truncating high frequency definition. Vinyl was compromised by speed and physical materials. As someone who would get headaches from florescent tubes and CRTs when they go bad, I know most people don't hear the higher frequencies with any clarity and for them CDs may be perfection but for me they are what I can get for reasonable money. They are good enough.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Florescent tubes do the same to me after an extended period of time.

[@joeperry7891]

The argument I always heard about ‘tone controls’ was that the tracks were recorded exactly how the artist/producer/whovever mastered it intended for it to be heard. How many times have I listened to an interview with an artist/producer/whovever saying the mixing sux and needed to be redone. How many times do bands remaster recordings?

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Too many to count!

[@timothystockman7533]

I've been cleaning records since the 1980s. New records have always been dirty.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Live and learn. I wish I'd paid more attention when I was younger. Youth is wasted on the youth 😂

[@gojdartamas34]

The biggest tone controll behind You it’s callsed vacum tubess😊

[@johnlightfoot9967]

Came across your channel, will sub to see how things go. One of my pet hates with audio people is they like to use the word best when talking about equipment, best for who, best if setup with the same equipment as the reviewer and the same room with same furnishing. No, best should never be used as new people might see it and believe it leading to an expensive mistake. I have always liked tone controls, been called a few names but always stuck with it. Try living in the UK with carpets, curtains and plasterboard walls, then move to Spain with tiled floors, no curtains and concrete walls, you will end up begging for tone controls or a loan to modify the room. My other use for tone controls is to turn the treble up to maximum as at 69 and suffering from tinnitus I have to boost high frequencies to overcome the whistling in my old head. As for cassettes, they are analogue and if you have used a good deck and recorded from a good source you would be hard pushed to realise it was from cassette. To me a hifi enthusiast is someone who sits down to listen to the music, their equipment might have cost 20k or might have come from a garage sale for 100. if they are happy and enjoy the music then all is well :).

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I’m so glad you mentioned the carpet and all. My wife and I completely ripped our listening room apart. We took out the laminate floor, put in decent grade carpet, heavier blackout curtains to minimize window reflections, etc. Another improvement. I bet I could put an entry level system in this room (not a perfect room) and have it sound great. I wish more folks knew they didn’t have to beak the bank for a good sound.

[@mckeldin1961]

I live in a tiny studio apartment. I have bookshelf speakers and because of space constraints I've done the absolute "no-no": I have the speakers on the same surface as my turntable. They are currently sitting on foam cut-outs which came with the speakers and fit very well, but is there anything else I can do to mitigate the potential for vibration? I've actually toyed with hiring a professional to come in and advise me how to rearrange my apartment to accommodate my hi-fi equipment, HDTV, and shelves and shelves of books, discs and records; but I think it would be cheaper to move!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

lol - don't move, Biff! There are some great pads made for speakers that will do the trick. I used foam isolation pads as well when I had to put the speakers on the same shelf (only 3-4 years ago). They work well.

[@jcw1569]

It's nice to have a vinyl head realize that vinyl isn't superior just because it's analog. Sure it's fun, but I got tired of the drawbacks years ago. I didn't feel like cleaning or dealing with feedback and seeing my woofers attempting to escape the speaker cabinet. It's all about the mastering, but if both the CD and Vinyl have fantastic mastering, the CD is going to sound better. Too bad CD gets a bad reputation from some releases being compressed out the ass. Tracking down different releases of a CD can be a challenge, but most can be downloaded and compared with each other. I knew for years that a lot of vinyl was pressed from digital sources, even in the 80s, I saw vinyl mastering machines had CD players along with a R2R. Sending a CD in the mail is cheaper than an expensive reel.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

There are so many others here who have the same experience as you do - cheers! Hope you stick around 😎

[@Scotlanz]

Pedant alert! If that’s a cardioid pattern mic you’re using, it should probably be perpendicular and you should talk into the side of it. 😂😂😂 I’m thinking of getting a vinyl system so I appreciate your candour here. 👍

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Eric! If you do get into vinyl let me know if you have any questions. And the mic - it's a Heil PR 40 which is a dynamic mic with a cardioid pattern. I use it for podcasting and Izotope RX10 Advanced in post production.

[@user-gv1oz2yx1i]

I listen to vinyl, sacd, and stream through apple tv into 5.1.2 through Onkyo receiver. I use waxwing by Parks AUDIO for phono preamp. I wish to upgrade speakers - KLH Kendalls are current for front -LR. I also have a bluepoint 2 mc cart and would appreciate recommendations for upgrade under 1k. i have a small listening room with windows, rugs, canvas paintings on wall. 8 foot ceilings.. Considering Warfdale Lintons and Black LVB MM upgrades. I use isolation and have an Onkyo RZ50 with Dirac and an Emotiva GPA with 5 channels of extra oomph. The sacd is also a blue ray player and a Sony 1000es. I love Hans Zimmerman, modest collector of vinyl , Pink Floyd, Led Zepplan, Lumineers, Jethr Tull, Octave Recordings from PS audio, MOFI. and so much more. I enjoy this channel, John Darko, Steve Gutenberg, Andrew Robinson, The In Groove, and Melinda Murphy. 76 year old enthusiast with hearing loss and music is in my soul. Thank You

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

We are not far apart. Your room sounds ds a lot like mine. Instead of the Lintons I’m powering KLH Model 5s with a Galion TS120 tube amp. Also using an Ortofon LVB 250 on my Thorens. I also have tinnitus! Anyway. I’m hoping to move to an MC cart later this year. We shall see…

[@davepounds8924]

Good video I agree with you on a lot of your points! What gets me is the people in the VC who constantly talk about how superior vinyl is to CDS But aren’t they the same people who sold their vinyl to buy CDs back in the 80s??? Digital sound is fine with the right equipment People take this it has to be analog thing to far

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Exactly, Dave. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to music or format. Only preference. 🍺

[@ZZZ_ZZZ_ZZZ_ZZZ_ZZZ]

ISOLATION! Thank you so much for bringing up the obvious. High definition digital audio immediately eliminated almost all of the expensive things that I couldn't fix for my vinyl. I was broke and lived in a mobile home. Isolation nightmare. I was still using my Discwasher brush and spray. Static nightmare I eventually got another Zerostat antistatic gun. Sorta fixed Proper shape of stylus and a good cartridge still not fixed. Expensive 1980's era Yamaha preamp as phono preamp. It's a matter of opinion on that. Now I have good Internet with high def streaming to a reliable DAC to my home theater system. I also play Blu-ray audio. My entire collection is converted to FLAC and streaming from my server. I even ripped some vinyl that I couldn't find on CD. None of the ritual, but none of the hassle either. Now I have a headphone shopping list. Planar Magnetic.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Such a journey isn't it? Cheers!

[@ajaypimpalapure1322]

I made a ecc83 tube pre amp and kt88 power amp it sounds wonderful

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I've always wanted to do something like that - kudos to you! 🍺

[@jackrosati1438]

I've, very recently, changed my mind of quality RCA cables. A nice pair of cables have made an improvements in my system

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I do agree with that completely.

[@richardsoffice9176]

There appear to be different levels of quality for RCA Cables; you may wish to consider acquiring equipment which utilizes XLR Cables; these may provide better sound, be more reliable. Some pieces of equipment has provision for XLR cables, some, doesn't. Check!

[@jackrosati1438]

@@richardsoffice9176 I got some blue jean LC1s and they have been great. Working with a UTrun Orbit plus ATM so that's about as far as I'm going to go with this system.

[@Ross1966]

Same here, after changing interconnects between preamp and amp.

[@dtz1000]

Gold connections on my spny music player make a huge difference to audio quality. I have another Sony player that doesn't have gold and it sounds awful.

[@stephenbarrow3352]

Re Tone controls. My hearing at 60 isn't the same as it was at 20. Being able to tailor the sound to your personal hearing ability is vital.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

It really is. I'll never tell someone to avoid them.

[@IDPhotoMan]

Cleaning stylus needles with Magic Eraser. Amazing how great it works if done carefully.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I'm on board with that. I do it myself!

[@markmendenhall7348]

Good points. Two ways to dramatically improve one’s vinyl playback experiences: 1) buy the best cartridge you can afford and have it installed professionally; 2) have your records cleaned ultrasonically. Oh, and 3) don’t expect old, uncared for vinyl to sound magical. Abused records can’t be made to sound wonderful. Old, well cared for records can be ultrasonically cleaned which, when played on decent gear, can sound stunning.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Great additions Mark. I really want to check out ultrasonic cleaning at some point (budget allowing).

[@markmendenhall7348]

I wet-vac cleaned my collection for over 20 years (VPI 16.5) which did a decent job. When I bought the iSonic cleaner, which allows me to clean up to 7 records at a time, the fidelity, noise reduction, detail, and dynamics improved noticeably. In some cases, dramatically.

[@carminedesanto6746]

GM ..stuck in Niagara Falls…long story. Streaming your video while waking around…..

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Hi Carmine! Hope all is ok. Stay safe!

[@AllanTovey-hj6pd]

Hey! I see you included part of a video showing a multi-color vinyl disk. This pressing plant specialises in producing these unique records. That is NOT dirt or dust on the surface as some of your viewers might think.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I don’t doubt it at all Allan. Really. They may be great. The thing I saw was the fingers in the vinyl. I’ve encountered fingerprints on new records (not saying from this plant) but this is an example (this why I blurred the face).

[@guscaldas3]

Rick, It's fascinating how the "feel" of the sound from my piano has this uncanny resemblance to a well-recorded analogue piano album on vinyl. While the purists might pick apart the "awfull" measurements, for me, there's an inexplicable allure. There's something about the warmth and richness that vinyl brings, something that digital files struggle to replicate, but is getting closer, not close. Most of my analogue albums, especially those predating 1981, offer a more satisfying listening experience compared to their digital counterparts. Of course, there are exceptions, often found in remastered CD versions, but there's a charm to the original vinyl that's hard to beat.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I completely agree, and I have been diving down the research rabbit hole to try to understand why this is. I can't believe it's completely subjective. I still struggle with it. I wrote this recently while trying to grasp the "feel" you mentioned - joyofvinyl.com/what-we-hear/

[@guscaldas3]

I'm excited to dive into the article you wrote! To give you some background, I've spent two decades living as a jazz pianist and teacher, fully immersed in the music world. I didn't pay much attention to the audiophile scene and was content with an old turntable, Bose speakers, and a Yamaha receiver. My ears are finely attuned to the sounds of acoustic instruments. Vinyl affects me in a similar way to live music, especially acoustic music, compared to digital, which I also enjoy, especially with advancements in reproduction and recording quality. While I don't rely on scientific explanations for my experiences, as you said, there must be something behind this; vibration and the essential imprint of sound into the groove, whatever that is...

[@guscaldas3]

Fascinating article! Thank you. Keith Jarrett, a jazz piano legend and my main influence, was apparently at one of these early 80s gatherings where they showcased digital recordings for the first time. The room buzzed with amazement, except for Jarrett. His producer, struck by the lack of background noise, leaned over and said, "Isn't it incredible how quiet it is?" Jarrett's reply? "Just a dead silence."

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

@@guscaldas3 That's a great anecdote!

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

@@guscaldas3 I've turned into a student of sound in this respect. There's something to it.

[@jhonwask]

I've been cleaning my records since the 1970's, yes even new ones, in order to record them onto cassette tape. Of course a quality tape and deck were used. Never have i stopped playing records since the 1960's and have been lugging them from residence to residence as I moved around the country. Now, I'm in my forever house and now have thousands of records, tapes of many formats, CD's and even digital downloads. And My recorded tapes sound just as great as when I first recorded them over 50 years ago. And, I still listen to 78rpm records. Some are a little crackly, but most sound just fine, especially the 50's pop and rock ones. I love my records and have cherished them for years. I've been playing records since my first record player in the 60;s which played 78's with a steel needle. i don't remember what ever happened to that one or my RCA 45 record changer, but i still have many of those old records. Most will never be available today. I like that isolation device under your turntable; I really hate when I get feedback through the system. Your video was great. Thanks for making it and all those others.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

And thank you for watching John! Your description of lugging them from residence to residence resonates. I've been doing so for decades as well. I call it my vinyl turtle shell 😂😂😂

[@danielgeiger7739]

Room treatment helps tremendously, even in a furnished room, not those bare bones audiophile bunkers you see occasionally. -- There is such a thing as imaging and "hearing the room" [of the performance, not my room]. -- There are differences amongst DACs. -- Old records of "unsophisticated" music [punk, garage, indie] can have surprisingly good sound quality, particularly sound stage.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I know what you mean. When we redid the "vinyl room" recently we added carpet and heavier window coverings. Even that helped improve things.

[@dobieprime]

Having used vintage equipment for years, I updated my Amp with a Rotel Tribute. Love that Amp. BUT, hearing all of these "audiophiles" talk about how they reviewed new albums and did it totally flat..with no tone control...I tried it for a few days. And HATED IT! I began to question my equipment because most of it was new. And I begin to doubt myself. It wasn't till I played with the tone controls on the Rotel that my records came alive again. I don't see how anyone can listen to anything "flat". There is just no life in the music when you do that and you're missing things.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Never doubt yourself or your ears 🍺

[@David-lr2tj]

Tone/EQ controls are not monsters- your ROOM is the monster. Controls are good, when used appropriately.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

Yes!

[@stevebird9510]

I run my Pioneer turntable through a Behringer PMP 4000 mixer. I can make a 78 rpm record sound brand new..on my other turntable of course the Pioneer doesn't have the 78 rpm option.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

That's really cool, Steve.

[@kevinpatrickmacnutt]

CDs are not inferior, it is just more passive. That said, the physical limitations of vinyl eliminates brickwalling and requires more care with equalization to have it be playable (i.e. not having the stylus jump from the groove). A CD you can put any garbage mix on it and it will still play fine, albeit with often horrible listening fatigue. Cassettes much like LPs sound great with the right eqiupment. It is what the deck can get out of the tape that most matters. For example on my Nakamichi, while I still use Chrome or Metal cassettes for certain recordings, with fine bias controls those decks can get amazing results out of a common everyday cassette like a TDK D, Maxell UR or Sony HF. I am generally of the opinion if your tapes "spill" or sound bad you are either using the wrong equipment or equipment in need of maintenance.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I have no doubt you are absolutely right about the equipment the tape is played on. I've never had a decent tape deck.

[@iankirk4660]

Great video mate. I agree with your 5 points however could there be be a sixth. I keep reading that cables make a massive difference to the sound of your system. I’m still not convinced maybe you could do a video on this. Take care.

[@TheJoyofVinylRecords]

I've thought about doing that, Ian. I need to borrow some high-end cables from someone to do it justice.

[@iankirk4660]

Cheers Rick. Hope you can I would be very interested in the results 👍