Phonographs

[Shaka]

While cleaning out my Dad's house last night I found a stash of vinyl, some of it my older siblings and some mine. Some of the treasures include Boston - Boston, Foreigner - 4, Styx - Kilroy Was Here, Ratt - Invasion of Your Privacy, Chicago- 17, and REO Speedwagen - High In-Fidelity. Oh yeah, also a copy of the Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass album with the whip cream covered hottie on the cover.

I graduated to cassette tapes early in life and was an early adopter of CD's but discovering this long lost vinyl was kind of cool. This morning I was scrolling through my iPod and discovered I had a digital copy of Foreigner 4. I was just a little punk when this album came out but I remember it being a monster hit and back in the day I loved it. I just listened to it from start to finish and was amazed once again regarding the quality of the album.

The only thing lacking was the digital copy. There was just something lacking when compared to a record. The result is I want to get a decent turntable, sit on a couch with two massive old Cerwin Vega speakers pointed at me, turn out the lights, crank the volume, and listen to this album the way God intended.

I would also like to start trying to find albums from some of the artists I enjoyed later in life. How cool would it be to listen to the new Radiohead in the LP format?

I have a crappy turntable but rarely use it. I would like an upgrade. Do any of you geniuses know of a decent model at a reasonable price? I do not want a phono to USB model.

[MarkGrace]

That's cool dude! I love listening to vinyl and have wanted to get a record player for the longest time now. Haven't been able to afford one while in school, but I'm going to do it soon and have been collecting some vinyls here and there along the way.

My first listening experiences as a kid were on my dad's record player. Harvest by neil young, IV by zep (I think this is one where they actually wrote most of the songs), nebraska by springsteen, dark side of the moon, albums by the allman bros, deep purple, the doors, santana, SRV, etc. I loved those old records. The little crackle and hiss, the sound of needle hitting vinyl...so awesome.

My buddy started collecting vinyl pretty seriously in college so my dad gave all his old records to him. Oh well. Ill find them all again in shops someday.

[Shaka]

My older siblings actually have the records you listed above as well as a pretty nice collection of sixties and seventies rock but have no way to play them. My plan is to somehow acquire all the good stuff from them as well as hitting up the local record shops.

I was just checking some turntables out online and it seems like you can pay as little or as much as you want. I just want to find that sweet spot where I can play the common speeds of records and have excellent sound.

[TripletDaddy]

I have kept all my vinyl. I have record crates filled with albums, 12" singles, etc. I won't throw them away.

[Shaka]

I have kept all my vinyl. I have record crates filled with albums, 12" singles, etc. I won't throw them away.

Awesome! do you have something to play them?

[TripletDaddy]

Awesome! do you have something to play them?

Not here. At home. I have a turntable which I recently purchased about a year ago. One of the biggest problems with turntables these days....nowhere to put them comfortably. Most entertainment centers are sized for modern components which are not as deep as turntables. So if you put your turntable with your speakers and receiver, it will stick out or even hang over the edge of some cabinets. I wound up packing it back up because I just didnt have anywhere to put it.

I have considered bringing it to work for my office. WOuld be kind of cool to have a mini system in there. But I don't want 5 crates of vinyl sitting on the floor.

My teen years were comprised of many trips to Hollywood to go record shopping on Melrose or Hollywood Blvd.....all my Depeche Mode 12 inch singles, Smiths, New Order, Erasure, Alphaville, Echo, etc....very collectible Brit bands and all of which you can now download via bit torrent. I was a completist with certain bands so I have loads and loads of stuff. All of them in plastic covers and mostly in great condition. I loved buying a new album, listening to it and studying the album art, reading the liner notes, etc. Very much a vestige from my youth.

[creekster]

I have all my old vinyl, too, which includes records I purchased over the years and some I liberated from the record collection of a radio station I worked at (they never played them!). Sadly, I do not currently have a turntable as I gave mine to my uncle as a favor and have never replaced it. But I will, someday, before I die.

[Shaka]

I really miss LP's for the same reason. I think I migrated to tapes far too soon.

I'm thinking I can find some sort of aftermarket stand that can hold a turntable. I doubt I can fit one into my current furniture. I used to have cassettes of a lot of the stuff you mentioned. Most of them disappeared while I was on my mission.

[Shaka]

One piece of vinyl that I really miss was my Depeche Mode Behind the Wheel/Route 66 single. It took me a long time to find that on CD. I finally tracked it down on a compilation CD at the record store that was by The Tower Theater at 9th and 9th. I can't believe I'm drawing a blank on the name of that store.

[creekster]

One piece of vinyl that I really miss was my Depeche Mode Behind the Wheel/Route 66 single. It took me a long time to find that on CD. I finally tracked it down on a compilation CD at the record store that was by The Tower Theater at 9th and 9th. I can't believe I'm drawing a blank on the name of that store.

Is that the old head shop with a basement? I bought a lot of used records there.

[MarkGrace]

I was just checking some turntables out online and it seems like you can pay as little or as much as you want. I just want to find that sweet spot where I can play the common speeds of records and have excellent sound.

From what I've gathered from talking to people, most of the cost is in the needle. The table itself is not as expensive.

[TripletDaddy]

One piece of vinyl that I really miss was my Depeche Mode Behind the Wheel/Route 66 single. It took me a long time to find that on CD. I finally tracked it down on a compilation CD at the record store that was by The Tower Theater at 9th and 9th. I can't believe I'm drawing a blank on the name of that store.

There are 2 UK versions of those. A lmt edition and a non limited edition import. Also the domestic US version. Each with different remixes (beatmasters, shep pettibone, etc). The other euro versions have basically the same remixed you will find from the UK and US and the 7 inch. I was a completist with them through Violator, then I lost total interest for some reason. Probably the music, actually. Went downhill in a big way.

[TripletDaddy]

From what I've gathered from talking to people, most of the cost is in the needle. The table itself is not as expensive.

the "stylus" or needle is costly, but the overall machine is more. You can pick up a really good needle for $40, a cheap one for probably under $10.

I remember back in the breakdancing craze of the 80s, some DJ friends dropped serious coin on those two way stylus deals. the needle basically was perpendicular to the wax to allow for two-way scratching. they broke easily and were really expensive...but it was so cool to be able to play the record backwards.

[RC Vikings]

This thread is making me feel old.

[creekster]

This thread is making me feel old.

You are old.

I bet you remember puttting a nickel on the turntable's arm to play a warped record. I do.