Tag Archives: Audio-Technica

Covet Is A Sin? or: I Want One

11 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Records

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Salutations™!!

I was standing in Underdog Records today and was watching Jonathan and De hook up stereo equipment and test them out receivers and speakers. I realize that I want some. I want these. They sounded awesome. It was a Sansui receiver with Pioneer speakers. They sounded fantastic. De was playing some Snoop Dogg and the bass was thumping. They had to turn down the bass and lift the treble on the Sansui and the speakers were taking everything they threw at them.  sansui-2000x-1

I’m not unhappy with what I have.

I have an Audio Technica LP60USB which is a fine “entry level” turntable. I would actually like to have the next level AT on the market but I don’t know if I will get one anytime soon. The part that I partially have a problem with is that I play it through my Yamaha 5.1 surround receiver and while I do have it set to 2-channel stereo for records and “Alexa,” I want a dedicated receiver designed with a phono stage.

So, my thoughts are if I get a new (or new to me) receiver and speakers, I may consider also getting a classic turntable or upgrade to a newer higher-dollar model. Jonathan always has stuff coming through and the stuff I hear sounds great, but I don’t know where I’d put it, either. We are already out of room for the vinyl we have, much less new equipment to take up even more room.

We have discussed if we look for a new house that two of the very important specs we have to have are a fantastic and roomy kitchen and a dedicated “listening space.” It can be a separate room, a spare bedroom, a rec/rumpus room, etc., but it will be for all the vinyl/record equipment. I will keep this surround system wherever the TV goes, but I want something dedicated to records for that room.

It doesn’t have to be retro/classic/used stuff, but I wouldn’t mind that. Having something that glows when you’re turning the lights down low to just enjoy listening or when you’re listening to the radio (but who does that anymore?), or having a bit of Scotch while listening to Steely Dan?

I know that Ember Audio will be reopening in a new space and it will be in my neighborhood, well the studio’s neighborhood (Industry Hill) and I’ll be tempted to go in there and buy something because it will all be shiny and awesome but they sell high-dollar stuff. However, I’ve heard that Chris and Jamie want to also sell more affordable-yet-good stuff, too. I’ll talk with them to see what they say. I just know that sometime soon or not-so-soon, I want something new. Heck, I still long for the old console record player/AM/FM/8-Track Stereo that I had and just abandoned when I moved to WSNC in 1986. I really wish I still had that.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Vinyl is the real deal. I’ve always felt like until you buy the vinyl record, you don’t really own the album. And it’s not just me or a little pet thing or some kind of retro romantic thing from the past. It is still alive.” – Jack White

The Needle Lies or: For the Record

22 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Records

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Salutations™!!

It is a sad day here at the Scorp household. We are staring at a wall of beautiful vinyl gems and are not listening to them. Our turntable is an Audio-Technica AT‑LP60‑USB. Sure, it’s entry level but it has been a great turntable. We have kind of outgrown it but we can’t really afford a new one. Plus, we’re holding out hope about finding a new house with a “listening room” where we can customize a new audio setup or “audio suite” to reflect our vinyl listening habits. But, as any reader of this blog’s Sunday (or heck most other days) edition or viewer of my personal Instagram feed knows, we listen to a shload of records.

 

audiotechnica-ATN3600L_1800x

ATN3600L

 

The turntable was a gift from The BCPF four Christmases ago. The needle on this thing is original, so it has gotten a good bit of wear and tear. We’re over 1200 albums and we’ve listened to about 70% of them, many of them more than once. Again, a shload of listening. We’ve noticed over the last little bit that many of our older records (meaning mostly older than me) have started getting really distorted and distant when we play them, especially in certain tonal registers. New records don’t sound as pristine as they used to, either.

It sounded like the records needed cleaning. Well, again, if you read this blog, I do a lot to clean my records, either with the washing system I have or by using the solution that I make with a painter’s edging tool and microfiber cloth. I took the record one record we were listening to off the platter and cleaned it, again, but it still sounded distorted and distant. So, not that.

I considered it may be the speakers. Perhaps I had blown one? I mean, my hearing isn’t the best anymore and I have to turn it up to hear them. I switched to another input and had Alexa play the same record I was listening to on my Amazon Echo Dot. The music sounded perfectly clear. So, not that (thankfully).

New records, as I said, don’t sound as pristine but they do sound better, so I’m pretty sure it’s not wiring. That just leaves the needle in our minds. Luckily, the cartridge can be changed on the AT‑LP60‑USB and Amazon carries the replacement for under $18. It is Christmas season and we risked getting it with any kind of expediency, but according to Amazon, we should have it tomorrow. That would be great. And, hopefully, that will be what fixes it. But, today, vacation is going to be [mostly] record free. I don’t want to have a dull needle eating into my records. I know, technically, every time you listen you’re basically damaging the record, but I’d rather do it while hearing it as cleanly as possible instead of destroying it.

So, here’s hoping that delivery is right on time because we purchased a few “rekkids” yesterday that we haven’t gotten a chance to listen to, yet. And, tomorrow is, in fact, Saturday and that is our traditional “listening day.” I may freak out if we don’t get to do our “thang.” I’m kidding about that, but I won’t be happy about it.

Until tomorrow, happy listening (if you can)…
Scorp out!

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“I miss the experience of walking into a record store and find old stuff without expecting to.” – Mark Hoppus