turntables & vinyl - retro resurgence
DESCRIPTION
Vinyl music is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. But to add this capability to your home theater, you need a turntable. Learn about the different types of turntables, which are best, and which are actually affordable. Also learn how to properly care for vinyl, the most frail music storage format. This slideshow includes information regarding needles, tone arms, and cartridges--and suggests replacement models. Also included is a mini buyer's guide, helping you find the right equipment within your budget.TRANSCRIPT
Turntables & Vinyl:
From the Kindle book
Home Theater for the Internet Age
Retro Resurgence
Turntables & Vinyl
Turntable = good way to leverage your investment in your home theater
Hear your favorite music in a way you never have before
Frail format—Vinyl is delicate—Easily scratched, melted, or warped—Susceptible to static cling—Must be cleaned before every playing
Retro Resurgence
In 2013, Amazon reported that its vinyl sales were up 745% since 2008—“Vinyl is the fastest growing music medium
on Amazon” Analog vs. digital
—Analog vinyl is richer, warmer, and higher fidelity Downside: Vinyl LPs 2-3x more expensive than
digital compact discs—$20-30 (just like high-resolution optical discs)
Retro Resurgence
Some sources estimate that >30 million vinyl LPs were pressed worldwide in 2013— 25 million of these distributed in the United States
Best quality is artists who record fully analog— Jack Johnson, Black Keys, Foo Fighters, Jack
White, Drive-By Truckers (to name only a few)— In 2014, Jack White’s Lazaretto became the
biggest-selling vinyl album in 20 years Vinyl LPs don’t always sound great
— They must be recorded and mastered well
Advantages of Vinyl
Vinyl = pressing of all of analog information in original recording— None of the sampling rate or bit rate worries
None of the sacrifices in fidelity of CDs— Vinyl not compressed, like CDs, MP3, or AAC files
Surprising number of bands today publishing albums on vinyl— Foo Fighters, Daft Punk, Vampire Weekend, Drive-By
Truckers, The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, many more— Classic albums from Eric Clapton, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, the
Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan re-released on vinyl
More about Turntables
Delicate machine playing a delicate format Spinning platter powered by a small motor
—Low-quality motors cause problems Two types of drive mechanisms
—Belt drive vs. direct drive—Belt drive is superior—Direct drive transfers vibration, noise, and other
problems from the motor to the tone arm to the needle to the LP
Even More Turntable Talk
Models featuring heavier platters are better—Helps minimize audible sound distortion
Spinning platter powered by a small motor—Low-quality motors cause problems
Two types of drive mechanisms—Belt drive vs. direct drive—Belt drive is superior—Direct drive transfers vibrations and noise from
the motor to the tone arm to the needle to the LP
Wow & Flutter
Wow & flutter = audible distortion Problems inherent in the analog, mechanical nature of
vinyl LPs— Result of small speed fluctuations— Worse on direct drive turntables and lower
quality models Belt drive turntables minimize speed fluctuations,
reducing wow and flutter Wow and flutter most evident on certain music
— Performances featuring “oboe, string, guitar, flute, brass, and piano solos” (Wikipedia)
Vinyl = Frail Format
We are a download and iTunes culture— Millennials are either completely ignorant of vinyl or
simply not interested Vinyl suffers from problems that don’t afflict
compact discs or digital files— Simply walking across the floor can = wow & flutter— Records must be kept clean and properly stored
CDs can tolerate temps up to 600◦ F, but LPs can melt and warp at <200◦ F— Never, never store LPs in direct sunlight or a car
Phono Preamps
Amps that work solely with turntables— Also called phono amps or phono stages
Provide an amplification balance — Cater to the tonal characteristics (timbre)
and vulnerabilities of turntables and vinyl Reputable models: Grado, Pro-Ject, Cambridge
Audio, NAD, Rega, B.M.C., and Sutherland— $150+ = Cambridge Audio and NAD— Several hundred $$ = Grado— Several thousand $$ = Rega, B.M.C., Sutherland
Reputable Turntable Models
Let’s cover the affordable models first Audio Technica AT-LP60: $100 Sony PS-LX300USB: $150 U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic: $180 Denon DP-300F: $350 Pro-Ject Debut Carbon: $400
— Features a carbon fiber tone arm that is supposedly perfectly balanced
— Reduces vibration that results in wow and flutter
Reputable Turntable Models
Now let’s get into audiophile big $$ stuff Marantz Reference Series: $1,500 Rega models: $450-2,500 Luxman PD-171: $6,400
—Features solid alloy platter—Vibration-killing weight of 51 lbs—Try getting your spouse to approve this one
Stylus & Cartridge
Stylus = needle Cartridge holds stylus; attaches to tone arm Very important part of any turntable
—Delicate zone where the playing device touches the storage medium (LP)
Cartridge is an upgrade opportunity for hobbyists—Also must be replaced over time
More Stylus & Cartridge
If stylus or cartridge becomes worn, immediately replace it —Damaged or worn stylus could damage your
expensive LPs Most people simply replace a worn/damaged
cartridge with the same model Don’t spend big $$ on a cartridge for an
inexpensive, low-quality turntable
Reputable Cartridge Models
Grado offers turntable cartridges ranging from $70-3,500— For those of you who like to buy American, Grado is
hand-made in New York City— Makes cartridges, but not turntables
Shure covers entry-level models from $60-165— Also does not make turntables
Audio Technica covers the middle range with cartridges priced from $30 to $1,100— Also offers the widest range of cartridges
One Final Caution
Ensure that your AV receiver can accept input from a turntable—Not all do
Be prepared to pay $20-30 for albums on vinyl Between hardware and album costs, many choose
to simply stick with CDs and streaming music My advice: Put your $$ into good speakers
These slides are derived from
the Amazon Kindle book
Home Theater for the
Internet Ageby
Curt Robbins
Other Books by Curt Robbins
Understanding Personal Data Security
Understanding Digital Music
Understanding Cutting the Cord
Understanding Home Theater
About Curt Robbins
Publishes a blog: Middle Class Tech Flipboard magazine: Middle Class Tech Twitter: @CurtRobbins
Surround Sound Formats
Excerpt from Home Theater for the Internet Age