The Audiophile Thread

[strawberrybrick]

I'm pretty sure that's what I am looking for. Thanks, Ken, I'll do some research on those manufacturers. One question: I already have a VPI. In your opinion, does an ultra-sonic provide significantly better results than a VPI, or am I just as well waiting to upgrade until it craps out. I'm asking you because I trust your opinion, understanding that this is somewhat subjective.

I have a "diy" unit. Bought an ultrasonic tank and use Cleaner Vinyl products with it, plus Vinyl Vac to dry. I'm a big fan of ultrasonic cleaning, it cleans better than other methods, in my experience. One of these days I'll post a video of the tank after I've cleaned a bunch of records.

The thing about record cleaning is... how retentive do you want to be? Most records shouldn't need much cleaning. Once, sure, but how dirty does a properly handled/stored get? VPI does a good job, especially if you vacuum. Over the past two years, I've cleaned EVERY record I own. Most were good, some I just wanted to replace. But no matter how clean a record is, you'll never turn a $2 thrift store bargain into a mint pressing, if you know what I mean.

[moecurlythanu]

I had a VPI 16.5 for about 25 years. Eventually it shit the bed and I bought a 17 as a replacement. Both do a fine job of cleaning. Ultrasonic cleaning does provide significantly better results. The most obvious result is it lowers the noise floor. I still use the VPI 17 as a preclean for really dirty albums to remove the obvious visible schmutz. My preference is to use Audio Intelligent No. 15 enzymatic cleaner. I will then pop the album into the Audio Desk Pro for a deep ultrasonic clean.

If you can afford it I recommend it. You will hear the difference right away.

Thanks, Ken. I'm always looking for better results, even having gotten good results with the VPI and the Disc Doctor cleaner thus far. I'll look into this excellent info.

[moecurlythanu]

The thing about record cleaning is... how retentive do you want to be? Most records shouldn't need much cleaning. Once, sure, but how dirty does a properly handled/stored get?

I retire in July, and intend to begin making digital transfers of most of my extensive vinyl collection. If the results are good, the resulting CDR will get the play, not the record. So, my intent is to clean them once before recording for transfer.

[Fracktured]

I retire in July, and intend to begin making digital transfers of most of my extensive vinyl collection. If the results are good, the resulting CDR will get the play, not the record. So, my intent is to clean them once before recording for transfer.

I have a stand alone cd recorder which I use to record my vinyl to cdr and then download the cdr to my computer and use a program to clean up the record as best I can and eliminate most of the between songs vinyl noise. It can take a lot of time but is the only way I’ve ever done it. What other ways are there today to transfer records to digital files to burn onto cdr?

[moecurlythanu]

I have a stand alone cd recorder which I use to record my vinyl to cdr and then download the cdr to my computer and use a program to clean up the record as best I can and eliminate most of the between songs vinyl noise. It can take a lot of time but is the only way I’ve ever done it. What other ways are there today to transfer records to digital files to burn onto cdr?

Dunno. My plan is to use the method you outlined. I think there are USB turntables that can plug right into the computer, but I'm dubious of the quality.

[Fracktured]

Dunno. My plan is to use the method you outlined. I think there are USB turntables that can plug right into the computer, but I'm dubious of the quality.

I’ve haven’t heard good things about them but then most of those players are just cheap to begin with. I guess there’s quality turntables today which can be hooked up to record straight to PC programs. My problem with all that is I have an old stereo system which is in a totally different room than the computer and to change all that would be a monstrous project and not one I care to tackle

[progmatist]

For dirty records, I use the Spin Clean tub system for wet cleaning. To fill that tub, I take a 5 gallon "cooler" bottle to one of those coin operated water machines. Then I mix a gallon of that water with a drop of additive free dish washing detergent, only for the purpose of breaking the surface tension. I DO NOT touch the wet records with any kind of microfiber, or any other cloth. Clothes will always deposit fibers, resulting in lint buildup on the stylus. Not to mention the mere presence of those fibers generating surface noise. I hang them on a homemade drying rack pictured below, from parts available at any hardware or home improvement store.......

vinylrack.jpg

For extremely dirty records, I pre-wash them using the same method, but replace the above fluid with the 3 parts water, 1 part 99% Isopropyl, and 1 drop of detergent solution. I then dry them with the Spin Clean cloth, which is essentially a cloth diaper. Finally, I do a rinse wash with the above method.

For pristine, or nearly pristine records, I use one of those carbon brushes. With the brush still in contact with the record, I stop the platter from spinning, leaving a nice perpendicular stripe of dust. I pick up that stripe with one of those gel rollers. I find picking up just a stripe much easier than trying to roll around the entire record.

I have a stand alone cd recorder which I use to record my vinyl to cdr and then download the cdr to my computer and use a program to clean up the record as best I can and eliminate most of the between songs vinyl noise. It can take a lot of time but is the only way I’ve ever done it. What other ways are there today to transfer records to digital files to burn onto cdr?

The biggest drawback is the blank discs required by those standalone CD recorders: the "Music CDRs." A common misperception is since those discs cost more, they must be higher quality. WRONG!. The extra cost is a "piracy tax," imposed on behalf of the RIAA. You're better off getting a low end audio interface, and recording directly to your computer.

[moecurlythanu]

The biggest drawback is the blank discs required by those standalone CD recorders: the "Music CDRs." A common misperception is since those discs cost more, they must be higher quality. WRONG!. The extra cost is a "piracy tax," imposed on behalf of the RIAA. You're better off getting a low end audio interface, and recording directly to your computer.

My standalone records on standard CDRs.

[progmatist]

My standalone records on standard CDRs.

Then your recorder stands alone among standalone CD Recorders.

[Fracktured]

Then your recorder stands alone among standalone CD Recorders.

[strawberrybrick]

I retire in July, and intend to begin making digital transfers of most of my extensive vinyl collection. If the results are good, the resulting CDR will get the play, not the record. So, my intent is to clean them once before recording for transfer.

Why don't you go digital and skip the CD-Rs? I play CDs once - to rip to my hard drive. I'm using Roon software and a Lumin dac/streamer. Fantastic. The Lumin does a better job than my CD player, and with Roon I can get all sorts of DSP options, like room correction, upsampling, etc.

[moecurlythanu]

Why don't you go digital and skip the CD-Rs? I play CDs once - to rip to my hard drive. I'm using Roon software and a Lumin dac/streamer. Fantastic. The Lumin does a better job than my CD player, and with Roon I can get all sorts of DSP options, like room correction, upsampling, etc.

Well, I want to track the resulting recordings, and possibly do some cleanup where necessary in a sound editor. I don't have a PC connected to my audio system, and would rather not go down that path. I don't think I really even have the room for that.

[Firth]

Well, I want to track the resulting recordings, and possibly do some cleanup where necessary in a sound editor. I don't have a PC connected to my audio system, and would rather not go down that path. I don't think I really even have the room for that.

I don’t have a PC connected to my audio system, I just stream anything and everything via WiFi and Airplay, with my iPhone and iMac. I have a Pioneer drive interfaced to my iMac for pulling CDs to ITunes in the Apple Lossless format (AAPL). I also buy digital high res files from Bandcamp and one of these is a AAPL format.

My Apple TV, Sony TV and my Pioneer elite receiver can receive Airplay.

[progmatist]

{/}

[progmatist]

I just bought 2 acrylic platter mats for my 2 direct drive turntables. I looked into it because the new, high end turntables have platters made entirely of acrylic. The result is pretty effing amazing. Static is pretty much non-existent. Living in a desert, that's saying a lot. Having a stable, flat surface beneath the records, combined with the stabilizer weights I've used for years eliminates cartridge bounce. No more of that periodic whooshing sound from the stylus riding over peaks and valleys. The sound quality itself is improved as well: the bass is smooth and not at all boomy.

In the past, I've tried a cork mat which was supposed to have the same effect. It generated static so bad, when I lifted records off the platter, the cork mat would come up along with them.

[moecurlythanu]

I don’t have a PC connected to my audio system, I just stream anything and everything via WiFi and Airplay, with my iPhone and iMac. I have a Pioneer drive interfaced to my iMac for pulling CDs to ITunes in the Apple Lossless format (AAPL). I also buy digital high res files from Bandcamp and one of these is a AAPL format.

My Apple TV, Sony TV and my Pioneer elite receiver can receive Airplay.

Hmm, food for thought at the very least. I have Wi-Fi set up for the TV. The "receiver" of the signal is an Amazon Firestick, and the router is an eero system. What is the "Wi-Fi receiver" for your audio? Does it plug in at a USB port in your pre-amp/receiver or...?

[Zeuhlmate]

Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles

[Firth]

Hmm, food for thought at the very least. I have Wi-Fi set up for the TV. The "receiver" of the signal is an Amazon Firestick, and the router is an eero system. What is the "Wi-Fi receiver" for your audio? Does it plug in at a USB port in your pre-amp/receiver or...?

The Apple TV (misnomer, it’s a stream box) receives WiFi (for Airplay) or Bluetooth and connects via wideband HDMI to my Pioneer Elite receiver. That receiver also has a built in Bluetooth and WiFi receivers that accommodate multiple formats including Airplay. The Sony TV has a WiFi receiver and an HDMI input from the Pioneer receiver. The WiFi formats supported by the Sony TV depends on Apps, and the YouTube app can receive Cast or Airplay. All of these wired interfaces are HDMI which handle 4K 60Hz video and high res audio.

[Zeuhlmate]

B&O, Leak, Lowther - Recreating Jimi Hendrix’s Home Audio Setup

https://handelhendrix.org/learn/abou...e-audio-setup/

[Zeuhlmate]

The Brave New (Old) World of Cutting Vinyl on a Lathe

https://blog.discogs.com/en/cutting-...ess-interview/

[Zeuhlmate]

Computer burned CDs vs. store bought CDs

[chalkpie]

Computer burned CDs vs. store bought

This makes no sense to me at all.

[progmatist]

I can see how there would be no perceivable difference in sound between a CD-R and store bought CD. Digital bits are digital bits, regardless of what they're stored on. As far as errors, the same types of errors will occur when encoding an audio file to FLAC. FLAC like an audio CD dispenses with error correction, otherwise essential for data CDs, and compression codecs like zip and rar. That's how FLAC is able to compress files so much smaller than zip or rar.

Setting aside sound quality: back in the day, I'd make a copy of all my cassettes for the car, so the originals didn't get damaged by the Arizona heat. Store bought CDs are more robust than cassettes or vinyl records under extreme heat conditions, but there's still some risk of damage. On the other hand, CD-Rs are encoded by the laser literally melting the information into the substrate. Logically, heat would more likely corrupt a CD-R than a store bought CD, just like leaving a thermal paper store receipt on the dashboard will turn it black.

[strawberrybrick]

I always burned CDs for the car, which had a "slot" input on the dash. Now I have a new car with USB, bluetooth, but I mainly listen to the radio!

[Firth]

I always burned CDs for the car, which had a "slot" input on the dash. Now I have a new car with USB, bluetooth, but I mainly listen to the radio!

I just got a Subaru which has an HD radio and listen to a local NPR station occasionally because the quality is decent. Otherwise I stream via my phone to CarPlay, Tunein or whatever. Just discovered Progrock.com on Tunein, and it sounds quite good.