Just a few months ago I found myself into another addiction. And that is vinyl.
I’m not talking about furniture or even jumpsuits worn by ex-members of devo. I’m talking the closest thing to analog recordings that one can get. I’m talking the very feeling that is created when those slight pops occur. Yes, I’m talking about records.
Although we live in an age where we can buy most albums for $9.99 on any mp3 server, nothing can realy beat the feeling of a record. It’s a complete feeling, like a well plotted story.
Of course, there are the other reasons to like vinyl, such as:
- You’re listening to actual sound waves instead of samples.
- The album art is larger, giving more of artistic expression than looking at a CD cover.
- You can hug a vinyl album.
- Each record holds a unique story told through it’s pops and static.
It doesn’t take an audiophile to be a record consumer. However, if you plan to venture into the lovely world of vinyl, then be prepared to spend a pretty penny. If you’re still reading and not afraid of a small price, then here it is…
The Llama’s guide to a decent Vinyl setup:
Component 1: The Turntable (Avg Cost: $15-$1000)
The most important item in the arsenal is the turntable. Without it, you can’t turn the records and make the lovely music. (Duh.) You can pick up a cheap one off of eBay or a flea market, or you can save a bit an get a high quality turntable from Musicians’ Friend. You will find the higher priced items feature pitch controls and filters to get rid of the “unnecessary noise” as well as better cartridges. At this point, the quality of sound is 50% about the turntable.
Component 2: The Preamp (Avg Cost $20-$150)
Those that have just rushed out to get a turntable and the Kansas’ greatest hits record will soon find that Carry on my wayward son sounded more than low level audio.
Granted this was a mistake that I also made, but in place of Kansas, I used Rush’s Moving Pictures.
All that the turntable is putting out it’s RCA jacks is an RIAA signal. Roughly translated, there isn’t any volume. From here, there are two ways you can deal with this. One, go out and by an expensive stereo system and hope it has a output for “phono”. Or two, buy a preamp. The Preamp will do the same justice that a stereo system will accomplish. Essentially, it brings the RIAA signal to a line level, making it perfect for listening. The Preamp is also a tricky bugger to find in many stores. But this task is much easier thanks to the Internet. Again, spend as much as you want out of the turntable.
Component 3: The Speaker System (Avg Cost $5-$600 or more)
Once you have the turntable and the Preamp, hook it up to the speaker system of your choice. As said before, as long as you have it to the line level, the phonograph signal is alright. I’ll let you, the faithful reader decide on this.
Component 4: The Records (Avg Cost $0.50-$140)
Now you’re set to shop for the records. I personally prefer checking out the local antique and flea markets for some vinyl goodness. The advantage here is that some people will be willing to sell decent albums at a nice low price, say around $3 or so. The disadvantage here is the record search becomes that… a search that rivals most Indiana Jones Moves.
On the other hand, there are a handful of specialty record shops that serve the daily vinyl addiction. In most cases, albums will be sorted by genre and alphabetical order in these stores, making a hassle of a record search into a simple trip.
Hopefully, this has helped see into the world that is Vinyl. You can get started for under $100 and don’t be surprised to end up spending over $500 for your own vinyl collection.
This is the llama, signing off.
~Llama
With Headphones
