How can I get the FULL vinyl experience?

[mystic_fallacy]

About 6 months ago a friend of mine found a 1st pressing of the velvet underground and nico in the garbage (!!!) and gave to me because he knew it was my favorite album. When I heard it I was completely blown away but the detail and the range in sound, that I could never settle for the CD again. So since then I have gone completely insane and spent every dime on the definitive pressings of all my favorites. My parents have fed my obsession by purchasing me a beautiful Project turntable. What I'm wondering is what can I do to make the records sound to their full potential. I have a ortiphon cart right now which is the one that came with the table with I'm running through a Project solid state pre-amp and into a Kennwood amplifier and Kennwood speakers. Some of the records I have end up sounding "thin" and "tinny" maybe it's just the pressing, but was wondering what I can do to really experience the stuff.

[dinchart]

Hello.

What model Pro-ject do you have?

[Raunchnroll]

Next step: Vacuum tubes

[Metralla]

Just explain that amplifier chain again. Is that a Project solid-state phono stage (something without a volume control) into the line level inputs of a Kenwood integrated amplifier.

Please read off the exact model numbers so we can visualize - or post a digital snap.

[Tone]

#1 make sure that you have good pressings of your records. Many later pressings just don't sound very good.

As mentioned above, tubes can really warm up your sound (and your room!)

[dogpile]

About 6 months ago a friend of mine found a 1st pressing of the velvet underground and nico in the garbage (!!!) and gave to me because he knew it was my favorite album. When I heard it I was completely blown away but the detail and the range in sound, that I could never settle for the CD again. So since then I have gone completely insane and spent every dime on the definitive pressings of all my favorites. My parents have fed my obsession by purchasing me a beautiful Project turntable. What I'm wondering is what can I do to make the records sound to their full potential. I have a ortiphon cart right now which is the one that came with the table with I'm running through a Project solid state pre-amp and into a Kennwood amplifier and Kennwood speakers. Some of the records I have end up sounding "thin" and "tinny" maybe it's just the pressing, but was wondering what I can do to really experience the stuff.

Hey there :wave: Welcome and git on the vinyl train!!

This will take time and $$$ but hey, you gotta' start somewhere right?

All I can suggest for you right now is to take it piece by piece and do your research before upgrading.

Happy spinning :righton:

[TONEPUB]

Get ready to bend over and spend a lot of $$$

:)

[SilentCries]

Well, at the very least you will need an ounce between you two.

[JBStephens]

Welcome to vinyl! You've discovered that "something" about round black things with a hole in the middle, which your present system is obviously capable of delivering to you, or you wouldn't be here. But before you start jumping on the "upgrade" bandwagon and parting with your cash barely two steps into your vinyl journey, remember that just because it's vinyl doesn't automatically mean it's superb. There are PLENTY of dogs out there, and if I had my choice between a good CD and lousy vinyl, I'd take the good CD. Your signal chain isn't a slouch since it's telling you the difference between good pressings and bad ones. And throwing money at your system isn't going to make the bad ones any better.

A couple of decades ago I had a Kenwood amp, the KA-7100 and a Sony PS-X5 turntable with an A/T Shibata cartridge. A fairly decent system for it's day, and there were records I just couldn't bear to listen to because they sounded so BAD.

[wkohler]

I've found myself fall into the upgrade bandwagon, and I've seen someone else go into debt because of it. Of course, he had to have all new stuff. I try to find used equipment in excellent condition that was higher-end. I will say that some of the changes I've made have made very little effect on the sonic quality - in fact some of them even dimminish the quality, so I've been working at making the system as simple as possible. You might find it would be a good idea to get a nice pair of cables to run between the preamp and your amp, as certain cables can affect sound quality in different ways and usually can make a big difference on a budget system. If you tell us more about your components, I'm sure some more info will surface. All I can say for sure is that if you have self-control, you don't have to bend over or prepare to spend a lot of money. Research is your best friend, although you'll never really know if you have something that works for you until you listen to it. Also, when I say to get a nice pair of cables, don't figure the most expensive are the best and work from there. Upgrades like these usually have diminishing returns.

[d.r.cook]

there are plenty of guys here (sane & asleep) who know far more about the technical aspects, but my first impression would be to develop 2 or 3 strategies for upgrade based on a realistic budget. If it were me, I'd prb start with spkrs, since that's PROBABLY where you're going to hear the most improvement from first dollar.

I jumped back into this hobby a few years ago, and have had very good luck with lightly used gear, mainly through audiogon. Just be careful to check out the seller . . . no 2nd hand source is infallible, but audiogon appears to be "considerably" less risky than ebay (though many have had some good hunting there too!). Generally, if you move methodically, you can get your money out of quality 2nd hand goods--audiophiles seem to have a lot in common with "fashionistias" and shoe horses, the allure of the new and different is always lurking on the horizon!

What spkrs? there are tons of great ones out there . . . spendor, reference 3a, JM reynauld, Tyler . . . and I mention only A FEW that I've heard personally. Right now, my primaries are ACI Sapphire XL's, built by a small company In LaCrosse, WI that's been building spkrs since '77 that I'd never heard of till a couple years ago. (There are tons of others not mentioned, of course; it's been said many times: spkrs are a series of comprimizes, and what best suits you depends on you very personal tastes and who has best accounted for the chosen compromise.) Just make sure to consider room size, pwr match and all of those mundane but critical factors that come into play.

Best advice is obvious: LISTEN and compare. It's easy to get excited and jump too soon . . . speaking from mildly painful firsthand experience!

welcome and good luck--as the sun rises across this great and twisted land of ours, I'm sure others can chime in and parse your options thoroughly.

doug

[marcb]

My advice...clean your records. If you do searches here and on audio asylum, you'll find more than you could ever want to know.

[Solaris]

Which Ortofon cart?

As for "thin and tinny," check your VTA for starters. Might also be the pressing. Which titles/pressings sound that way?

[TONEPUB]

Right now, my primaries are ACI Sapphire XL's, built by a small company In LaCrosse, WI that's been building spkrs since '77 that I'd never heard of till a couple years ago.

doug


Here here for the Sapphire XL's, they are fantastic speakers!

[Graham Start]

If it's an Ortofon OM-10 cart, that's the reason for the tinny sound. It's a tinny-sounding cart; just about anything is better.

[thommo]

That's not my experience of the OM-10 at all.

[Blumenkohl]

No 1 advice: Make sure your table is perfectly adjusted or you'll ruin your precious vinyl before you know it.

[DOUBTINGTHOMAS29]

Get ready to bend over and spend a lot of $$$

:)

LOL. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Vinophile]

That's not my experience of the OM-10 at all.

I also found it tinny but the OM-20 is a huge improvement.