Pioneer turntable & Four Score on Vinyl...

[2cvbloke]

Not when the broadband connection is running like a bag of s****t!

If that's the case, then he youtube video wouldn't work either...

 

[2cvbloke]

Just thought I'd add in a suggestion for those who have static issues on their turntables after wiping records down to remove dust, use these fluffy duster things, they seem to do an excellent job at removing dust and getting rid of a lot of the static:

http://www.wilko.com/sweeping-brush...VBMST=&VBMTC=3e85337f265acac00d0b4dffe51c9cbb

I only got the refill pack, but I'd suggest getting the kit with the handle initially, cos otherwise it's a PITA to fluff them up (and yes, I know the innuendo with saying that!!) to get them all "charged and ready"...

Doesn't get rid of sneeze marks though, I need to wash my Four Score and Foreigner promo records, the latter looks like someone was stuffing a cheeseburger in their face while watching the record spin and then sneezing over it...

 

[Llew]

My retro Pioneer PLA35 Turntable, still playing well since buying from a work colleague in the 70's. Shure M75ED cartridge, about to be updated to maybe an AT95E or similar.
Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Amp / 540P Preamp
Pair of KEF Speakers (based on the BBC Studio Monitor LS3/5A)
Loads of vinyl, mostly jazz, pride of place being my Blue Note records, all heavyweight originals - not the skinny reissues. Bought as US Imports from the local record store when I was but a lad in the 50's and 60's for IIRC not much more than a couple of quid each, my Blue Notes can fetch anything between £100 to £500 each on auction sites if in good condition - which mine are. Not for sale while I'm compos mentis.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Doesn't get rid of sneeze marks though, I need to wash my Four Score and Foreigner promo records, the latter looks like someone was stuffing a cheeseburger in their face while watching the record spin and then sneezing over it...

Could always try the woodglue method

I suppose silicon sealant might also be suitable.

 

[Captain Jack]

My retro Pioneer PLA35 Turntable, still playing well since buying from a work colleague in the 70's. Shure M75ED cartridge, about to be updated to maybe an AT95E or similar.
Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Amp / 540P Preamp
Pair of KEF Speakers (based on the BBC Studio Monitor LS3/5A)
Loads of vinyl, mostly jazz, pride of place being my Blue Note records, all heavyweight originals - not the skinny reissues. Bought as US Imports from the local record store when I was but a lad in the 50's and 60's for IIRC not much more than a couple of quid each, my Blue Notes can fetch anything between £100 to £500 each on auction sites if in good condition - which mine are. Not for sale while I'm compos mentis.

That's some quality equipment there, Llew... Denon deck, Cambridge Audio.. And love the gramophone on a wooden base!

 

[2cvbloke]

Could always try the woodglue method

Nah, washing poses less of a risk of ruining a record from filling in the tracks, just have to make sure to use tepid water so as not to warp the disc...

 

[2cvbloke]

Gave the two records I presently have a wash, they sound better already, though the Foreigner promo has a spot of what looks like glue permanently stuck to it, so, I'll have to work that one out later, it is only here cos it's a rare album that I had to have...

My retro Pioneer PLA35 Turntable, still playing well since buying from a work colleague in the 70's. Shure M75ED cartridge, about to be updated to maybe an AT95E or similar.

Missed your post yesterday for some reason, but, it just goes to show how long things have lasted that were made decades ago versus the cheap junk sold today, heck I couldn't keep an MP3 player working for as long as our turntables have been in existence!!

And if you're going for a new cartridge, a Shure M95 or Audio Technica AT95e are worth it, my friend across the pond has the former and it's good for hot-pressed records (as in ones made for DJ use, so have to be made to last longer), though regular records sound a little muffled, which the Shure M92 takes presidence, but from my experience, an AT95e is pretty good, anything more and you're in audiophool territory...

 

[Llew]

Thanks, I'll keep those in mind when I upgrade the cartridge. All this satellite stuff over over the years means I've not kept up lately with ye olde spinning discs and needles.

 

[Llew]

That's some quality equipment there, Llew... Denon deck, Cambridge Audio.. And love the gramophone on a wooden base!

Yes CJ, the heavy base does help, nice anti-acoustic suspension. Just needs a going over with some walnut oil.

 

[2cvbloke]

I just managed to get myself a CA 540P preamp, all I need now is for it to arrive (and maybe a phono to 3.5mm cable, cos I seem to have either misplaced my two or cut them up for something else), no need for that cheapo Kemo M055 amp that thinks it's a radio...

 

[2cvbloke]

Got my preamp earlier, and boy does it make a difference, aside from not having a load of annoying interference coming from the incorrect amplifier (that and I'm sure it has internal issues too), only issue is that it's a tad hard on my desktop's Line-In port, pretty much maxing it out, so, need to figure something out for that (most likely buying a proper soundcard, rather than the cheap realtek chip onboard!!), but otherwise, I'm happy, vinyl may be a touch more inconvenient than an MP3 or streamed music from Spotify, but it sounds much better as the brain is clever enough to filter out the noise of vinyl and appreciate the recordings...

And mini James T. Kirk had a quick visit too...

 

[smoggy07]

vinyl may be a touch more inconvenient than an MP3 or streamed music from Spotify, but it sounds much better as the brain is clever enough to filter out the noise of vinyl and appreciate the recordings...

And mini James T. Kirk had a quick visit too...

The thing with MP3 is when music is converted/encoded it chops of a big chunk of the high and low frequencies so it'll never sound like the original LP/45.

Does anyone still have a proper record shop near them? Not HMV or other commercial shop, a proper independent record shop that has a record player in the corner to listen to the LPs and rack after rack of obscure music?
We've got one in Stockton and apparently it is the only independent record shop left on Teesside, http://www.sounditoutrecords.co.uk/vinyl-c139

 

[Channel Hopper]

We have one in the road joining ours, Langley Records of East Molesey. Even has 8 track stuff in there.

 

[Captain Jack]

I don't suppose anyone has a semi-decent but not expensive pre-amp? I have a crappy one from eBay, which sits between the gramophone and the amp but it creates some odd mains hum... even with the gramophone not connected. There's no pre-amp on the main amp, sadly.

 

[Archived-1]

A bit high tech for me, this is my gramophone.

 

[PaulR]

Ah yes, a steel needle by the looks of it. None of your namby-pamby cane ones there.

 

[sonnetpete]

We've got one in Stockton and apparently it is the only independent record shop left on Teesside, http://www.sounditoutrecords.co.uk/vinyl-c139

Blimey, having looked on Google Earth, Yarm Lane has changed quite a bit....mind you it was 1984 when I was there last...

 

[2cvbloke]

Does anyone still have a proper record shop near them? Not HMV or other commercial shop, a proper independent record shop that has a record player in the corner to listen to the LPs and rack after rack of obscure music?

I think there's a few in Newcastle, but I've not been to look yet, just been enjoying using the Discogs site buying the three records I have now...

I have a crappy one from eBay, which sits between the gramophone and the amp but it creates some odd mains hum... even with the gramophone not connected. There's no pre-amp on the main amp, sadly.

See if you can find a Pro-ject phono preamp, or a Cambridge Audio, the cheaper preamps will tend to be, well, cheaper, in quality and price, and apparently the better preamps use an AC-AC wallwart, so the amp has all the AC to DC inside the case reducing the noise problem, though I did seem to pick up mains hum on my CA540P but moving wires about away from mains cabling dealt with that...

In the interim you could try connecting your preamp directly to ground (nearest radiator pipe, screw on a mains socket, chassis of a computer, etc.), loosen a screw on it's case (assuming it's metal of course), wrap a bit of wire round it, and connect the other end to an earthing point of some description...

 

[Archived-1]

Ah yes, a steel needle by the looks of it. None of your namby-pamby cane ones there.

Yes Paul, steel needles, I have a tin of new ones somewhere. here is its full spec.
http://www.gilbert-gramophones.co.uk/model-53.htm

 

[2cvbloke]

I devised a solution to the loud output from the Cambridge Audio preamp, all it needed was a passive volume control between it's output and the Line-In of the PC's onboard sound, that way I can reduce the volume so that the Line-In isn't overloaded and can record at a decent non-overdriven level...

What I used was a 10k Logarithmic Stereo potentiometer, basically a stereo volume control, doesn't need any other electronics (as far as I'm aware) but does help to fit it and associated wiring (for me, 4x RCA sockets, L&R In, L&R Out) inside a metal box to shield the wiring from any noise, which I've yet to do, only assembled it all as a proof-of-concept idea in the open, but it works, so now I need a metal case...

And no I'm not going to use an Altoids tin...