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From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Turntable questions (Lack of response)
Message-ID: <805@opus.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Sep-84 19:35:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.805
Posted: Fri Sep 14 19:35:21 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 05:21:08 EDT
References: <76200015@hpfclk.UUCP> <607@hound.UUCP>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 65

Dick Grantges has suggested, pretty strongly, that people starting off with
new systems go CD from the start:

>One reason for the paucity of response to questions about
>relatively expensive turntables (0.5 to 1.0 x CD player$$) is
>the feeling in some of us that young audiophiles maybe ought not
>to saddle themselves with buggies, whips and riding clothes.
>Young aspiring audiophiles ought really to consider CD from the
>start...I can see buying a cheapy [turntable]
>(~$1xx.00), but not >$200). It will
>only encourage you to buy records which are of rotten quality to
>begin with (we all seem to agree), and deteriorate from there.

Now, I'm not going to take a position like Greg Paley has (that LPs sound
better); in fact, I've got a CD player and I like it.  But this approach
of going with CD from the start just won't work.  The discs aren't
available yet in sufficient quantity and selection.  To illustrate, just
bounce over to net.music and look through the current discussion on
"classic rock albums".  Now go see how many of those albums you can buy on
CD...and I don't mean "how many have been released and are alleged to
exist".  I mean how many you can actually find in any store near you.
Here's a list of some standard best rock for you to try (don't flame for
omissions; it's just a sample):
	Dark Side of the Moon	Arc of a Diver
	Europe '72		Trilogy
	American Beauty		Are You Experienced
	Surrealistic Pillow	Super Session
	Crown of Creation	Aja
	Eat a Peach		Santana
	Abbey Road		John Barleycorn Must Die
	The Last Waltz		Fragile
	Tommy			Cheap Thrills
	Deja Vu			Doors
I'd like to have all of these on CD.  I've got one--DSoM--and it was a
hassle because they're in such short supply.  Tommy and Surrealistic Pillow
are alleged to exist but I've tried unsuccessfully for several weeks to get
them.  Doors and Abbey Road are rumored; there aren't even good rumors for
the rest.

Is this what the young aspiring audiophile really wants?  I doubt it.
Maybe in a year or so it'll be more practical.


>If you have to invest in analog sources beyond FM, try to limit
>yourself to cassette. They are plentiful and cheap in the market
>place, and you can record your own even cheaper.

Won't work.  Pre-recorded cassettes are in the same price range as LPs.
Their sound quality varies widely; with rock, most are unbelievably worse
than an LP and few are recorded with any sort of NR.  They're cheapo
cassette shells which aren't aligned right and squeak after a few playings.
The worst of it is that the tape is pure crap; it will flake off oxide to
grunge up your deck and even damage it.  The few prerecorded cassettes I
owned have been replaced by my own recordings--on good tape--from the LPs.
<>
Grantges is right that you can record your own--but then you're back in the
same old boat; you've got to have the LP and a turntable (or know someone
who does, and there's a Genesis problem).  A lot of people
do that, incidentally:  Buy the LP and copy it to cassette immediately.
Play the tape forever or until it dies, then go back and make another copy
of the LP.  Still, it doesn't satisfy the goal of a system without a
turntable.
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...Never offend with style when you can offend with substance.