The Classic Vinyl Record

About 15 years ago, this album came out. I still remember hearing it on the radio, as it got a lot of airplay. However, it took a long time to actually hear who it was. David Coverdale of Whitesnake and Deep Purple, and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Great combination. I think they really had something with this album. I always wondered why they never did anything more together. You can buy Coverdale Page at Musicstack.

David Coverdale almost sounds like Robert Plant on this album. I’ve heard him sound like that before, but it really seems to come through here.

A lot of people think that this album is Zeppelin Light. I can see that, although others say that it is better than LZ’s “Walking Into Clarksdale”. I hate to categorize albums like that. I feel that if the artist is truly trying to create music, who are we to say it’s not good enough. After all, how can Jimmy Page help sounding like Led Zeppelin, he is Led Zeppelin.

This song, “Shake My Tree” is the first cut of the album, and I love the sound of Page’s guitar. Coverdale starts singing like he has a throat full of sandpaper (which I am jealous of by the way) and then starts singing up in the stratosphere, and that is where I think he sounds like Plant.

Here is the track listing for Coverdale Page:
Side One

Side Two

Yes, you read that right. This Montegiro Lusso Turntable does cost more than many new cars including the top luxury cars. Sounds crazy I know.

Doesn’t it look cool? But where are you going to put it. I mean, it’s chrome and black, except for our kitchen (stainless steel and black appliances) where else will this fit in, unless you have the ultramodern decor in your house.

The Montegiro Lusso record player (calling it a record player sounds almost derogatory) is separated into three pieces to minimize any vibrations or motor noise. It is belt driven, and, get this, also has a second tonearm! Why? I don’t know. I guess it is for different sound depending on what you want or what you are listening to.

The price for this starts at $47,000. Yes, you read that right, 47 with 3 zeros after it. I don’t know about you, I love good sound but $47K seems a little bit much to me.

I saw an article in Tulsa Today News about records and basically the ‘revolution’ that is happening. There are some good pars that I will show here.

“…but nothing sounds as good as a vinyl record. That’s not an opinion; it’s a fact. That’s why some records were cut direct-to-disk, bypassing analog tape with 1/8” track widths. By comparison, a cassette is just a little wider with four tracks on it, and those awful 8-track tapes had one-fourth of that track width.”

If you don’t understand what he’s talking about above, here is some help.

The above picture shows the tape as you would look at it stretching from left to right. They put four tracks on that little thin piece of tape. Each track is just over 1/2 a millimeter! Not much room for information there.

Of course, 8-tracks had even thinner tracks with even less room for information.

“Studios used tube amps until the manufacturers sold them a bill of goods that transistors were the way to go. The studios then bought tube pre-amps to regain some of the lost quality. With CDs, they lopped off the highs and lows and were able to get more than twice the time on one disk. MP3s subtract even more signal.”

We have talked about CD’s and MP3’s before enough.

“…you have the car stereos with grossly disproportionate low frequencies that amount to scrotal massage – nothing at all like music is supposed to sound.”

LOL. I love how he put that. I believe he is right though. I think we have been conditioned to think that we need a whole lot of bass in our music. Everything should be balanced, it’s why they mix and master the music before we get it.

The article goes into the benefits that we have in digital recording, although it doesn’t sound as good, “You can alter the sounds into digital samples of other instruments, turn a wobbly drummer into a human clock and even make a tone-deaf banshee sing on pitch. In short, bad musicians can be made to sound almost talented. Is this a good idea?”

No, I don’t think it is a good idea. If you like a band, then go to hear them live, aren’t you disappointed when the singer can’t really sing (Axl Rose)?

More and more engineers are trying to stay away from crappy bands, and only working with those that have some talent and don’t need all the tricks to make them sound good. Also, more band are taking the hint and are writing and rehearsing all their songs prior to recording, instead of doing it in the recording studio.

Let’s hope this leads to better music.

Yes, I own a vinyl copy of Billy Thorpe’s Children of the Sun. I love this song. It is still a radio staple, although not to the level that it once was.

Billy Thorpe had big success in his native Australia, but here in the US, we really only know him for this one album, and not so much the album, but just the one song, Children of the Sun. I have listened to the album, but none of the songs, although good, really grab you. Children is just such a different song with such a different sound that it really stands out. Funny how they put it on the B side though.

Thorpe said about the song “Thanks to the engineering skills of Emmy award winner Larry, (Laurence) Brown and Spencer’s belief in me and the project and his absolute determination to get it right, the track turned into a sonic masterpiece that stuck out like dog’s balls on the radio. It became the night time “ear phone” track on hundreds of US radio stations and was used all over the USA as the demonstration recording in major hi fi shops.”

Yes, the other songs are not that memorable, but Children of the Sun is awesome.
Here it is in MP3 form (I hope you have Flash):

The track listing is as follows:
Side One

• Wrapped in Chains
• Dream-Maker
• Simple Life
• Goddes of the Night

Side Two

• Children of the Sun
• We’re Leaving
• We Welcome You
• Solar Anthem
• The Beginning

I always wanted this album, and the guy I used to buy my records off of said that it was a tough one to find, but that it was worth it. “Dude, when the spaceship lands, you can hear it all around you, it’s sweet” he said. “Hearing it on CD it just sounds like a spaceship.” He had a way with words. He also always was suspiciously coming out of the back room a little too happy when we came in the store.

Anyway, he did end up finding this album for me at a vinyl record show. However, if you want this, I know they have Children of the Sun at Musicstack, so go buy it.

I was at the flea market this morning and one of the vendors had a couple of milk crates full on vinyl records. My first thought was “great.”

I went over to look at them and saw that there were about 6 Led Zeppelin records right in front. I only have there first album on vinyl so I was getting pretty psyched (sorry for those who didn’t grow up in the eighties to have heard that before). As I looked through the albums, I started thinking, “these aren’t in exactly the best shape.”

I never used to care a whole lot about that. I mean, if the record looked good, without scratches, I considered it a find. Recently though, I have been much more discriminating in the records I buy.

Do I really want gamble on a couple used (possibly very used) records for very cheap, or spend a bit more one record in excellent or new condition?

I don’t want to sound all high and mighty, but if records really do sound better, and if most vinyl listeners consider themselves audiophiles, then do we really want to buy old used records that don’t sound that good?

Would you buy records that aren’t in great shape because they are cheap?

Or will you hold out for better records and pay more?

Let me know in the comments.

It’s been a while since I posted, I have bought a house and been moving. I haven’t had the chance to even hook up my turntable yet, so I am not exactly happy. But I thought I’d explain some things about vinyl for those that don’t know.

I found on Youtube some video off of Discovery Channel that is kind of cheesy and reminds me of the “technology” video tapes that we used to watch in elementary school.

Part one of How Vinyl Records are Made.

Part Two of How Vinyl Records are Made

The only thing that bothers me is the fact that they are recording a master vinyl record from a computer. I said it in a previous post, if the original recording is digital, then will the record sound as good as it would if the original recording was analog (using 24 track tape).

Some people have wondered what the difference is between regular vinyl, 180g and 200g vinyl. The difference is weight. G equals grams. So 180g vinyl weighs 180 grams. These weights have changed over time. Originally 130g was standard, and some record labels went as low as 90g, which would have sounded like crap. Today, most vinyl pressings are of 160g, 180g or 200g. However, most audiophiles will only buy and listen to 180g or 200g vinyl.

If you see something that says virgin vinyl, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t had sex, just that it’s never been used for anything before. During the oil shortage of the 70’s, it became general practice to recycle records and other things into new records. This lowered the quality and introduced imperfections into the vinyl. Virgin vinyl is pure, never before used vinyl.

I hope this helps some of you who weren’t exactly sure what these terms meant. If you have any questions on other topics relating to vinyl records or turntables or music, please ask me in the comment section. I will respond.

As I was playing a record the other day, I started thinking to myself, “Man, what is wrong, am I hearing what digital dorks hear when they listen to a record? This doesn’t sound so great.” Then I put on a record that I know sounds good, and it sounded like crap.

It reminded me what Steve Martin said about his record player;

I guess it was time for a new needle. I had been looking for them before, and I tell you what. The internet is full of really crappy sites where you can spend three hours looking for a stylus for your turntable, and still not find it.

Finally I found a site called LP Gear. Still not the greatest looking site, but it sure was easier to navigate than most of the others I found. I did find the one I needed too, even though it’s a cheap Pioneer, non-audiophile record player.

The cool thing was, that not only did it give me the needle I needed, it gave two upgraded ones that would still fit my turntable. So, being the pseudo audiophile that I am, I upgraded.

I am really looking forward to hearing my records sound good again, but since I am moving, I had to have the needle sent to my parents house so I don’t miss it at my old house, or the new house, and because I have to pack up the stereo. So I probably won’t be able to soak in the warm drippy analog sounds of the vinyl magic that we call records for another few weeks.

Where do you get your parts? Do you go online, or do you have a store near you?

I read a great post today about how to get into vinyl listening for “vinyl virgins.” Many of us have been listening to vinyl for years, and some never stopped, but there are a lot of people out there who are just realizing the power of music inherent in vinyl. How the vinyl album reveals sonic information never before heard with the CD and especially the MP3.

Josh Bizar, the Marketing Director for Music Direct, says that the hardware used for analog and vinyl listening is a lot different than standard stereo equipment. It can be a daunting task for someone just starting to buy equipment to decide where to start. So, Bizar has come up with five tips to help get newbies going in the right direction.

FIND THE RIGHT TURNTABLE — Used record players are a dime a dozen at garage sales and thrift stores, but a 30 year old record player could have many problems. Make sure you get a really good service tech to get it up and playing properly. There are also countless new turntables on the market today. For an investment of $300, you can buy an amazing new turntable with 21st century technology that will be perfect right out of the box.

SET UP YOUR SYSTEM WITH CARE — Any turntable will need to be properly set-up to get the maximum amount of music out of your record. That means finding someone who knows how to install the phono cartridge (needle) properly to get the most music out of the grooves. Also, make sure you place your turntable on a rock-solid shelf to keep vibrations away.

LOOK FOR QUALITY VINYL — Thrift shops, garage sales, used record stores and even your uncle’s basement are great places to start your vinyl collection. There are also more new LPs pressed today than anytime since the mid-80s. Specialty stores can advise you on all the great music that’s available on the best quality new vinyl.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR RECORD COLLECTION — Avoid all those ticks and pops by removing the decades of grunge from the grooves with a really good record brush and record cleaning fluids. There are even special record cleaning machines that do all the work for you and will vacuum dry the LP so you can play it immediately. They can be pricey, however. Still, clean records not only sound better, they’re much more valuable.

BRING YOUR RECORDS INTO THE 21st CENTURY — The biggest trend in vinyl right now is taking your records and making them digital. Many newer turntables can connect directly to your computer via USB, and even older, standard turntables can run through a special USB Converter and achieve the same effect. Download some free “ripping” software, like Audacity, and you’re ready to put your record collection right onto your iPod.

I read an article this morning at the Idolator.com. It was basically saying that digitally recorded music already has some loss of information, so why should it sound better on vinyl than CD. This is an example of bad logic.

If you’ve picked up an arts section lately, you’ve probably seen a story with one (or both) of the following theses: “Vinyl is making a comeback.” “If you want great sound, you buy vinyl.” The hype is even starting to annoy some label folk, as it calls into question why non-audiophiles would bother buying tangible music at all. Sure, analog grooves of a vinyl record hold more information than any digital sample rate. But if an album was recorded digitally—a situation that’s becoming more and more common—are you getting more information by buying it on vinyl?

Time’s January article on the vinyl upswing offered that “LPs generally exhibit a warmer, more nuanced sound than CDs and digital downloads. MP3 files tend to produce tinnier notes, especially if compressed into a lower-resolution format that pares down the sonic information.” But what if that “sonic information” wasn’t there in the first place? Isn’t everyone using ProTools now? It would seem that this call for great sound and the rise of digital recording would be at odds.

Is vinyl mastering so superior to the “noise reduction” CDs are legendary for that even digital music sounds better on LP? Or is the hype just, well, hype? Do people just think they’re getting better sound on new records because they assume they’re getting a pure analog experience? Does the appeal of the gatefold overcome the fact that once a sound is digitized, there’s no turning backl? The vinyl I buy tends to be used and $1.99, so I can’t speak from authority about the sound quality of new vinyl. But maybe you can.

Why do I say this is bad logic? First of all, yes, records are analog, they have all the information that is put on them. CD’s are didgital, they take ’snapshots’ of information. Recording digitally takes ’snapshots’ of the instruments. Do you see the pattern here? If something is recorded digitally, then put on CD, then you have music that ’snapshots’ of ’snapshots’.

To see what this is like, try to take a bunch of pictures in a row with your camera to show action. Then take those pictures and flip through them really fast, and take pictures of that.

That’s a CD.

Now, the second reason that this article is just plain wrong, is that not everybody uses Protools. A lot of people do, it’s a lot cheaper than investing in an analog studio, and it’s a whole lot easier than using 8, 16 or 24 track tape. However, a lot of artists still want that tape sound. A lot of engineers still like to record using tape. More artists are seeing the benefits of using tape, and usually those are the artists who are now releasing on vinyl.

So most of these records are being mastered from analog tape recordings. Not digital.

That’s right, Elvis Costello is releasing his new album “Momofuku” only on vinyl album. If you buy the album, you will get a code so you can download it on MP3. There will be no CD release for this.

Is this a hint of the direction of formats?

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails (NIN) has already experimented with something like this. Reznor dropped his record label, and released his new album on his website. Although he had the album available on CD, it was also on vinyl and MP3. You could download the first 9 tracks on MP3 for free, or pay $5 and buy all 36 tracks with a PDF booklet. You could buy the double CD set for $10, or 2 CD’s a DVD and a blu-ray for $75. The ultimate package though, you could choose to pay over $300 for the vinyl set. This set includes everything else plus two books of photos, and prints, and four 180 gram vinyl records.

Oh, and all the MP3’s are DRM free. In many different formats too, such as FLAC and Apple Lossless.

While everyone said that this wouldn’t work, Reznor pulled in over $1.6 million the very first week. The Ultimate Vinyl package is completely sold out. Had he stayed with the record company, he would not have seen most of that money.

True artists are doing things differently. The true artists are passionate about their music, and they want to share it with us, and for us to be as passionate about it as they are. They not only want us to be happy, they want us to experience what they are feeling, what they are thinking, their music.

What better way to express your music than on vinyl.