# Modest vinyl setup!



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I just got back into vinyl some months ago. I hadn't listened to one since the 80's. I'm enjoying the ritual of sitting down and listening to old classics.

What a sound difference compared to mp3's. 

I had kept an old 90's Technics receiver with some Cerwin Vega speakers. I bought a new turntable (Audio-Technica LP120). 

The red foam surrounds on the speakers where rotten so I ordered a replacement kit and installed them. Everything went well but the woofers are really flabby and fart out when pushed a little. 

I decided to order some news speakers and got some Klipsh RF28's. They sound great but I missed the low end of 12 inch woofers so I replaced the woofers in the Cerwin Vega's with some after market ones and run them in parallel with the Klipsh ones

Holy crap what huge sound  

So yesterday I dropped by Ikea for a nice storage unit. 

The stereo separation is huge as they are about 15" appart. 

Here's the before and after pic's


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Good stuff! I'm curious but scared to get back into vinyl. I love hi-fidelity but my bank manager doesn't.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

I will forever kick myself for getting rid of my vinyl collection a few years back.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

DaddyDog said:


> Good stuff! I'm curious but scared to get back into vinyl. I love hi-fidelity but my bank manager doesn't.


Well you can easily find old receivers and speakers on Kijiji. A Descent turntable can be a little more expensive though. Mine costs about 500$.


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## AlBDarned (Jun 29, 2017)

LanceT said:


> I will forever kick myself for getting rid of my vinyl collection a few years back.


Amen to that ... I put mine out on the curb in a moment of weakness during one too many moves


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

LanceT said:


> I will forever kick myself for getting rid of my vinyl collection a few years back.


I did two separate purges. Second time around, I sold a nice Oracle turntable and a tube pre-amp and amp setup.

I've dumbed myself down to a Sonos setup now and am not going back


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Scottone said:


> I did two separate purges. Second time around, I sold a nice Oracle turntable and a tube pre-amp and amp setup.
> 
> I've dumbed myself down to a Sonos setup now and am not going back


I also have a Sonos setup with SUB and Play 1's, it's awesome.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

zurn said:


> I also have a Sonos setup with SUB and Play 1's, it's awesome.


Its not ultra hi-fi but definitely sounds good and is very convenient. I have a home theatre set-up with he sound bar, sub and a pair of ones. Also have a 5 and 3 in other rooms and my music library on a network drive. Works really well


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

My brother bought me an audio technica lp60 as a gift which I'm loving. I added some powered speakers and done.
Really is nice sitting enjoying music I don't have to fuss with downloading, syncing, and transferring to an iPod to enjoy.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Scottone said:


> Its not ultra hi-fi but definitely sounds good and is very convenient. I have a home theatre set-up with he sound bar, sub and a pair of ones. Also have a 5 and 3 in other rooms and my music library on a network drive. Works really well


Sonos's are addictive though, I started with two play 1's and now I have the sub, play bar, play 5 and 4 other play 1's lol. My kids love it, they stream music all over the house, including the bathroom lol.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

Yep, sold off my turntables and around 1000 records at a yard sale for peanuts about 12 or 15 years ago. Have Sonos and Spotify for the family. Wish I had my records though.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I've still got all my vinyl, a couple turntables and late 70's/early 80's audiophile equipment.....all packed away. Separate Harmon/Kardon Citation pre-amp and power amp, Infinity speakers.......good stuff at the time. None of it has been plugged in since the 80's. Probably all rotten by now.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Lincoln said:


> I've still got all my vinyl, a couple turntables and late 70's/early 80's audiophile equipment.....all packed away. Separate Harmon/Kardon Citation pre-amp and power amp, Infinity speakers.......good stuff at the time. None of it has been plugged in since the 80's. Probably all rotten by now.


Probably all salvageable though.


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

I did a major purge a few years ago. Currently down to about 600 albums. Mostly jazz and blues, some classical.
At one point I had two turntables. One in the main system and one in the living room system. Sold one to upgrade my main system DAC and kept the Oracle.


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## luker0 (Apr 18, 2017)

Sold all my vinyl in university to pay rent years ago. Have now replaced it all and more since starting to collect again 3 years ago. Which reminds I need a new needle. 

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

GWN! said:


> I did a major purge a few years ago. Currently down to about 600 albums. Mostly jazz and blues, some classical.
> At one point I had two turntables. One in the main system and one in the living room system. Sold one to upgrade my main system DAC and kept the Oracle.


I had to google Oracle, omg that looks like some high end stuff! What model do you have?


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

A Delphi MkVI like the one pictured. Actually a MkV factory upgraded to a MkVI.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

The vinyl records made today are a speciality item made with pride and care. They are *way* *better* than the shit that was mass-produced back in the day. Many of my fave albums have been replaced. They are not even that expensive.

My turntable cost $35 and came with about 50 albums. All the Beatles, and I don't know what else. My amp and speakers set me back another twenty bucks. You should spend more than this. 

Expensive gear is available for the audiophile. An audiophile is someone who will pay $1500 for silver speaker cables that connect to non-silver components at both ends (imagine: rope/chain/rope). Super costly gear is usually for bragging rights only, and is absolutely unnecessary for enjoying the vinyl experience. Dive in at the level of your choice.

This morning I finished listening to Sufan Stevens _Greetings from Michigan_ (started yesterday), and followed it with both sides of The Doors _Waiting for the Sun._ The wife is out so now it's gonna be The Beastie Boys _Hello Nasty _ with The Grateful Dead _Working Man's Dead _playing when she gets home.

All "brand new" vinyl albums. 

Singles are especially exciting as you must jump up and down every three minutes or so. Mine are all old and scratchy.

*Lack of humility department*: If I knew how, I'd post a song I prophetically wrote in 1991:

_Old Vinyl! Old Vinyl!
The new stuff just hasn't got the style,
Old Vinyl! That's final!
It's gonna be around for a little while. 
_
Sorry. Couldn't resist boasting about that. Its actually registered in the Library of Congress in DC on a cassette. Lol.

Have fun! My CD's sit idle.


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## albert (Apr 15, 2009)

I am one of those crazy audiophiles who luckily kept all of his records. I have a Lenco L75 turntable with an 80 lb plinth (base) and a linear tracking air bearing tonearm. The cartridge is a ZYX Universe moving coil and the phono amp is a Jeff Rowland Consummate with an upgraded Threshold T2 preamp. Power amps are either a Bedini BA803 or a pair of Ray Lumley M100 tube mono blocks. Speakers are Acoustat 2+2 with an Axiom ep500 sub. The digital side is covered by a Bryston bdp2 music server and a Calyx Femto dac. I use an Oppo bdp-95 as a transport. There is also a Studer a807 2 track reel to reel. And of course there are the various cables, Consonance power conditioner and upgraded wall receptacles to Furutech gtx-d gold. 

Although l bought almost everything used, l still spent over 30k usd. But it took me over 30 years to reach this level of madness.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

albert said:


> I am one of those crazy audiophiles who luckily kept all of his records. I have a Lenco L75 turntable with an 80 lb plinth (base) and a linear tracking air bearing tonearm. The cartridge is a ZYX Universe moving coil and the phono amp is a Jeff Rowland Consummate with an upgraded Threshold T2 preamp. Power amps are either a Bedini BA803 or a pair of Ray Lumley M100 tube mono blocks. Speakers are Acoustat 2+2 with an Axiom ep500 sub. The digital side is covered by a Bryston bdp2 music server and a Calyx Femto dac. I use an Oppo bdp-95 as a transport. There is also a Studer a807 2 track reel to reel. And of course there are the various cables, Consonance power conditioner and upgraded wall receptacles to Furutech gtx-d gold.
> 
> Although l bought almost everything used, l still spent over 30k usd. But it took me over 30 years to reach this level of madness.


Pics or it didn't happen


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## albert (Apr 15, 2009)

I am trying to link to some pictures in photobucket but it doesn't seem to be working like it used to. The story of my life. Oh well, here is an old one before I used the Bedini amp. There is a Jeff Rowland model 5 instead as well as a Beard p100 tube amp. I have since replaced the socks on the Acoustats to black spandex, it works better for home theater and looks better in general. There is a 106" powered screen behind the speakers as well as the 60" plasma tv. The rest of the gear is on a rack behind the left speaker. There is also a picture of my Lenco L75 turntable. This was before I purchased the Nobility WMP-1A mkII Magnetic Levitating stand.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

GWN! said:


> A Delphi MkVI like the one pictured. Actually a MkV factory upgraded to a MkVI.


Nice, mine was the more entry level Alexandria.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

zurn said:


> Sonos's are addictive though, I started with two play 1's and now I have the sub, play bar, play 5 and 4 other play 1's lol. My kids love it, they stream music all over the house, including the bathroom lol.


I hear you. I want to get some more of them. I listen to Sirius XM and Spotify quite a bit in addition to the iTunes library


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## albert (Apr 15, 2009)

Okay, here is the most recent pic (like 10 minutes ago). A few changes in the system and new socks for the Acoustats. As the system does double duty as 2 channel and ht, here is a pic of the Mitsubishi HC-5 projector and my Fortress Corona recliner. They are expensive but very comfortable. The amp on the floor is a Bedini 100/100 1 meg class A amp that had one of it's channels go out. I have to get that fixed one of these days.

















Ah, darn photobucket. They were up for all of 5 minutes. I think I will have to look for another image hosting site.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

albert said:


> Okay, here is the most recent pic (like 10 minutes ago). A few changes in the system and new socks for the Acoustats. As the system does double duty as 2 channel and ht, here is a pic of the Mitsubishi HC-5 projector and my Fortress Corona recliner. They are expensive but very comfortable. The amp on the floor is a Bedini 100/100 1 meg class A amp that had one of it's channels go out. I have to get that fixed one of these days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I moved my photos over to Flickr and Snapagogo. Give them a try.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I have a very cheap and small setup. I dont use it enough to justify spending "real" money on it.

Wouldnt mind using it more and getting the wife involved. Maybe rework our space so it sees use.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I did vinyl for a while as my parents growing up had none, I never heard any. I never found the appeal. Plex server running to my Roku TV feeds my crappy Kenwoods well enough for my liking. Hell, I used to listen to a Discman, ran into the cassette deck of my truck powering a single 6x9. Its always been about the music, not the quality of the music for me.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

dcole said:


> I did vinyl for a while as my parents growing up had none, I never heard any. I never found the appeal. Plex server running to my Roku TV feeds my crappy Kenwoods well enough for my liking. Hell, I used to listen to a Discman, ran into the cassette deck of my truck powering a single 6x9. Its always been about the music, not the quality of the music for me.


You are correct. Same here. Its about the music first.

However, there are two things with vinyl that work for me: the nostalgic appeal (like a vintage car, I love the way it works mechanically), and the large format packaging (way better than a crappy CD booklet).


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

zurn said:


> Pics or it didn't happen











I still muck around with vinyl.



Sent from my other brain.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I like records because you sit down and focus on the music. It's not a background thing, it requires attention. Sadly that's probably a large part of why I barely listen to my records and have two still in wrapping. I have a comfy chair set up directly across from the stereo in our basement so I can just sit back and listen.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Someone gave me a Pioneer receiver they didn't want anymore (in great shape), and then someone else gave me some Altec Lansing speaker cabinets they didn't want. 

So what's good for a turntable these days that's not too expensive in keeping with this already free rig?


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

If you're looking new, there's Project, Dual, Teac, and quite a few more. If looking used check out
Turntables Used and New Classifieds : Buy, Sell and Trade in Canada - Canuck Audio Mart


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

butterknucket said:


> Someone gave me a Pioneer receiver they didn't want anymore (in great shape), and then someone else gave me some Altec Lansing speaker cabinets they didn't want.
> 
> So what's good for a turntable these days that's not too expensive in keeping with this already free rig?


I got an Audio-Technica LP120, it's supposed to be a Technics SL-1200 clone. I gutted the phono preamp/usb board from mine, it sounds so much better.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I had a Rega/NAD/Energy based system a while back, but sadly don't have the room in my apartment to have it set-up anymore. I still have the NAD and Energys, but sold the P3 along with all my records years ago cuz I was sick of carrying them around. Records SUCK in a move!

I love my NAD and will have it going again in the future, although it needs some basic tech-work right now (anyone know a good repair person who won't rinse me?), but I'd like to get rid of the Energys for something like a Maggie Q.1.6


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> I had a Rega/NAD/Energy based system a while back, but sadly don't have the room in my apartment to have it set-up anymore. I still have the NAD and Energys, but sold the P3 along with all my records years ago cuz I was sick of carrying them around. Records SUCK in a move!
> 
> I love my NAD and will have it going again in the future, although it needs some basic tech-work right now (anyone know a good repair person who won't rinse me?), but I'd like to get rid of the Energys for something like a Maggie Q.1.6


No clue on the repair work. Bay Bloor Radio?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

butterknucket said:


> No clue on the repair work. Bay Bloor Radio?


Yeah, I've spoken with them about it. Prices seemed a little high.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> I love my NAD and will have it going again in the future, although it needs some basic tech-work right now (anyone know a good repair person who won't rinse me?), but I'd like to get rid of the Energys for something like a Maggie Q.1.6


Maggie's are magnificent. I've had a couple pairs - SMGs and 1.6QR's. The 1.6's really opened up in the larger rooms I had them in.

As you probably know, they are quite room dependent. Moreso than other good hi-fi speakers (even other dipoles), they need space all around them. But when set up just right, they just about disappear and you just hear the music. It is a revelation, when it's done right. 

I will admit, I tired of the panel sound and went back to cones for my combination hi-fi/HT setup (KEF uni-Q's) and they have their own thing going on, too. But the Maggie's aren't far away and can always be put back into service, when I feel the need for that kind of transparency again.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

High/Deaf said:


> As you probably know, they are quite room dependent. Moreso than other good hi-fi speakers (even other dipoles), they need space all around them. But when set up just right, they just about disappear and you just hear the music. It is a revelation, when it's done right.


I used to sell high-end audio, and despite the megabux systems we had (which were super-impressive, for sure), my favourite sound came out of a Quad/van den Hul/Maggie setup. Quad 99 CD>99 Pre>909 Power, vdH Inspiration cables and a pair of 1.6QRs. No matter what we were demoing in that room, the system would get overhauled back to the Quad/Maggie setup at least once a week


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> I used to sell high-end audio, and despite the megabux systems we had (which were super-impressive, for sure), my favourite sound came out of a Quad/van den Hul/Maggie setup. Quad 99 CD>99 Pre>909 Power, vdH Inspiration cables and a pair of 1.6QRs. No matter what we were demoing in that room, the system would get overhauled back to the Quad/Maggie setup at least once a week


Bet you're glad you're not in that game anymore. Internet sales have decimated the brick and mortor stores for sure. You don't have to 'play it before you buy', you can just order one from the cheapest place.

I often see this on the AVS forum: "Please recommend between these x speakers. I'd like to go and listen to them, but no stores carry good speakers anymore. Which is OK because I'm just going to guy them online anyways." LOL

I still like to feed Visions a little of my hard-earned money while I still can.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Well back to modest setups  Last night the right channel on my Technics amp stopped working. It wasn't that great of an amp but sounded pretty good. So off I go to kijiji and I find this little gem for the price of a guitar pedal. 

It's a late 70's Yamaha CR-820 in great shape. It's super clean, everything works perfectly on it, no scratchy knobs or anything. I'm loving this thing.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I found out that the actual player I got from my wife's gma doesn't have the juice to spin our LP at proper speed. I learned that when I tried to play along to it, with my board, and I was "out of tune" haha. So I bounce between the el cheapo newer deck (?) for that one album and the "nicer" older deck.

I'm debating moving both and just getting the best budget-friendly one I can find. I'm also very afraid to go down the "good stereo" buying route, because frankly I can't afford to right now .

Anyone in the GTA interested in a 2.1 speaker setup? I was going to add to our TV and it hasn't happened yet.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

I got back into vinyl about 4 months ago. I bought the turntable a few years ago as I still have my vinyl collection (800+ mostly European pressings). I hooked it up to my DAW but really didn't use it much. A few months ago I decided to bring it up to our living room. I hooked it up to a Fender Passport PA which I was using to play music/karaoke. That didn't work very well. So I started researching about budget stereo systems. Ended up with a 50 watt solid state Mies i100 integrated amp which was designed specifically for turntables although there are options to plug in your ipod and two RCA inputs. It's made in Canada by the Planet of Sound store. I also got a pair of Elac B6 speakers designed by Andrew Jones. I also upgraded my Pro-Ject Debut III turntable by changing to an acrylic platter and I also upgraded the cartridge to anOrtofon OM 2M Blue. So here is my budget/entry level stereo system.


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