New LPs

[hart11b]

Went into Best Buy today and found some new records (couldn't believe it). Found a NEW Dark Side of the Moon LP and some Smashing Pumpkins (Siamese Dream) and decided to buy. I was tired of getting records over the internet only to have them not be in perfect condition (don't play well).

Anyway, is there some place that I can find new records of maybe some more obscure albums? Maybe Animals by Pink Floyd or really anything like that. Does anyone have a good place that they shop? New records play so well compared to the stuff I have been getting in the mail.

Pilsung!!!

[maxg]

Whilst I cannot comment on the quality of the records you have been gettting off the net I would say that new records do not always play better than used ones IME.

Interestingly (well - ish) you refer to the Animals album. I have 2 copies. One I bought sealed (US copy) and one a fairly beaten up old UK issue. The older one knocks spots off the sealed one soncially - albeit with rather more surface noise.

Further, I have found that the best way to buy used vinyl is to do so from a physical shop where they have a TT setup so you can check it out first. I do not know what you have where you live - I am fortunate in that Athens has a plethora of shops selling vinyl (about 30 that I know of) so this works well for me.

A friend of mine who lives on one of the islands where there is nothing just comes to Athens once every 6 months or so and loads up.

Its the sort of trip that pays for itself manifestly.

[hart11b]

That is good advice, but there aren't any places around me that have that option. I may have to take a trip into Atlanta sometime and find a place that allows me to "test drive" records. I haven't listened to my new vinyl yet, but hopefully it sounds like it should...we'll see.

I can give you my address if you want to send me that sealed copy of Animals...just to let you know how it sounds. J/K

[Romak]

Find local stores! You will get, maybe not at the exact time you want it, very nice LP's at a MUCH lower cost. I have also been getting 180g albums, but be prepared to lay out some $$ for them.

In th last 2 weeks I have picked up 2 Joe Walsh "So What, There goes the neighborhood", War "The world is a ghetto", Ringo Starr " Blast from your past", Humble pie "humble pie"

Humble pie was the priciest at a whopping $9.00 and all in excellent shape including covers! The store even cleans them before sell on their Nitty Gritty. All told I spent about $45.00.

I bought one 180g and spent more then that......

[maxg]

That is good advice, but there aren't any places around me that have that option. I may have to take a trip into Atlanta sometime and find a place that allows me to "test drive" records. I haven't listened to my new vinyl yet, but hopefully it sounds like it should...we'll see.

I can give you my address if you want to send me that sealed copy of Animals...just to let you know how it sounds. J/K

Obviously its not sealed anymore so don't get your hopes up too high. In the meantime I will have to dig it out of the secondary collection (do not ask) when I get the chance. PM me your address in the meantime.

Lets just hope it can survive the Greek postal service - twice - did it the first time (I bought it on ebay) - and not all of them do.

If anyone wants a self assembly kit of Roberta Flack's Killing me softly album please let me know. I do have all the pieces.

[maxg]

Its funny how your mind plays tricks on you:

I was sure the beaten up copy was UK and the mint one was US but it is actually the other way around. The US copy knocks spots off the beautiful looking UK version.

Anyway - as you can see I found it as even my secondary collection is well organised. According to my listening notes side one has been played 3 times and side 2 once. Minimal surface noise apparently. I won't try it again to confirm as we may as well keep it as mint as possible for you.

[mike stehr]

There's a Pink Floyd album I wouldn't mind having. There is a couple record stores here in town, and I may drop by one tomorrow.

I'll be looking for whatever Jazz records they may have.

[Marvel]

That is good advice, but there aren't any places around me that have that option. I may have to take a trip into Atlanta sometime and find a place that allows me to "test drive" records. I haven't listened to my new vinyl yet, but hopefully it sounds like it should...we'll see.

I can give you my address if you want to send me that sealed copy of Animals...just to let you know how it sounds. J/K

Stop off in Macon, first. There are stores in Macon and perhaps Warner Robins selling vintage vinyl. Just do a search on Google. It would be a shorter trip from Valdosta, unless you WANT to go into Atlanta.

Bruce

[ptaylor]

Ive purchased the ''new '' vynl and I'm not impreesed with the quality control of the record itself. I bought Kiss Alive and several other records and found the record to be somewhat less then round and lots of flanges on the edge's. While the record is rather hefty in weight and stiffness it was short on quality.As far as obscure new records go, I did see Pink Floyd Animals and Eric Claptons Slowhand. Lot's of 70's stuff.

[hart11b]

I guess Macon would probably be the better option, I didn't really think of it like that.

As far as the Animals album goes---Max, I was just joking about the Animals album. No need to ship it to me half way across the world...I don't need to raid your stash just yet. I'm sure you'll enjoy it for sometime to come, but thanks anyway.

[garymd]

I have a NM Japanese pressing of Animals that cost me about $65 a few years back. Still has the original sticker that came with it. I used to have a new US copy but sent it to Rob Pritchett here on the forum for some services he provided. The Japanese pressing is about the best one out there but it's as rare as hen's teeth anymore. I paid $10 for the sealed US reissue that I sent Rob. Check ebay for NM later US pressings if you don't want to spend a bundle. Overall, it's not a great recording. Even the Japanese copy is mediocre albeit quiet and very detailed. Same with the cut on the box set. I believe they only put "Sheep" on the box set to my great disappointment.

BTW - I still have lots of nice classic rock (quite a few Pink Floyd) and other LPs I'd let go, most for a buck, some for a little more. If anyone in the MD/DC/VA area is interested or someone out of the area wants to spend some time on the phone going through my collection, send me a pm. I'm lazy or I'd post titles like other folks here.

[maxg]

" I believe they only put "Sheep" on the box set to my great disappointment."

Track 2 side 2 on both my copies.

[Dennie]

Hey Max, you have an Email!

Dennie

[garymd]

I've had excellent luck with reputable ebay sellers. The good ones (like me[]) guarantee their LPs which is how they keep their positive feedback at 100%.

BTW - Here's the copy I have, sticker and all:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PINK-FLOYD-Animals-JAPAN-1st-Press-w-obi-Sticker-MINT_W0QQitemZ160395223525QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item25584ce1e5

You can probably find a nice NM or sealed copy of a later US reissue for about $10 plus shipping.

[mike stehr]

Well, I hit that record shop yesterday. United Groove Merchants....sumthin' like that....

Plenty of Jazz, but it's evident that Jazz LP=more cash. What I wanted gave me sticker shock. I did buy a Oscar Peterson/Milt Jackson LP, but I haven't listened to it yet.....

With limited cash, one Jazz LP was about it. So I went to the rock n roll/metal sections, for cheaper offerings. Found a Riot-Fire Down Under LP. It was a band I was into in High School.

I notice that with a few older LP's I have, I need to pay attention to whether the record is mono or stereo. I've been playing mono LP's with a stereo cart and not realizing it, I hope that doesn't trash them. Though I've stopped.

Only after I spent my cash limit on records, I noticed the twenty five cents to a dollar record bins. I'll have to go back.

There is one guy I sort of but not really know........He's got vintage audio components for sale. A good twenty TT's in there for sale. There was one of the nice Denon DD's in there. Way overpriced to me, sans cart and headshell. Unless he hangs on to the carts and headshells for the actual sale, which is probably a wise idea......All the TT's were without carts and headshells, except the portable record players.

Lotsa SS amps, integrateds, and receivers. There is even a tube amp or two......

[synthfreek]

Found a Riot-Fire Down Under LP. It was a band I was into in High School.

Hell yeah!!! Swords & Tequila.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I have the same comment. I have bought quite a few really bad sounding new albums. It seems like a craps shoot on albums that cost $20 to $50. And I am ot just talking about mastering, surface noise too. Really bad sometimes, where I have many silent used LP's.

I suggest finding a good cart that goes deep into the groove, and, if you can, set up 2 TT's, one for noisey recordings that can mask the noise at the expense of some detail and sonics, and one for pristine LP's.

[garymd]

Mike,

You can't hurt a mono LP by playing it with a stereo cart. OTOH, you can hurt a stereo LP by playing it with CERTAIN mono carts. Ortofon makes two different types of SPU mono carts. One works with stereo LPs, the other does not.

Go ahead and play your mono records all you want. I play them all the time. One thing that makes them sound better is using the mono switch on your preamp if you have one. Just remember to turn it back to stereo. Nothing is more disappointing than playing records all day and wondering why your system sounds like crap!

[mike stehr]

Mike,

You can't hurt a mono LP by playing it with a stereo cart. OTOH, you can hurt a stereo LP by playing it with CERTAIN mono carts. Ortofon makes two different types of SPU mono carts. One works with stereo LPs, the other does not.

Go ahead and play your mono records all you want. I play them all the time. One thing that makes them sound better is using the mono switch on your preamp if you have one. Just remember to turn it back to stereo. Nothing is more disappointing than playing records all day and wondering why your system sounds like crap!

Cool. Thanks Gary, that's good to know.

Right now, I'm just using a Nikko SS integrated amplifier for the phono input. Gee.....and the Nikko has a mono switch for mono LP's.....Doh! It also has a switch for either moving coil or magnet carts.....

I'm going to attempt a home-brew tube phono stage using 7025/12AX7, from a RCA manual.

I don't have a tube phono stage, so I can't listen to tube amps with a record player. It's the next step, I guess. The old KS Musicmaster does sounds rather good with the SS integrated amp, however.

There is something to be said playing a 1960 high-fidelity stereo record on a idler drive from the same era. It's hard to explain..........For the last 5-6 years I tried to avoid the vinyl thing, because I knew I'd get sucked-in once I did. And here I go....

Synthfreek,

Riot-Privledge of Power is the LP I'm wanting now. I recall it being a real good album. Riot's idea of a concept album I guess. It was right around when "Operation Mindcrime" came out by Queensryche.

[garymd]

Mike,

You might be able to use the Nikko as a preamp. I'm not familiar with the Nikko but it might have "pre-out/amp-in" RCA connections on the back. If so, they'd probably be blocked with "U-Connectors" that look like U-shaped nails. Even if it doesn't, there might be another way to do it. Maybe someone else can chime in if you get to that point. That way you can hook up a tube amp and use the Nikko's phono stage/preamp section. It's really nice having the MM/MC option built in! I used my old Kenwood receiver as a preamp with a Mac 240 for a while and it sounded really good.