[tin-ear]

I propose an analogue click and pop filter, for noisy LPs.

In the 1970's I had acquired a Pioneer 12D turntable, and then an Ortofon cartridge with a slanted down presentation of the needle that looked like the nose of the Concord SST. LPs had a fair amount of surface noise and rumble and grumble, and clicks and pops really >!CLICKED!< and >!POPPED!<
Then, in the early days of the Compact Disc I acquired a Sony Discman, and resigned myself to paying 2.5 times the price of a record for a compact disc.
But, since I owned about 2-3,000 LPs I followed through on a long term goal to get a better turntable. I bought a Systemdek IIX with a Linn basic arm and cartridge. The first microsecond of dropping the needle on record with the new turntable and it was all over. The new setup was so quiet... I almost stopped buying CDs for years.
Usually when people consider LP noise the thinking goes toward cleaning the LPs. Which is a very good idea. But back in the 80's and 90's you could read reviewers and us serfs (in letters to editors) bashfully write how a cartridge or player could make a major difference. The explanation is better players and cartridges mechanically maintain composure going over potholes than lesser ones. Or something like that.
Oh, I had played around with SAE and Burwin click and pop filters.Trickey to dial a record in to be effective but not muffle the sound otherwise. With the new turntable set up I gave that up.

 

[tafens]

These guys seem to be having fun

Well that’s just how we roll in the northern parts of Sweden

Before they start to play they’re discussing how the engine runs unevenly when it’s cold but it gets better as it warms up.

 

[Orange5o]

I propose an analogue click and pop filter, for noisy LPs.

In the 1970's I had acquired a Pioneer 12D turntable, and then an Ortofon cartridge with a slanted down presentation of the needle that looked like the nose of the Concord SST. LPs had a fair amount of surface noise and rumble and grumble, and clicks and pops really >!CLICKED!< and >!POPPED!<
Then, in the early days of the Compact Disc I acquired a Sony Discman, and resigned myself to paying 2.5 times the price of a record for a compact disc.
But, since I owned about 2-3,000 LPs I followed through on a long term goal to get a better turntable. I bought a Systemdek IIX with a Linn basic arm and cartridge. The first microsecond of dropping the needle on record with the new turntable and it was all over. The new setup was so quiet... I almost stopped buying CDs for years.
Usually when people consider LP noise the thinking goes toward cleaning the LPs. Which is a very good idea. But back in the 80's and 90's you could read reviewers and us serfs (in letters to editors) bashfully write how a cartridge or player could make a major difference. The explanation is better players and cartridges mechanically maintain composure going over potholes than lesser ones. Or something like that.
Oh, I had played around with SAE and Burwin click and pop filters.Tricking to dial a record in to be effected but not muffle the sound otherwise. With the new turntable set up I gave that up.

Sweetvinyl Sugarcube has always looked interesting.

 

[Les Strat]

I propose an analogue click and pop filter, for noisy LPs.

In the 1970's I had acquired a Pioneer 12D turntable, and then an Ortofon cartridge with a slanted down presentation of the needle that looked like the nose of the Concord SST. LPs had a fair amount of surface noise and rumble and grumble, and clicks and pops really >!CLICKED!< and >!POPPED!<
Then, in the early days of the Compact Disc I acquired a Sony Discman, and resigned myself to paying 2.5 times the price of a record for a compact disc.
But, since I owned about 2-3,000 LPs I followed through on a long term goal to get a better turntable. I bought a Systemdek IIX with a Linn basic arm and cartridge. The first microsecond of dropping the needle on record with the new turntable and it was all over. The new setup was so quiet... I almost stopped buying CDs for years.
Usually when people consider LP noise the thinking goes toward cleaning the LPs. Which is a very good idea. But back in the 80's and 90's you could read reviewers and us serfs (in letters to editors) bashfully write how a cartridge or player could make a major difference. The explanation is better players and cartridges mechanically maintain composure going over potholes than lesser ones. Or something like that.
Oh, I had played around with SAE and Burwin click and pop filters.Tricking to dial a record in to be effected but not muffle the sound otherwise. With the new turntable set up I gave that up.

Thanks for posting this @tin-ear. I was interested to read your experience with vinyl.
My very first 'stereo system' was a small unit made by Ferguson in the UK.
It had an integrated amp and a small pair of speakers.
I bought it in about 1971 and it served me well for a few years as I bought all the vinyl I could afford as a teenager.
My first 'upgrade' was the ubiquitous Garrard SP25 turntable, a Teleton amp and some Celestion speakers, in about 1974.
The Celestion speakers survived for many years, but I upgraded my turntable to a Pioneer PL12 D and the amp to a NAD in the late 70s.
I still have the NAD in a box somewhere!
A house move in 2002 meant that all my vinyl was packed away, and it has remained in boxes...until now!

For the past 20 years, all my listening has been digital- either CD, ripped, lossless versions on hard drive, and recently, Qobuz.

About 18 months ago, in a moment of madness, I bought a Technics SL1200G turntable, Ortofon 2M Black MM cartridge and a Rega Fono MM Mk 3 phono stage.

They have just been unpacked.

Last night, I experienced vinyl playback, at home, for the first time in over 20 years.

It was fantastic!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, as I was prepared for it to sound 'warm', possibly 'natural' but lacking the detail of digital.

I underestimated how good it would sound.

The inaugural album on my new vinyl system was the 50th anniversary release of Jethro Tull's 'Thick as a Brick' which was remixed by Steven Wilson in 2012 and released on vinyl as a half speed master on 29th July this year.

It sounded amazing!

No surface noise, really clear high frequencies, without a trace of harshness, superb stereo separation and not a hint of any hum or other noise.

I was very pleasantly surprised.

I am running the Rega Fono into a Schiit Freya S preamp and then into some active ATC SCM 100 ASL speakers (which are pretty revealing).

The whole vinyl 'experience'- unpacking a brand-new album, reading the sleeve and then carefully lowering the stylus onto the record, was very nostalgic, as it is something I have done thousands of times before, but not for 20 years.

This evening I will try some other vinyl albums, including some new re-issues and some of my old first pressings.

I will also have my first listen with my new Sennheiser HD 800S headphones, via Lokius and Folkvangr

 

[DACattack]

The inaugural album on my new vinyl system was the 50th anniversary release of Jethro Tull's 'Thick as a Brick' which was remixed by Steven Wilson in 2012 and released on vinyl as a half speed master on 29th July this year.

Excellent sonic choice to mark your return to vinyl. Wilson's remasters of classic Yes (Relayer is especially good compared to the original mix) and King Crimson (In the Court of the Crimson King in particular) are delightful. (If you like 70's progressive rock, his Gentle Giant remasters are excellent too.) In college I had a large collection of vinyl, and through a few moves, and a painful divorce, I lost it all. When the Sol turntable came out, I decided to give vinyl a go again, and have rebuilt a decent collection of records. I still listen to a mix of digital and vinyl, but the ritual of prepping the vinyl, setting up the turntable, perusing the album cover and sleeve as the music plays, flipping the album halfway through, is something I actually missed and found powerfully nostalgic. Enjoy!

 

[OldRoadToad]

Sweetvinyl Sugarcube has always looked interesting.

The name alone does it for me! "With a name like Sweetvinyl Sugarcube, it just has to be good!"

ORT

 

[Les Strat]

Excellent sonic choice to mark your return to vinyl. Wilson's remasters of classic Yes (Relayer is especially good compared to the original mix) and King Crimson (In the Court of the Crimson King in particular) are delightful. (If you like 70's progressive rock, his Gentle Giant remasters are excellent too.) In college I had a large collection of vinyl, and through a few moves, and a painful divorce, I lost it all. When the Sol turntable came out, I decided to give vinyl a go again, and have rebuilt a decent collection of records. I still listen to a mix of digital and vinyl, but the ritual of prepping the vinyl, setting up the turntable, perusing the album cover and sleeve as the music plays, flipping the album halfway through, is something I actually missed and found powerfully nostalgic. Enjoy!

Thanks @DACattack

Luckily, I have an unopened copy of Steven Wilson's Yes Remixes box set.
I bought it well over a year ago, along with two extra copies, which I gave to old friends as surprise Birthday presents. They are both big Yes fans and were delighted with the box sets.

It comprises:

• The Yes Album
• Fragile
• Close to the Edge
• Tales from Topographic Oceans
• Relayer.

https://www.discogs.com/release/12211133-Yes-The-Steven-Wilson-Remixes

I'll have a listen this evening.

I was lucky to get mine when I did, as it is now out of print, and even second-hand copies are fetching £300+

 

[Jigetz]

The Lyr+ are out for photography now, both black and silver.

Just waiting for that, and production quantities of boards, and we're rolling.

Is the Lyr+ going to have both a black and silver variant?

 

[Odin412]

I think Amir is an asshat, but the Zune player was pretty sweet.

I miss the Zune player and the Zune Windows player software, which was excellent.

 

[Odin412]

Is the Lyr+ going to have both a black and silver variant?

+1 for a silver version!

 

[leonthebumme]

Thanks for that!
I'm resisting for now, they would have to be silver or get a different Freya+ too. That gets to be serious money..........

Definitely not a cheap investment. However (and I'm sure I'm preaching to the crowd on this site) it is money that buys significantly "upwards." Meaning I have auditioned several other amps in my system, including the $7K Pass XA 30.8. Spoiler alert - preferred the Schiit (Aegir in that case). And now the Tyrs have unseated the Aegir. So no, not cheap, but if you are in the market for a new amp, the Tyrs are money well spent. And just a tip - they need a good week or two to settle in. For the first week, my single Aegir was a bass behemoth compared to the Tyrs. That has changed. But don't be scared off in the first week or so.

 

[OldRoadToad]

Thanks @DACattack

Luckily, I have an unopened copy of Steven Wilson's Yes Remixes box set.
I bought it well over a year ago, along with two extra copies, which I gave to old friends as surprise Birthday presents. They are both big Yes fans and were delighted with the box sets.

It comprises:

• The Yes Album
• Fragile
• Close to the Edge
• Tales from Topographic Oceans
• Relayer.

https://www.discogs.com/release/12211133-Yes-The-Steven-Wilson-Remixes

I'll have a listen this evening.

I was lucky to get mine when I did, as it is now out of print, and even second-hand copies are fetching £300+

I like Yes (a LOT!) but I keep looking at Rick Wakeman in this photo and seeing...Gollum.

ORT

 

[bevanc]

I like Yes (a LOT!) but I keep looking at Rick Wakeman in this photo and seeing...Gollum.

ORT

 

[macdonjh]

The Lyr+ are out for photography now, both black and silver.

Just waiting for that, and production quantities of boards, and we're rolling.

Is the Lyr+ going to have both a black and silver variant?

Here you go...

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

re: Texans. We here in New Mexico legalized the cannabis plant earlier this year (side note: any government that makes a plant illegal is clinically insane), which has resulted in an even greater influx of Texans this summer than in the past. Cannabis sales were quite high last month. These folks sample their purchase then proceed to drive around Santa Fe looking for food or tourist attractions. 'Twas bad enough when they were just lost, or drunk, but now the situation has reached a new level of crazy.

I was born in NM and lived there off and on my whole life. Three years ago I moved to AZ. My first year at UNM was in 1971 which lead to my first burning of Zozobra. What a party it was back then. You could wander around after the burning at Ft Marcy park and people had their doors open and the parties were open to all. The Devil's lettuce was never in short supply in NM as far back as I can remember, lol.