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Vinyl Revival: Upgrade Your Vinyl Equipment with These Classic Must-Haves

Listening to music has been a passion of mine for more than 40 years. As a young man, I was fortunate enough to work in the consumer electronics industry, an experience that opened doors and gave me a perspective I only dreamed possible as a melomaniac teenager.

So, does this make me qualified to review gear? While not a “reviewer” per se, I am an enthusiast, so I want to introduce you, or possibly reintroduce you, to a hobby of mine that’s given me great pleasure throughout my life: Listening to music; more specifically, to records.

You’ve likely seen stories over the past few years about LPs—vinyl if you will, making a big comeback. Well, it’s true—LPs now outsell CDs in the retail world, and for good reason: They’re hip and sound spectacular! However, listening to records is a process, at least it should be. If you want the best from them, they should be played on high-quality equipment and properly taken care of. You clean your records and treat them like the jewels they are. It’s an activity I find cathartic; it helps set the mood and is part of the excitement of listening to well-recorded music.

NAD C 316BEE

 


The reason I say “well-recorded” is because there’s a killer on the loose, and little to nothing is being done. The killer’s name? MP3. Now, let’s be clear; we’ve allowed this to happen, all in the name of convenience—no different than frozen pizza or drive-through car washes. But MP3s are a travesty when it comes to quality. These simple little music files, being pumped into your ears by headsets that have no business even being called that, have reduced music to being a convenience, and its now fooling generations into thinking that this is what music sounds like. It’s like being told a Hyundai Elantra Sport is going to deliver a Porsche 911 experience. It’s not—it’s marketing.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “OK, so where do I start?” I’m glad you asked, because I want to share with you the simple, sheer delight of quality listening.

Part of the fun of this hobby is finding gear you like: the looks, the functionality, the overall design, and the value. There’s a lot of product out there, so before I get to the turntable (TT), let me recommend a few products to pair with your TT—gear that offers both great value and sound. Think of it as that bottle of Pinot Noir you bought for $10 that surprises the heck out of you.

First, you’ll want an integrated amp, and my choice would be the NAD C 316BEE (nadelectronics.com). It’s under $500, incorporates a phono preamp section, and simply put, sounds great.

Speakers are such an objective thing to recommend. There are about 30 times the number of speaker brands and models than there are autos to choose from, and in the end, there are many great-sounding speakers—it comes down to your ear, the room you’re listening in, the kind of power you’re driving them with, and the kind of sound that engages you. Here are a couple of products I own (or have owned), that'll serve you well without breaking the bank.

LS50 Meta

 

The original KEF LS50 was released more than a decade ago and quickly won just about every major award on the planet. I own a pair and love them. KEF decided it was time to make a good speaker even better and recently released the LS50 Meta (us.kef.com). It’s a stand mount speaker that delivers astonishing sound and at $1499 SRP is considered by many reviewers one of audio’s best values.

Next up, a floor standing speaker that comes from another company I’ve lived with in my home and office for more than 20 years—Bowers & Wilkins, or B&W. This company’s speakers, like KEF, are regarded in the industry as one of the best brands around. They offer superb engineering, quality of build, and sound that—when set up correctly—will make you think they have disappeared.

B&W 603 S2 Anniversary Edition

 

The B&W 603 S2 Anniversary Edition (bowerswilkins.com) is a floor standing speaker that will take you to places you never dreamed you could go for $2,000 per pair. Impeccably designed and engineered, used exclusively at Abbey Road Studios (yes, that one!), B&W will deliver outstanding sound and is another product that delivers an experience way beyond their cost. If you want to spend less but still want quality sound, check out the ELAC brand (elac.com).

Now that you’re dialed in to the key parts of your new system, its time to find the right turntable to start enjoying your new/old hobby of listening to records.

Turntables have seen a massive resurgence over the past decade, one that few expected, but one that is well-deserved. Do LPs played on a TT sound better than other mediums like a CD or digital/streamed files? My answer is yes.

If this is the first TT you’ve bought in more than 30 years, or ever, here are a few things you should consider: Buy a turntable that is “plug and play”; one that matches well with your integrated amp or receiver (has phono preamp); and, finally, one that comes with a pre-mounted cartridge—the device that houses the stylus and translates the information from the record grooves into the signal that turns it into music via the preamp and your integrated amp.

Rega Planar 1

 

Your choices are many, but again, a few stand out. My journey back to listening to records started when I bought a “plug and play” Rega Planar 1 (rega.co.uk). Listening to a good record for the first time on the British made Rega took me to that place I realized I had been missing. And so I jumped back in, finding my old records and jumped back in and cleaning them, which in and of itself is part of the romance of records and a must-do if you’re going to really enjoy yourself and the music. Three albums in, and I was hooked again, just like that day in 1975 when I bought my first “good” stereo system.

MoFi StudioDeck Foundation Turntable

 

Enjoying the Planar 1 as I did, I was able to get my hands on another turntable, the MoFi StudioDeck Foundation Turntable (mofielectronics.com), that did something I never expected—it took the pre-set turntable concept to a level, and at a price I never thought possible. It’s not fair of me to compare the MoFi at $999 to a $500 TT. That said, while the price may be double, its performance quotient at this price point is hard to top. The “made in the USA” MoFi is, in my mind, the best pre-set TT you’ll find at under $1,000. Everything about it exudes quality—the design, the build, and the sound. The MoFi brand has been producing high-quality LPs and CDs for discerning customers for a long time, and their foray into the hardware world has been heralded as nothing less than terrific. With two turntables in the line, the list of positive reviews keeps growing. This is that rare, value-oriented turntable that deserves to be the centerpiece of your system. If my love of records was reborn with the Rega, the Mofi StudioDeck Foundation Turntable has me, as Bob Dylan said so beautifully, “knockin‘ on heaven’s door.”  


5 LPs FOR YOUR COLLECTION

Great music, superb recordings…these records will help you to hear how great your turntable can sound.

Dire Straits: Making Movies

 


Dire Straits: Making Movies
While many would go to Brothers in Arms, my money and system says Making Movies is the band’s definitive record. Keep your ear tuned for the stellar piano work from Roy Bittan of the E Street Band.—TC

Frank Sinatra: Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First

 


Frank Sinatra: Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First
This recording is ultra-quiet, Frank’s voice is near perfect, and The Count and his orchestra is, as always, first class. I listen to this record often—I mean, really often.—TC

Keb' Mo': Keb Mo

 


Keb' Mo': Keb Mo
If you don’t know Keb Mo, you need to. This record is the Mobile Fidelity version, sonically outstanding. The music brings a smile to my face with every play. Keb is a singer/songwriter/musician with few peers.—TC

The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out

 


The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out
What the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper did for rock, Brubecks’s Time Out did for jazz. Of the five LPs mentioned, make this your first purchase. Fantastic recording? Great music? Cool factor having it in your collection? Check! Check! Check! Released in 1959, the music is timeless.—TC

Linda Ronstadt: Simple Dreams

 


Linda Ronstadt: Simple Dreams
Songs from the likes of Buddy H, Zevon, Orbison, and The Stones. Background vocals from Dolly Parton, Don Henley, and JD Souther. A band consisting of some of LA’s top Laurel Canyon musicians and produced by the legendary Doug Sax, Simple Dreams is a tour de force. —Tom Hallock


by TERRY CARROLL

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