Thursday, April 14, 2011

Things I Love: Part Four

This is the best turntable money can buy, in my humble opinion.

Today's post is going to have to be quick, because I was late to work this morning, but this is a Technics SL1200 Mk3 direct drive turntable, and it is the best way to listen to music, other than live, in the world, hands down.

There is just something about analog, and the warm sound it produces, that can't be matched by mp3, compact disc, or even audio DVD with Dolby 5.1 surround.

I love the hisses, pops and clicks that come from vinyl records, even with a brand new diamond elliptical needle. The sound of a record just can't be matched.

There are a lot of other things about this turntable that are awesome, but I don't have time to go into it. I'm training some new people today.

What's you favorite way to listen to music?

27 comments:

Chris Phillips said...

I listen to mostly mp3's, sadly I listen to a lot just on vid's I pull up from youtube. Have never gotten into the whole vinyl thing, but I've heard great things.

Chelsey said...

I want a turntable one day, but there's definitely no room in my tiny-tiny dorm room, and I spend enough money on music as it is. I do buy CDs, though I put them on my iPod in the end. I'm a big fan of instant gratification and portability, what can I say?

Chelsey said...

I want a turntable one day, but there's definitely no room in my tiny-tiny dorm room, and I spend enough money on music as it is. I do buy CDs, though I put them on my iPod in the end. I'm a big fan of instant gratification and portability, what can I say?

Laura S. said...

My orange iPod. I have a dock for it so I can blast my tunes nice and loud, heehee!

Steve MC said...

In the 80's I had a Technics direct drive SL-Q300.

In the 90's I had a curious nephew.

They didn't get along well.

Unknown said...

I saved all my waitressing tips in college to buy a turntable and wish I still had it. I told my 6-yo the other day that I sounded like a broken record and he asked "what's a record?" That's just sad.

Katie said...

I'm a vinyl fan, myself. I blame my mother for her obsession with music (and records). My best friend and I love going to record stores and browsing. So much more fun than browsing CDs or on iTunes! :)

Bryan Russell said...

I like vinyl, too, but I'm not too picky (as long as the sound is decent).

Brent Wescott said...

I've never really understood the appeal of the pops and hisses from a vinyl record. Why do you want flaws in your music? Give me a clean CD and fantastic headphones.

Jessica Bell said...

Oh man, you're gonna love my Sig. Oth's vinyl collection! He's got about 3 thousand!

L.C. said...

Sadly, I've only heard a vinyl twice in my life, at least that I remember (I'm 21, for reference). I know. I need to do something about that.

I agree that mp3's aren't fabulous. I have some metal from the 80's that sounds like crap on my iPod.

Hope training the padawan learners is going well.

Ted Cross said...

Funny, but I've been carting around this big box of vinyl records for around twenty years now, though I have no turntable. I paid so much money for them (most are bootleg live albums) that I just don't have the heart to dump them, and I never can seem to find a record store that will pay a reasonable amount for them.

Michael G-G said...

I thought the pops and crackles were from yesterday's impromptu 42 Below tasting session.

As a music man, I am just sad. Most of what I listen to is on a tinny car stereo. But if you sent me season tickets to the symphony, I might just change my ways.

Unknown said...

Boy do I miss my turntable and Vinyls. I hope they have survived storage. I have some priceless oldies. Now I am getting worried. There has been so much going on with all this remodeling that I have forgotten about them. I am too afraid to go look, not to mention all my books....OooLaLa.

Nicole L Rivera said...

My iPhone and occasionally my laptop...Music on the go. Though my parents have records and used to have a player and I enjoyed the pops and crackles. I almost think they should include those in the Elvis MP3's. He just doesn't sound right all digitally enhanced and stuff.

Lindsay said...

I mainly listen to music on my ipod or laptop. But I do have a nice cd player that I can put the ipod in the top of.

My brother used to D.J. and he had some awesome turntables. ;)

Stephanie Lorée said...

I prefer live music, above all else. Generally in a more intimate setting. Huge concerts don't do it for me. I like acoustic artists and small town bars. Probably because that's where I play too.

Despite being a musician, I'm not an audiophile. I can't tell the difference between mp3 and flac. All recorded music sounds recorded to me. I listen to it constantly, but when I can, I get live.

Sounds like a great slogan... "I Get Live."

Ishta Mercurio said...

MATT! I agree. 100%. Live is best, but if you can't listen live - and who can, most of the time? - then records are absolutely the best, hands down. I've been holding onto my records from when I was a kid, much to my husband's frustration. But there's nothing like them.

Amanda Borenstadt said...

We still have a turntable. I'll still play it sometimes when I just have to listen to something we don't have the cd of. Then I have to remind the kids not to jump up and down next to it or the needle jumps. LOL

But we have to quickly turn it off before my husband comes home because he's worried I'm going to break the needle. Not that he's ever used the turntable in the 11 years we've been married. :p

Old Kitty said...

At this moment in time - via youtube and with my headphones on!!!

Awwww ye olde turntable with the big speakers!!! I remember it well and fondly! take care
x

Author Joshua Hoyt said...

I never listened to turntables so I was in the cassette world. I remember copying songs off the radio onto my tapes. Those were the good old days.

Karen Baldwin said...

I now listen to AOL radio because I'm with my laptop most. I love Brazilian music and can readily find it there.

mshatch said...

I actually once had a nice little system with a turntable, ages ago it seems. Sadly, all I have right now is my computer.

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

You can still buy record players? #Ididntknow #myIpodismyfriend

K. M. Walton said...

I'm a HUGE Pandora fan. Love the surprise randomness of it. I also am a HUGE fan of MTVU video channel. I'm forever scribbling new bands down (or Shazaming them) and then punching them into Pandora. Good times.

Wanda Vaughn said...

Hubby says the only way to listen to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is on vinyl. The pops and hisses become part of the music as if they were supposed to be there. "The more often you play it, the more personal it can become." He played through 2 copies of it!

I remember having a collection of 45's and a cute carrier for it. "Convoy" anyone? I was a child of the 70's!

Christina Lee said...

My musician hubby would agree with you. He's kept his turntable too!