Shops seen selling LPs

[bikerhifinut]

One of my friends had a stall there and he sold a lot of LPs for not massive amounts.
But this was New vinyl I am on about and you ought to expect a high standard especially when the sleeve is extolling its own virtues.
Andy

[paulsherwin]

The pressing quality of new vinyl does seem to vary even more than it did in the 70s. There is a global shortage of pressing capacity and many plants are using previously mothballed hardware which is up to 50 years old and has seen a lot of use.

[bikerhifinut]

You have a point there Paul. I find this to be the case more with new material that is released with CD's and downloads in the package and usually on a lighter weight (thinner) vinyl. Although thickness of the record I have found over the years isn't necessarily a reliable arbiter of final sound quality.

However my gripe was the claims from the producers of the record of how much care they took over their heavyweight pressings, the processes they used and the material etc etc. The pressing quality was actually very good, My feeling is that something went wrong at the cutting lathe as it was the "warbling" piano and plucked strings sound consistent with very poor speed regulation. I thought the Gyro SE was faulty, but playing the same tracks on an original period pressing didn't show up the same faults so it had to be a production issue. Anywhere from the tape machine feeding the cutting lathe to the lathe motor I suspect.
On the other hand, I have been listening to some of the new Queen half speed remasters and they are absolutely spot on with a nice quiet background. Like wise the newly released David Bowie retrospective "Five Years". Ziggy Stardust never sounded so good. so not a complete disaster and Diverse Vinyl haven't quibbled and the Cat Stevens is in the post on its way back hopefully they will have a playable copy in stock, or it is all of a bad batch.

Andy.

[audiomagpie]

While on holiday in Norfolk earlier this summer, we stumbled across this:
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/people_a...amps_1_3645436

Holt Post Office is also the Vinyl Vault! Amazing place, an Aladdins cave of vinyl. LP's were priced according to condition/rarity etc., there was even a small record player so you could try before you buy. Well worth a visit if you're in the area.

['LIVEWIRE?']

The Vinyl Vault in Cheltenham is also worth a visit. They stock a wide range of LPs (& 45s) Most genres are included, and albums are priced according to condition and collectability. AFAIK, they don't stock new vinyl, though. I haven't been to Birmingham for some years, but there used to be two good collector's shops there, too. One is called The Diskery, and the other is Reddington's Rare Records Contact details for all these should be available via Google (other search engines are available!)

[harvestgold]

I'm afraid Reddington's shop closed down a few years ago - he continued to sell online, but I believe he has finished doing that too now.

The Diskery is still going strong though and is a wonderfully old fashioned record shop, just like going back in time. They proprietor is very friendly and will chat for ages (together with free tea / coffee!). I always go just before new year to relieve the post Christmas gloom. . .

[Top Cap]

Second Scene record shop in Bushey is where I go to, just 5 minutes walk from Bushey station towards Watford Heath. The owner Julian is very knowledgeable and they have recently increased their stock of 45's. You get a coffee too if you ask for one but Julian normally asks as soon as you arrive
For those wanting to build a great sounding RIAA amp, here is the link to the latest LesBox Mk.3, I made one for Julian and he now calls me a Hi Fi God
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/lez/Les...uild%20one.pdf

[sp10mk11]

After all these years of being an analogue fan it is good to see that the vinyl ressurgance is gaining momentum with the mainstream.
How ever there are re-issues out there taken from a CD or MP3 you have to be careful, Cutting lathes are a minefield in some ways, I have seen a small cutting head mounted on a Technics SL-1200 mk11, I have no idea how well that performs, The Neauman lathes were always industry standard with direct drive cutting lathes from JVC and Technics representing the very top end of lathes.
Then of course you have the various cutting heads, in my experience the best ones I have heard are lathes using valve driven cutting heads.
Who knows if this really does take off we culd have a whole raft of superb quality analogue discs, oh and as Panasonic are re- introducing the SL-1200 in a totally new form next year we will have something exceptional to play them on...........

all looking good
Gary

[Herald1360]

Originally Posted by audiomagpie

......LP's were priced according to condition/rarity etc., there was even a small record player so you could try before you buy......

So if it was in first class looked after condition when it arrived at the shop, it won't be when it leaves.........

Unless it's a decent deck/arm/cartridge/stylus kit.

[AC/HL]

Time was when every record shop had listening booths, even good old Woolies.

[Radio Wrangler]

How many teenagers could get into a listening booth was a national sport, though it never got into the olympics.

David

[mole42uk]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

The pressing quality of new vinyl does seem to vary even more than it did in the 70s. There is a global shortage of pressing capacity and many plants are using previously mothballed hardware which is up to 50 years old and has seen a lot of use.

I have just bought the new Keith Richards album and it's a very good pressing indeed. Heavyweight, truly concentric and with superb dynamic range. Mind you, it is twice the price of the CD!

[Herald1360]

Isn't CD dynamic range (or lack of) purely down to the so called "loudness war"?

Inherently it's way higher than vinyl is capable of.

How long before someone deliberately produces a CD with a faithful recording of a vinyl LP in its digits, I wonder? Sort of a variation on miking up a guitar/valve amp combo.

[Nickthedentist]

I'm sure it's been done, Chris. There are certainly CDs which are made by sticking a microphone in front of an EMG acoustic gramophone (Nimbus).

Nick.

[mally1956]

Last week ,in Barcelona ,I visited a music store which had a vast selection of new vinyl ,in fact it was comparable to the size of its cd selection ,alas the turntables ,for sale in the shop were sadly of questionable quality .

[johnlees]

A shop selling vinyl records is about to open in Cirencester. It's just off the Market Place down the alley next to Rackhams, for those that know the town.

[Gulliver]

The HMV in the Luton Arndale centre closed during the cull a couple of years ago, and certainly didn't sell any vinyl from at least 1999 when I moved to Luton....but a new one reopened just under a year ago a few doors down. It started off with one rack of vinyl LPs, which extended to a crate on the floor....then to two racks of LPs and now three racks of LPs.

So the display area for LPs has tripled in the time the shop has been opened. It's a mixture of new/recent releases and re-releases of 60s/70s/80s albums. Quite a good selection to be honest across a lot of genres. Current chart music, classic rock/pop, metal, jazz, film/stage OST's. I also understand that I can order practically any LP currently in print.

Prices are just a little higher than Amazon but they are very conveniently located, staff seem fairly friendly (unlike the previous incarnation of HMV where anyone over about 15 was clearly not welcome).

There's also a second hand record shop in Luton town centre which does a good trade. I've never been the only customer in there.

My favourite record shop is David's Music in Letchworth Garden City. I've been buying records there since the late 70s when I was a very small boy growing up in the town. Most of my substantial record collection was gleaned from the used shelves of David's in the 80s and early 90s....they still sell loads of used and new LPs and are truly independent.

[PsychMan]

Bit late for car boots, but every year the Apps Court Farm car bootsale in Walton on thames has plenty of dedicated vinyl sellers (3-5 at any given time), mostly 2nd hand records, but good stuff.

I did pay £20 for a new chunky pressing of "Leafhound - Grower of mushrooms". Some of sought after psychedelic stuff from the 60s I've seen priced at £30 and above.

Generally I find most car boots have these cottage industries nowadays, makes a nice change from raking through James Last and Black and white minstrel LPs at random stalls! Oh and lets not forget the Hammond records or the top of the pops ones. Not that its all bad of course

[dave walsh]

There was another piece in yesterday's Guardian re the retro vinyl boom [page 3] suggesting that it was an over 35's phenomena re the prices but that's not my observation-younger people are just as involved.
Dave W

[bikerhifinut]

In terms of the used market, I do think there are some rather inflated prices in certain shops.
As regards the New/reissue market, I hold fast to my "Pints of beer" philosophy, in that the prices charged are not a lot different in real terms to those charged in the 70's.
And having been stiffed yesterday in a pub in Keswick to the tune of £3.75 for a pint of very ordinary strength Ale, that would cost a pound less 10 miles up the road it brings it into perspective. Then again the Oxfam shop in said tourist magnet charges way above the local going rate.

"mr grumpy old man"

Andy.