Ditch vinyl and reduce box count?

[matthewpianist]

Space is increasingly becoming an issue, and this has been one of the factors in me switching back to using the more compact Rega CD and amp, and also the Bluesound streamer. I've already ditched my bulky Atacama hi-fi stand, but having a turntable significantly adds bulk to my system and increases placement demands. I have around 300 LPs which also take up a lot of space. I don't think hi-fi needs to dominate a room to sound great these days, and if it doesn't it is easier to focus on the music.

Part of me would love to leave physical media behind altogether, but I do enjoy the tactile side of using CD and vinyl, and I find liner notes extremely useful. My CD collection is huge (around 4,000 discs, including some large classical box sets dedicated to musicians including Bernstein, Brendel, Gould, Perahia, Solti and Menuhin), and I'm not going to move away from that.

I'm starting to consider ditching vinyl. I can't afford the prices being charged for new or decent secondhand LPs anymore, and it's become my least used source. Using either the Rega/Cyrus gear, or switching to the Marantz MCR612 or Technics SA-C600 with the Focal or a pair of Dali Oberon 5s would give me everything I need in terms of functionality, and would also be very compact and room friendly. Despite my experience, I'm interested in hearing your views on whether I'd miss much....

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Despite my experience, I'm interested in hearing your views on whether I'd miss much....

I don't, but then my decks were not great quality, even allowing for the time.

How do you find the different listening experiences? If you have no preference and CD covers your bases in terms of back catalogue, it might be a plan.

 

[matthewpianist]

I don't, but then my decks were not great quality, even allowing for the time.

How do you find the different listening experiences? If you have no preference and CD covers your bases in terms of back catalogue, it might be a plan.

I don't really have a preference. I only use vinyl for rock/folk/jazz as it isn't a good format for classical music at all - CD is much better for that in so many ways IMO.

I think, for me, it's mostly a nostalgia thing with vinyl, and I question whether that's enough reason to continue with it given pressures on space and finances. I could also potentially thin out my CD collection, focusing it down to the big box sets, individual discs of less well known works and favourite albums/those not so available on TIDAL or Spotify.

 

[RoA]

I gave up vinyl years ago. I gave up CD's years ago.

I still enjoy music.

 

[matthewpianist]

I gave up vinyl years ago. I gave up CD's years ago.

I still enjoy music.

Interesting. Where is your music coming from, streaming? Or have you ripped lots of CDs?

 

[Symples]

I'd say no to ditching your vinyl, but then again, I love the tactile feel of vinyl.

But.... if you are going to ditch your vinyl. you can always sell your old stock on Discogs (website) on something very similar.

Who knows. Maybe I might purchase one of your records

 

[Witterings]

I gave up vinyl years ago. I gave up CD's years ago.

I still enjoy music.

Must admit I'm the same, I ripped my CD's several years ago which I used for quite a while but don't even use those now having signed up for Amazon Music Unlimited recently.

It's not just the saving of space, it's the sheer convenience of having it to hand as there are 2 main listening rooms in the house I can stream to and also having it with me if I'm away on holiday when I take a bluetooth speaker with me.

That said whilst I'm not bothered about a CD player / CD's, I do like the aesthetics of a turntable / albums as part of a set up.

 

[abacus]

Pretty common these days, however I suggest you hang fire and convert all the vinyl to FLAC files (It will take some time as it has to be done in real time) so that you can stream them when required, then you can put them into storage in case you get more room in the future.
The same applies to your CDs (Which will take around a 10th of the time to complete compared to vinyl) thus leaving a smaller footprint.
NOTE: Not all the masters used for streaming sound as good as the original, as there are quite a few that are remastered and have not been done as good as they should.

Bill

 

[Clarkey_71]

As a devout vinyl enthusiast, I couldn't countenance saying goodbye to my turntable or vinyl. It's part of who I am.
That said, everyone is thankfully not the same.
I think it comes down to how important is vinyl listening to your life?
Only you know the answer to that.
You have an incredible CD selection, which seems like your go to format.
Although I don't have a CD player, nor use streaming in my system, I'm not sniffy about either of them. Just my choice.
It's the enjoyment of music that counts, so it may end up being a heart vs head decision in the end.








(Stick with the vinyl though!!!)

 

[nopiano]

I’d do whatever I could to keep a record player, perhaps on a neat wall mount, out of harms way? My system is a feature of the room, so it’s hard to imagine sidelining it, but I realise we all have different priorities.

TBH, I could more understand if you boxed up your CDs and switched to streaming, from the perspective of space, but those bumper boxed sets are lovely!

 

[record_spot]

I dumped all my vinyl years ago, but got back into it during the pandemic. So I think I maybe have around 200 or so albums now. But you need to go with what is good for you MP. I've never really seen the hobby as a limitation. You have what you have just now, so that's your starting point. No need to buy LPs if you don't want to. I tend to buy stuff I don't already have, look for special offers and keep an eye on what's coming up. That helps keep my buying well in check. I'll sell the odd item, but keep it sensible.

For me, this past decade or so is pretty much anything that doesn't fit onto the four shelves of my hifi rack goes. I've just shifted on a Cambridge CD200 Mk II for throwaway money (which is what I spent on it). The two items outwith my rack currently are the Cambridge 752BD, and my LAD GRJ-828 turntable which is about to go on sale.

All that said, I keep the vinyl and the CD sound quite similar. I know the sound I like and anything else is just hobbyist tinkering. If it's not doing it for you, sell off the stuff you're done with and make some cash out of the LPs. But maybe hold off, just till you're sure.

 

[twinkletoes]

I’d give it an experiment, simply pack away the deck and buy a cheap dac like dragon fly and use your phone/iPad/computer as a streamer for a month or 2 and see what happens ,see if it’somthing you can live with.

I’ve found that not everything is still available and many things can be taken away at moments notice drives me mad.

Examples I’ve had in the past are nightmares on wax
My wife lost out on her swifty for a few months. And many many more.

I also know that classical can be problematic through some services.

Ultimately you own nothing and it can be expensive to stream even locally. Hard drives are not cheap are don’t work forever requiring back ups/replacements on potentially on a yearly basis. Then there is environmental impact that data centers have if that concerns you.

I personally went all into streaming but I’m finding myself listening locally more often with hard copies. I find it sounds better. Even vinyl sounds better in most cases I find. But ultimately alot less convenient. Though I’ve never been one to amass huge collections.

just my experience

 

[RoA]

Interesting. Where is your music coming from, streaming? Or have you ripped lots of CDs?

Exclusively streaming.

 

[matthewpianist]

Thanks for the replies so far, I'm edging towards giving vinyl the push.

I'm also considering whether to simplify further by shifting to a Marantz MCR612 and a pair of compact floor standers which I find tend to dominate a room less than standpoints. Speaker wise I'd be looking at Q Acoustics, Dali or Monitor Audio.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

I gave vinyl the push four or so years ago and commited to streaming, ripped my cd's etc and was totally bored with the lose of interaction with my music, I bought another turntable at the beginning of this year and started buying vinyl again, Some of the albums I sold off were pretty rare and I either can't find them or afford them again, so my message is,....don't be rash and rush into any decisions.

 

[Witterings]

Thanks for the replies so far, I'm edging towards giving vinyl the push.

I'm also considering whether to simplify further by shifting to a Marantz MCR612 and a pair of compact floor standers which I find tend to dominate a room less than standpoints. Speaker wise I'd be looking at Q Acoustics, Dali or Monitor Audio.

You've probably seen it but the price of the Marantz dropped quite considerably recently.

I've recently upgraded speakers, I don't know which MA's you were considering but I tried Ex-Display Silver 300's and Focal Aria 926's and kept the Focals.
The MA's were richer in the mids / lows but with the wrong track / elevated recording the treble became incredibly harsh in comparison ... the only thing I'll note is after they'd gone back I switched out a Toslink cable which I wonder if it was "dodgy", I know they're not meant to make a difference but the output was immediately higher but also warmer, it might have made a difference with the MA's.
The one's I wish I'd listended to are the Dali 5's, they seem to get an awful lot of praise both speaking to retailers and in forums.

 

[matthewpianist]

You've probably seen it but the price of the Marantz dropped quite considerably recently.

I've recently upgraded speakers, I don't know which MA's you were considering but I tried Ex-Display Silver 300's and Focal Aria 926's and kept the Focals.
The MA's were richer in the mids / lows but with the wrong track / elevated recording the treble became incredibly harsh in comparison ... the only thing I'll note is after they'd gone back I switched out a Toslink cable which I wonder if it was "dodgy", I know they're not meant to make a difference but the output was immediately higher but also warmer, it might have made a difference with the MA's.
The one's I wish I'd listended to are the Dali 5's, they seem to get an awful lot of praise both speaking to retailers and in forums.

I noticed the price drop on the Marantz in black, and I've ordered one. I had the previous model '611 and it was one of the few things that made me switch off from the hi-fi and enjoy the music.

The Monitor Audios I have been thinking of are the Bronze 200s. I have actually owned a pair before and enjoyed them, plus they're cheaper than the Q Concept 40s and Dali Oberon 5s. Nice and diminutive, they'll hardly be noticeable. Marantz and MA usually make for a good combination too.

The tidier appearance of all this might persuade me to stick with vinyl for now, but time will tell, as CD and streaming are already my main sources.

 

[Witterings]

The Monitor Audios I have been thinking of are the Bronze 200s. I have actually owned a pair before and enjoyed them, plus they're cheaper than the Q Concept 40s and Dali Oberon 5s. Nice and diminutive, they'll hardly be noticeable. Marantz and MA usually make for a good combination too.

The concept 40's recently dropped form £999 to £499 ... not sure when you last looked.

That said if the Bronze 200's are known to you and you like them sometimes better to go with what you know.

 

[Al ears]

The concept 40's recently dropped form £999 to £499 ... not sure when you last looked.

That said if the Bronze 200's are known to you and you like them sometimes better to go with what you know.

No more at that price unfortunately, unless I am looking in the wrong place (Sevenoaks)

 

[matthewpianist]

No more at that price unfortunately, unless I am looking in the wrong place (Sevenoaks)

They seem to be around £680 in most places, with the Bronze 200s around £60-£70 less. Doesn't sound like much, but every bit makes a difference at present.

 

[Witterings]

No more at that price unfortunately, unless I am looking in the wrong place (Sevenoaks)

Sorry ... didn't notice they were out of stock and they were the same price at Peter Tyson a couple of weeks ago ...

If you really want them as opposed to the MA's I'd give them a call and say you'd seen them at that price but were abroad and no-one was at home to take delivery, now you're back if they can do them at the same price you'll take them, they can only say no??

 

[matthewpianist]

I've opted for the Bronze 200s, so the set-up will be my Rega Planar 2, iFi Zen phono stage, Marantz MCR612 and MA Bronze 200s. I've always enjoyed Monitor Audio speakers going right back to the original Bronze B2, and I've not go on quite as well with Qs in the past, so I'm making a safe choice. A nice simple system and one which I expect will successfully involve me with the music, without dominating the room.

 

[abacus]

Best time to buy new with all the Black Friday deals on offer, just make sure they are the bargin that they are supposed to be. (Most dealers are pretty good though)

Bill

 

[podknocker]

I know this will ruffle a few feathers, but modern formats, CD included, sound better than vinyl. Fact. Vinyl belongs with all the other soft, low res media, in the 70s and people need to take off their rose tinted vinyl glasses and stop being so nostalgic. Modern recording studio kit, requires better quality playback methods, with CD coming closer to the recording, than LPs, or cassettes, could ever dream of. High res streaming devices are just about the same quality as the original data, dumped on a digital recorder, in a fancy studio.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Feathers ruffled, Most us vinyl listeners also stream and listen to cd's, we're not that stupid believe it or not....it's a getting involved with media thing for me and I like it.