Muddying up the waters . . .

[CJSF]

I think this is a follow on from my post 'Clear as Crystal' . . . sitting here thinking . . . dipping in and out of recent Spotify finds, listening to some superb music, the mind starts to wander . . . ?

I ask the question 'why'? . . . Why so much vinyl, I'm listening to more and more Spotify, the sound quality is really excellent . . . I struggle with buying new vinyl, is expensive, cant guarantee the quality. Getting used vinyl from charity shops is a lottery and I'm not going out much these days, not been to the town for a month. Ordering online is hit and miss, I cant remember artists or album titles, make finding stuff I like/liked a real effort.

. . . I'm liking the ease of pressing a few keys, and equally if I dont like it or the quality is not to my standard a key press moves me on.

I have an analogue sound that is superb, but a limited number of discs to play, one is perplexed, never thought I would think this way :?

Currently listening to a recommendation; Martha Tilston, 'Lucy and the Wolves', absolutely superb. It might be even better on vinyl,if available but, at what price? Then there is all the jumping up and down . . .

. . .? I'm finding a new world of music . . . simple, uncomplicated recordings are a revelation, I can really appreciate the quality of my hifi and at the same time loose myself is real music . . . try tracks 9 ans 10 on the album above, 'Serching for Lambs' and 'Old Tom Cat' . . .

CJSF

 

[chebby]

I think this is a follow on from my post 'Clear as Crystal' . . . sitting here thinking . . . dipping in and out of recent Spotify finds, listening to some superb music, the mind starts to wander . . . ? I ask the question 'why'? . . . Why so much vinyl, I'm listening to more and more Spotify, the sound quality is really excellent . . . I struggle with buying new vinyl, is expensive, cant guarantee the quality. Getting used vinyl from charity shops is a lottery and I'm not going out much these days, not been to the town for a month. Ordering online is hit and miss, I cant remember artists or album titles, make finding stuff I like/liked a real effort. . . . I'm liking the ease of pressing a few keys, and equally if I dont like it or the quality is not to my standard a key press moves me on. I have an analogue sound that is superb, but a limited number of discs to play, one is perplexed, never thought I would think this way :? Currently listening to a recommendation; Martha Tilston, 'Lucy and the Wolves', absolutely superb. It might be even better on vinyl,if available but, at what price? Then there is all the jumping up and down . . . . . .? I'm finding a new world of music . . . simple, uncomplicated recordings are a revelation, I can really appreciate the quality of my hifi and at the same time loose myself is real music . . . try tracks 9 ans 10 on the album above, 'Serching for Lambs' and 'Old Tom Cat' . . . CJSF

When vinyl and I finally parted ways a few years ago it was partly because of the 'lottery' you speak of. I was lucky, I had an excellent record store 10 minutes walk away ...

http://www.vinylrecords.co.uk

... and they were equipped with a dual platter Keith Monks machine that is regularly replenished and serviced by KM themselves.

Despite all that, I was often finding my choices dictated by condition rather than content and paying a £2 premium on every LP for the cleaning service.

It was around the same time that I had started using an external DAC for computer based sources of music and something had to give. I was typically paying as much for a good, used LP (cleaned) as for a CD and the few 180gm brand-new pressings I bought were variable in quality, very expensive and didn't present much choice.

A lot of other factors (cables, boxes, faff, space, inflexibility, cost) led to a wholesale change in my outlook on the system. I was beginning to feel like the unpaid 'system maint' guy rather than someone playing music for pleasure. The TT, amp, tuner, CD player, TV, BDP, speakers, supports, cables etc. would take almost two hours to dis-assemble / disconnect, clean everything, then re-assemble and reconnect.

CJ you deserve to sit back a bit and enjoy the results of all your hard work and experimentation. Get out in the garden more

 

[BigH]

Thought this was going to be about Muddy Waters..

Anyway give his Folk Singer a play one of the most dynamic albums I think.

Yes lots of variety on Spotify although I use Deezer mostly as its free for 1 year and no ads. Never get bored now unlike when I had a 100 of so albums. Try Emiliana Torrini if you want something a bit different.

 

[DIB]

I'm awaiting delivery of this LP from 2012* , Life Is People by Bill Fay. Available on Spotify, it might fit your bill.

.

* just realised that this looks like it's a late delivery.

 

[BigH]

Yes I have heard Martha Tilson before, think it was on Macs blog. Yes she is very good. Someone else you may want try is Alela Diane: To Be Still.

Bill Fay not bad either.

 

[drummerman]

I sympathise and am an avid premium user myself. Perhaps 30% of my listening is through the service.

I also agree that sound quality is very good. Probably good enough for most people, even those 'into hifi'.

The huge catalogue and simple/clear interface make it a joy to use. - However, I mostly use it to discover new music, some of which I store in play lists and others I mostly source as either vinyl or cd to rip lossless. The odd 'HR download' but Paul Millers take (and measurements) on the subject are interesting and make it a far from clear cut choice for outright sound quality.

Good recordings on vinyl clearly have the edge to these old ears followed by a good CD/rip. That together with the 'event' of handling it and seeing it spinning on a nice TT just adds to the experience and I can relax into the music though I understand this is not for everyone.

I try and embrace all formats without to much favorism. They all have their merrits at certain times and one certainly doesn't have to exclude the other.

regards

 

[Al ears]

Excuse my ignorance of Spotify (dio not intend to hijack this thread) but isn't it just a streaming service?

What sort of quality does it stream at?

You never get to 'own' any of the musical content, it is just available when you have an internet connection.

Did I get that bit right?

So unlike CDs and albums you can never flog anything on.

Oh, and whatever you are doing CJSF just keep on enjoying it.

 

[BigH]

Excuse my ignorance of Spotify (dio not intend to hijack this thread) but isn't it just a streaming service?

What sort of quality does it stream at?

You never get to 'own' any of the musical content, it is just available when you have an internet connection.

Did I get that bit right?

So unlike CDs and albums you can never flog anything on.

Oh, and whatever you are doing CJSF just keep on enjoying it.

Its mostly 320kbps.

Why do you want to flog anything if you have not even paid for it. Yes you can buy a cd for £10 and then flog it for a £1 if you are lucky but so what? I don't get where you are coming from. If you were talking about music downloads I may agree with you.

 

[drummerman]

Excuse my ignorance of Spotify (dio not intend to hijack this thread) but isn't it just a streaming service?

What sort of quality does it stream at?

You never get to 'own' any of the musical content, it is just available when you have an internet connection.

Did I get that bit right?

So unlike CDs and albums you can never flog anything on.

Oh, and whatever you are doing CJSF just keep on enjoying it.

As BigH explained, it streams at 320 (Ogg Vorbis which may or may not has something to do with its good SQ).

If you're a premium subscriber you can store your play lists off-line.

As BigH I too don't quite understand the 'can't flog it' remark. I don't have to own music to enjoy it (I'm also an avid radio user) but if I really want something I just source it. Job done.

regards

 

[Al ears]

I see. Each to their own.

I also enjoy my music, but maybe I'm a material man.

I believe you have to pay £9.99 a month for Spotify Premium before you can get 320kbps and have access to offline content.

This is about what I pay for CD's per month so not much difference.

I do make money by intelligently buying LP's and usually sell them on at a profit when I no longer require them.

I guess Spotify has it's place, just don't try saving playlists to more than 3 devices though.

 

[CJSF]

Thanks for all your replies, I have never sold a record/CD in all my years in hifi . . . bring back that 'orrible memory in the late 90's when I dumped something in excess of 2000 LP's in the local council skip, a collection I started in 1965, the audiophile side did not start until late 70's . . . :doh:

The muddying of my waters is a very personal thing, I am aware of my change in attitude to music in general, from being a geek in my previous life to a very enthusiastic tweaker in recent years, and now all that enthusiasm melting away into enjoying something I have in the past 'put down'?

This is foiled by still enjoying music as much, if not more than previously? Gets a bit confusing . . . :?

The memory is going, cant remember artists names, tracks, or album titles, may even be one of the strong points of Spotify, I can follow a thread of 'related artists' finding new music. Serious tweaking has all but stopped these days, hand, eye coordination aint what it used to be, I drop and spill thing to often these days! As I've mentioned here before, I make and fly model aircraft, cant do much making these days, repairing is more of a bodge, but the flying, strangely it appears, because of my thumbs only control style, flying skills are still as good as ever, the thumbs work perfectly, its the 'fingers that are failing'? We wont talk about the 'old eyesight'

Recent artist/album suggestions have been very much appreciated.

So one presumes its old age creeping on, fortunately the hearing is still 100% according to recent hearing tests, (although I have to have an ear syringe every 4-6 months) . . . I can still make the best of it, there is a silver lining to my personal problems.

CJSF

 

[Macspur]

Thought this was going to be about Muddy Waters..

Anyway give his Folk Singer a play one of the most dynamic albums I think.

Yes lots of variety on Spotify although I use Deezer mostly as its free for 1 year and no ads. Never get bored now unlike when I had a 100 of so albums. Try Emiliana Torrini if you want something a bit different.

Particularly this one

Emiliana Torrini – Fisherman's Woman

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[CJSF]

Thought this was going to be about Muddy Waters..

Anyway give his Folk Singer a play one of the most dynamic albums I think.

Yes lots of variety on Spotify although I use Deezer mostly as its free for 1 year and no ads. Never get bored now unlike when I had a 100 of so albums. Try Emiliana Torrini if you want something a bit different.

Thanks for that BigH, Muddy Waters 'Folk Singer' was one of the albums we used a couple of years back and to compare my modified P5 against the reference standard slate 'Garrad 401' . . . I had had my Sumiko Celebration re tipped, at Northwest Analogue, we spent a whole afternoon and half an evening listening to ans comparing the retipped Sumiko in my P5 against the Garrad using the Sumiko and a number of Koetsu cartridges. The P5/Sumiko sung like a canary, comparing very well to the 401. I vowed then to buy the muddy Waters LP . . . untill I found it was £50! . . . having just spent £250 on the re tip it was put on the back burner.

Currently listening to Spotify's offering, sounds great . . . on play list, I dont have to spend £50 right now . . .

CJSF