Back To The Future: Vinyl Records

[Robbie]

Today The Rolling Stones are releasing a digitally remastered "EXILE ON MAINSTREET"
One of my all time favorite records. I stole every slide lick Mick Taylor played on "All Down The Line" And Keith Richards was at the ultimate height of his powers. Hell, the entire band was just in a "zone" in 1972 in Keith Richards basement on the French Riviera

Anyway, today is the day. And I'm going to Best Buy and getting the box set complete with real vinyl records. I had that album the first time as at teenager in the 1970's. Of course I have it now on CD. But this is gonna be cool to have the remastered version which includes a handful of tracks from those sessions that they never released and also alternate versions of songs like "Tumbling Dice"

So I'm gonna buy a freakin' turntable today too! Haven't owned one since the 1980's. But I think it's time for one. Last time I was at Best Buy a few weeks ago I was surprised to see a vinyl record section! I think it's time to set up an old school "stereo system" in my bedroom! This is gonna be cool!

And for you Stones fans...Mick Jagger is on Larry King tonight.

</non adult business thread>

[Barefootsies]

Robbie doing some air guitar to the 'Stones'.

[Jman]

I have to go trade a camera at best buy today, will definitely pick it up as well... Great album ;-)

[v4 media]

You've gotta love vinyl.. I kept all my reggae on record, cd reggae is a crime.
I want scratches and hiss and the bass from the speakers has to blow back across the needle for a true reggae sound.

[L-Pink]

Also, when it comes to rolling a good joint vinyl album covers are the best.


.

[CarlosTheGaucho]

I'm planning that in the future too.

Used to play vinyl records at home as a kid and enjoy the sound the most, since it's more "alive" and not that polished as CD's, not even talking about MP3.

One day, if I ever settle down, I'll build me an audiophile room with vinyls and a major audio set.

[LoveSandra]

nice alnum

[Robbie]

Okay, picked up a Sony turntable for $157

Grabbed the Stones Re-Mastered "Exile On Main Street" album on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

Hooked the turntable up to my home theater system.

Dropped the needle.

Spent the next hour with a big stupid grin on my face.

[Robbie]

Did I actually say the words: "Dropped the needle" in a thread about an album with Keith Richards on it?

He would smack me upside the head with a telecaster if he heard such blasphemy!

[MaDalton]

if you buy a turntable there's only one serious: Technics SL 1210 MK II

i still have like 50-60 records left, buried somewhere in a storage locker. maybe someday when i am really bored i will digitize them, some of them are still not available as CD (or i never found them)

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by MaDalton

if you buy a turntable there's only one serious: Technics SL 1210 MK II

i still have like 50-60 records left, buried somewhere in a storage locker. maybe someday when i am really bored i will digitize them, some of them are still not available as CD (or i never found them)

yeah, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. I just wanted to hear vinyl again. And when I did, I realized I hadn't heard that since the late 1970's. I was listening to cassettes through much of the 1980's until around '86. So it's been over 30 years. And damn it sounds good!

[Agent 488]

there are cassette only labels now among the indie hipster set. and the next cheap trick is 8 track only.

adapt or die.

[MaDalton]

Originally Posted by Robbie

yeah, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. I just wanted to hear vinyl again. And when I did, I realized I hadn't heard that since the late 1970's. I was listening to cassettes through much of the 1980's until around '86. So it's been over 30 years. And damn it sounds good!

vinyl records are like tube amps - it's hard to explain why (from a scientific point of view), but they simply have something that a CD or modern amp do not have.

but: once music is digitally recorded and digitally mastered putting it on a vinyl record doesn't help either. you need a good old 24 track machine and analogue mixing and mastering for the "real thing" ;)

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by MaDalton

vinyl records are like tube amps - it's hard to explain why (from a scientific point of view), but they simply have something that a CD or modern amp do not have.

but: once music is digitally recorded and digitally mastered putting it on a vinyl record doesn't help either. you need a good old 24 track machine and analogue mixing and mastering for the "real thing" ;)

The tube amp is easy: It produces even numbered harmonics while solid state produces odd numbered ones. So the tube has a "warm" pleasant sounding distortion and the solid state has a "harsh" unpleasant one.

With digital you have to compress the living hell out of it when you go to CD to get it "loud". Because once you go into the red on the meters with digital it doesn't have anywhere to go so it kinda "farts" out.

But the vinyl doesn't do that. It goes into a natural sweet distortion that our ears don't hear as distortion but more as a "warm" sound.

Of course that is really more apparent on analog tape. But it still applies to digital transfer to vinyl with todays studio software. You can keep it down under the red zone to master without compressing the hell out of it and THEN crank up the levels for the vinyl mastering to get that "warmth" on the actual vinyl record.

This album sounds great! Not that "Exile" was ever a crisp sounding record. It was always a murky dark mix. But I can definitely hear a lot more stuff going on than I can on my CD of the original album.

While I was at Best Buy I also saw "Dark Side Of The Moon" remastered on vinyl. Holy shit! I bet that thing sounds like pure ear candy

[Agent 488]

robbie most of the young music geeks / musicians i know are vinyl heads. were probably conceived to a cd. they download shit to find new music and buy records of the shit they dig.

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by Agent 488

robbie most of the young music geeks / musicians i know are vinyl heads. were probably conceived to a cd. they download shit to find new music and buy records of the shit they dig.

It's amazing isn't it? Who would have ever thought back in the 1980's when they were touting the new CD's that were gonna sound so great....that today the true audiophiles would be using turntables and tube amps?

[LiveDose]

I will have to check this out tomorrow. Thanks for posting about it.

[Agent 488]

Originally Posted by Robbie

It's amazing isn't it? Who would have ever thought back in the 1980's when they were touting the new CD's that were gonna sound so great....that today the true audiophiles would be using turntables and tube amps?

vinyl sounds better and has cool pics.

[Juicy D. Links]

Robbie I have bad news , I cant go tanning anymore :-( My doc told me earlier

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by LiveDose

I will have to check this out tomorrow. Thanks for posting about it.

Hey, if you're a Stones fan...they are getting ready to FINALLY release the 1972 concert film "Ladies And Gentlemen The Rolling Stones" this year as well on DVD

I saw that movie back in 1978 with my band at a midnight movie at the Grove Theater in Lakeland, Fla.

I knew then I wanted to be a rock star!

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by Juicy D. Links

Robbie I have bad news , I cant go tanning anymore :-( My doc told me earlier

FUCK! Stop the presses....

[Agent 488]

Originally Posted by Robbie

Hey, if you're a Stones fan...they are getting ready to FINALLY release the 1972 concert film "Ladies And Gentlemen The Rolling Stones" this year as well on DVD

I saw that movie back in 1978 with my band at a midnight movie at the Grove Theater in Lakeland, Fla.

I knew then I wanted to be a rock star!

and that movie was lost for years and was found on a .... torrent?

if i remember right lol ...

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by Agent 488

and that movie was lost for years and was found on a .... torrent?

if i remember right lol ...

No, it was never lost. It's been on film for decades. The Stones have all that shit. There are bootleg copies of it out there that are on torrents that were filmed with camcorders in movie theaters. But no, it was never lost.

[Agent 488]

ah read an article and the only copies around were some torrent copy - i thought time shifting for the win for a minute.

[Nikki_Licks]

I love vinyl records...it sure brings back memories and I am glad I saved all of mine. I still have a boatload of albums, maybe 150 of them and just can't seem to let them go....the wife thinks I am crazy..LOL

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by Agent 488

i thought time shifting for the win for a minute.

[2MuchMark]

Originally Posted by CarlosTheGaucho

I'm planning that in the future too.

Used to play vinyl records at home as a kid and enjoy the sound the most, since it's more "alive" and not that polished as CD's, not even talking about MP3.

One day, if I ever settle down, I'll build me an audiophile room with vinyls and a major audio set.

Sorry, but if you build an audiphile room (IE, spend lots of money on getting great sound), you'll waste your money by listening to Vinyl.

The "Warmth" people claim to hear is nothing more than time-based distortion (Known as "wow"), more inherent noise due to turntable rumble, low frequency feedback from the speakers (Boom sounds travel through the floor, up through the feet of the turntable, to the record and back to the needle), and lousy high frequency response especially with music near the inner groves.

Real audiopphiles prefer CD's because for nothing else, the sound is much closer to the sound the musicians want with no his, crackles, or other distortion (unless purposely added).

By all means, buy albums because they're fun to have and because you "like" how they sound, but don't kid yourself: They can never sound "better" than CD's.

[NaughtyRob]

Best thing I ever did was got one of those turntables that make the songs into mp3, so I got my old record collection digitized.

[The Porn Nerd]

Today's CDs are all mixed too "hot" (above the red), so there's cracks and all kinds of high-end loss. It's a result of the "loudness wars" that started around 2000 or so. A desperate response to slumping sales and more garbage clutter like American Idol cast-offs. So they (record companies) figured why not SCREAM above everyone else and get heard? It's horribly unlistable now how LOUD they mix the CDs. Loses any inherant warmth (what little there is) right out of the experience. Horrid. That's why you should always look for CDs released pre-99. Ignore any 'Re-Masters' that appear after because of the 'hot'ness factor (you lose whatever you gain in the Re-Master). Except The Beatles Remasters, they were mixed just shy of the red line.

But shit, I like vinyl just cause the records are BIG and I can SEE shit, and not have to get a microscope to read the fucking credits.

[LeRoy]

I have the original one on vinyl . Kinda scratchy but still plays

but Technic 1200's are the way to go. with cool Ortofon needles too ;)

[CarlosTheGaucho]

Originally Posted by **********

Sorry, but if you build an audiphile room (IE, spend lots of money on getting great sound), you'll waste your money by listening to Vinyl.

The "Warmth" people claim to hear is nothing more than time-based distortion (Known as "wow"), more inherent noise due to turntable rumble, low frequency feedback from the speakers (Boom sounds travel through the floor, up through the feet of the turntable, to the record and back to the needle), and lousy high frequency response especially with music near the inner groves.

Real audiopphiles prefer CD's because for nothing else, the sound is much closer to the sound the musicians want with no his, crackles, or other distortion (unless purposely added).

By all means, buy albums because they're fun to have and because you "like" how they sound, but don't kid yourself: They can never sound "better" than CD's.

Although I should be theoretically able to confirm or deny what you claim since it was my original college education, I have no clue never looked into it.

That's exactly it - I like how it sounds and hate polished / remastered sound, very few records that were made in the CD era are sounding unique because of their sound

Example - Portishead - they have some of the most unique dirty sound I know

Then you have the jazz label ECM - most incredible clear sound setup and mixing I've ever heard, of course this is less loud and more expressive music

I still prefer old style of recording though, just saw a documentary on Jimi Hendrix experience's Electric Ladyland and the original producer played all the original tapes and how they mixed that, that was pure magic and extremely creative ways how to get the sound, like Jimi was taping his own background voice, reverse guitar sound that was recorded and then played slower.

Or say you want to put on Jerry Lee Lewis - NO ONE sounds like Jerry Lee Lewis, yet I can feel the intensity twice as much on his old records captured in the 50's, it's like if you felt the electricity in the air on those, the new sound mixing with his latter records just doesn't do Killer any justice

[CarlosTheGaucho]

It's the same like if you told me I can never get so much efficiency and stability and dynamics etc. with old cars compared to new cars.

Yes, no question about it, but I'll always rather choose an oldtimer cause I like their sound and the enjoyment while driving, and I know I'll personally hardly get the same joy from a new car, even if it will be more advanced and same model, with all that electronics inside.

[ruff]

The best stuff the Stones ever did was when Mick Taylor was in the band. You never hear about him anymore and it doesn't seem like the Stones play any of the music from those days live anymore. I never was clear on why he left the band. I caught that 1972 tour in Detroit though, ripped on mescaline. Those were the days.

[ErectMedia]

Originally Posted by **********

Sorry, but if you build an audiphile room (IE, spend lots of money on getting great sound), you'll waste your money by listening to Vinyl.

The "Warmth" people claim to hear is nothing more than time-based distortion (Known as "wow"), more inherent noise due to turntable rumble, low frequency feedback from the speakers (Boom sounds travel through the floor, up through the feet of the turntable, to the record and back to the needle), and lousy high frequency response especially with music near the inner groves.

Real audiopphiles prefer CD's because for nothing else, the sound is much closer to the sound the musicians want with no his, crackles, or other distortion (unless purposely added).

By all means, buy albums because they're fun to have and because you "like" how they sound, but don't kid yourself: They can never sound "better" than CD's.

Personally a High quality turntable with a high quality needle trumps a CD in my opinion if you keep your albums protected and in good shape anyway plus it's a lot cooler kickin it old school.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question487.htm

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by ruff

The best stuff the Stones ever did was when Mick Taylor was in the band. You never hear about him anymore and it doesn't seem like the Stones play any of the music from those days live anymore. I never was clear on why he left the band. I caught that 1972 tour in Detroit though, ripped on mescaline. Those were the days.

I also bought the CD of this remastered "Exile" so I could have it in my car. It has a bonus CD with a half dozen "new" songs from the 1972 Exile sessions and also a bunch of VERY cool alternate takes (Loving Cup with no piano is incredible) Anyway, I was reading some reports on this whole project...and I read that Jagger and Richards and Watts did a lot of work on this with hands on re-mastering. And that they cleaned up a couple of things, and one of the songs that's "new" never had vocals or lyrics and Jagger wrote and sang then now over the 40 year old music tracks.

And one of the interesting things I read is that Mick Taylor came in and worked on some of the guitar parts that were missing on some of those alternate tracks. So Mick Taylor kinda "rejoined" the Stones in a way this year.

But yeah, the Stones still play all that stuff live...at least they did on their awesome tour in 2006. They played "All Down The Line" and "Tumbling Dice" from Exile and of course they did "It's Only Rock n Roll But I Like It" and some others from the Mick Taylor era.

He is an incredible guitarist. And his slide guitar work on "All Down The Line" is like taking a lesson in how to play slide. And of course he played some of the most beautiful slide guitar EVER with the Stones on the live versions of "Love In Vain" (the old Robert Johnson song they redid)

I never have read what the full story on him leaving the band was either. All that Keith Richards ever said was...there was a bit of conflict on a personal level that he attributed to Taylor being American and the rest of the Stones being British. Who knows?

Maybe they didn't like each other's drug dealer? lol