Mom, Dad, and listening to records – Part 2

 

Coming around full circle.

When I started to think about what to write for part two of our series on vinyl records and turntables, it occurred to me that as nostalgic as this may be for me, this is a new world of discovery for many of you!!
Being in the technology business, I have been an early adopter of many new technologies. Yes, I owned a Walkman. There, I said it.

I was so excited that I could take a cassette tape with me and, as the name implies, go for a walk and listen to my music on headphones. I upgraded to the Discman (the single CD version of the Walkman) but it was not well suited for vibration and it was big so it was impractical for anything other than car/air travel. Next came the iPod. Now THAT was revolutionary!! I could carry so much of my music with me in a device that fit into the palm of my hand. I had choices galore whether I was working out, or flying somewhere.

 

Today, with phone technology and streaming music, literally, the entire world of music is in the palm of your hand. We are no longer limited to what we owned. I can stream something different all day, every day, for the rest of my life and not hear the same song twice!! So what does that have to do with vinyl?

It’s my opinion that the resurgence in vinyl sales is partly due to people who are discovering the bandwidth that exists on this medium over the compressed sound that comes from streaming or stored mp3 files. That’s not to say that high-res audio files aren’t available digitally and via streaming because they are, but for someone that’s never heard a vinyl on a nice system, you’re in for a real treat. To many, this is opening up a whole new world and I, for one, am thrilled!

If you missed part 1 of this series, it’s available here.

Over the last (almost) 20 years, I have watched the business model for The Audio Guy change considerably. We started out as a small operation, mostly doing surround sound installs and some home theaters. For the first five years, the home theater market was really going strong and we were right there in the mix. It comprised a huge portion of our business. We’ve grown with the latest digital technologies, home automation, networks, commercial a/v, and we still do surround sound systems. Over the last few years, we have been focusing on adding more dedicated two channel products and as this and the last newsletter indicate, vinyl. There are many fine manufacturers of turntables out there and we currently represent two outstanding lines – VPI and Pro-Ject. They make products that start at $399 (Pro-Ject Debut) up to $40,000 for a VPI Titan.

Setting up a turntable properly is a painstaking process and essential to realizing the best performance from your table. We’ll address that in more detail in the next newsletter.

WELCOME VPI!!

If you’re not familiar with VPI Industries, let me introduce you. VPI Industries Inc. is a family owned high-end audio manufacturer that was started by Sheila and Harry Weisfeld, the founders of VPI. 35 years later the company is still family owned and run by Harry and son Mathew Weisfeld. Located in Cliffwood, NJ, about an hour drive outside of New York City, the VPI family builds its products here in the US. VPI has been recognized in the industry as a premier maker of fine tables and electronics, from the entry level Scout to the mighty Titan.

Check them out at www.vpiindustries.com and then give us a call to come in and take one out for a spin!

 

 

For insights into adding music, video or smart tech to any space, visit audioguydfw.com or contact us for a free home consultation.

 

 

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Mom, Dad, and listening to records – Part 1

 

Remembering how it was.

With the exception of the sense of smell, very few things evoke memories for me as much as music does. I remember my very first exposure to vinyl like it was yesterday- a very rare thing for me these days! We lived in Winter Haven, Florida, and I was around 8 years old. That was around 1970. My dad purchased a console record player that, for the lack of a better term, resembled a buffet.

I remember it was an all-in-one unit with the speakers built-in on the sides, a record player, and what we would probably call a receiver today. It stood proudly in our living room, effortlessly filling it with the great music of the day. It was likely an RCA, probably purchased from Sears.

The fondness of my memories of that record player revolve around seeing my parents dance to the soundtrack from Zorba the Greek, the electrifying music of The Ventures, Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other artists that I still love today (I still have some of my parents’ albums!!).

My vinyl system today is a bit more sophisticated than that system, but the vivid memory kicks in as the needle drops into place, and I hear the first few seconds of pop and hiss as the needle finds the groove. The overpowering emotion is just as strong today as it was all those years ago. As I sit back and close my eyes, settling in for a listening session, I am transported back in time, and for the moment, I am with my parents- watching them dance like they haven’t a care in the world.

My parents have passed on to the next dance. I’m so thankful for the memories and for the love of music they instilled in me. Vinyl records mean a lot to many, but for many more, there’s a whole new world to discover. We will spend the next few newsletters talking about the magic of vinyl records. And to think, they reproduce music without any computer chips – it’s all mechanical!
A few things to consider – first, vinyl records represent the pinnacle of music reproduction for many music lovers. It’s not only the sound, but the experience that comes with the full-size album art, notes, and wrapping. For me, it takes me back to the days of getting a new record from a favorite band, sitting down with the album sleeve in hand, and reading the lyrics as the songs introduce themselves to me.
Second, there’s an ‘organic’ richness to vinyl that’s found in only the best of digital sources. So much so, that many artists are releasing their latest recordings on vinyl in addition to digital. Sometimes, they even include bonus songs in a deluxe vinyl release! Examples include recent special editions from Bjork, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, and even the soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy (note to Marvel fans – records sound better than cassette tapes!) Ready to take the spin? So are we.

 MODERN TURNTABLES

Record players or turntables have come a long way. The first ‘breakthrough’ designs hit the market in the 1970s and have grown ever since in quality and sophistication. We are a dealer and endorser of American-made VPI turntables. We’ll have more on these in our next issue.

 

 

For insights into adding music, video or smart tech to any space, visit audioguydfw.com or contact us for a free home consultation.

 

 

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What’s in a NAIM?

The Naim Uniti Atom is a beautiful, very small and elegant music player combined with a 40-watt integrated amplifier.

 

Uniti Atom is perfect as a high-end main system or for use in the kitchen or study, where space is at a premium. Just add speakers.

The Uniti Atom connects to your home network and discovers music from storage or on your computer. The 5” color LCD screen lets you easily navigate menus. You control it all with the Naim app. Uniti natively connects with Google Chromecast, Spotify and internet radio.

 

 

Enjoy music or use it to connect your TV to experience audiophile sound quality from movies or games.

Of course, since this is Naim, the sound quality and construction are as good as it gets. The brushed aluminum casing and glass screen are durable and striking.

naim

For over 50 years, Scotland-based Naim has been one of the world’s most exclusive music equipment companies. This is an audiophile product in a very convenient package.

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Performance. Drama. Kanta By Focal

Getting inside a musical performance is truly relaxing, magical, and one of the most memorable ways to spend time at home. The first speakers we fell in love with were made by France’s Focal. And we are smitten again with the new Kanta’s.

 

Focal Kanta It took three years of research and development to create the new Kanta. Part of the reason is the unusual choice of materials for the drivers. As pioneered in Focal’s Aria line, the woofers and midranges are made of flax. Yes, that flax. Flax has low mass, high rigidity and proper damping which leads to ultimate clarity and precision.

Unusual too, is Kanta’s shape, curvy, modern and stylish. It’s all for a purpose actually.

This is no boxed rectangle. Kanta has a very distinctive look, with every detail serving the acoustics.

Everything has been done to for accuracy, smoothness and low distortion – from the density and rigidity of the materials used for the front panel and housing, the smooth edges and the dual port.

Focal Kanta

The Kanta’s are available with a lacquered black high-gloss cabinet or a walnut veneer and matching front panel. The front panel is available in four colors for each of the two finishes. With the black high-gloss cabinet, you can choose from four high-gloss colors – Carrara White, Gauloise Blue, Solar Yellow, Black Lacquer. With the Walnut cabinet, there are four matte finishes – Ivory, Warm Taupe, Gauloise Blue and Dark Grey.

 

 

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