With the near-complete erosion of support for vinyl playback at the retail level, audiophiles devoted to the analog disc have little recourse but to become adept at the finer points of cartridge setup. And while correctly setting up these delicate devices does require relatively vast amounts of both time and patience, the steps involved are well within the scope of the audio enthusiast with a steady hand and the right tools at his disposal.
The goal of vinyl playback is to extract, as faithfully as possible, the tiny signal carved into the surface of the record by the record cutting lathe. If the stylus replicates exactly (in three dimensions) the cutter’s path through the record groove, then the signal extracted should be an exact replica of the one deposited in the groove by the cutter. Of course there are many reasons why correct stylus geometry with respect to the groove is insufficient to guarantee perfect analog signal extraction, the electromagnetic properties of the cartridge’s internal wiring and magnet structure, and the shape of the stylus itself being but two. Even exercising the utmost care and patience during setup, the best we can hope for is a good approximation of the original signal, which, in practice, turns out to be more than sufficient for superb musical results.
Diggin deep deep in the crates is one of the best activities on a holiday weekend, so if you are in Berlin don’t miss the HHV Diggin Days this weekend! Read more
Short documentary looking at the future of vinyl, and the individuals who share a passion for it … Directed/shot/edited by Andrew Norton & Jack Somerville
laFraise.com is Europe’s famoust shirt design competition. Five to seven designs are chosen every week from over 100 submissions to be printed and sold from the site in 500 pieces limited editions. Some of their shirts are just great! See this or this or this.
Now, you’ve got a chance to participate in the selection of a very limited edition VKMP3 shirt!
In an ideal world, every record would be played before it is graded. But the time involved makes it impractical for most dealers, and anyway, it’s rare that you get a chance to hear a record before you buy online. Some advertisers play-grade everything and say so. But unless otherwise noted, records are visually graded.
How? Simply look at everything about a record. It’s playing surface, it’s label, it’s edges…under a strong light. Then based on your overall impression give it a grade based on the following criteria (Goldmine Standards)
Mint (M)
Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, If at all.
Near Mint (NM or M-)
A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won’t give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling. An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like. Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap. Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
Generally worth 50 percent of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don’t affect one’s listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are “OK”. The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
Lately I’ve been diggin’ a lot on discogs, sorting records, selling some, buying some … surfing around, commenting & chatting. That’s how I got in touch with voodoolove & I’m pride to present is first podcast here!
Deep, warm & sexy, this sound is definately the perfect music to enjoy the first spring sunsets. enjoy! Read more
There’s been a lot of changes lately in basic.ch programs & our weekly VKMP3 shows are now scheduled on sundays from 20:00 to 22:00 (CET time). In addition we’re launching a second show: berlin channel every second week from 22:00 to 00:00 (CET time).
For more information, check our section on basic.ch. Listening to the shows is easy, just follow this link and the stream should open in itunes & winamp. Read more
There are some days I’m really bored with the uggly weather we have here in Berlin: it’s wet, it’s cold, it’s dark and it’s cloudy. Those are the days I’m thinking about holidays, sea, sun, mojitos and electronic music on the beach. I want sun & balearic beats!
With the near-complete erosion of support for vinyl playback at the retail level, audiophiles devoted to the analog disc have little recourse but to become adept at the finer points of cartridge setup. And while correctly setting up these delicate devices does require relatively vast amounts of both time and patience, the steps involved are [...]
Fireworks just started here in Berlin, tonight’s gonna be a long night .. and the last party in 2009. the last party is also our last podcast this year, an 80 something minutes mix recorded a few hours ago. Many great vinyls were released in 2009 on labels like Delsin, Ostgut, & Rush Hour to name [...]
