The Joy of Vinyl

I feel it's about time we had a little talk about something I've been avoiding - the RIAA equalization curve. Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Master tapes are beyond priceless. So imagine if something happened to them? What if the master tapes to Nirvana's "In Utero" were somehow lost? Or, and this is a horrific thought, destroyed? And what if it wasn't the only one? What if something terrible were to happen that destroyed thousands of master tapes? Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Preamps take a weak, thin, and tinny sound and turns it into something exceptional. Written & Produced by: Rick coste

You'll often see this on hype-stickers and ad copy promoting a reissue of a previously released album. Reissues are often “remastered from the original masters”. But what does this mean? What's so special about the original masters, anyway?   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Whether you're buying your first turntable or upgrading your present one, you'll face many decisions. For every great review, there's a bad one. For every reason to choose a model, there's a reason to cross it off the list. Today we'll look at one of those decisions - should you look at automatic or manual turntables?   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Record Players or Turntables? Many consider the terms interchangeable. That's what we're going to talk about today. What differentiates a record player from a turntable? Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Have you ever wondered about the hirsute behind that vinyl record spinning on your turntable? Well, today, you are in for a treat. That's what we're here to look at - the history of vinyl records and the so-called "vinyl revival". Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Imagine this horrific scenario. You've settled down to listen to your favorite David Bowie album. For me, that would be Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. As you're listening, you notice something. It doesn't sound as clear as it used to. The high-end isn't as high. You think at first it must be your ears. It's been a long day, and you're tired. Hopefully, it's not your speakers. You get up to check. The moment you stand up, it happens. The needle skips. Now you're in full motion. You run to your turntable and lift the tonearm from your record. What just happened? Then it hits you. When was the last time you changed the stylus?   Written & Produced: Rick Coste

In a previousepisode, I looked at the different types of turntable styli. If you recall, your stylus sits at the end of a cantilever. The other end of the cantilever disappears into a little magic box called the cartridge. There are two types of cartridges. One is called the Moving Magnet cartridge, or MM, and the other is the Moving Coil cartridge or MC. It's all in their names, and once you know the difference, you'll always know the difference. Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

With all passions or hobbies comes debate. If you're a fly-fisher, it will be the type of fly for different situations or the materials used. If you play guitar, it might be the Fender vs. Gibson debate. It could even be who is stronger - the Hulk or Superman. As with any great debate, there's often no solution. Opinions are subjective, and subjectivity comes in many flavors, as do passions. The question today is, should you buy a direct or belt driven turntable?   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

If you've collected vinyl records for a few years, especially used records, you're bound to have come across the ominous sound of a record skip. It makes my heart jump when it happens. And then I learned of a clever solution. I call it  “The Jeweler's loupe and the Toothpick”. It sounds like an episode of a murder mystery.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

What if I told you the type of stylus you use didn't matter? What if I followed it up with they all produce the same sound? That the terms “spherical” and “elliptical” don't really mean anything and that you shouldn't care? I know. That's crazy talk. Of course they mean something, and of course you should care. After all, your turntable's stylus is arguably the most essential part of your listening experience. Those grooves aren't there for nothing.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

In short, backward masking involves recording a message or piece of music and placing it in the mix backward. When the music is played normally, the message isn't heard. Play that music in reverse, and the message becomes audible.     Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Imagine you are in machine filled room for hours, all alone with a pair of headphones strapped to your head. You're listening to music, but it's unlike any music anyone else has ever heard. It's slow, monotonous, and the words are unintelligible. You glance at your watch. Three more tracks to go. You came in early, and you'll be lucky if you're home before dinner. After that… bed. You know full well these sounds will haunt your dreams, and they'll be waiting for you in the morning. It's a day in the life of an audio engineer creating a master disc at half-speed.     Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

I'm always interested in better ways to care for my vinyl collection. If something new comes along that catches my eye, I do a little research and, if my budget can handle it, I try it out. Now I said I'm always looking for something new. The Spin-Clean isn't new. It's been around since 1974.   There's a good reason why it's still around.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

If you are in the business or want to be in the business of selling records? Maybe you have a few of your own you don't mind parting with? Whatever the reason might be, you'll want to understand how to properly grade your records.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

If there was ever an audio accessory that has caused debates among audiophiles and long-time record collectors, it's the record weight (aka stabilizer or puck, as some like to call it). The arguments range from “I swear by mine” to “I swear you're insane”. Do they really make a difference? Can adding a few extra ounces to the weight of your record change your listening experience?   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

Vinyl collectors have a lot of things to stress about. There's record care, equipment choices, stylus replacements, speakers, static control, and many more little nuances too many to list.    Let's throw another decision into the mix - turntable mats.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

I love the record store I go to. They offer an extensive collection of both new and used records, and they constantly add to it by purchasing private collections or attending estate sales. More often than not I face the choice of both a used copy of an album and a brand new reissue. Many would reach for the sealed copy. I pause, gently slide the used copy out of its sleeve, and inspect it for imperfections. That's the one I want. Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

If you think about it, it makes sense. Your stylus is in constant contact with the grooves of your record. If those grooves are full of tiny particles of dust or oils, where do you think a lot of it ends up? On the diamond tip of your stylus. Even clean records will have some bits of unwanted artifacts in those grooves. You can't prevent the dust in the air from settling into them when you place the record on the platter. Over time, that dust will build up on the stylus, affecting its effectiveness and lifespan.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

I WAS THRILLED when I first saw the 50th-anniversary collector's edition of Workingman's Dead by the Grateful Dead. My original copy disappeared at the end of an old relationship, and I'd always had it at the back of my mind to replace it. I loved the album. I clicked “Buy” and eagerly awaited its arrival. When it did, I tore open the flat cardboard package with a glass of scotch at my side to celebrate. It was a picture disc.   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

After years of walking down the digital music path, I found the landscape hadn't changed much when I resumed my love for vinyl. The equipment was, for the most part, the same, as were the records themselves. With one exception - 180 gram vinyl hype stickers. My first thought was the record companies must be embracing this new vinyl resurgence and now produce higher quality records to compete with digital. I mean, I get it; thicker must mean better, right?   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste

What is it about vinyl records that fills collectors with the excitement of discovery, a bit of nostalgia, and hours of pleasure?  That's the question of the day. It's a good question. Why vinyl?   Written & Produced by: Rick Coste