This is more of a short story so let's see if I can keep it short. I have some questions after all.
Last time I touched a turntable was probably more than 25 years ago and there was no love lost since. But hey vinyl is popping back out from everywhere so let's give it a try. Mind you, I'm not an audiophile (which is why I write here, where I feel is a more balanced audience - read: I hope it'll take you guys 10 posts to chop me to pieces, as opposed to 2 posts; I have a healthy fear of posting on audiophile forums). There are a few things I can speak of in an informed manner about audio, but vinyl is not one of them. Vinyl is a funny guilty pleasure. I buy them for the art, like merchandise, 3 steps removed from calendars and tshirts. (wait... was that the sound of pitchforks?)
The problem started when I did hear a flac recording of a vinyl. It did sound different, pop, clicks and all. I liked it. Intrigued I bought a bunch of albums as opportunities presented. I still needed a turntable. So to marry a few things I was experimenting with, I got a Sony PSHX500 that can record directly into DSD format. Yeah, I've read it doesn't have the greatest cartridge, and it's difficult to change it and all that. Hey, I needed to start somewhere. BTW this is a $500 turntable that can be found on Amazon for $270 or so right now.
Set it up, put a new pressing of True Blue (yeah, that's Madonna; you can't scary me into listening to eclectic stuff that nobody can hum a few bars of
), started recording. Played the .dsf through MC (and a iFi Nano iDSD Black Label) and... nope, this is not it.
I said somewhere I'm gonna keep this short. Let's cut it abruptly: does one need to spend $2,500 and up (turntable, cartridge, phone stages, etc) to get a good recording off a vinyl, yes or no? As in the difference would be obvious.
Because what I got was a recording that was... unremarkable. It made me instantly wanting to reach for the DSP settings and this was a DSD recording and that implies switching to DOP, and complicate things. It didn't sound in any way good or bad, or "oooh, the sound of vinyl" or anything. It was all there but needed some serious DSP work after which it did sound nice, but somehow I had a feeling this would sound
different. I'm not getting into "better than" disputes, that will remain subjective to me. Maybe it didn't sound 'vinyl' enough (fine... warmer) to me. This whole setup was not dumped from a truck and tried an uneven pavement.
Even when I get into stuff outside my comfort zone I read a lot about it first. The turntable was set up right (balanced tonearm, etc).
Is this all a lie? Everybody is buying vinyl like me, for alternative, funny reasons, but not to listen to it serious style? Because if this setup sounds like that, what on Earth will that $99 turntable from under the desk at Barns & Noble will sound like? Sound of nails on chalkboard? Feel free to school me but keep it practical. Appreciate any insights.