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"I’ve also discovered it’s endlessly entertaining to take 33 RPM records and play them at 45 RPM, causing everyone to sound like chipmunks."

Welcome to the joys of my childhood. 🔊😂

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Please turn your right side speaker up the right way. It’s upside down!

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Yes, high frequencies are more directional, so raising the tweeter above ankle level lets you hear the treble properly.

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author

Good to know, thank you!

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Jan 22, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Go to discogs.com to find their value, especially if they are first issues from that era. Put the catalogue

number in the search box.

Stop calling them "vinyls," the plural of vinyl is vinyl

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

You also might try putting your speakers on stands to raise the tweeter (the small speaker) to around your seated ear height and try pulling the speakers (now on stands) ~18" out from the back wall they're against. May result in more natural sound when you're listening. Best of luck,

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author

Thanks for the tip!

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Enjoy your new vinyl stash! Speaker cable---go to your local hardware store and pick up x feet of 14 ga. lamp cord, and some side cutters and wire strippers. Styli (record needles) wear out, if everything sounds scratchy and trashy, hunt around online for a replacement. With old, used gear, it's a good bet the stylus has seen some heavy use. A Discwasher kit can be had for around $30, and will do wonders for brightening up abused vinyl. It's too bad newer turntables don't have 16 RPM...45 RPM gives you chipmunks, 16 RPM makes Patti Labelle sound like Andre the Giant.

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

It’s a slippery slope the vinyl world! But it’s a damned fine one! Welcome to the family!!!

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

I still have some '60s & '70s vinyl here, mostly pristine. CDs & digital recordings just don't have the same sound quality. You should see if Discwasher products are still available. Those old discs need proper cleaning (and a quality turntable with adjustable tracking force), to avoid any further damage. Just FYI, I was born in 1955, and know vinyl recordings pretty well.

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How can digital sound about the same as analog?

It can't.

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Please keep it safe the owner may come by soon.

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

As for playing 33-1/3 records at 45 speed, Bruce Springsteen's song "I'm on Fire" sounds like Dolly Parton. If this album wasn't in that collection, you really should add it. 😁

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author

I'll keep an eye out for it!

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Jan 23, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Please stop with the VINYLS!!!

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Jan 23, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

It's a killer hobby! I have over 10,000 albums it's a bitch on moving day but wonderful the rest of the time!

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author

Oh my! That's quite the collection!

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Jan 21, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Is this thing on?

--David Clark, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

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Jan 21, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

These guys are right. Plus you should get some stands. At least put one of the milk crates under each one.

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Jan 19, 2023·edited Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

ok ONE more try with fully set up substack account.

So you can often repair warps/etc in vinyl... try the following:

- buy 2 pieces of actual glass 14"x14" or bigger

- clean the glass really well, if using windex or something, make sure you do a full rinse and dry with distilled or regular water, record should ALSO be clean. If there is particulate stuff on either, that can become imbedded in the fix.

- place record between the pieces of glass

- set this in the sun for 1 hr (or better still until glass gap is ALL the way around at the thickness of the record)

- pull it inside without removing record, and let it cool to room temp, I usually give it 1-6 hrs inside just to be safe

-remove record from the glass and it should be repaired (or at least better)

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author

I was actually wondering earlier about how sensitive records are to heat like this! Thanks for the tip!

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PLEASE never do this!! If the glass gets too hot, say goodbye to your grooves!!

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author
Jan 26, 2023·edited Jan 26, 2023Author

Of course, I'd never do this to records in decent shape. With records that are already in really bad shape, though, this sounds like it'd be worth the risk. Worst case scenario I'd lose a record that's borderline unplayable anyways, best case scenario I'd restore it to a higher level of playability!

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You will love it! There's so much more to putting a vinyl record on than just listening to spotify. Make sure to stay organised and put the ones you like in a special place. Slowly but surely you'll become a vinyl head!

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Jan 19, 2023Liked by Kai Christensen

Purchase a Discwasher Record Cleaner. Ensure the magnetic cartridge on your turntable arm isn't damaging the vinyl. Replacing the stylus in the cartridge is a low cost option.

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