Vinyl record question. I need help

[Motorhead350]

Do you know what can cause a vinyl to sound flat? I have a record collection and one record and one 45 sound flat. It'll play, but it almost sounds too slow or something because the vocals and music sound a little flat compared to other recordings that I have heard. Particually my 45 with the song Bo Diddley by Bo Diddley and the song A Thousand Stars by Kathy Young and The Innocents on a 33 and 1/3rd. Could this be due to poor production quality? It's only these two songs out of my whole collection. The 33 and 1/3rd has other songs besides A Thousand Stars and they sound just fine. Can I fix this in anyway?

[BAD MERC]

If you have previously used a worn stylus, it may damage the groove and therefore it will alter exactly where the needle rides and how accurately.

[Mike Poore]

I think Silver is correct, only it most likely was not your equipment that damaged those recordings.

Since you were not yet alive when those records, especially the 45's were cut, you have no idea how they were stored or on what kind of equipment they were played.
Since those 45's were most likely previously owned, and played, by youngsters, perhaps thousands of times, on the most hideously bad equipment imagenable, it's amazing you can find a 45 with any fidelity whatsoever.
The notion of a cartage being used on one of those record players makes me smile, as you could buy a half dozen record players for the price of a cartage. They used a needle, and usually came with a pack of several, if you had a deluxe model with two tubes in the amp, or you could buy a pack of a half dozen for a dime. There was a spring loaded clip or thumb screw used to install a new needle, or if you had a good hone and willing dad, he could polish a bad one to where it would play again. Also, we never threw the bad ones away, as they were kept in a tray, waiting to replace the next worse one in line.
Did you know, for instance, you could buy a Plymouth (~59?) that had a spring loaded 45 record player in it? Think of what that thing did to the records, not to mention storing them in the glove box etc.
So, you ask, why is your Bo-Diddly 45 crap, when the actual question could be: why can I hear any of them at all? :)
Furthermore, it's my guess that playing damaged records are tearing up your cartridge, and you might give second thought to playing any of them at all. Since those records are a "collection", why don't you download the tracks you want to hear, and listen to them via that medium, and save those valuable old vinyl classics?
....Grand-dad's next lesson will be about 8 tracks, stand by.....:rofl:

[dwasson]

I have about 7000 vinyl albums, many of them have never been released digitally. I think that I'll be buying this (http://www.amazon.com/Numark-TTUSB-Turntable-with-USB/dp/B000G3FNVM/sr=8-2/qid=1172329238/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-1283050-8974463?ie=UTF8&s=electronics) to get the music into my iPod.

[Bigdogjim]

Worn stylus....bingo this 1 thing that will destroy your records in a heartbeat.

[jim geary]

I think Silver is correct, only it most likely was not your equipment that damaged those recordings.

Since you were not yet alive when those records, especially the 45's were cut, you have no idea how they were stored or on what kind of equipment they were played.
Since those 45's were most likely previously owned, and played, by youngsters, perhaps thousands of times, on the most hideously bad equipment imagenable, it's amazing you can find a 45 with any fidelity whatsoever.
The notion of a cartage being used on one of those record players makes me smile, as you could buy a half dozen record players for the price of a cartage. They used a needle, and usually came with a pack of several, if you had a deluxe model with two tubes in the amp, or you could buy a pack of a half dozen for a dime. There was a spring loaded clip or thumb screw used to install a new needle, or if you had a good hone and willing dad, he could polish a bad one to where it would play again. Also, we never threw the bad ones away, as they were kept in a tray, waiting to replace the next worse one in line.
Did you know, for instance, you could buy a Plymouth (~59?) that had a spring loaded 45 record player in it? Think of what that thing did to the records, not to mention storing them in the glove box etc.
So, you ask, why is your Bo-Diddly 45 crap, when the actual question could be: why can I hear any of them at all? :)
Furthermore, it's my guess that playing damaged records are tearing up your cartridge, and you might give second thought to playing any of them at all. Since those records are a "collection", why don't you download the tracks you want to hear, and listen to them via that medium, and save those valuable old vinyl classics?
....Grand-dad's next lesson will be about 8 tracks, stand by.....:rofl:
Excellent info Mike. I remember I had an old portable that had the 45 spindle
addapter. Take it off and you play 78's or 331/3's. If my memory serves me
well I seem to remember that the tip of the arm would flip over with a different size needle for a different size record also.
Just had to chime in. Sorry.

[Pops]

I want to hear about the 8tracks! I have been selling them on Ebay. Nothing like crosstalk. The records are either wore out from to much use, improper tracking and sometimes it is just plain lousy recording.

[Mike Poore]

Excellent info Mike. I remember I had an old portable that had the 45 spindle
addapter. Take it off and you play 78's or 331/3's. If my memory serves me
well I seem to remember that the tip of the arm would flip over with a different size needle for a different size record also.
Just had to chime in. Sorry.

WOW! Jim, you had one of the really good ones, with the turn over needle, and the center adapter thingey. The one I had came with a single post, the size of the 45's and only played those. One of my friends got one for Christmas that he could stack 4-5 records on, at once, and the next record would fall down, when the one below it ended. Sometimes all of 'em would come crashing down, all at once, while the arm was still on the record below, and that record would have a "pop" from then on. All of us neighborhood kids were amazed at this mechanical marvel. :D
BTW, I seem to recall a "Barbie" record player.
:hijack: Sorry to hijack your thread Dominic. It's hard to keep old people focused.

[Bigdogjim]

I remember the "high end turntables" did not have this option, only a short pin so you play one at a time. I did have a "stacker" at one time and remember only too well when records came crashing down:rofl:

[Motorhead350]

Actually I have the same record player, but haven't set it up yet. It's from 1960 or 1959 and my dad got it when it was new and now it's mine. I wanna hook it up real bad, but these wires look very strange so I'm going to leave it to the guy who put it together the first time. :cool: Also my Bo Diddley 45 is a fresh press so I blame the quality or it might have been stored incorrectly like some of you are saying. Thanks for the help guys.

[jim geary]

WOW! Jim, you had one of the really good ones, with the turn over needle, and the center adapter thingey. The one I had came with a single post, the size of the 45's and only played those. One of my friends got one for Christmas that he could stack 4-5 records on, at once, and the next record would fall down, when the one below it ended. Sometimes all of 'em would come crashing down, all at once, while the arm was still on the record below, and that record would have a "pop" from then on. All of us neighborhood kids were amazed at this mechanical marvel. :D
BTW, I seem to recall a "Barbie" record player.
:hijack: Sorry to hijack your thread Dominic. It's hard to keep old people focused.
I remember that happening more than once. Especially with the 78's cause
they weighed so much more. And if you didn't have one of those metal arms
to rest on your stack of records they would wobble back and forth. Especially the 331/3rds. I remember the Barbie player but if I'm not mistaken
Hanna-Barbarra also lent their names to a Flintstone one and a Jetsons one
also. Isn't this fun?

[Master]

I had a Mickey Mouse player but it was destroyed in a fire at the electronics shop. I would LOVE to know what it would be worth now. Pure 1970s Camp. My brother's collection (I give him all of my albums for safe keeping) is still in mint condition, but they aren't in cold storage either. A $400 turntable with a micro-balanced arm and $200 cartridge go a long way to maintaining quality. Also, I've heard it is very important not to replay the same side within a certain period of time (cannot remember the lag) as the grooves are actually deformed slightly with the passage of the needle. It takes more than a few seconds for the medium to return to its original shape.
I still love vinyl. How else could we have gotten those cool Pink Floyd posters. Certainly not in a CD case!

[Motorhead350]

I have about 7000 vinyl albums, many of them have never been released digitally. I think that I'll be buying this (http://www.amazon.com/Numark-TTUSB-Turntable-with-USB/dp/B000G3FNVM/sr=8-2/qid=1172329238/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-1283050-8974463?ie=UTF8&s=electronics) to get the music into my iPod.

If you have any original Sun Records you wanna sell let me know. Or anything from 1954-1963.

[ncmm]

if it was played several hundred times on this that might be your problem

http://i5.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/8c/db/da46_1_b.JPG

[1stMerc]

For all of us who made through all the forms of media, platters, 8-tracks, reel-reels, cassettes, cd etc., cheers :beer::beer: and here's to more and more storage space :beer: :congrats:

[Stock03]

I am finally getting around to transferring my 45s and 33.3333333333s to digital. Bought a little units that goes between my turntable and amp. Now all I need is the time to copy a thousand or so records ....

First record I ever bought was the album Little Richard. Still goin' strong.

[1stMerc]

I have about 7000 vinyl albums, many of them have never been released digitally. I think that I'll be buying this (http://www.amazon.com/Numark-TTUSB-Turntable-with-USB/dp/B000G3FNVM/sr=8-2/qid=1172329238/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-1283050-8974463?ie=UTF8&s=electronics) to get the music into my iPod.

No equipment need be purchased if you already have a component system with turn table and cassette. All you need is the mini plug and cable from a set of head phones, preferably with seperate grounds. Strip insulation and connect bare wires to speaker out of receiver, and mini plug to "line in" on sound card of computer. You will also need this http://www.goldwave.com/ or http://www.voyetra.com/site/products/audiosurgeon/ software to record from source media to hard drive. From there you can burn to cd's, ipod memory cards or flash drives.

I've already moved a lot off my old stuff to hard drive, but a long way to go.

[Motorhead350]

I am finally getting around to transferring my 45s and 33.3333333333s to digital.
:banned:



First record I ever bought was the album Little Richard. Still goin' strong.
I still got one too. I have the Here's Little Richard one and it feels really thick and was told it was a true original for that type of material as suppose to the floppy ones I have. The only problem is it's not as loud as my other records, sounds just as loud as my Roy Orbison one from his rockabilly era.