Finding your groove: getting into vinyl with Audio-Technica
I’d like to think that I could’ve been friends with the late Hideo Matsushita, founder of Japanese Hi-Fi powerhouse Audio-Technica. If I could, I’d travel back in time to 1960’s Tokyo, where a young Matsushita curated “vinyl listening sessions” at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts, exposing visitors to the sounds and possibilities of high end audio and the warmth of vinyl records. I imagine sitting with him in a mod coffee shop, listening to the stories of what he witnessed in those sessions, the conversations he had with visitors, and what ultimately motivated him to head back to his small apartment above a ramen restaurant and start an audio company of his own. In the histories I’ve read regarding AT’s humble beginnings, Matsushita’s motives seem clear. Produce high end audio at affordable prices, bringing audio excellence into spaces and to customers that simply didn’t have access to it before. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3 phono cartridges did exactly that, and...
Dec 6, 2023
I started my quest, shamefully so, with a pair of Studio Beats by Dre headphones. That was a snap decision, and against my nature, I didn't do any research beforehand. Obviously, I thought they were amazing compared to my Apple earbuds. My new headphones opened a new world of audio to me, and I wanted a similar experience when watching movies, so I bought a 5.1 surround sound Sony set and similarly these blew my TV speakers out of the water.
However, after some time, there was a yearning for more. I knew this was just the beginning, and thus the thirst had set in.
My first set of serious headphones was the Ultrasone PRO 900s, and I loved them. Coming from the Beats, these headphones seriously changed my life. At the time I was convinced to buy an iBasso D-Zero DAC/Amp by my friends over at Head-Fi. I used that DAC/Amp for some time, but after I unplugged it, I honestly couldn't tell the difference. I assumed that this was due to my lossy files, so I went ahead and ripped a few FLACs from my CD collection and used the D-Zero with my computer. Still, I couldn't hear any difference through the DAC/Amp, so I ditched it. I eventually traded the PRO 900s in for UE Triple Fi 10s, mainly due to portability. These IEM's have a particular sound to them that I can't describe, its unique and perfect for fast rock or electronic music. Funny thing, I bought them online, and they didn't work when they arrived. I contacted the store, and they gave me a full refund and didn't ask me to ship them back, they must've known they were defective. I had a hunch so I ordered a replacement cable for $35 on Amazon, and they worked! I ended up getting a $350 pair of IEMs for $35.
Next on the agenda was my surround sound system. I ended up with a Yamaha RX-A830, Klipsch RF-42 II floorstanding fronts and a matching center, a Polk PSW10 sub, and two Pyramid surrounds that came with the receiver. This setup was excellent as well, and movies came to life in a way they never have before. The only thing that was lacking was the bass. My sub was entry level. I recently replaced the Polk with a SVS SB2000 and the two can't even be compared, to say that they did the same thing would be an insult to SVS. It is multiple levels beyond.
So now I feel content. I have demoed a lot of equipment, and nothing sounds "better" to me, it's a little sad. I listen to mostly streaming music, especially because I can't hear the difference between 256kbps AAC and a lossless rip. I feel like between my stereo and my headphones I have gear that can take advantage of lossless files, but I can't hear the difference. I don't consider myself an audiophile because I know many of them would rather die than listen to lossy music, but it works for me and honestly sounds great through both of my setups. Even though I feel like I've hit a wall I recently ordered the Purpleheart TH-X00 and I can't wait for them to arrive 😄