Annie’s Audio Adventures: Annie Goes Analogue!
Chapter One: In the Beginning
When I was young, I used to listen to my parents’ records of ABBA, Barbara Streisand, Cat Stevens, and anything else they had in English, so I could read the words and learn the language at the same time. My parents didn’t speak English, and I lived in a town of 4,000 people in the middle of nowhere, Québec. So I was already considered weird for wanting to learn English at a young age... and in a place that spoke French, more French, and even more French. And unfortunately, not everyone even liked English, or anything different from poutines and sugar maple pies, for that matter! Now I’ve been in British Columbia teaching French for ... a long time ... and loving it! It makes me feel too old if I start counting the years! Funny how dots end up connecting, as you get older, isn’t it?!
Why am I reminiscing about that time, you ask, and what does it have to do with my review? Well, as you may have guessed from the title, it’s because I am listening to a record at the moment! Not on my parents’ cheap turntable, obviously, and definitely not in my little town of now less than 3,000 people who still don’t bother learning English much. No. I’m in my living room, still baby sitting our friends’ Marantz system (yay for me!!!), and listening to the Rega RP-1. And I can’t help feeling a little nostalgic when I hear the little crackling sounds that records sometimes make! Note to self: Get a good quality brush!
Remember how Hubby went to the Montréal Audio show a while back and I didn’t? Well, let me tell you: a little guilt can be a good thing! He brought me back the record of Holst’s The Planets, and Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. Great records to start from, since I already own the CDs and I practically know them by heart! One thing I love about classical music, is that the musicians are usually set up in a specific way. The record makes it really easy to pick out where everyone is! Even Hubby can point out where the trumpets are in relation to the French horns and trombones! I can’t help it, I LOVE the warmth! Love the depth, the richness, and feeling like I’m attending a concert! I also think it’s kind of cool how heavy the record is, and how there are only two songs on each side! Sorry, I’m new to this, OK! My first record was Styx’s Theatre Paradise, with a colour theatre on one side, and a run down one on the other. (Don’t forget: I was on a solo mission to learn English!) The coolest thing about it, apart the fact that it’s eighties music, of course, was the then new laser drawing on it! I guess I’m dating myself even without counting dates!
Chapter Two: Danger Sets In
My only problem with analogue is that I am absolutely TERRIFIED of the turntable! I’m afraid I will wreck everything! I’m afraid I’ll scratch the record with the needle, sorry I mean stylus, that I’ll leave fingerprints on the record, that I’ll unbalance the arm, that my younger daughter will jump on the floor and make the record jump, that the dog’s hair will find its way there, ... you name it! Just looking at Rich putting records on at his home makes me hold my breath! I feel like I’m watching some sacred tea ceremony and I’m the bull in the china shop! Still, I tried to conquer my fear and change the record while Hubby was out, but it didn’t work: I’m petrified! Is there a 12 step program for “Wreck-the-record-phobia”??? Don’t worry, the equipment is all operator-friendly, I’m the one with the fear! Hey, guess what? This pressing of Kind of Blue is actually blue! Guess you already knew that! Very cool, if you ask me! Let’s wait for Hubby, just in case!
Chapter Three: The Lesson
So Rich came to my rescue, and brought along his tube amps (yay for me!!!). He showed me how to balance the arm, how to align everything, and how to clean the record properly. AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, we’re ready to do some listening! (I must be a slow learner!) I was still too terrified to drop the arm onto the record, which made everyone laugh! Well, Kind of Blue sounds even better, but we notice that the record Hubby brought back of The Planets has a defect on it and is very grainy, so it’ll have to wait!
Then, we (well, Hubby and Rich, that is!) hooked up the turntable to Rich’s tube amps! I’m in heaven! The guys bring up an interesting question: can sound be too mellow? I don’t know! It’s 11:30 at night and I’m tired, so I’m not a good judge right now! Sounds like curling up next to a fire with your favourite blanket to me, so I can’t get too much of that, personally! I must admit that I might have to beg Rich to come back with his amps and do more testing on this one!
Chapter Four: To Be Continued
Well, here’s what I want to do next: buy more records and do more listening! That might take a while, however, as school is just about to start, and I have a ton of work to do before the first class!
Conclusion: The Verdict
I know that for those of you who are avid analogue listeners, the entry level Rega might be below what you’re used to, but I find listening to it very relaxing! I don’t think you can get listener’s fatigue while listening to this stuff! Just in case you don’t know, there are a few more Rega turntables to choose from. Can I say something totally not related to sound? The red one looks great, and I think the guys will really like it in their living room because it is a very “Ferrari” red! I also like the white one, and I think it would look totally awesome with the white JM Labs speakers (I haven’t listened to them together, so do your homework first), and a couple white Barcelona chairs! The verdict: I love, love, love that sound! I already said how accurate the classical is, and I find the jazz also very smooth, warm, involving, and deep... and this is just an entry-level turntable! Forget shoes, man! I’m saving my money for analogue!
Product Details
Product Rega RP1 integrated turntable.
Price CAD $450 (includes arm and cartridge).
Plurison
313 Marion Road
Le Gardeur
QC J5Z 4W8
(866) 271-5689
www.plurison.com