[Flac-dev] FLAC is dead?

[Brian Willoughby]

On Jan 10, 2011, at 11:59, grarpamp wrote:
> However, about 1.5 years ago you could get a factory new SL-1200  
> for $485US. Now one cannot be had for under $825. Furthermore, you  
> may follow this link and attempt to find any major seller with in  
> stock quantities of any model at a sane price. That would be an  
> excercise in futility. Therefore, they've left the market.

That is the strangest definition of "discontinued" that I have ever  
heard.  I paid over $700 for my SL-1200M3D many years ago, and $825  
seems like about the right price considering inflation.  Just because  
you used to be able to get a discount doesn't mean the product has  
been discontinued.  The 1200 has always been expensive, and nobody  
has ever considered the cheaper alternatives to be a fair  
substitute.  Of course they're expensive now, because nobody else  
makes a good turntable in that market.

Fortunately, FLAC is free.  It cannot be priced out of the market.

Speaking of ripping vinyl to FLAC, I would expect that a belt drive  
would be better than direct drive.  Direct drive motors impart  
frequency modulation into audio, where belt drive smoothes out the  
pulsing of the motor.  A 1200 is great for DJ purposes, but that  
doesn't make it the best for ripping.  I use the Ortofon Arkiv  
cartridge for ripping, or the Gold, but I still do not have the ideal  
turntable.

Brian Willoughby
Sound Consulting