Vinyl records come back
Discussion
Haven't been in here for a while, apart from last few days, so this subject may well have been covered.
Risking that, is the resurgence of vinyl records a fad of passing interest or is it a growing market that is likely to continue? Just seems a little strange to me what with all the high tech that's about unless the market is finding new enthusiasts? What is going on?
Risking that, is the resurgence of vinyl records a fad of passing interest or is it a growing market that is likely to continue? Just seems a little strange to me what with all the high tech that's about unless the market is finding new enthusiasts? What is going on?
Mostly bloody hipsters.
But some people prefer the specific distortion produced by records, and if that's what they enjoy then fine. Some people prefer the clarity and ease of use of CDs and even streamed music. It's really all about what you enjoy. Although there are some hair shirt fanatics who will claim you are a lesser person for not favoring LPs or CDs or whatever their personal favorite is.
But some people prefer the specific distortion produced by records, and if that's what they enjoy then fine. Some people prefer the clarity and ease of use of CDs and even streamed music. It's really all about what you enjoy. Although there are some hair shirt fanatics who will claim you are a lesser person for not favoring LPs or CDs or whatever their personal favorite is.
C.D's are my music collection, used to be vinyl until the dawn of C.D's and then like many people replaced my old vinyl's. Have to say that the idea of carting around my record collection in a little plastic box the size of a mobile phone holds plenty of appeal. As you mention, horses for courses then.
I was speaking to someone in the music industry recently who definitely agrees that there has been a much higher demand for vinyl recently. He had also taken advantage of this by purchasing a vinyl press and is making a lot of money due to the insane mark up (about 2000% going by what he said).
Most of my home listening is vinyl. I have a fairly large collection and the resurgence is allowing me to fill in quite a lot of gaps.
I enjoy the way it sounds and I also enjoy going through my collection, picking a few to listen to, looking at the album art, sleeve notes etc.
I can totally understand why people would hate all of that. It is a load of hassle, takes up a lot of space and costs a lot of money to buy a set up which realises the sound quality.
My 'other' set up is a Mac Mini loaded with Audirvana software playing through a Denon DAC. Some of the DSD, 24 bit and 16 bit digital files I have got sound stunning through this set up and it cost a small percentage of what my vinyl front end did. It is all hidden away and controlled through my iPad and I can transfer any of the files to my phone to listen to on the move.
By any logical measure, that is the 'best' way to listen to music, but it still doesn't see as much of my time or money as my record collection.
I never really liked CDs as they seem like a bit of a halfway house between vinyl and non-physical digital, but they are a great way to pick up music cheaply now because no one wants them anymore. Plenty of good CDs on Amazon for £0.01 plus about £1 postage.
I enjoy the way it sounds and I also enjoy going through my collection, picking a few to listen to, looking at the album art, sleeve notes etc.
I can totally understand why people would hate all of that. It is a load of hassle, takes up a lot of space and costs a lot of money to buy a set up which realises the sound quality.
My 'other' set up is a Mac Mini loaded with Audirvana software playing through a Denon DAC. Some of the DSD, 24 bit and 16 bit digital files I have got sound stunning through this set up and it cost a small percentage of what my vinyl front end did. It is all hidden away and controlled through my iPad and I can transfer any of the files to my phone to listen to on the move.
By any logical measure, that is the 'best' way to listen to music, but it still doesn't see as much of my time or money as my record collection.
I never really liked CDs as they seem like a bit of a halfway house between vinyl and non-physical digital, but they are a great way to pick up music cheaply now because no one wants them anymore. Plenty of good CDs on Amazon for £0.01 plus about £1 postage.
I think CD's have died a death. If you want digital music there are far better ways of getting it than on a shiny disk.
I don't think I have used my CD play for over a year. I'm going to stick it on the ebay next week. Will be glad of the extra space.
I use Spotify through a Sonos setup and a Rega turntable with NVA amplification.
I don't think I have used my CD play for over a year. I'm going to stick it on the ebay next week. Will be glad of the extra space.
I use Spotify through a Sonos setup and a Rega turntable with NVA amplification.
I have noticed a slight vinyl comeback at live events and it would not at all surprise me if it happened big time soon.
I've been surprised this summer at how many dj's were using vinyl at music festivals, and not the serato kind.
It's the way many things go though. 80's are cool again and it won't be long before the 90's are suddenly trending.
I've recently done something I never expected when I moved recently. That was to box up my arcam power amps and tannoy floor stander speakers when i moved house a few months back and now use some gale bookshelf speakers and a very early 90s technics receiver in my lounge. It looks very cool, has a warm sound and really is more than I need.
I've been surprised this summer at how many dj's were using vinyl at music festivals, and not the serato kind.
It's the way many things go though. 80's are cool again and it won't be long before the 90's are suddenly trending.
I've recently done something I never expected when I moved recently. That was to box up my arcam power amps and tannoy floor stander speakers when i moved house a few months back and now use some gale bookshelf speakers and a very early 90s technics receiver in my lounge. It looks very cool, has a warm sound and really is more than I need.
crankedup said:
Even a few specialised 'vinyl' shops popping up. As a previous poster mentioned you can't beat the tactile performance involved with putting a record on the deck. Then the sleeve notes and in the 1960's - 70's perhaps some art work came with the music. Bring back the 'Dust Bug'.
As already mentioned, there's sometime tactile about getting off your arse and taking the time to get a disc playing music.Then you have to turn it over for the other 30 or so minutes try not to wreck another bloody cartridge when you've had a few pints (there's a correlation between beer and 'needing' to be played I reckon...)
I understand the appeal of vinyl and have been lucky enough to hear what a good pressing can sound like through a decent rig - this just makes it even more depressing when I get one of my records out, filthy and knackered by treatment 30 years ago and play it on my old AR turntable (EB101 for any old buggers interested).
All,is not lost though - I spent a considerable amount of time (ok, I bribed my daughter and other half into it) ripping CDs into flac files, stored on a small, quiet NaS box and streamed into my main system and its excellent, especially for convenience - sometimes I'll just select 'random 100 tracks' on the app using an iPad and end up listening to stuff I haven't heard for decades !!
To be fair, a lot of is crap but you get the idea.
ianrb said:
Mostly bloody hipsters.
But some people prefer the specific distortion produced by records, and if that's what they enjoy then fine. Some people prefer the clarity and ease of use of CDs and even streamed music. It's really all about what you enjoy. Although there are some hair shirt fanatics who will claim you are a lesser person for not favoring LPs or CDs or whatever their personal favorite is.
But some people prefer the specific distortion produced by digital media, and if that's what they enjoy then fine. Some people prefer to put up with the image smearing caused by clock jitter and the compressed dynamic range of music mastered for CDs because of the ease of use of CDs and streamed music. It's really all about what you enjoy.But some people prefer the specific distortion produced by records, and if that's what they enjoy then fine. Some people prefer the clarity and ease of use of CDs and even streamed music. It's really all about what you enjoy. Although there are some hair shirt fanatics who will claim you are a lesser person for not favoring LPs or CDs or whatever their personal favorite is.
legzr1 said:
I was with you until 'compressed dynamic range' 
http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/compression-is-killing...doodlebug said:
Ah, the loudness wars - I thought you were commenting on the the dynamic range that CD is capable of -vs- Vinyl.That is the fault of the mastering 'engineers' rather than any inherent limitations with the format - agreed, there are problems but don't go thinking DR limiting doesn't find its way onto vinyl too.
In my experience, a relatively poorly produced album sounds poor on whatever format it's released on. A superbly produced album sounds good on whatever format (some lossy formats excepted but, even here, some report a well produced and engineered album can and does sound better at 320K than a poorly engineered album at DSD levels).
legzr1 said:
Ah, the loudness wars - I thought you were commenting on the the dynamic range that CD is capable of -vs- Vinyl.
That is the fault of the mastering 'engineers' rather than any inherent limitations with the format - agreed, there are problems but don't go thinking DR limiting doesn't find its way onto vinyl too.
In my experience, a relatively poorly produced album sounds poor on whatever format it's released on. A superbly produced album sounds good on whatever format (some lossy formats excepted but, even here, some report a well produced and engineered album can and does sound better at 320K than a poorly engineered album at DSD levels).
Quite, but IMO the loudness wars are a direct consequence of easy access and easily portable music. The majority of listening is now done on cheap ear buds where the listener can't hear the quiet bits in the car, train gym etc. so the extreme compression and brick-walling is certainly more evident on most of the music produced today compared to 20 years ago.That is the fault of the mastering 'engineers' rather than any inherent limitations with the format - agreed, there are problems but don't go thinking DR limiting doesn't find its way onto vinyl too.
In my experience, a relatively poorly produced album sounds poor on whatever format it's released on. A superbly produced album sounds good on whatever format (some lossy formats excepted but, even here, some report a well produced and engineered album can and does sound better at 320K than a poorly engineered album at DSD levels).
Agreed, and it's something I've commented on before - if 99% of consumers are using things like docking stations then that's going to be the target audience.
Thing is,I remember 20,30 even 40 years ago where vinyl was exactly the same - best of, compilations and the likes of Now XXX ramming 15 tracks onto one side killing frequency response and dynamic range - Now 3 on a decent spec rega or Linn sounds as s
t as a 320K MP3 download or CD of Now 91 (Google reveals that's the latest in the series...).
All capable of sounding great, all capable of being truly horrendous.
And the there's Jazz...
Thing is,I remember 20,30 even 40 years ago where vinyl was exactly the same - best of, compilations and the likes of Now XXX ramming 15 tracks onto one side killing frequency response and dynamic range - Now 3 on a decent spec rega or Linn sounds as s
t as a 320K MP3 download or CD of Now 91 (Google reveals that's the latest in the series...).All capable of sounding great, all capable of being truly horrendous.
And the there's Jazz...
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