The resurgence of Vinyl & the end of CDs?

[Hugh Beaumont]

When I bought my grandfathers self-built 1950's Cape Cod, it came with a couple of vintage items, including a 1960's console phonograph/radio unit.

I sifted through his small collection of albums and found a 1950's version of Gershwins "Rhaspody in Blue" and on the B-side, "Symphony for Blues" orchestated by Joseph Kuhns.

I put it on and couldn't believe how rich and full the sound was. Very organic, something the little digital 1's and 0's can't capture. BTW, if you find a copy of this album on Ebay, buy it. Just search "Symphonies for Blues" as it isn't available anywhere else except this album.

I remember about ten years ago, Neil Young wrote an article in some audio magazine criticizing digital technology because it can't capture all of the sound.

I like albums, (what I was raised on) but I sure love the comfort and ease of CD's.

 

[Ecuador Jim]

Quote from the linked article:

Golden-eared audiophiles have long testified to vinyl's warmer, richer sound.

Being a golden-eared audiophile (who does it for a living) I will have to protest vehemently to this statement.
It is symptomatic for a certain kind of tech-angst which bothers me intensely.

Shellack vs. Vinyl vs. CD is a matter of taste.
When it comes to accuracy of reproduction, no analogue technology comes close to digital.

What is being refered to as "a warmer, richer sound" is simply distortion of the original session and/or recording.
Let me point out that I am a great fan of distortion my self, but I must insist that the main objective of a recording is: to reproduce the original as good as possible.

One can of course find the shellack, waxplate, steelwire or vinyl distortions pleasant.
Each to his/hers own...

For those interested:

Overview History of the Technologies for Recording Music and Sound.

Puh...

This reminds me of being in Vietnam, about to go on R&R with a wallet full of cash. The Commanding Officer of my unit warned us as we left to be careful about shopping for a stereo system. He said most of use were buying systems where only a dog could tell the difference in the acoustic performance.

 

[diverguy]

Going one step further

I spent over 30 years in radio going from vinyl to tape to cd to computer digital. (Yes, I know CD's are digital) Just the other day I was listening to some original Beatle tracks on CD and kept hearing instruments and vocals I had never heard before. I was astonished at the clarity of things never before heard.

When I really love to play a record is when it's an old 78 of Glen Miller or the Dorsey's. Nothing beats that!! Not full channel stereo but a charm that can't be beat.

 

[Samsa]

I enjoy listening to vinyl, though I suspect most of this has to do with the ritual - instead of opening iTunes and clicking on a song, you have to pull the record out of the sleeve, place it on the turntable, cue the needle... That, and the artwork is usually so much more attractive. This of course is all personal preference. I don't know that I've come across a record that sounds better than a CD (as all of the records I listen to are either second hand or belong to my father).

One thing that's important to note with CDs: although playing them does not wear them out, there is such a thing as "CD rot." They don't last forever, and they can develop problems with sound - pops, etc. - just like vinyl records.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

OH NO! I'm not rebuying all of my music on vinyl after rebuying all of it on CD, after rebuying it all of it on cassette!

Can't they just add vinyl's warm, scratchy, crackly sound to MP3s and be done with it?

 

[Eliza]

I kept all of my LPs, although some are now damaged.....

The other day, while out shopping, I noticed record players for sale again - I will be purchasing one soon.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Lotta Licorice Pizza!....

I still have a lot of my old vinyl that I still play. I recently bought that ION USB Turntable
so that I can put some of those tunes on CD to listen in the car.

If anybody knows anything about loading the software (Audoacity), please PM me, if you will.
I am unable to hear (monitor) the tune as it's being downloaded so I don't know what's being
recorded and when to start/stop. If you have a handle on the aspect of this program, I could
sure use your help.

Thanks friends!

-dixon cannon

 

[HamletJSD]

Neither my wife nor I are much into vintage ... but I just recently found out (by means of her paying $80 for a broken, old turntable that I was made to repair this weekend) that she loves the old sound of vinyl.

You learn something new every day

 

[jgilbert]

I want all my music in the smallest possible format. Having moved several times when I was younger I never want to see another album!

 

[nobodyspecial]

This shop is in Minneapolis near the campus of the U of M. http://www.needledoctor.com/

I bought a new cartridge here to replace the old one on the turntable that I had to buy on ebay because I gave away my original turntable because cd's were going to rule the world and I should have known better and I hate when I do stupid things like that.

Last year we had a vinyl party and the neighbors have been asking for another. The party was a great time and we'll likely do it again. This time I want a second turntable so the wait between songs is not so long.

 

[Glimmung]

Here is the phonograph I lust after.

It plays vinyl using a laser instead of a needle. No wear. It also can read past the areas damaged by needles to read the undamaged portions. A bit pricey, but technology has a way of dramatically dropping in price over time (remember $900 dvd players?).

It would be a great investment for anyone doing archival work, or for transfering a large vinyl collection to a lossless digital format.

The Holidays are almost upon us. I might have to leave this post up for my family to see .

 

[Starius]

A friend forwarded this article to me today, I thought it laid out this topic quite well.

http://i.gizmodo.com/5213042/why-we-need-audiophiles

 

[SamMarlowPI]

the school radio station i work at just got 2 brand spanking new turntables and they are beautiful...

the station vinyl collection is enormous and i play all of my show off vinyl unless i can't find an album...

nothing beats vinyl...

 

[Fedord Spaniard]

Wired.com has a commentary entitled "Vinyl May Be Final Nail in CD's Coffin" in which the author writes about the resurgence of record album's popularity by both collectors, music artists, and fans, and how they stand to continue on past the marketplace lifespan of compact discs.

I thought I would share it with you here, I thought it was a interesting piece, since I still usually come back home with a few old records every time I go to a flea market or thrift store.

Obviously the common Lounger probably has a predisposition to the vinyl record, but what do you all think? Think the record still has good life left in it?

I like cds but as a collector i prefer Vinyl. I think Vinyl doesnt have a certain limit in life span as a cd does. If you have a Vinyl album still sealed and if you take care of it properly.. it might even out live you. If i understand corrrectly Cds have a time limit because of the magnets inside them. So no matter if you have Cds that are still sealed and well kept, after maybe 50 years the magnets wont work and the cd becomes a frisbee... So i prefer Vinyl and yes i think Vinyl might make a comeback again.