Why is Vinyl making a comeback

[ThunderBox]

I don’t have a specific link, I am just watching a Discovery Channel program and listening to my kids (who are not really kids).

Also, shops now selling Vinyl records again.

I have a small record collection as in my mid 40’s I only bought what were classed as ‘rave’ and had little value not mixed so I only kept my original Beatles singles (thanks mum) and a few albums like Happy Monday’s and New Order, none of which I would care to listen to on vinyl.

Probably all are warped now as they are in a box I moved from U.K. to Aus 12 years ago and never opened.

Do you still play vinyl and why do you think it’s making a comeback?

My personal thoughts are that it’s somehow ‘edgy’ or ‘alternative’ to own records against the digital revolution, perhaps the wrong choice of words but against the norm.

The discovery show said it was because its pure music, not compressed, but I don’t get that shit, it’s still converted sound.

ARRSE thoughts on the reincarnation? Anyone want a gramma phone?

 

[theoriginalphantom]

I got myself a usb powered record player when maplins was closing down.

we've used it to convert a load of my father in laws old "hey nonny nonny" vinyl (folk music) that isn't on cd/Mp3 etc.

some see it as 'retro' and therefore the thing to do. Some (like me) are reliving what little of our youth we can remember and are also grateful to be able to say 'see? it was worth keeping hold of the 12 inch single of SPitting images chicken song'

 

[Provost]

I don’t have a specific link, I am just watching a Discovery Channel program and listening to my kids (who are not really kids).

Also, shops now selling Vinyl records again.

I have a small record collection as in my mid 40’s I only bought what were classed as ‘rave’ and had little value not mixed so I only kept my original Beatles singles (thanks mum) and a few albums like Happy Monday’s and New Order, none of which I would care to listen to on vinyl.

Probably all are warped now as they are in a box I moved from U.K. to Aus 12 years ago and never opened.

Do you still play vinyl and why do you think it’s making a comeback?

My personal thoughts are that it’s somehow ‘edgy’ or ‘alternative’ to own records against the digital revolution, perhaps the wrong choice of words but against the norm.

The discovery show said it was because its pure music, not compressed, but I don’t get that shit, it’s still converted sound.

ARRSE thoughts on the reincarnation? Anyone want a gramma phone?

There has always been a niche market for vinyl since the inception of digital alternatives. Many hi-fi buffs maintain that there is a presence in a vinyl recording that is absent in digital alternatives.

To me, it seems that a medium that depends upon the physical contact between a stylus and the spiral groove in a spinning platter is going to introduce extraneous noise and vibration and fundamental audio, time and pitch inaccuracies. There are too many links in the chain.

Compromises are made with some digital media (eg mp3) in order to keep the file sizes small and manageable and the sound quality here will be consistent and acceptable rather than the best possible. At its uncompressed best, I doubt if digital can be bettered or even equalled by anything that vinyl has to offer.

I don't see vinyl ever now being anything more than niche.

 

[AsterixTG]

There was the hipster element a few years back but I guess that reason would have dwindled.

There is a difference between the digital and analogue formats but you need decent kit to really start to hear the difference.

I've been spoiled and listened to final mixes on 2" tape played back in world class studio control rooms - there's simply nothing like it - everything else pales by comparison.

You're basically looking for the widest possible frequency and harmonic range delivered in the smoothest way on kit that can exploit it to the fullest.

 

[Drazyl]

Do you still play vinyl and why do you think it’s making a comeback?

I bought a "new" (very old) turntable last year, the same as I had in my teens. It's hooked up to very modern surround sound system.

Why?

My brothers have both kept their (and some of my) old vinyl and have been badgering me to go to fairs. While lockdown has put paid to that for now, it's something to do together.

Vinyl albums are just physically nicer to own than CDs - particularly with 70s and 80s artwork. You can disregard MP3s completely!

Playing vinyl forces you to listen to albums rather than skipping tracks - it really is more of an 'experience' even though I hate the term.

Reliving part of my teens, because I can.

 

[Retired bloke]

There has always been a niche market for vinyl since the inception of digital alternatives. Many hi-fi buffs maintain that there is a presence in a vinyl recording that is absent in digital alternatives.

To me, it seems that a medium that depends upon the physical contact between a stylus and the spiral groove in a spinning platter is going to introduce extraneous noise and vibration and fundamental audio, time and pitch inaccuracies. There are too many links in the chain.

Compromises are made with some digital media (eg mp3) in order to keep the file sizes small and manageable and the sound quality here will be consistent and acceptable rather than the best possible. At its uncompressed best, I doubt if digital can be bettered or even equalled by anything that vinyl has to offer.

I don't see vinyl ever now being anything more than niche.

My collection goes back to the early sixties, i still play them, and get great pleasure from reading the sleeve notes, admiring the art work on the the pull out sections, on many there is the words and music notes.My Hi-Fi system has all the bells and whistles, full stereo, and quadraphonic, for the Walter Carlos LP's... My singles also delight the grand children, a pleasant distraction from what is loosely described as " Music" personally it all sounds like someone going over Niagara falls in a gas stove, and as for heavy metal, a crash bang noise, not unlike someone being hit repeatedly with heavy mining machinery. And RAP, ...god give me strength!.. its a spelling mistake, the C is missing!

And before you mash the keys,.... yes...... i am a flat cap wearing old fart!

 

[strima]

Mate of mine is a sound engineer, he has an exceptional ear to the point of being able to hear reverse polarity on a speaker, yes that's a thing apparently.

He has some top of the range sound kit at home and you can tell the difference between Vinyl and digital recordings, they just sound mellower if you get what I mean.

 

[Yarra]

Do you still play vinyl and why do you think it’s making a comeback?

The discovery show said it was because it's pure music, not compressed, but I don’t get that shit, it’s still converted sound.

ARRSE thoughts on the reincarnation? Anyone want a gramma phone?

Yes.

'Cos it is one phat sound dood.

It is not compressed digital (weak/effete) , it is a richer resonant analogue sound - modern decks make it more so.

It is also an absolute hoot when v drunk, in lockdown, to reel around the sitting room and pretend you're 12 again.

You may not get that shit*... but our house teenager does.. which brings the generations together.

Any more questions?

*Have you no soul (swidt?)?

 

[Trackpen]

Apparently DJs prefer vinyl. They are easier to cue up on a deck.

 

[Yarra]

Apparently DJs prefer vinyl. They are easier to cue up on a deck.

Is that a confession?

 

[AsterixTG]

One thing I will say for vinyl is the whole album package can be a work of art.

If you've seen 'Almost Famous', there's a scene where the kid is bequeathed a box of seminal albums from the late 60's and early 70's - I had a relative from Thailand who'd studied in the UK then went back to Bangkok afterwards and I was left with all his albums in a box when I was around 11. Same thing.

Spent so many hours just going through each album, the artwork, sleeve notes, lyrics and all the other cool things that only vinyl could provide.

I also think the format produced better focused works by the artist as there is a set limit to what you can do, or you have to push to a full Double Album but that has to be conceptually coherent and you can't just throw tracks at it.

I remember when our stuff came out - we didn't give a toss about the CD versions, but holding the vinyl was so very cool (couldn't play it, hadn't had a record player for years!). Also seeing how things are mastered and the full pressing process is interesting too.

 

[theoriginalphantom]

I used to make parts for B&W speakers

the amount of engineering that went into them was impressive. Never did manage to blag a set as we didn't make the whole thing

 

[giatttt]

Bought my first elliptical stylus recently, the difference is amazing. Clearer, less noise, and more sound.

Vocals are especially improved and stuff like "Seconds Out" just brilliant. I now realise that changing the stylus regularly is not a sales gimmick, wish I'd done it earlier.

 

[maguire]

there's a warmth and oomph that's somewhat lacking on cd, even with a good rig. but it's horses for courses. I haven't got the room since I moved down south, so it's cd's and as good a cd/amp/speakers/headphones combo as I can reasonably afford.

 

[Trackpen]

Is that a confession?

Not at all.
In 2000, as a member of a Microsoft anti-counterfeit investigation team, part of our training was to visit a CD manufacturer near Milan where they punched out MS CDs.
We were intrigued to see vinyls being produced in one section of the plant - similar process - and asked why.
The factory hadn’t stopped producing vinyls when CDs came in. Indeed, they had noticed a growing demand, with DJs constituting the largest group of clients, for the reason stated.

 

[Provost]

I also think the format produced better focused works by the artist as there is a set limit to what you can do, or you have to push to a full Double Album but that has to be conceptually coherent and you can't just throw tracks at it.

Which, I'm afraid to say, is exactly what used to happen in some cases. Everything from fifteen minute drum solos to pompous and very lengthy 'rock opera' treatments.

I still have a large collection of vinyl LPs. The passage of time has not been kind to a fair proportion of it and even single LPs had a lot of scope for padding if the band in question lacked quality material.

Let anyone listen to their music in any form they choose - even from wax cylinders or 8 track stereo tapes, if that's what they like. I notice that a lot of producers of trip-hop, chill beats and the like actually introduce surface noise, wow & flutter and other 'undesirable' mechanical audio artefacts into digital recordings for atmosphere.

 

[Kirkz]

Never went out as far as I was concerned.

 

[Kirkz]

There is a vinyl addicts group here on Arrse for all those who like disc spinning.

 

[Yarra]

Not at all.
In 2000, as a member of a Microsoft anti-counterfeit investigation team, part of our training was to visit a CD manufacturer near Milan where they punched out MS CDs.
We were intrigued to see vinyls being produced in one section of the plant - similar process - and asked why.
The factory hadn’t stopped producing vinyls when CDs came in. Indeed, they had noticed a growing demand, with DJs constituting the largest group of clients, for the reason stated.

I suddenly had you down as a moonlighting Eyeball Paul.

There is a vinyl addicts group here on Arrse for all those who like disc spinning.

.....but now I know it's Kirkz!

 

[Kirkz]

I suddenly had you down as a moonlighting Eyeball Paul.

.....but now I know it's Kirkz!

Believe it or not I have never had any desire to be a DJ.
The sole reason I bought the Technics decks was so I could pitch the vinyl to the speed I'd heard it at in the club because played at the usual speed on a standard deck it never sounded quite right.