Vinyl appeal?

[W9TR]

I have always played records, so there is an undeniable attraction for me personally. While it has nothing to with the sound, I really enjoy the whole sensory experience of vinyl.

Taking the plastic over wrap off the album, wadding it up and feeling it in my hand before throwing it away. Looking at the album art - it's big enough to really take in. Gatefold? Even better! Pulling out the inner sleeve, and then the album itself. Smelling the unmistakable chemical soup that is vinyl.

Then, after the cleaning ritual which I don't enjoy much, placing the album on the table and lowering the arm into the lead-in groove. There's noise and a certain, I don't know, ambience that some people refer to as 'blackness' - the background from which the music will emerge.

All of that without hearing a single note, in anticipation of what is to come.

You don't get any of that with digital downloads. Click, click, buy, download, store, playback. Even though in a lot of cases the digital download sounds superior!

Not logical.

Tom

[Golucid]

Originally Posted by chessman

I agree with Bill. In my experience, the mastering trumps the replay format.

+10

[Golucid]

Originally Posted by W9TR

I have always played records, so there is an undeniable attraction for me personally. While it has nothing to with the sound, I really enjoy the whole sensory experience of vinyl. Taking the plastic over wrap off the album, wadding it up and feeling it in my hand before throwing it away. Looking at the album art - it's big enough to really take in. Gatefold? Even better! Pulling out the inner sleeve, and then the album itself. Smelling the unmistakable chemical soup that is vinyl. Then, after the cleaning ritual which I don't enjoy much, placing the album on the table and lowering the arm into the lead-in groove. There's noise and a certain, I don't know, ambience that some people refer to as 'blackness' - the background from which the music will emerge. All of that without hearing a single note, in anticipation of what is to come. You don't get any of that with digital downloads. Click, click, buy, download, store, playback. Even though in a lot of cases the digital download sounds superior! Not logical. Tom

There is certainly a level of romance when it come to playing vinyl.

[Bill Stevenson]

Originally Posted by W9TR

I have always played records, so there is an undeniable attraction for me personally. While it has nothing to with the sound, I really enjoy the whole sensory experience of vinyl.

Taking the plastic over wrap off the album, wadding it up and feeling it in my hand before throwing it away. Looking at the album art - it's big enough to really take in. Gatefold? Even better! Pulling out the inner sleeve, and then the album itself. Smelling the unmistakable chemical soup that is vinyl.

Then, after the cleaning ritual which I don't enjoy much, placing the album on the table and lowering the arm into the lead-in groove. There's noise and a certain, I don't know, ambience that some people refer to as 'blackness' - the background from which the music will emerge.

All of that without hearing a single note, in anticipation of what is to come.

You don't get any of that with digital downloads. Click, click, buy, download, store, playback. Even though in a lot of cases the digital download sounds superior!

Not logical.

Tom

I think this is well said and it is easy to get caught up in the romance of this old technology. For me the one caveat is that when the record plays it has to sound good. I want to listen to music and not be overly distracted. A few click and pops are OK, but if the noise overwhelms the record is useless to me. Of course this is true of a live performance too. Have you ever gone to a live performance and had it ruined by too many coughs, sneezes, loud, obnoxious drunks with raised voices, clinking glasses and so on? Clicks and pops by any other name.

[G8YU]

Originally Posted by W9TR

I have always played records, so there is an undeniable attraction for me personally. While it has nothing to with the sound, I really enjoy the whole sensory experience of vinyl.
Taking the plastic over wrap off the album, wadding it up and feeling it in my hand before throwing it away. Looking at the album art - it's big enough to really take in. Gatefold? Even better! Pulling out the inner sleeve, and then the album itself. Smelling the unmistakable chemical soup that is vinyl.
Then, after the cleaning ritual which I don't enjoy much, placing the album on the table and lowering the arm into the lead-in groove. There's noise and a certain, I don't know, ambience that some people refer to as 'blackness' - the background from which the music will emerge.
All of that without hearing a single note, in anticipation of what is to come.
You don't get any of that with digital downloads. Click, click, buy, download, store, playback. Even though in a lot of cases the digital download sounds superior!
Not logical.

Tom

Hmm... You remove the plastic from your albums. I leave the plastic on and just slice the side open (carefully).
I wonder what the majority is? The people who leave the plastic on or the people who remove it.

[Bill Stevenson]

Originally Posted by G8YU

Hmm... You remove the plastic from your albums. I leave the plastic on and just slice the side open (carefully).
I wonder what the majority is? The people who leave the plastic on or the people who remove it.

I remove the plastic because I have had mold appear when plastic was left in place. My dad was an RCA employee back in the late 1950s-early 1960s and he always removed plastic, but never explained why until I had the mold problem. Note for those who live in an area with a dry climate this is not so much of an issue, but in a humid climate it can be.

[G8YU]

Originally Posted by Bill Stevenson

I remove the plastic because I have had mold appear when plastic was left in place. My dad was an RCA employee back in the late 1950s-early 1960s and he always removed plastic, but never explained why until I had the mold problem. Note for those who live in an area with a dry climate this is not so much of an issue, but in a humid climate it can be.

I need to make note of that, so if I ever see mold on an album I'll know to start taking the plastic off them all. I guess the plastic covers I keep my gatefold albums in are just as risky for mold growth. Now I'm also wondering if the antistatic ziplock vinyl sleeves are a bad idea to use. I doubt they are antimicrobial. My father bought them for his favorite vinyl years ago. For those who haven't seen what I'm talking about, they look like big ziplock bags that are the exact size of an album inner sleeve. I think Father's say "Realistic" so he probably got them at Radioshack.

[ehoove]

I was told by a huge collector that opening one side of a stretched cellophane cover puts undue stress on the actual cover of the record causing warp, so I remove mine and invest in outer cover sleeves to protect the shuck as we used to call the album covers.

I have a main system, and a vintage system. I also have two Vinyl/CD collections, as the vintage system is more forgiving of lesser quality mixes. However I do have duplicate copies of some of my favorite pieces and do have a Marantz SA8003 SACD in the Vintage Rig.

Regards,
Jim