Vinyl Popularity

[walakalulu]

Given the diversity of esoteric turntables coming to market some folk clearly think (or hope) that vinyl has a solid future. Given the prices I doubt that many are aimed at college kids.
Could take a tip from Apple - sell 'em cheap and hook the punters for life.

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by Myles B. Astor

You need to compare apples with apples. Compare the two formats using the best playback for each medium. Or compare them to the tape they're derived from.

Compare them to the TAPE??? While that sounds like a good idea in theory, the reality is analog master tape recordings constitute such a small percentage of recordings made in recent decades that I might buy and listen to that it would not even show up on a bar chart.

If the master "tape" is a digital recording, it is "ruined" at its inception. Why would anyone buy a vinyl LP that came from a digital recording?

In the end, whatever the latest or best form of digital technology is available is what will be used by people whether they are looking for the smallest file size for portability or a large file size for greatest fidelity. The medium may be a disk, a download, a chip or something not yet developed. It won't be a large, fragile analog disk.

[Myles B. Astor]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

Compare them to the TAPE??? While that sounds like a good idea in theory, the reality is analog master tape recordings constitute such a small percentage of recordings made in recent decades that I might buy and listen to that it would not even show up on a bar chart.

If the master "tape" is a digital recording, it is "ruined" at its inception. Why would anyone buy a vinyl LP that came from a digital recording?

In the end, whatever the latest or best form of digital technology is available is what will be used by people whether they are looking for the smallest file size for portability or a large file size for greatest fidelity. The medium may be a disk, a download, a chip or something not yet developed. It won't be a large, fragile analog disk.

I think you should reread the post and ponder the experiment. The 15 or 30 ips analog tape vs either a 4X DSD copy or 45 rpm LP made from the identical tape. Tape vs. DSD is easily done and has been done by Bruce Brown at the most recent RMAF in Jonathan Tinn's room.

As far as question B, the vinyl from a digital recording often sounds better than the comparable digital release.

And if we take your argument one step further, then because of McDonalds, The French Laundry is history. Those who value quality will always value quality while the others will remain ignorant. Its how do we reach those who are ill informed.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by Myles B. Astor

I think you should reread the post and ponder the experiment. The 15 or 30 ips analog tape vs either a 4X DSD copy or 45 rpm LP made from the identical tape. Tape vs. DSD is easily done and has been done by Bruce Brown at the most recent RMAF in Jonathan Tinn's room.

As far as question B, the vinyl from a digital recording often sounds better than the comparable digital release.

And if we take your argument one step further, then because of McDonalds, The French Laundry is history. Those who value quality will always value quality while the others will remain ignorant. Its how do we reach those who are ill informed.

Myles
Sure there are times that vinyl derived a digital recording may sound better while there are also times when a digital release of a analog recording winds out. I believe the statement that best fits would be along the lines of, playback in the format that the media was originally recorded should provide the best results.

[taters]

Originally Posted by j3brow

No need to be confused. The reason new vinyl has the *potential* to sound better than the companion new CD is because the mastering *may* be different. Now, if the recording was red lined during mixing, then the mastering engineer's hands are tied although EQ changes can still alter sound between CD and LP. I said potential because that is a utopian world. The artists many times want the red lined compressed 0 dB clipped peaks to compete with the next band. I have purchased many LPs that are nothing more than CD pressed to vinyl without a dedicated vinyl mastering which is exactly situation you are referring to. Those LPs sound no better and often times worse than the standard CD (for example Jason Isbell 'Here We Rest). On the other hand, there are plenty of bands, old and new, who value what vinyl offers and they are willing to put out a quality product and pay the dollars for a 2nd dedicated vinyl mastering (Tom Petty 'Mojo').

Or they recorded in hi-res 24/96 or above and mastering occurred in hi-res domain. Then files down res to cd vs directly cut to vinyl from the hi-res files by a someone who actually understands vinyl cutting. Hi-res sourced vinyl pressing often sounds wonderful to my ears and certainly better than the redbook CD. yes, of course I would rather just have the 24/96 files on my hard drive but as it now stands, fewer new albums released in hi-res versus vinyl .... Understandably so as those hi-res digital files are the 'master tapes' so to speak and they may not want to give up the good stuff. '

FWIW, I have read many articles on the OP topic and they quote young vinyl devotees stating they purchase new vinyl because it sounds better. Who knows. None of us have a crystal ball but I think the vinyl crest will continue to rise. Vinyl sales have risen every year for at least a decade now. It will never reach CD or download sales volume but I think vinyl is here to stay. Go ask acoustic sounds, music direct their opinion. They keep expanding and expanding. Vinyl is why they are growing.

Acoustic Sounds was just quoted that they sell a million records a year.

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by Myles B. Astor

I think you should reread the post and ponder the experiment. The 15 or 30 ips analog tape vs either a 4X DSD copy or 45 rpm LP made from the identical tape. Tape vs. DSD is easily done and has been done by Bruce Brown at the most recent RMAF in Jonathan Tinn's room.

As far as question B, the vinyl from a digital recording often sounds better than the comparable digital release.

I don't think too many people have access to 15-30 ips machines or the hundreds of dollars to spend on individual tape recordings, so while it may be nice to listen to the master tapes, it isn't going to happen for too many people, so as far as popularity is concerned, that isn't going to be it.

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

. . . .In the end, whatever the latest or best form of digital technology is available is what will be used by people whether they are looking for the smallest file size for portability or a large file size for greatest fidelity. The medium may be a disk, a download, a chip or something not yet developed. It won't be a large, fragile analog disk.

Originally Posted by Myles B. Astor

And if we take your argument one step further, then because of McDonalds, The French Laundry is history. Those who value quality will always value quality while the others will remain ignorant. Its how do we reach those who are ill informed.

Your extrapolation from my above statement is positively ridiculous.

[Josquin des Prez]

Vinyl is great. I never gave up on it. I never accepted the so-called superiority of digital, which has yet to be demonstrated to me. I have a very decent digital front end, but it still has yet to be really used for anything but casual listening. Nearly all my critical listening is vinyl, whether it be from the collection I have amassed over the last 40 years, or the new AAA vinyl I buy on a regular basis. The choices for improved vinyl playback (hardware and software) keeping getting better. But there is a lot of crap out there too. Like anything else, you have to vet products to get the quality stuff.

[f1 fan]

Originally Posted by Josquin des Prez

Vinyl is great. I never gave up on it. I never accepted the so-called superiority of digital, which has yet to be demonstrated to me. I have a very decent digital front end, but it still has yet to be really used for anything but casual listening. Nearly all my critical listening is vinyl, whether it be from the collection I have amassed over the last 40 years, or the new AAA vinyl I buy on a regular basis. The choices for improved vinyl playback (hardware and software) keeping getting better. But there is a lot of crap out there too. Like anything else, you have to vet products to get the quality stuff.

+1

Dave

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

[MC352]

The money some folks spend on Turntables, and Cartridges, they better hope vinyl sticks around or they'll have some might sweet looking boat anchors sitting in their listening rooms. I think as long as there are platters to spin them on folks will buy the LP's. LP sales are a niche market now and that's where it's stay.

[Myles B. Astor]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

I don't think too many people have access to 15-30 ips machines or the hundreds of dollars to spend on individual tape recordings, so while it may be nice to listen to the master tapes, it isn't going to happen for too many people, so as far as popularity is concerned, that isn't going to be it.


Your extrapolation from my above statement is positively ridiculous.

No one ever claimed tape will increase in popularity. It was simply an example of looking at and evaluating the two mediums. If digital is "perfect" then a digital copy should sound absolutely identical in every way, neither subtracting nor addding to the sound of master tape. So far no dice, but some now claim 4X DSD gets real close.