Can anyone explain the vinyl renaissance?

[MattHooper]

On the retro-fetish....it's only a matter of time...

Once this trend truly catches on, if I want to be a hipster I'll be sending my carefully typed posts to Amirm via US mail.

 

[antcollinet]

On the retro-fetish....it's only a matter of time...

Once this trend truly catches on, if I want to be a hipster I'll be sending my carefully typed posts to Amirm via US mail.

Imagine how long the flame wars will have to last . International mail.... sheesh.

 

[Sal1950]

Once this trend truly catches on, if I want to be a hipster I'll be sending my carefully typed posts to Amirm via US mail.

That looks to be a fantastic film, I can't wait to see it,
Thanks Tom

 

[Natchie]

While I cannot explain the Vinyl Renaissance, I enjoyed listening to my vinyl records from the sixties to the eighties...when the sounds were better, especially the studio recording compared to the live concert recording. For me, the biggest relief is how normal bass guitar sounds, compared to how it overpowers all sounds in today recording world. Lower the bass, man!

Secondly and probably more importantly, the memories come back when listening to the recently found albums; not necessarily factual recall of events and things, but more likely the emotional and spiritual times of growing up back then.

 

[bluefuzz]

Interesting article from The Quietus on vinyl's climate footprint.

 

[IPunchCholla]

Interesting article from The Quietus on vinyl's climate footprint.

I hadn’t really ever thought about the impact of the data centers hosting streaming music before. I’m curious to see how the green vinyl movement plays out.

 

[mhardy6647]

I hadn’t really ever thought about the impact of the data centers hosting streaming music before. I’m curious to see how the green vinyl movement plays out.

Vintage Edison cylinders are lookin' better all the time.

 

[Robin L]

Vintage Edison cylinders are lookin' better all the time.

No IGD---guaranteed!

 

[atmasphere]

A lot of people are bothered by ticks and pops, but I found out serendipitously that if the phono section has poor high frequency overload margins at its input, the high frequency resonance of most cartridges (with MM cartridges tends to be at the upper edge of the audio band or just outside it, depending on the cartridge inductance value and the capacitance value of the tonearm cable) can overload the input briefly, sounding for all the world as if the ticks and pops thus created are on the LP surface. LOMC cartridges tend to generate their resonance as RFI, being anywhere from 100KHz to 5MHz; because their coils have a higher Q value, so does the peak, which can be 30dB above the actual signal! They too can create ticks and pops.

With that in mind the phono section I use has really good overload characteristics and doesn't care about RFI injected at its input. So I am very used to playing entire LP sides with no ticks or pops. When I do audio shows I'm often asked if an LP is playing, because they see the LP playing but don't hear the ticks and pops. When any LP is produced, the producer has to sign off on the test pressing and one of the things he signs off on is noise defects like ticks and pops. So if you think about it, they really shouldn't be there on the LP if properly treated and IME that is how it works out.

When I was mastering LPs, I found that the noise floor of the freshly cut lacquers easily rivaled Redbook; no matter the electronics, they were the noise floor rather than the lacquer. Most of the surface noise of LPs comes in during the pressing process.

Digital has gotten really good though. I picked up a Topping D30 some years back and it won me over. I'm now running the new D90SE and find no incentive to spend a dime more for a DAC. I'm not happy with the streaming thing though- its a bit of the Wild West for protocols and you have to spend money to get on board. I guess I'm old school in that I like owning the music I have and not worried if somehow my account got deleted or the power went off at the server farm. There are some coal fired power plants that were to be decommissioned and now all they do is provide power to the bitcoin 'mining' at a server farm next door; I don't see online music streaming any differently. Seems unsustainable.

 

[MattHooper]

I'm not happy with the streaming thing though- its a bit of the Wild West for protocols and you have to spend money to get on board. I guess I'm old school in that I like owning the music I have and not worried if somehow my account got deleted or the power went off at the server farm. There are some coal fired power plants that were to be decommissioned and now all they do is provide power to the bitcoin 'mining' at a server farm next door; I don't see online music streaming any differently. Seems unsustainable.

My desire for collecting my own music is mostly satisfied via my records, and so I'm happy to supplement with streaming.

A worse situation IMO, as a movie fan, is the partitioning of movie content among the ever growing number of content streamers - e.g. Apple, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu etc. No single place to go for movie content and if you want anything like a good selection you have to pay for all sorts of different services. And even then the available content doesn't come close to what it was during the reign of DVD (or even what's available on Blu Ray).

I'm very lucky to live near one of the last, best movie rental stores (DVD/Blu Ray), which has a vast collection of fantastic movies. I can get most titles there to rent and it's just a 6 minute drive away.

 

[Robin L]

My desire for collecting my own music is mostly satisfied via my records, and so I'm happy to supplement with streaming.

A worse situation IMO, as a movie fan, is the partitioning of movie content among the ever growing number of content streamers - e.g. Apple, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu etc. No single place to go for movie content and if you want anything like a good selection you have to pay for all sorts of different services. And even then the available content doesn't come close to what it was during the reign of DVD (or even what's available on Blu Ray).

I'm very lucky to live near one of the last, best movie rental stores (DVD/Blu Ray), which has a vast collection of fantastic movies. I can get most titles there to rent and it's just a 6 minute drive away.

Went looking for "La Dolce Vita" yesterday, used to be on a number of streaming platforms, is now down to one, an obscure site at that.

 

[MattHooper]

Went looking for "La Dolce Vita" yesterday, used to be on a number of streaming platforms, is now down to one, an obscure site at that.

That's why I own that one

(Though my local downtown Toronto video store has it for rent too).

As we know back in the abundant days of DVD rental it's not like a physical store guaranteed great selection. My main memory of places like Blockbuster was trying to find something compelling to watch from all the reams of crap they stocked (including tons of direct-to-video). It's like "where can we find a place to store every turd anyone ever put out? Blockbuster!" It was a movie rental store run by a company that didn't really know or care anything about movies - just bean counting.

By contrast there would be those specialist movie rental stores. The ones actually run by film fanatics, and hence a highly curated (though still large) selection. Going to those stores was like the reverse of the Blockbuster experience - rather than spending time trying to find something of interest, in the good stores there was so many quality or interesting movies it was hard to decide which to rent.

Fortunately, as I say, though almost all the video stores in Toronto have shut down, the main remaining store is a true gem for quality and selection. (In fact, I had a hankering tonight to watch an old childhood favorite "giant bug" movie The Deadly Mantis. Unavailable anywhere streaming but, yup, my local place has it for rent! Yipee!)

They don't rent vinyl though. (<--- lame attempt to get back on topic)

 

[Robin L]

That's why I own that one

(Though my local downtown Toronto video store has it for rent too).

As we know back in the abundant days of DVD rental it's not like a physical store guaranteed great selection. My main memory of places like Blockbuster was trying to find something compelling to watch from all the reams of crap they stocked (including tons of direct-to-video). It's like "where can we find a place to store every turd anyone ever put out? Blockbuster!" It was a movie rental store run by a company that didn't really know or care anything about movies - just bean counting.

By contrast there would be those specialist movie rental stores. The ones actually run by film fanatics, and hence a highly curated (though still large) selection. Going to those stores was like the reverse of the Blockbuster experience - rather than spending time trying to find something of interest, in the good stores there was so many quality or interesting movies it was hard to decide which to rent.

Fortunately, as I say, though almost all the video stores in Toronto have shut down, the main remaining store is a true gem for quality and selection. (In fact, I had a hankering tonight to watch an old childhood favorite "giant bug" movie The Deadly Mantis. Unavailable anywhere streaming but, yup, my local place has it for rent! Yipee!)

They don't rent vinyl though. (<--- lame attempt to get back on topic)

And just as lamely, I'm about to ride this into the ditch---here's why I was looking for "La Dolce Vita" online.

There are films I watch obsessively. Prospero's Books is one of them. I was watching it again, thanks to Kanopy. I've essentially been watching it on a loop. The film is constructed in such a way that one could drop into the middle of it and have just as rich an experience simply from the look of everything---here it's modeled on monumental painting of 17th century Netherlands, much metaphorical use of nude figures, classical architecture, vast stages for masques. And there are many active frames surrounding letterboxed images, some of the frames held by those figures. This was the first film [or so I have read] to be edited in a high-definition television format, making many scenes appear as if assembled on an early Macintosh desktop. As far as I'm concerned, wall-to-wall eye candy. Unavailable as a DVD or Blu-Ray, at least in our zone, for many years, finally available via streaming on Kanopy, for free.

I also have Criterion. The big story this month is the work of Delphine Seyrig, her most famous role is in "Last Year at Marienbad". I watched it for the first time this week, was [predictably] blown away and thought of the camera moves with Prospero's Books buzzing in my eyeballs. Turns out both films have the same cinematographer---Sacha Vierny. Loads of slow, smooth tracking shots in long corridors in both films.

Anyway, the look of both films made me look again for La Dolce Vita, a movie with similar visual themes as "Marienbad" ["The Great Beauty" is it's offspring and worthy], and remember watching it on Criterion a month or two before. Now gone. Poof! So I share your frustration. I was hoping Criterion would be more dependable, assuming that films in Criterion Editions would be also constantly available at their streaming site.

A lot of the stores in the East Bay rented LPs, either officially or de-facto thanks to generous exchange policies, back when new LPs sales went on the decline [I'll bet record rentals went up for a bit, early on]. Rasputin and Amoeba being notable players in that realm. I suspect this sort of arrangement works better with CDs, at least as far as the music retailers are concerned. I would think current fans of the LP would be far less prone to "rent" LPs. For one thing, a lot of the market is about collectibles. And there's cheaper ways of finding needledrops.

 

[MattHooper]

And just as lamely, I'm about to ride this into the ditch---here's why I was looking for "La Dolce Vita" online.

There are films I watch obsessively. Prospero's Books is one of them.

Agh. Peter Greenaway. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover was one of the few films I've ever wanted to walk out of. I've had a distaste for Greenaway ever since. (Same goes for a director from the opposite commercial spectrum that I loathe - Tony Scott. Many have told me for years "you have to see True Romance, Tarantino script, it's awesome!" But the Tony Scott factor held me at bay until literally last month when I decided to watch it with my son. Yup, fun script, but sure enough Scott's "make everything look like a beer commercial" aesthetic ruined a bunch of the movie for me. I will die tied to a stake, set afire, before I ever watch Top Gun).

I also have Criterion. The big story this month is the work of Delphine Seyrig, her most famous role is in "Last Year at Marienbad". I watched it for the first time this week, was [predictably] blown away and thought of the camera moves with Prospero's Books buzzing in my eyeballs. Turns out both films have the same cinematographer---Sacha Vierny. Loads of slow, smooth tracking shots in long corridors in both films.

Hmmm...not all that intrigued by the plot. I think you may have a different constitution than I. But a quick look at it's reputation tells me Last Year at Marienbad might be one to watch with a couple with whom I watch the more "challenging" movies. (They are the type to dive in to long, German mini-series from the 60's, that type of thing).

 

[Robin L]

Agh. Peter Greenaway. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover was one of the few films I've ever wanted to walk out of. I've had a distaste for Greenaway ever since. (Same goes for a director from the opposite commercial spectrum that I loathe - Tony Scott. Many have told me for years "you have to see True Romance, Tarantino script, it's awesome!" But the Tony Scott factor held me at bay until literally last month when I decided to watch it with my son. Yup, fun script, but sure enough Scott's "make everything look like a beer commercial" aesthetic ruined a bunch of the movie for me. I will die tied to a stake, set afire, before I ever watch Top Gun).


Hmmm...not all that intrigued by the plot. I think you may have a different constitution than I. But a quick look at it's reputation tells me Last Year at Marienbad might be one to watch with a couple with whom I watch the more "challenging" movies. (They are the type to dive in to long, German mini-series from the 60's, that type of thing).

Agree about Cook, Thief, etc . . ., Prospero's Books is just as icy/distanced, but mostly beautiful to watch, not at all like Cook, Thief, etc which I couldn't finish---watched a bad VHS transfer, most of it, at least. As pure spectacle/art for arts sake, there is nothing like Prospero's Books.

I remember seeing some of Top Gun on some cable network, laughing, and leaving the room. I do a lot of that.

I really like some of the stuff Tony Scott's brother put out.

Last Year at Marienbad lives in the same psychic territory as early Antonioni, but the emotional pitch is much more intense. The editing anticipates Nic Roeg and Kubrick. The movie doesn't have a "plot" in the usual sense, though I suspect if the film were edited differently, a clear plot would emerge.

 

[Godataloss]

I'm currently listening to a 1958 Otis Spann recording.
Unfortunately it's full of background tape noise, W & F on Otis piano and the rest of 1958 technical failings.
I can certainly ignore it best possible and listen to the MAN play that awesome blues piano.
But am I listening to an LP? OH HELL NO
Why on earth would I compound all those issues with the failings of even the best of today vinyl?
I got the best remastered digital file I could find to enjoy this classic blues music and get as close to the sound of this 65 year of recording as possible.
What a great musician.
YMMV

But you may purchase the LP were it available as a testament to your admiration of the artist.

 

[MattHooper]

Agree about Cook, Thief, etc . . ., Prospero's Books is just as icy/distanced, but mostly beautiful to watch, not at all like Cook, Thief, etc which I couldn't finish---watched a bad VHS transfer, most of it, at least. As pure spectacle/art for arts sake, there is nothing like Prospero's Books.

Thanks I'll check it out!

I really like some of the stuff Tony Scott's brother put out.

I'm a massive fan of Ridley's best work. Alien and Bladerunner remain among my favorite movies of all time. Alien is a perfect movie IMO.
Ridley was hot and cold and could be all style over substances sometimes. But even at his worst he was artistic and his brother was a 10th rate
stylist IMO in comparison. (That god damned orange sky filter he pushed in every film! One of the scourages of the 80s/early 90's films)

Last Year at Marienbad lives in the same psychic territory as early Antonioni, but the emotional pitch is much more intense. The editing anticipates Nic Roeg and Kubrick. The movie doesn't have a "plot" in the usual sense, though I suspect if the film were edited differently, a clear plot would emerge.

Cool. I like Antonioni so I may get along with this film. I'll look in to it. Cheers.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

A good article from Stereo Review of all places regarding the strength of vinyl sales.

 

[pseudoid]

@MattHooper, what is a 'typewriter'?

Does the vinyl renaissance make sense to you because it sure doesn't to me

One of its accepted definitions is "the revival in the world of art, literature, culture and learning" spanning the 14th to the 17th Centuries.
Listening to LPs could be one of ways some of us are getting ready for another cultural revolution.
Nostalgia is mostly a peaceful human trait... until it comes to burkas...

 

[egellings]

I think the term renaissance is often used colloquially to mean a revival in interest in some past subject matter, rather than referring a time in history. Since vinyl records are recently historic in a way and are not in common use, the word makes sense when referring to the revival of interest in them.