Can anyone explain the vinyl renaissance?

[HammersRocco]

I'm not sure that I did say that. I know that I did refer to collecting somewhere in this thread, a long time ago, as evidence that there were areas of interest in vinyl LPs that never waned, and of the cultural value that the LP has.

I've seen a couple of people deny this claim that streaming "implies a purity of purpose", but I have never, ever, seen anyone make that claim. Anyway, it's wrong. All streaming does is put the physical object - a highly impersonal data centre - further away from the rest of the system.

The one advantage streaming has, at least for the present, is that it is a large and varied library to which we can gain access. This opens up a wider world of music. (It may also be reducing the value of music for many - always there's a downside to anything.) I've used physical libraries for decades for the same purpose, though.

(It's OK, by the way. You can have that LP. The family's various lawyers will appreciate your money. )

It's either that or the streaming companies - In this particular case I hate those more, imho.

 

[Galliardist]

It's either that or the streaming companies - In this particular case I hate those more, imho.

From what I remember, we don't do "hate" here - but from that thread in the music forum, we can say "strongly dislike".

And the lawyers did earn their money...

 

[HammersRocco]

From what I remember, we don't do "hate" here - but from that thread in the music forum, we can say "strongly dislike".

And the lawyers did earn their money...

?

 

[Galliardist]

?

Ah, went and checked, "Hate" is only not allowed in thread titles. See:

Music You Strongly Dislike (Just For Fun)

Almost all music in which someone sings (there are exceptions, like Tom Waits etc, but they are not so many). Almost all rap (except La Coca Nostra). Well, at least everything that DJs do has nothing to do with music at all. Otherwise, I would have to hate it too. I don't hate heavy metal, but I...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[HammersRocco]

Ah, went and checked, "Hate" is only not allowed in thread titles. See:

Music You Strongly Dislike (Just For Fun)

Almost all music in which someone sings (there are exceptions, like Tom Waits etc, but they are not so many). Almost all rap (except La Coca Nostra). Well, at least everything that DJs do has nothing to do with music at all. Otherwise, I would have to hate it too. I don't hate heavy metal, but I...

audiosciencereview.com

oh I see - I hate it when people that are not staff take it upon themselves to enforce rules...

 

[Drakon]

Well people assert their vinyl gets them more "in touch" than digital. I'm still trying to understand that mechanism, and thought some metaphors would help. Also comparing the soullessness of streaming to the soulfulness of playing.... you don't think so, ok.

Until someone explains exactly how vinyl gets them "in touch", I'll wait to explain how clicking menus is out of touch compared to playing.

I can't believe I'm being asked to explain myself. I'm applying people's same formula in reverse. They say they are in touch, I say they are not.

I'm not so sure about "in touch". I suppose that can mean many things to many people.

For me I'll use the subjective adjective "immersed" which is probably just as non-specific. How can I say this? Digital is sonically better than my vinyl but can feel sterile and neutral. Which isn't bad. And I'm honest and admit it might all be in my head but there it is nonetheless. But isn't it our heads that we are catering too?

My old sources of vinyl and tape are more emotional. I am more drawn into the music. It becomes an experience. I'm sure this is making little sense to some perhaps many. Especially those who didn't grow up with it.

And this is with a decades old turntable though fitted with arguably the best cartridge of the day. But even though a high(er) end turntable and cartridge of today might greatly close the fidelity gap between digital and vinyl again it's the platform itself.

As mentioned often here it's a personal experience Beyond analyzing.

For me the "resurgence" is I stopped listening to my vinyl for years for different reasons. Military service - moving around, school, kids - things sailing around the house and children running and colliding with everything. So I never lost the love or bug but literally shelved it. Now that I have a quiet house and my money is mine - yeah ok I'm married so I lied . But although I can buy the turntable and equipment I want I don't feel I need that very expensive TT. I'm sure a middle of the road will due.

I think if we could filter out the opinions of those that haven't traveled the decades long vinyl road and those that don't own or haven't listened to a well set up turntable system this thread might be many many pages shorter.

I could care less about the technology of the input provided I enjoy what sails from the loudspeakers. Regarding albums I understand the mechanics for what it is expecting nothing more than what is there. As I enjoy the interactions with the turntable. My knees work just fine so getting up to flip, clean and continue listening isn't a problem. Also there are times when I'm interested in a genre or performer so it's every song I want to hear. Not a Playlist.

Holding and looking at the jacket artwork while the album spins will do me just fine.

 

[MarkS]

My old sources of vinyl and tape are more emotional. I am more drawn into the music. It becomes an experience. I'm sure this is making little sense to some perhaps many. Especially those who didn't grow up with it.

It makes perfect sense to me that many people feel this way.

I personally do not, even though I did grow up with vinyl and tapes.

But I'm happy with each hobbyist doing whatever enhances their own enjoyment of the music.

 

[Snarfie]

Renewed interest/renaissance in Vinyl? It depends how you measure that. Physical audio sales 11% in 2023 from which Vinyl <6%. Put that in a time scale/perspective. So from let say 2000 when we saw a sort of renewd interest in Vinyl <6% over 23 years IMO can't hardly called renewed interest/renaissance in absolute figures.

 

[Galliardist]

Renewed interest/renaissance in Vinyl? It depends how you measure that. Physical audio sales 11% in 2023 from which Vinyl bit more than 5,5%. So from let say 2000 when we saw a sort of renewd interest in Vinyl 5,5% over 23 years IMO can't hardly called renewed interest/renaissance in absolute figures.
View attachment 394848

It depends on the market you want to look at, and how you look at the numbers.

New LP sales may be at 5.5% by income now, but what were they in 2006? Vinyl sales have increased impressively from that base - a $1.35bn market created in under 20 years would be seen as a success story in other industries.

In the audiophile market there's also been clear growth in sales over that time. Only since 2018 has there been real growth in turntable sales, but they were higher than you might think since the fall in the 1990s anyway. It looks like suppressed demand being satisfied, to me, for the most part. People wanted records when they weren't available.

See:

Retail value of LP / EP shipments in the U.S. 2023 | Statista

The retail value of all LPs and EPs shipped in the U.S.

www.statista.com

Note that the chart in that link is "non-CD physical sales" so the bars on the left may not be LP sales (some are DVD-A and SACD), but on the right, the growth, they effectively are.

And to put it another way, records probably hold more of the market than high resolution streaming, and maybe even lossless streaming, depending on who you believe.
Tidal and Qobuz don't even register in the sales figure chart here but are buried under 1% each, in "other" in this chart:

Music streaming services subscribers market shares 2023 | Statista

 

[Snarfie]

It depends on the market you want to look at, and how you look at the numbers.

Basicly 11% is including CD sales. So Vinyl an CD became both more or less insignificant music carriers imo. As many ASR members i also ripped my CD's en some LP's so also partly my Vinyl became digital.

 

[IPunchCholla]

Basicly 11% is including CD sales. So Vinyl an CD became both more or less insignificant music carriers imo. As many ASR members i also ripped my CD's en some LP's so also partly my Vinyl became digital.

Everything is insignificant compared to streaming. The question of this thread is why vinyl’s significance inside that insignificance is increasing.

 

[Snarfie]

Everything is insignificant compared to streaming. The question of this thread is why vinyl’s significance inside that insignificance is increasing.

Nostalgia, beeing cool, tangible an some love the warm sound. An thats ok if you tap your feet you enjoy the audio waves thats what it is all about IMO.
Also CD sales are increasing in 2024 whats next i feel a new topic coming up.. https://www.stereolifemagazine.com/articles/item/1608-is-the-cd-making-a-comeback

 

[Newman]

Nostalgia, beeing cool, an some love the warm sound.

Thanks, I have added your post to my list of people in this thread saying vinyl has a warm sound.

It still amazes me that the assertion, that nobody here is claiming that vinyl has a warm sound, got likes.

It is not just outside of ASR that people are claiming that special positive sonic advantages of vinyl are part of the reason for its popularity. It is happening here too. And when I see it, I will call it.

cheers

 

[mppix]

Thanks, I have added your post to my list of people in this thread saying vinyl has a warm sound.

It still amazes me that the assertion, that nobody here is claiming that vinyl has a warm sound, got likes.

It is not just outside of ASR that people are claiming that special positive sonic advantages of vinyl are part of the reason for its popularity. It is happening here too. And when I see it, I will call it.

cheers

Give pops and crackles fireplace vibes?

 

[Snarfie]

Thanks, I have added your post to my list of people in this thread saying vinyl has a warm sound.

It still amazes me that the assertion, that nobody here is claiming that vinyl has a warm sound, got likes.

It is not just outside of ASR that people are claiming that special positive sonic advantages of vinyl are part of the reason for its popularity. It is happening here too. And when I see it, I will call it.

cheers

Would suggest get a life.

 

[Newman]

Love it! Right back at you, friendly person.

 

[MattHooper]

It still amazes me that the assertion, that nobody here is claiming that vinyl has a warm sound, got likes.

This can be explained by the fact that people actually looked at the whole post, and found Mean&Green wrote a whole bunch of sensible things they agree with.

Where as you cherry picked out one sentence, and felt compelled to start hunting through the thread, compiling a list of wherever the term “ warmth” and “ vinyl” occurred. And your list just seems indiscriminate as to what point people actually making In the post from which you cherry picked their quote. You compile the list as if it is some list of indiscretions, and yet don’t bother to actually examine the nature of the post from which you are extracting them.

For instance, neither of the quotes you selected from me in that list actually come from posts suggesting vinyl has some inherent sound, “warm” or otherwise. In fact, it was made explicit in one of the posts that was precisely what I was not saying.

It is not just outside of ASR that people are claiming that special positive sonic advantages of vinyl are part of the reason for its popularity. It is happening here too. And when I see it, I will call it.

Just indiscriminately compiling sentences where the words “vinyl and warm” appear, with the implication somebody has said something wrong or egregious that “ needs calling out by you, ” without caring at all for the context, does not seem to be a good faith approach, making it ultimately useless if you want to get some point across.

“ Be careful what you say or you go on my list” just seems to be a strange vibe to put in this thread.

 

[HammersRocco]

Just indiscriminately compiling sentences where the words “vinyl and warm” appear, with the implication somebody has said something wrong or egregious that “ needs calling out by you, ” without caring at all for the context, does not seem to be a good faith approach, making it ultimately useless if you want to get some point across.

“ Be careful what you say or you go on my list” just seems to be a strange vibe to put in this thread

The hyperbole is staggering - this person sees themselves as the paragon of scientific (and maybe even personal) integrity, an example of intellectual rigor and achievement just because... they don't like vinyl unable to understand a simple concept like personal preference... it would be funny, if it did not rub the me the wrong way soo much, so I feel compelled to comment!

[Edit: correction as per comments]

 

[Galliardist]

The hyperbole is staggering - this person sees themselves as the paragon of scientific (and maybe even personal) integrity, an example of intellectual rigor and achievement just because... they don't like vinyl... it would be funny.. if it did not rub the me the wrong way soo much, so I feel compelled to comment!

It bears repeating, yet again, that Newman plays and enjoys playing vinyl, and unlike a lot of the people here, never stopped. He's said that straight out at a time when you were actively reading and replying in this thread.

He may have a strong or a weak case, you may want to criticise his attitude, but stop it with the making stuff up about him not liking vinyl.

 

[HammersRocco]

It bears repeating, yet again, that Newman plays and enjoys playing vinyl, and unlike a lot of the people here, never stopped. He's said that straight out at a time when you were actively reading and replying in this thread.

He may have a strong or a weak case, you may want to criticise his attitude, but stop it with the making stuff up about him not liking vinyl.

Well, not sure if that is true, but because I think even trying to corroborate this with a simple search it's weird, I will correct - unlike them, humble enough to do that:

The hyperbole is staggering - this person sees themselves as the paragon of scientific (and maybe even personal) integrity, an example of intellectual rigor and achievement just because... they don't like vinyl they are unable to understand a simple concept like personal preference... it would be funny, if it did not rub the me the wrong way soo much, so I feel compelled to comment!

That said, I think that is worse...

ah well...