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Records Outsell CD !
- Thread starter bigLP
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You dont' stream cds either really do you?
Does Amazon have millions of big Sony jukebox cd players that drop a disc when someone clicks for it at home?????
It is interesting that as physical media declines people are clinging to the more archaic format.
The emotional connection seems to trump the rational superiority of cds.
Nothing really surprising here. The majority of people have moved from CDs to streaming for all their music desires. A few stalwarts who refused to switch to CDs in the first place are still stubbornly clinging to their vinyl. (Hopefully there's no vinyl clinging to them; that would be a most disturbing sight.) Then there are the wannabe hipster millenials buying vinyl mostly to display next to their "vintage" (made in China, distressed to look old by equally distressed workers) trinkets. Many of them don't even own a turntable, so I'm told. Most people don't own a CD player either. The only thing the CD format has going for it is inconvenience, and vinyl has more of that plus nostalgia too. Of course it wins.
watchnerd
Grand Contributor
I haven't bought a CD in a decade.
On the other hand, I have about 425 LPs I've bought since 2010. My turntable is a proper late 1980s vintage Michell Gyro SE, made in the UK.
But now I'm spending more on buying reel to reel.
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No, but you can stream 16/44.1 files that are lossless compared to the files on the CD- "CD quality" . Im not aware that anyone has yet come up with a way of getting "lossless to the LP" quality files through the interweb plumbing.
watchnerd
Grand Contributor
LPs were on the way out by the time I was a teenager, so the nostalgia factor is not particularly high for me, personally.
LP offers tweakery that digital doesn't.
You can futz around with different cartridges, alignments, tracking weights, tone arms, cartridge loading, etc, in a tweaky way that really does sonically matter (because it's all so flawed) and doesn't require belief in magic Ethernet or USB cables that make the bits "better".
watchnerd
Grand Contributor
Bits are bits.
In digital, the medium is just a storage vehicle.
Unlike analog, where the medium is inextricable from the modality.
watchnerd
Grand Contributor
I am not a very good enthusiast because even when I can think of a worthwhile bit of tweakery I tend to just listen to the system as it is.
As far as I am concerned digital has been transparent pretty well since the first CDs, so any shortcomings are in the recording/mix so not much one can do.
All analogue, otoh, is imperfect in a plethora of potential ways so can be tweaked ad infinitum whilst never, however much tweakery is indulged in, will be a transparent window onto the recording/mix. It does allow "seasoning" to taste.
Its only benefit over digital is how much more reassuringly costly everything about it is.
watchnerd
Grand Contributor
I think the computer audiophile crowd has pointed out an irony with digital.
Namely, "audiophiles" feel the need to tweak, season to taste, etc.
So, strangely enough, digital can lead to irrational tweakery of a near flawless medium, while analog can lead to rational tweakery of a highly imperfect medium.
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Interesting numbers. First half of 2020 $4.8B spent on streaming, $232M on vinyl and $130M on CDs. So out of a total market of $5.162B, 92.0% was streaming, 4.5% vinyl and 2.5% CD. Looks like physical media is in their death throes, vinyl is simply convulsing a little harder than CD.
I don't buy digital media - only files - but I will pick up the occasional LP.
Martin
I don't buy digital media - only files - but I will pick up the occasional LP.
Martin
SimpleTheater
Addicted to Fun and Learning
If I thought anything OLD was archaic, I'd be driving in one of those new fangled cars instead of old reliable Betsy who only needs grass and water.
Robin L
Master Contributor
I just bought this:
Ten CDs, $27, shipped. Showing up tomorrow. I can stream this via Amazon Music, but I want to compare the two, already love three of the performances in this set, sound quality is as good as Redbook gets. With classical music, which presents situations that are better dealt with in digital media, there is motivation to get these seriously cheap cd boxes before they disappear, subsequently becoming collector's items. Many times the streamable versions have sonic compromises not found on the CDs.
Old and Archaic are NOT the same. I forgive you for any unintentional personal insults some of our members may have experienced.
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watchnerd
Grand Contributor
But will you listen to the CDs or rip them to a server?
I do the latter, if needed.
I don't even own an optical disk player anymore.
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watchnerd
Grand Contributor
I used to think vinyl was reassuringly costly and inconvenient.
Then I got into reel to reel.
Indeed, and any recording you buy is a taped copy which has clear deterioration over the original, it may even be worse (accuracy wise) than a early pressing from th master stamper!
Robin L
Master Contributor
There's a friend of mine who does not stream, he's getting another birthday present soon.
Managed to find two nearly Universal Blu-Ray Players at the thrift store within the last two years, something like $40 for both, plays everything but the DVD-Audio layer, and it still can play the standard audio on those discs anyway. But I haven't used it in ages, my DAP is far more convenient. And I'm watching movies via streaming on the laptop, which has a hi-def screen.
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watchnerd
Grand Contributor
Yep, it's a crap shoot.
On the other hand, for classical, it doesn't suffer from IGD during crescendos.
Sustained piano usually sounds better, too, probably due to lack of eccentricity issues.
And if I have a 1 mil tape, a 10.5" reel can go 48 min at 15 IPS. So less flipping.
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