The Observer view on the vinyl revival: LPs are the antidote to a frenetic digital world

[kchap]

I subscribe to the electronic version of the guardian. Fortunately I missed this diatribe. What a load of rubbish.

 

[MattHooper]

I subscribe to the electronic version of the guardian. Fortunately I missed this diatribe. What a load of rubbish.

Aside from the one contentious line about vinyl sound quality, why is it rubbish? I think the article makes some sense of the appeal vinyl has for some people.

 

[CapMan]

This is what a typical Guardian reader looks like:

I read the Guardian. No sandals, no beard, no bicycle, no avocado on toast etc (I thought sweeping generalisations were frowned upon here!)

Since most of the rest of the press in the UK is owned by self serving billionaires there aren’t too many other publications I’d bother with (in spite of The Guardians faults.)

 

[Axo1989]

I read the Guardian. No sandals, no beard, no bicycle, no avocado on toast etc (I thought sweeping generalisations were frowned upon here!)

Haha no, we are as prone to the delights of tribalist circle-jerkery as any in-group. Not that I'm that far in. If it matters, I've never liked sandals much but I do love avocados.

Since most of the rest of the press in the UK is owned by self serving billionaires there aren’t too many other publications I’d bother with (in spite of The Guardians faults.)

The Guardian is great, all things considered. And I'm not even in the UK. It's the best we have left here as well. I can put up with a bit of lifestyle shite without losing it completely.

 

[kchap]

Aside from the one contentious line about vinyl sound quality, why is it rubbish? I think the article makes some sense of the appeal vinyl has for some people.

I'll stay away from the vinyl debate, we know our positions and we are not likely to change. What got to me was the way the article was looking back through rose coloured glasses.

There is nothing wrong with not rushing through life and having a hobby, but it struck me as bored elites looking for the next fashion to pursue. It's not a new phenomenon, take a look at the early Woody Allen film, Sleeper.

Now it's DIY mugs filled filtered coffee. Filtered coffee was preceded by back to basics Italian stove top coffee makers, ersatz espresso machines with through away pods, real espresso machines and french style coffee plungers. No doubt next year the cold brew coffee maker will be de rigueur.

 

[MattHooper]

I'll stay away from the vinyl debate, we know our positions and we are not likely to change. What got to me was the way the article was looking back through rose coloured glasses.

It wasn't looking back. It was accounting for the present appeal of vinyl - the type of pleasures and "antidote" to digital life it seems to be offering people right now.

There is nothing wrong with not rushing through life and having a hobby, but it struck me as bored elites looking for the next fashion to pursue. I

Why is accounting for the appeal of vinyl such a negative thing? It's simply looking at how human beings operate, what kind of elements influence our experience, perception, pleasure. It's a relevant topic to any human, whatever their stature. And the reasoning by the Guardian author reflects similar experience of record buyers across the spectrum, including all sorts of people who could hardly be called "elites." (Which is a squishy term used to slag just about anyone one wants).
Seems to me just as "elitist" to go dismissing something that is giving a wide range of people more pleasure in their life.

If you want to go the cynical "bored elites" critique that can be splayed on anything. You wanna talk bored elites? How about people fortunate enough to be able to spend a lot of their time worrying about SINAD numbers for a DAC, or churning over a frequency bump in some speaker measurements...and all the truly First World Problems an enthusiast site like this represents?

 

[kchap]

It wasn't looking back.

The author devotes a large chunk of the second paragraph discussing a 45 year old box set, consisting of 3, 12", 45rpm records, a mere 6 sides. You would spend more time changing records than actual listening. No, that's not looking back.

If you want to go the cynical "bored elites" critique that can be splayed on anything. You wanna talk bored elites? How about people fortunate enough to be able to spend a lot of their time worrying about SINAD numbers for a DAC, or churning over a frequency bump in some speaker measurements...and all the truly First World Problems an enthusiast site like this represents?

I was well aware that a lot members, including me, are privileged economically and socially, but I still felt the Observer/Guardian article still had elitist overtones. The first paragraph stated that serious listeners "know" that it's superior to digital and so implied anyone disagreeing is not worth considering, not elitist at all.

As I said I subscribes to the Guardian, but is does annoy me from time to time.

 

[DonR]

It's the vibe!

 

[pablolie]

every honest vinyl fan i have met these days admits it is the ritual. not the sound quality. the fact vinyl cant match digital with the same well recorded album is evident to those who havent destroyed their ears.

the pitfall of digital is that unfortunately it is often sold without any album notes. i hate that. those are vital.

but rituals can be enforced around any format. and album notes can be found online. i try to contribute to the latter.

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

every honest vinyl fan i have met these days admits it is the ritual. not the sound quality. the fact vinyl cant match digital with the same well recorded album is evident to those who havent destroyed their ears.

the pitfall of digital is that unfortunately it is often sold without any album notes. i hate that.

but rituals can be enforced around any format. and album notes can be found online. i try to contribute to the latter.

I’m a vinyl fan. There is no ritual for me much less a ritual that is my prime motive for being a fan of vinyl. It is the sound. All else being equal I prefer the colorations of vinyl over pure accuracy.

It amazes me that this idea is such a struggle for so many here.

 

[Robin L]

every honest vinyl fan i have met these days admits it is the ritual. not the sound quality. the fact vinyl cant match digital with the same well recorded album is evident to those who havent destroyed their ears.

the pitfall of digital is that unfortunately it is often sold without any album notes. i hate that. those are vital.

but rituals can be enforced around any format. and album notes can be found online. i try to contribute to the latter.

For us septuagenarian Classical music fans who collect CDs, one of the major problems with the liner notes of those CDs is that they are frequently in 1 point type.

Of course, lots of Classical budget reissues lack liner notes.

 

[pablolie]

For us septuagenarian Classical music fans who collect CDs, one of the major problems with the liner notes of those CDs is that they are frequently in 1 point type.

Of course, lots of Classical budget reissues lack liner notes.

Which is why I scan them in high-quality (I collect classical music CDs)

 

[gsp1971]

I’m a vinyl fan. There is no ritual for me much less a ritual that is my prime motive for being a fan of vinyl. It is the sound. All else being equal I prefer the colorations of vinyl over pure accuracy.

It amazes me that this idea is such a struggle for so many here.

Your preferences, which are clearly conscious choices, are no struggle to anyone.

You "prefer the colorations of vinyl" yet you have been trying so hard in your previous posts to convince everyone of the sonic merits of vinyl.
That is contradictory, isn't it?
Had you said from the beginning that you are a vinyl fan, despite its pros and cons, and that is a conscious choice of yours, that would have been fine.
That's what @MattHooper did by trying to put an argument forward that there is personal pleasure is collecting and playing vinyl, despite whatever shortcomings vinyl might have, and that is fine.

GS

 

[CapMan]

It's the vibe!

He lost credibility for me as soon as he said he “reads the Daily Mail to stay in touch with the views of normal people”

Fun video though

 

[Galliardist]

Your preferences, which are clearly conscious choices, are no struggle to anyone.

You "prefer the colorations of vinyl" yet you have been trying so hard in your previous posts to convince everyone of the sonic merits of vinyl.
That is contradictory, isn't it?
Had you said from the beginning that you are a vinyl fan, despite its pros and cons, and that is a conscious choice of yours, that would have been fine.
That's what @MattHooper did by trying to put an argument forward that there is personal pleasure is collecting and playing vinyl, despite whatever shortcomings vinyl might have, and that is fine.

GS

is there a contradiction? He is maybe arguing that we should adopt vinyl as well because he believes that the colourations are beneficial or preferable for us all. That may be a more honest position than that taken by some who appear to believe the same but won't come straight out with it.

If it is "just" his preference and that is what he is now saying, fine. I'm in dispute with him in another thread, but happy to support him here to the extent that he either states it's his preference, or backs up any attempt to convince us there's more to it with some evidence. I'm not sure he is having the vinyl argument both ways. Arguments over speakers and BACCH, perhaps.

I'm sure that @Justdafactsmaam can stand up for himself here, he's prepared to go up against @amirm after all.

 

[Axo1989]

is there a contradiction? He is maybe arguing that we should adopt vinyl as well because he believes that the colourations are beneficial or preferable for us all. That may be a more honest position than that taken by some who appear to believe the same but won't come straight out with it.

If it is "just" his preference and that is what he is now saying, fine. I'm in dispute with him in another thread, but happy to support him here to the extent that he either states it's his preference, or backs up any attempt to convince us there's more to it with some evidence. I'm not sure he is having the vinyl argument both ways. Arguments over speakers and BACCH, perhaps.

I'm sure that @Justdafactsmaam can stand up for himself here, he's prepared to go up against @amirm after all.

While I have limited experience with vinyl, the one blind test I tried here certainly revealed some sonic differences on the selected track, and while it wasn't my overall preference (purely sonically) it was somewhat distinct from the digital sourced comparison (yes 'warmer' and perhaps 'richer' although I can define the former more than the latter) and quite enjoyable. So the position of 'preferring the colorations of vinyl' seems reasonable to me.

 

[Axo1989]

He lost credibility for me as soon as he said he “reads the Daily Mail to stay in touch with the views of normal people”

You got further than me, I just avoid YouTubers that present clownish thumbnails with exaggerated facial expressions. And having a look now, I see he said it immediately ...

 

[gsp1971]

is there a contradiction? He is maybe arguing that we should adopt vinyl as well because he believes that the colourations are beneficial or preferable for us all. That may be a more honest position than that taken by some who appear to believe the same but won't come straight out with it.

If it is "just" his preference and that is what he is now saying, fine. I'm in dispute with him in another thread, but happy to support him here to the extent that he either states it's his preference, or backs up any attempt to convince us there's more to it with some evidence. I'm not sure he is having the vinyl argument both ways. Arguments over speakers and BACCH, perhaps.

I'm sure that @Justdafactsmaam can stand up for himself here, he's prepared to go up against @amirm after all.

I am not accusing anyone of anything, so there is no need for anyone to "stand up for himself". I am not starting a fight. Live and let live.

People have the liberty to listen to music using whatever electronics they desire.

I am not an engineer nor an expert in the vinyl vs. digital debate. There are pros and cons in both. I had a vinyl setup during my youth and it was great. Then, over time, like most people, converted to digital, first CDs and lately SACDs and selected digital downloads. Whether someone finds vinyl colorations "beneficial" is their business.

But let's not try to portray someone's personal preference as a scientific fact, when it isn't.

GS

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

Your preferences, which are clearly conscious choices, are no struggle to anyone.

You "prefer the colorations of vinyl" yet you have been trying so hard in your previous posts to convince everyone of the sonic merits of vinyl.
That is contradictory, isn't it?
Had you said from the beginning that you are a vinyl fan, despite its pros and cons, and that is a conscious choice of yours, that would have been fine.
That's what @MattHooper did by trying to put an argument forward that there is personal pleasure is collecting and playing vinyl, despite whatever shortcomings vinyl might have, and that is fine.

GS

“every honest vinyl fan i have met these days admits it is the ritual. not the sound quality.”

That looked like he was struggling a bit with a sound based preference for vinyl.

You see a contradiction where none exists. I have pointed out that euphonic colorations are a real thing in vinyl playback and that some audiophiles like them better than pure accuracy. That has been my message from the start and there are no contradictions in it.

And it is true whether I personally am a “vinyl fan” or not.

 

[mhardy6647]

actually, the tediousness of listening to rekkids has been a demotivator for me for the best part of a decade. I feel the same way about streaming, by the way. Too many different things to worry about & tweak, plus the apparent need to buy even more components, the purpose of which generally flummox me. Various boxes and things -- I don't know why anything but a computer, a URL (or an NAS) and a DAC is needed. But I digress.

Playing a CD -- now that's easy*.
Put the thing in, push a button.
Perfect Sound Forever.



______________
* perhaps I've mentioned that I am preternaturally lazy...