Understood. Apology accepted! (Even if not aimed at me...and I don't get offended anyway).
Thank you. (And whilst it was not a direct reply, I had yourself in mind also when I wrote it.
)
By analogy: Until recently we had a long-standing Drive-In movie theater near our downtown that was usually packed. I took my kids there often through the years, and would even go myself and with friends.
The average videophile could say "Drive in movie picture and sound quality is so technically poor it does not deserve any respect." Sure, from a certain criteria. But, then, that would be to totally miss the various aspects of the whole experience, and hence the value it held for those *seeking that experience.*. And it would be self-centred and blinkered for the videophile to think "therefore Drive In Movie Theaters need to go away!" just because that videophile himself doesn't find value in them.
I have never been to a drive-in, and I haven't the faintest clue where the nearest one would even have existed.
I'm not sure that drive-ins inherently must provide poor picture quality. As I understand it, the problem is that the screens are generally very big--however, the
top of the line cinema projectors these days will adequately illuminate "large format" screens. However, these don't come cheap!*
(* And, I gather that the move over to digital has proven to be the "last straw" for the continued operation of many.)
Also, I think the screen surfaces in drive-ins tend to be of poor quality.
Other problems might be on the vertical position relative to screen (after all, they can hardly provide "stadium seating"-style raked parking,) and depending on how clean it is etc., having to view the screen through the vehicle's windscreen.
Where drive-ins DEFINITELY fall down, though, is on sound.
In terms of total experience, yes, I can imagine that it is quite different to sitting in an auditorium, and has nostalgic elements, too.
I can, however, relate experiences in older movie theatres that compared to a "clean sheet" design are technically inferior, yet provide a level of "magic" and "sense of occasion" that new builds tend not to. But this would still require the picture and sound to be about as good as it can be, as well providing the level of seating comfort in line with today's expectations.
^ London's Odeon Leicester Square. Original 1930's plasterwork above circle (balcony), albeit now painted in a dark colour. Replica "flying ladies" sculptures on sidewalls near screen end. Reverberation time still too long despite added acoustic absorption, compromised seating position and screen too small for auditorium size. Dolby Cinema installation, dual laser projection. Check out the Atmos overheads/sides/rears and the 4 cabinets containing 16x18" rear bass drivers hanging from the ceiling. Watching a movie there is definitely different to the typical "box" multiplex auditorium, with pros and cons.
Hmm, I'm not quite seeing how this is analogous to vinyl, though.
But I'm not going to conclude motorcycles have no reason to exist.
As someone who uses UberEats maybe once a month when in an exceptionally lazy mood, I can say that motorcycles (scooters) have a reason to exist; namely, the expedited delivery of dinner. ;-)
Yup. If you approach trying to understand the appeal of vinyl from a very, very narrow viewpoint built around your personal criteria, you won't understand it.
Well, an evening of going through old vinyl is perfectly fun. As a "hi-fi" format? Properly implemented linear PCM is transparent, and if not then as converters improve, beyond question asymptotically reaching transparency. (Besides, outside of many decades old content, there is very little vinyl that isn't sourced from PCM, anyway.)
As a primary means of regularly listening to music? Hmm.
Does vinyl tend to sound as bad as your post implies? Nah. I can get fantastic sound from both. (And when I can compare good vinyl pressings to the digital versions from the same masters, it doesn't sound "highly corrupt," they sound amazingly similar).
Have you tried listening via headphones? I find vinyl pretty frightening listened to that way. Wandering stereo image, reverb tails turned to mush, etc...
For me the recording/production/mastering quality far outweigh the difference between each delivery system, in terms of the sound quality I experience.
Yes, of course the master recording quality is of paramount importance... garbage in, garbage out...