Why Do Old Technologies Persist in Audio?

[Ron Texas]

Back in the 60's we all spun vinyl and used tube electronics because that's what was available. Solid state electronics and digital audio came along. We are now in yet another era with switching power supplies, Class D amplification, and the move away from CD's to downloads and streaming.

Somehow the old technologies persist. I can sort of see with vinyl there is the ritual of handling the media. The rest of it is bewildering.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It is all bewildering to me.

 

[antennaguru]

Many people like me have a desire to own and handle music media like LP Records, 2T 15ips Master Tape dubs, SACDs, and DVD-As.

Having said this I have modernized my 1100+ CD collection by putting them all on a 16/44 FLAC music server that I can move between two homes. and which also streams Internet Radio and plays YouTube music. Here again I own the media and don't rent it. I do make occasional voluntary donations to the Radio Paradise and WBGO Internet Radio Stations, but otherwise I pay no recurring subscription fees for music.

 

[jkasch]

Warm fuzzy nostalgia that can sound surprisingly good under the right circumstances.

 

[radix]

I think people have an emotional connection to their music, including the rituals around it, like playing LPs or certain VU meters or a certain look to speakers or a warmer tube sound. I think some people keep older technologies because they are emotionally connected to them and get pleasure from it. It's not logical, it's emotional. And I think that's perfectly OK, if you like it, keep doing it.

 

[blueone]

Warm fuzzy nostalgia that can sound surprisingly good under the right circumstances.

I think it's just nostalgia. I was reluctant at first, but I gave up physical media (CDs) altogether for streaming. Technology nostalgia, in the end, has no place in my life.

 

[tomtoo]

Back in the 60's we all spun vinyl and used tube electronics because that's what was available. Solid state electronics and digital audio came along. We are now in yet another era with switching power supplies, Class D amplification, and the move away from CD's to downloads and streaming.

Somehow the old technologies persist. I can sort of see with vinyl there is the ritual of handling the media. The rest of it is bewildering.

People have fun with it.

 

[ZolaIII]

Well some old technologies were actually better (speakers) and used even older ones to hide it's flaws (tube amplifiers). Things didn't change for better regarding speakers, amplifiers have much more power but now they do only 33% of phase at best and they do messure much better. We love the fact that we now have much more control over the spectrum and lot's of processing power so we can bring in a controlled distortion in order that we can correct the flaws and just think we done it. Funny is that one thing didn't change and that is how inefficiently we do it. We used to do it with pore conductor in the tube which whose burning, now we do it on 10 or less nm PC part that sucks 100W doing it.

I just leave it be and use it all as & when I want. I use AB class power amplifier (almost new with late 70's transistors) don't mind either using deacent tube preamp or emulating them when I feel like it, I leve digital where it belongs to DAC/ADC and complementary components and will probably die with love for paper cones. Source is only good as it whose initially recorded.
Call me crazy... you can call me all.

 

[mhardy6647]

(although it gets steadily harder) one may still purchase photographic film.
one may still purchase and/or play acoustic musical instruments, not just synthesizers.
fermented beverages are still fermented (in most cases) with yeast.

Some technologies are fairly durable.

 

[Inner Space]

The listener half of me is generally cool with advancing tech, but the royalty-earning-musician half seriously resents being ripped off by streaming platforms. Plus CDs give me exact control over file and master, and they deliver the digits at least as well, and I don't need connection to the outside world. So I'm sticking with them.

 

[H-713]

Mostly about having fun, and the fact that some of those old technologies are very clever and quite interesting. I have no illusions that tubes are "better" than BJTs or FETs (though they do have some very nice characteristics), but they glow in the dark.

A lot of people like playing with equipment as much as they like listening to music, and there isn't anything wrong with that.

 

[blueone]

Well some old technologies were actually better (speakers)

How were old speakers better? I've been listening to speakers for several decades, and I think the latest technology is, in general, far better.

 

[mhardy6647]

hell -- I think there are even some artists who still use paint.

... but, of course, many great artists are insane.

 

[thegeton]

"...people have an emotional connection to their music, including the rituals around it..."

Nailed it.

I have ~900 LPs that I collected years ago and ~100 cassettes I recorded toward the end of that same period. The cassettes contain stuff I copied from house mates, friends, and family that are now out of print or difficult to obtain, even digitally. Not to mention all of those mixtapes for various parties, girlfriends, and remotely located friends. Good stuff.

I love playing these. I know that they don't sound as good as my physical digital sources and streaming, but I still want to hear them from time to time. I like being connected to my past.

 

[blueone]

(although it gets steadily harder) one may still purchase photographic film.
one may still purchase and/or play acoustic musical instruments, not just synthesizers.
fermented beverages are still fermented (in most cases) with yeast.

Some technologies are fairly durable.

Acoustic music instruments are not a good analogy. No synthesizer sounds anywhere near as good as a Bosendorfer grand piano. The same is true for electronic drums, violins... there's a long list.

 

[ZolaIII]

How were old speakers better? I've been listening to speakers for several decades, and I think the latest technology is, in general, far better.

I like old fashion paper cone speakers and we can argue about it but I don't see a point. You will show me straight as an arrow modern ones with great twitters but a wrong timing and I will show you old ones which did up to 8 KHz on paper and have proper response time but won't be flat as an arrow. In the end that's my personal preference.

 

[Trell]

Back in the 60's we all spun vinyl and used tube electronics because that's what was available. Solid state electronics and digital audio came along. We are now in yet another era with switching power supplies, Class D amplification, and the move away from CD's to downloads and streaming.

Somehow the old technologies persist. I can sort of see with vinyl there is the ritual of handling the media. The rest of it is bewildering.

Where is that inexpensive pre-pro (or AVR) with balanced analog or digital out that handles all the CODECs used in video and audio along with excellent room compensation DSP?

I've got many SACD but almost all of them are multi-channel as that is what I like about that format. As long as I got them in working condition they are mine and not rented from a streaming service on a subscription basis, until my Oppo BDP-93EU fails and I've got to hunt for a new universal player.

 

[levimax]

Unlike most technologies the perceived quality of recorded audio reproduction has not advanced very far in the last 60 years and in some ways has regressed (recording techniques/ mastering styles). Despite measured performance being worse by 60 dB of SINAD a SOTA early 1960's stereo system playing a RVG mastered Blue Note LP can sound excellent even when compared to today's equipment. Of course the new technology is cheaper, more reliable, measures better, and is better but the limits of human hearing make the perceived improvement a lot less than you would think. This encourages people to hang on to old equipment and allows obsolete technology to persist in the market.

 

[mhardy6647]

Acoustic music instruments are not a good analogy. No synthesizer sounds anywhere near as good as a Bosendorfer grand piano

I -- ahem -- think it's a perfect analogy... especially if the difference between Bösendorfer and synthesizer cannot be quantified.

FWIW, I prefer the sound of a Steinway -- but I am something of a Philistine.

I like old fashion paper cone speakers and we can argue about it but I don't see a point. You will show me straight as an arrow modern ones with great twitters but a wrong timing and I will show you old ones which did up to 8 KHz on paper and have proper response time but won't be flat as an arrow. In the end that's my personal preference.

FWIW, I like 'em too.

 

[Frgirard]

Back in the 60's we all spun vinyl and used tube electronics because that's what was available. Solid state electronics and digital audio came along. We are now in yet another era with switching power supplies, Class D amplification, and the move away from CD's to downloads and streaming.

Somehow the old technologies persist. I can sort of see with vinyl there is the ritual of handling the media. The rest of it is bewildering.

You are bewildering.
Outside the hifi world, a lot of folks love the old technology.
Cars, moto, furniture, plane...
TAD, jbl vintage, tannoy... If you think the new technology make a big difference, you are wrong.