So vinyl isn't dead eh?

[skeptic]

Yesterday I was in Borders buying some books. The "kid" behind the counter was looking up a book about Jackie Kennedy Onasis in his computer terminal for my sister. He had never heard of her. Or Jack Benny. Or Kim Novak. Or Jane Mansfield. The JFK era was to him the way the Civil War was to me when I was in school, ancient history. He had never seen a vinyl phonograph record, or a turntable in his life, only heard about them. He mentioned that he read that some audiophiles think they sound better than compact discs. He was neither stupid nor uneducated. He was a 19 year old computer geek type who is studying for a degree in computer engineering. I felt very old.

[maxg]

Rumours of vinyl's death have been exaggerated. It has certainly been on the critical list for quite some time but if you ask me it shows some signs of recovery.

There are 16 shops selling vinyl within half an hour of either my home or my office. 16!!! hardly the end methinks..

[kexodusc]

My record collection is to big for me to ever replace it...As long as I can find replacement parts for my Technics turntable, or a decent turntable cheap, I'll probably listen to records until I die.

I would venture that vinyl will stick around for at least another 60 years, for nostalgic value if nothing else.
Seriously, does anyone still own casettes? (Okay, I still have a few).

[skeptic]

Oh here was the guy's joke;
Q: How many grooves are there on a phonograph record?
A: One.

[ppopp]

Incorrect. The answer is two. A vinyl record has two sides.
Heh-heh.

[Raymond]

I suppose someone (or all of you) will throw some flames my way but since I'm new here and my asbestos suit has not been singed in any way - so far - so I'll risk the following .

I read through this entire thread from beginning to end in one sitting without skipping a beat. After a dozen or so posts, I was expecting that the next post (or the next one, or the next one, ...) to begin explaining the superiority of plastic mono 78 rpm's. I was glad to see that this regression did not happen.

I will agree that the K-tel's of this world are omnipresent and will continue to be. Some of the best vinyl is clearly superior to some CD's, the opposite is also true.

And maybe someone can pick me up on this one. My "conversion" to CD's happened mucho years ago, very specifically on the Supertramp Album "Breakfast in America". I simply loved these guys and when the audiophile series album finally came out, I was one of the first to purchase it. My ears went WOW in comparison to the "consumer" album I had been playing.

One of my buddies who was a Kyocera distributor let me borrow one of his demo CD players - $800 at the time !!!! - and as a test I purchased the CD version of the same album.

In comparison, the audiophile series vinyl sounded like a mono recording compared to the CD ! The dynamic range was simply - and finally THERE . And so I was sold and never really looked back. Over the years, I picked up some bad stuff, no doubt about it. But I can say the same for my vinyl purchases.

Was there something wrong with my ears ??

Yes, I do listen to classical, jazz, etc ...

Ray

[E-Stat]

He was neither stupid nor uneducated. He was a 19 year old computer geek type who is studying for a degree in computer engineering. I felt very old.

The same can be said for classical music. Reports of its impending death have existed for years. Waddaya think the Gen Y-er would say if you asked him which rip of Beethoven's Ninth was his favorite?

rw

[Woochifer]

The mainstream market may have transitioned over to CDs, and the audiophile market may be debating over whether SACD's their heir apparent to the beloved LP, but in the DJ market, vinyl is the undisputed king. Look over any list of the world's top club DJs -- all of them mix with turntables, and very few of them even bother with any kind of digital source in their rigs. All of the world's top dance clubs will have a rig with at least two Technics SL-1200s, while there's no guarantee that you'll even find a CD player in all of those sets. And you don't even have to venture into a high profile danceteria to see turntables showcased. Increasingly, restaurants, bars, lounges, and retail stores book DJs to add to the atmosphere, and in almost all cases, the DJs use turntables. Show me a DJ who only works with CDs or digital music servers, and I'll show you a hackmeister who's barely good enough for frat parties and weddings. The example of someone who's never heard a phonograph is obviously someone who doesn't get out much.

Even for people like me who don't use turntables for mixing, a lot of the music in hip-hop, electronica, house, nu-jazz, or any number of dance remixes, is not available in digital format. Keeping a turntable has nothing to do with legacy compatibility or sound quality or what not, for me it's a necessity in order to keep up with CURRENT music.

So long as you got DJs mixing with vinyl and a steady flow of 12" singles, vinyl will keep going indefinitely. I've always said that the Technics SL-1200 is the ultimate cockroach in all of audio because it will outlive all digital formats.

[RGA]

Of course LP is not dead. When you can buy the latest albums from Springsteen, Madonna, the Dixie Chicks, Sarah McLauchlan, Moby, enter rock group here_______ and reprints of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and Beatles, Stones, etc then there is obviously a big market...not counting all the remixed singles for the clubs.

Sure the market isn't nearly as big as Cd but I suspect VHS will die before LP dies. As soon as you can buy the recordable DVD player for $100.00 VHS will only be around for those camcordering VHS.

Hell when a big box chain here started selling LPs again you know there is a market.

Sadly HMV here carried a rather impressive classical secion - a NAXOS wall of cds for $6-$7.00 Cdn each. They removed their entire classical section including Naxos....people are not willing to buy Beethoven for $6.00 when Britny Spears is available for $15.00

- Roll Over Beethoven at that thought

Future shop has classical music maybe 80 cds. Mostly Maria Calas and Andrea Botcheli (Sp?) and the 3 tenors and Charlotte Church -- anyone who has managed to produce name recognition or has a video on MTV like Church gets through their doors.

The opther poster is probably right, classical music seems to decline rather fast every year to the point where it is extremely difficult to find anything...I have never ever seen an audiophile label like Reference Recordings or Chesky actually in a store...and a lot of the Dutche Gramophone stuff so highly prized on LP is truly awful on cd - maybe it's just the one's I've been unlucky enough to get but NAXOS for less than half the price usually sounds pretty good. But then they don't get the bigger names do they? Sometimes.

I have been thinking of going to my University and picking up the complete Piano works of Beethoven(9 discs I think from London or Phillips).

[happy ears]

Skeptic, you know how it goes those days become weeks then months followed by years and centuries. With out knowing your age I know what you mean. Apparently I have been left in the dark ages as I listen to CD's and records when I should be using MP3's and computers. I have been told that computers are better faster and cheaper, however I must be buying the wrong ones. Mine do not last that long and are not worth 10 cents on the dollar when they are three years old. Also must have a preference for old style stereo equipment, should do a DBT some day.

Shouln't the answer be usually one groove per side, once saw a Monty Python record that had two grooves on one side.

Lastly you didn't think that all that wisdom that you aquired overtime came without strings attached. The price is old age.

Have A Great Day and enjoy the music as life is to short

[jbangelfish]

After that, who knows? My 22 year old son is very fond of it, along with a 23 year old friend of his. They have both heard it all of their lives and I expect it will live for them as long as they live as well. Who cares what a 19 year old Border's geek thinks or knows? If he's lucky, he'll get to hear some vinyl in his lifetime and maybe he'll then become a vinyl geek. Ya' never know. I know 30 year olds who have never heard vinyl but their opinions of music mean absolutely nothing to me. They listen on their HT systems and are happy. I've heard them and I would not be happy. To each his own.
Bill

[happy ears]

Since I have upgraded my turntable l am counting on vinyl being around as long as Classical music has been. Well hopefully not before I die or cannot hear anymore.

Many people have asked has anyone ever heard turntable rumble. I can honestly say that I could not hear it on my old Dual tt, however compared to the michell tt it sure has a lot of background noise. Could not really hear it before, but with a better turntable I noticed the difference. It is just more quieter, clearer and better. Now we will have to start searching for records again.

RGA if you read this what is the availability of vinyl in the Vancouver area. Presently I am just working down the road from you, well if you can accept the Alaska Highway as just down the road. Last month when I was in town picked a great day, wet, very wet all day.

[jrflanne]

Hey happy_ears,
I have that Monty Python album. The first time I queued up the "other" groove, I thought I was going insane.

[rb122]

Of course LP is not dead. When you can buy the latest albums from Springsteen, Madonna, the Dixie Chicks, Sarah McLauchlan, Moby, enter rock group here_______ and reprints of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and Beatles, Stones, etc then there is obviously a big market...not counting all the remixed singles for the clubs.

Sure the market isn't nearly as big as Cd but I suspect VHS will die before LP dies. As soon as you can buy the recordable DVD player for $100.00 VHS will only be around for those camcordering VHS.

Hell when a big box chain here started selling LPs again you know there is a market.

Sadly HMV here carried a rather impressive classical secion - a NAXOS wall of cds for $6-$7.00 Cdn each. They removed their entire classical section including Naxos....people are not willing to buy Beethoven for $6.00 when Britny Spears is available for $15.00

- Roll Over Beethoven at that thought

Future shop has classical music maybe 80 cds. Mostly Maria Calas and Andrea Botcheli (Sp?) and the 3 tenors and Charlotte Church -- anyone who has managed to produce name recognition or has a video on MTV like Church gets through their doors.

The opther poster is probably right, classical music seems to decline rather fast every year to the point where it is extremely difficult to find anything...I have never ever seen an audiophile label like Reference Recordings or Chesky actually in a store...and a lot of the Dutche Gramophone stuff so highly prized on LP is truly awful on cd - maybe it's just the one's I've been unlucky enough to get but NAXOS for less than half the price usually sounds pretty good. But then they don't get the bigger names do they? Sometimes.

I have been thinking of going to my University and picking up the complete Piano works of Beethoven(9 discs I think from London or Phillips).

I see turntables in Best Buy again as well as other places. Granted, they are pretty lousy ones but BB hadn't sold 'tables in years to my knowledge.

I found a 15 LP set of Beethoven's complete piano works but it's pretty awful sounding. The piano is tinkly and small. I can't recall the label but I've been told it's kind of the K-Tel of the 90's - cheap prices and lousy masterings. Even LP's can be made to sound poor. I'd bet that just about any CD would sound at least this good and likely better. On the other hand, I also found quite a few DG's on vinyl and they are spectacular. Three of them I already owned on CD and you're correct in these cases that the LP is much better.

Do you perchance have Border's Book and Music shops in Canada? The prices are high but they have row upon row of good classical music and jazz. Gift certificates from this store are what I ask for from obscure relatives for Christmas. It's easy to find and doesn't take time or thought. And I turn them into new music which for me is more rewarding than a bobble-head doll or a new sweater.

[DMK]

I found a 15 LP set of Beethoven's complete piano works but it's pretty awful sounding. The piano is tinkly and small. I can't recall the label but I've been told it's kind of the K-Tel of the 90's - cheap prices and lousy masterings. Even LP's can be made to sound poor. I'd bet that just about any CD would sound at least this good and likely better. On the other hand, I also found quite a few DG's on vinyl and they are spectacular. Three of them I already owned on CD and you're correct in these cases that the LP is much better.

It's on the Murray Hill label and it sounds like hammered sh*t. I sold my copy. Maybe you're the knucklehead that bought it! Don't sweat it - I bought it first! Yes, occasionally CD's sound better than vinyl.

Absolutely agree about DG. Some of the CD's are decent but the vinyl is outstanding! Former poster Dougman that I've mentioned is a collector of DG vinyl and I've sold him a few that I had duplicates of.

[rb122]

It's on the Murray Hill label and it sounds like hammered sh*t. I sold my copy. Maybe you're the knucklehead that bought it! Don't sweat it - I bought it first! Yes, occasionally CD's sound better than vinyl.

Yes, that's the one and maybe I AM the one that bought yours! Want it back?

[shokhead]

Yesterday I was in Borders buying some books. The "kid" behind the counter was looking up a book about Jackie Kennedy Onasis in his computer terminal for my sister. He had never heard of her. Or Jack Benny. Or Kim Novak. Or Jane Mansfield. The JFK era was to him the way the Civil War was to me when I was in school, ancient history. He had never seen a vinyl phonograph record, or a turntable in his life, only heard about them. He mentioned that he read that some audiophiles think they sound better than compact discs. He was neither stupid nor uneducated. He was a 19 year old computer geek type who is studying for a degree in computer engineering. I felt very old.

I hear reel to reel is on the comeback.

[Modernaire]

Yesterday I was in Borders buying some books. The "kid" behind the counter was looking up a book about Jackie Kennedy Onasis in his computer terminal for my sister. He had never heard of her. Or Jack Benny. Or Kim Novak. Or Jane Mansfield. The JFK era was to him the way the Civil War was to me when I was in school, ancient history. He had never seen a vinyl phonograph record, or a turntable in his life, only heard about them. He mentioned that he read that some audiophiles think they sound better than compact discs. He was neither stupid nor uneducated. He was a 19 year old computer geek type who is studying for a degree in computer engineering. I felt very old.

I think that this is an example of how "geek culture" has really come to over take how current generations and future music listening generations are appreciating music.

Its not about you being or feeling old. Its about how kids nowadays with iPods and iTunes, Sony Connect, ATRAC this, MP3 that, AFLAC this, OooG that and whatever to listen to music.

Its also incredibly hard to think the kid hasn't seen a record, either at a second hadn store or at least in PICTURES. He may be BS-ing you to MAKE you feel old and "unhip" in the corporate sense of the word...

And an educated kid that doesn't know about records at least, MAY BE uneducated in a way.

But this is not his fault completely, he's still responsible to EDUCATING himself on things. But also on companies like Apple and a few of the big record companies that promote the computer way of listening of music.

I think is the worst way to appreciate and enjoy serious music listening. Its the lazy way and distracting way. Some people get into the fascination of the computer rather than the music.

Much like computers and software, computer companies taking over the production of music. It makes the people making the music trip to much on the latest "Macs" or the latest "Protools".