what is behind the resurgence of Vinyl records?
There was mention of it on the radio recently, saying "Millennials are interested in their parents Record Collection"
with how big the digital industry is, I find it interesting that Vinyl is making such a comeback, yet I HAVE read some articles about small producers that say they have been getting much higher sales over the past decade.
is it just a "Retro" thing? I must confess, at 25, even I am feeling some appeal from Records, I even bought that special edition of Hotline Miami 2 that comes with the soundtrack on a Vinyl album. There's just something about em, and Im not sure how much of the appeal is just memetic and how much is something actually there that I'm not seeing
Vinyl is for jackasses and I can't wait for the vinyl bubble to burst. It's as bad as comic book and baseball cards in the 90s.
I like vinyl because the cover art is bigger and it often comes with art inserts or extras that aren't included in the CD releases.
I don't really care about the sound quality, I just buy copies of music I already know I like. I'll put one on if I'm just chilling in the living room on my laptop, but for any other purpose I use my phone for music.
Personally, it's because of my parents' record collection.
I'm 22 and I grew up with my parents playing classic rock and 60s-80s music on our stereo, the kind that had a turntable and two tape decks in it. We still have our records and tapes from back then and I still listen to them.
I'll get something on tape or digitally or vinyl, it doesn't matter to me. I just listen to records at home because I have lots of records and most of my favorite music is on them. I listen to my iPhone when I'm out, or the tape deck in my car.
I haven't used CDs in a long time because I got a CD of bird sounds stuck in my car's CD player.
tl;dr I listen to vinyl because I already have a lot of it
I pirate all my music so I buy vinyl of the shit I really like to make up for it. I'd rather pay for larger album art/inserts than a stupid fucking digital copy or cd.
>>61251709
literally this
and cds are for plens
>what is behind the resurgence of Vinyl records?
Kikes
>>61251673
This
>>61251762
>>I haven't used CDs in a long time because I got a CD of bird sounds stuck in my car's CD player.
that sounds hilarious
>>61251776
I do the exact same thing.
We're both plebs btw.
>>61251810
It is one of the myriad issues with my car
The volume on the car stereo is stuck on fucking loud so I have to listen to music with the windows open
>>61251777
I swear to god 99% of the people posting on /mu/ right now have been hear less than a year. Take your autistic indeh gurl opinions elsewhere.
Growing up in the 90s it was a cheap alternative to CDs. New LPs were about $6-8 while CDs were $13-15. And for indie labels it was still the standard format after majors had phased it out.
Prices on new vinyl are absurd and the heavy "audiophile" pressings often suck. But it's still great if you listen to mostly music from when LPs were mass produced and you're buying used.
>>61251959
>hear
and it sounds like you've been in school for less than a year too.
>>61251662
marketing
you cannot conveniently pirate vinyl and all physical media is incredibly outdated, so they market something odd that you have to buy and make it look cool
>>61251842
>The volume on the car stereo is stuck on fucking loud so I have to listen to music with the windows open
this does not make sense
>>61251842
anon pls fix your car
>>61251673
why is this a bad thing though?
The comic book and baseball card thing was fun. People traded cards and collected them. Comics book companies were making profit.
How is the purchase of physical items and companies getting a profit bad?
>>61251662
Most of our parents didn't have good or interesting records anyway, usually just shit like Air Supply and Doobie Brothers, crappy country singers, etc.
Trust me, a hell of a lot more people had Rumours than they did ITCOCK or whatever Pitchfork core that /mu/ jacks it to.
>>61252276
>tfw my friend's mom tossed out a collection of Michael Jackson records when she was cleaning house
>>61252276
Can confirm. My dad said he never met a Black Sabbath fan back then, but everyone had Stampede and Hotel California.
>>61251776
This, plus most new vinyl releases include a digital download code anyway.
Some genres have always been focused on vinyl, take a look at dubstep(no I am not talking about shitty brostep) and other sound system music releases have all been on vinyl since the creation of the genre, aint no resurgence there.
1/2
Anyone who thinks modern music sounds better on vinyl than CD are fucking idiots for two reasons:
1) Unless the CD is somehow botched, there's no way the LP is going to sound any better. The only exception to this I can think of are those seemingly rare instances where they make an entirely unique LP master instead of just re-EQing the CD master to make it fit on vinyl (which they often don't even do properly, but I'll get to that in my next point). Even if they make an entirely unique LP master, there are still fidelity issues inherent to the medium itself -- such as surface noise and degradation with each play -- that you will never, ever get with a CD. I've also heard talk about how vinyl can only ever sound as good as a MP3 file even in the best circumstances, but you'll have to do your own research to confirm that.
2) Most modern pressings of any album ever tend to be garbage. There are exceptions (Kraftwerk's Kiling Klang Digital Master reissues are generally well made from a manufacturing stand-point, as are Death Grips' major label LPs), but most modern LPs I've bought seem to have these two problems across the board: one side will be off-center which causes variations in pitch during play, and any song close to the center of the record are likely to have unnecessary distortion. The off-centered pressings being so damn common are probably the end result too few pressing plants in existence these days taking on too much work and having to rush things (google "format gentrification vinyl" for more info), because the problem itself has to do with giving the records the time they need to dry properly.
(cont'd)
>>61252622
>The off-centered pressings being so damn common
wat?
CDs and LPs both equally don't make sense today anymore btw
>>61252622
>giving the records the time they need to dry
lol
>>61251959
calm down newfag
>>61252622
Not just off center, they bow out from the center or they're warped so they don't sit flat on the platter, making the stylus bob up and down like a kinda top.
There's all kinds of surface noise on em.
>>61252622
2/2
more of point 2) As for the aforementioned unneccessary distortion near the end of a side, that's the result of improper mastering. When people take a CD master and re-work it to fit on vinyl, they often overlook the fact that you have to further adjust the EQ on those end-of-side tracks to compensate for the distortions cause by the bass frequencies. This was talked about in articles and/or press releases from the time the Beatles stereo remasters were issued on vinyl. I can't help but wonder how many people actually read any of those, because I haven't noticed any difference in new vinyl since. Every so often I'll come across an LP with not just these issues, but also a completely botched, bassless master. These are pretty rare, but it's the sort of thing that -- especially when considered with the other manufacturing errors that crop up -- makes me wonder what sort of quality control is actually happening at the pressing plants and record labels. Is there any at all? And thee people have the fucking nerve to charge anything more than $20 for something that wasn't even made properly? Jesus Christ. I hope there's someone in this thread who works at a record label, because this shit needs to be explained. Whenever I see people getting into vinyl these days, I always make a point of telling them "NEVER BUY NEW LPs unless you're damn sure of it!"
I'm not saying that people should never listen to records. I just want people to know that the format is not all it's cracked up to be. And that's not to mention the absolute garbe-tier quality of the most commonly available/affordable players. My sister told me she's getting some low-level Audio Technical turntable. When she asked me if she could borrow a record or two after she gets it, I simply told her "No."
>>61251959
I've been here for 4 years mate
CDs are for plebs
>>61252436
>>61252622
>>61252815
It not about the sound quality, its the culture surrounding vinyl, I'm not talking about cunt hipsters getting random pop tunes on vinyl, its about all genres that built themselves up on vinyl and continue to do so, e.g. Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Dub etc
https://youtu.be/0WxOUxaJKyM?t=8m21s
Listen to what this guy says^
>>61251662
I got into vinyl because my dad showed me his vinyl collection with Bowie, Interpol, The Police and Rolling Stones records
>>61252903
At around 8:20 onwards I forgot to mention
>>61252903
This
Also, if you want to support an artist and want a physical object in exchange because it helps you rationalize it, vinyl is great. Most stuff comes with a dl card too so why would I buy just digital?
>>61252674
If you see the needle swaying back and forth as it otherwise slowly makes its way toward the center, that side is off-center. A lot of what I listen to is not effected by this, but you will hear the pitch waiver on any given sustained tone. To be fair, this used to happen with plenty of indie label releases even back in the '70s. ("Introductory Rites" by the Middle Class his this problem on the Out Of Vogue CD because it was sourced from it's original 7", probably due to the master tapes going missing over the years. You can hear it in the bass.) But now it also happens with more major label releases than it used to, judging from the old records in my collection.
>>61252693
How is that so funny? When you mold plastic, you need to let it harden, a.k.a. "letting it dry." Vinyl is a kind of plastic, and pressing it into a record is a form of molding it.
>>61252803
This hardly ever happens to me, but I've got a couple that have this problem. I always though it was due to shipping and storing the record. I wonder how many albums have full pressings that are fucked like this?
>>61252815
>garbe-tier quality
that's supposed to be
>garbage-tier quality
>>61252803
A record clamp solves this problem.
>>61251673
Translation: I'm poor
Records are cool with the large art and playback ritual, but they are also flat in a reductive way.
CDs are nice as a sculptural object. The cheapness and mass-produced nature of jewel cases is an appeal of itself, too - it forces you to engage with the subject matter of the album.
>>61252903
I all my ranting for two whole posts, I guess I should have mentioned that I collect mostly rock records. For those genres which have always been built around vinyl, I should at least hope there aren't bullshit manufacturing errors everywhere you look.
Also, there are plenty of people who talk about how much "better" vinyl sounds. Those people make me rage on the inside.
>>61253037
vinyl releases usually sound better though
it's rare for me to find a cd album that isnt compressed to shit
I'll say that Columbia records (the red label) had pressing down to a science in the 60s and 70s. They're the best sounding in my collection and freakishly noise free after all these years.
>>61253037
While not technically and objectively better, the natural distortion and saturation can be nice. And when records do deteriorate, through overuse or otherwise, they do so in a pleasing way.
>>61252402
this
if i like an album enough i want a physical copy of it, vinyl just makes way more sense than cds desu
but also, >>61252622 is onto something about the quality of new pressings but >>61252803 is closer. not only are tons of new pressings fucking warped but they try to shove so much shit onto some lps that they skip right out of the package because there isn't enough space between grooves.
>tfw you've bought two brand new copies of the same album and they both skipped out of the package in different places
feelsbadman.jpeg
older vinyl actually stands up pretty well esp if you clean it right
the point is that physical music in any form is becoming obsolete, there is no fucking quality control, and it's preference which outdated shit you prefer
>>61253060
>>61253142
also this
ALSO i know djs who like to spin vinyl and cds silmultaneously for more versatility during sets
My entire collection is digital, so if I buy a physical copy of an album it's just to own it as an "artifact", not to actually play it.
In this regard LPs are better than CDs in every way: bigger album art (the big thing, imo), extra inserts, etc.
>>61253060
>it's rare for me to find a cd album that isnt compressed to shit
Funny you should mention that because most modern LPs I've heard simply use the CD master as the source. How much has changed in the 2 or 3 years since I mostly stopped buying new LPs?
>>61253142
The distortion I'm bitching about wouldn't bother me so much if it didn't just start happening out of seemingly nowhere as you get to the end of a side. I also find that that kind of distortion also leads to the record sounding extra tinny in those specific sections. A lack of consistency is usually a sign of poor workmanship.
>>61253011
lol yup. Nice dubs, btw.
>>61253436
>The distortion I'm bitching about wouldn't bother me so much if it didn't just start happening out of seemingly nowhere as you get to the end of a side
check the overhang adjustment (position of the cartridge in the headshell) on your turntable. the distortion comes from the needle having the wrong angle to the groove.
>>61253482
What if the distortion is consistently happening towards the end of a side on most new records and not happening at all on most old records? Wouldn't a cartridge alignment issue have some sort of effect on damn-near all of my records?
>>61251662
I'm probably going to sound like a pretentious cunt, but fuck it. Here's my reasoning. I remember in the 90s when I would buy CD's, take them home and listen to them for the first time. There was nothing better than that. You were bonding with the music that you just bought and there was a ritual to it. Buy the CD, go home, put it in your system, and drift away. When everything became digital, you didn't really have that anymore. You had every song at the click of a button. There was no ritual anymore, that was gone. I think vinyl made a comeback because of the retro appeal in hipsters. There's no denying that. However, people saw that vinyl was making a comeback, liked the retro appeal, and then suddenly, the ritual was back. That amazing feeling you got when you bought a record and rushed home to listen to it was suddenly back. I think people really liked that. The fact that you also have bigger album art and sometimes inserts like posters and other goodies probably adds on to why people like it. The main reason however, in my opinion at least, is that personal ritual of buying a record, taking it home and bonding with it.
Pic related, bought this gem today and I'm listening to it right now. I'm in love.
>>61251842
>only options are silence and ear-splitting bird noises
fucking kek
>>61253848
i really want to know why he had a bird sounds cd in his car to begin w tbqh. but i agree, fucking hilarious
>>61253783
I agree, that's why I dropped some cash on a decent stereo setup and nice turntable, just to have a spot to chill to music, without headphones or my phone.
In my opinion, and to me, it's like a fetish. I love just sitting down and listening to a vinyl record. I love it when the needle drops and the sounds starts to come out of the speakers. I love the feel just touching the record.
But I dunno, that's just me.
>>61253783
nailed it tbhfam
>>61251709
/thread
it's because it's fun OP
the feeling of owning a very physical incarnation of a piece of music is a good one
and the little goodies like posters or stickers, the notes and memorabilia and sometimes even bonus tracks make the extra cash worth it imo
>>61252070
I like the heavier vinyl because of the durability, but the notion it sounds better is a sham.
It's all because of one man desu
>>61254805
Go away dumb weeaboo
>>61253783
I like this response. This makes sense. It's about the ritual, but the current infatuation with retro, (mainly 80's and some 90's) made it Vinyl, and even Casette tapes, which I hear are sort of having their own comeback. I mean, Hotline Miami is all 80's n shit, so the soundtrack comes on Vinyl.
so this actually makes sense
>>61253783
Mm, I relate to this. Even burning CDs took away some of that 10-year-old enthusiasm. I remember saving up for CDs and it felt just a bit more magical and gratifying than TPB has ever felt. I get that same sensation these days; browsing through records and occasionally finding something nice makes me happy.
As far as music quality goes, I think it's mostly placebo. Depends on the pressing of course, but for most records I probably couldn't tell whether or not it sounds better - but then there's the pleasure of switching sides, looking through lyric sheets, seeing photos etc.
PLUS: music seems to be a big part of my life as of now, and so it makes sense for me to support artists, record stores, venues etc.
I'm actually not that bothered by the hipsters and new "aesthetic" of vinyls. If anything it means I'll still have a record store to visit.
>>61251842
>be me, 7am january 17th
>reading newspaper, drinking coffee, about to head to class
>head out the door in my winter wear,
>pick up a newpaper at the train station to read during my commute
>read headline"death by quack: man bleeds to death when brain explodes after his car stereo blasts nature sounds at five times the threshold of pain"
>lol wut
>remember this thread
>mfw
>>61255130
blah blah blah shit post
Vinyl is a hobby, not a primary mean of music listening anymore. I do collect vinyl and I spin them often, but digital is still leading.
Of course I won't be buying every crappily pressed record I see.
>>61255211
Also I can partially relate to >>61253783 ; nowadays, music is a background thing. With vinyl, music listening can be more involving, like watching a film.
If it's an album from the 80s or earlier, the original pressing is often better than any CD re-issue. (I get that you can probably torrent these, but whatever.)
>>61251959
considering that most of the /mu/tants who collect vinyl have decent knowledge in the subject and mock indie girl culture this is objectively incorrect
>>61252245
Situation for you
>be the 90s
>be marvel and DC
>suddenly realize how expensive 1st issues of comics go for later on in their life (eg Action Comics 1, Detective Stories 1, Amazing Fantasy 15)
>print more and more comics, with more and more and more 1st and special editions of issues
>because people are dumb, stores and private sellers sell these at inflated prices based upon 'rarity' of the issue (when in reality they are as common as sand)
>nobody wants to buy comics because they can't afford it
>consumer revolt
>company suddenly in massive amounts of debt
