The vinyl solution?
- Thread starter tones
- Start date
tones
Tones deaf
I'm a subscriber, so I don't get that. Here's what it basically says:
"Left for dead in the 1980s, vinyl records are now the music industry’s most popular and highest-grossing physical format. Getting them manufactured, however, is increasingly a challenge."
the opening paragraphs -
"here sits a Presto 6N record lathe — a 1940s-vintage machine the size of a microwave that makes records by cutting a groove into a blank vinyl platter. Unlike most standard records, which are pressed by the hundreds or thousands, each lathe-cut disc must be created individually.
“It’s incredibly laborious,” said Karl Hofstetter, the label’s founder. “If a song is three minutes long, it takes three minutes to make every one.”
I didnt bother reading on as clearly a whacko article if it leads with this
"here sits a Presto 6N record lathe — a 1940s-vintage machine the size of a microwave that makes records by cutting a groove into a blank vinyl platter. Unlike most standard records, which are pressed by the hundreds or thousands, each lathe-cut disc must be created individually.
“It’s incredibly laborious,” said Karl Hofstetter, the label’s founder. “If a song is three minutes long, it takes three minutes to make every one.”
I didnt bother reading on as clearly a whacko article if it leads with this
Mike Reed
pfm Member
There must still be a lot of lathes around then, albeit more recent than the 40s (which surely were for 78rpm ,masters). I had a bout of buying new LP reissues a few years ago and found that the s.q. was inferior to many of my original/early reissue records. I can only deduce that it's not the well proven cutting lathe and production process at fault, but the quality of the tapes or original source of these modern reissues. I've no idea about modern music recordings, however.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Not to mention the proliferation of decks; upmarket ones too, and tonearms, cart's etc at all price levels. It appears that it's the CDP scenario which is on its last legs from a manufacturing and design p.o.v. Of course, no-one knows the real limitations of vinyl, but those of the red book CD were set in stone at the outset.
One could argue that both formats can be and have been tweaked to elicit maximum s.q., whatever that is, but somehow, there still seems to be mileage in the LP record.
Mynamemynaim
38yrs a Naim owner
It's funny...I only listen to vinyl probably once a week ...for a few hours...but it always surprises me with how good it sounds (though my modest P8 / aria rig
I KNOW the sound quality is not a match for my digital setup (and why would it be at a seventh the price) but it's a different "feeling" it evokes that seems to elevate it somehow
I KNOW the sound quality is not a match for my digital setup (and why would it be at a seventh the price) but it's a different "feeling" it evokes that seems to elevate it somehow
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Yes, 2 or 3 hours once a a week for me too; used to be a lot more frequent. You surprise me that your vinyl rig is no match for your CDP (??digital set-up?). Whereas my vinyl has the edge, and I have a lot more records that CDs, both sound very analogue and involving, so, taken separately, there's not much between them, but my vinyl front end etc. does run to a lot more, nearly 2 x, than my CDP, which I think is now around £7K. Both are essential, i.m.o.
Mynamemynaim
38yrs a Naim owner
No CD player these days..
Digital consists of Naim Core (ripping / storage) though quality switch via cat 7 to Naim NDS / 555ps / Hi-line
Digital consists of Naim Core (ripping / storage) though quality switch via cat 7 to Naim NDS / 555ps / Hi-line
I've always said that but usually got shot down by digital fans who insisted that CD players had more performance potential that vinyl.
Years ago I heard a vinyl system which was so detailed and informative is really made you wonder about how much information was in those grooves. Certainly better than anything I'd heard from CD. I've since heard digital streaming systems which were hugely detailed and sounded excellent but they still didn't have the naturalness of vinyl. There is still something there which makes you feel you are listening to a mechanical device. Strange.
I've transferred most of my LP's to digital (I hate the word vinyl). During a listening session I go through a mix of those, CD's and stuff I 'found' on youtube. Even knowing what is what I can't hear much difference. The difference in how the recording was made (and the dreaded Loudness War on some stuff) is much greater than medium it has gone through before reaching me.
Joe Hutch
Mate of the bloke
Years ago on AN Other forum, I got a right bollocking for saying that for the most part I couldn't distinguish between formats (the exceptions being damaged LPs).
What was amusing was that the flak came from both sides; LP fanbois saying that CDs were the Devil's work and asking how could I possibly put up with the digital nastiness, and CD fanbois saying that LPs were inherently flawed and asking how could I possibly put up with their sonic limitations.
As Tony L has frequently point out, it's all down to the mastering, and the format is (almost) irrelevant.
What was amusing was that the flak came from both sides; LP fanbois saying that CDs were the Devil's work and asking how could I possibly put up with the digital nastiness, and CD fanbois saying that LPs were inherently flawed and asking how could I possibly put up with their sonic limitations.
As Tony L has frequently point out, it's all down to the mastering, and the format is (almost) irrelevant.
Del monaco
Del Monaco
Each format sounds a little different. If I were pushed I would suggest that the streaming solution I have sounds more ‘natural’, less ‘fattened’ as it were. Vinyl can have an inherent warmth, immediacy and burnished ‘bloom’ that is very attractive to listen to. I find all formats equally attractive in their way.
miktec
retired
One thing that I've always wondered about is whether the mellifluous nature of vinyl reproduction is actually more down to the set of filters it passes through (the RIAA curve) than the medium itself - like the way tube amps impart the 'warmth' to music that some find so comforting....
Del monaco
Del Monaco
More ‘valve-like’ sound I suppose. Very alluring. It seems to make me relax more when I hear good vinyl through the system.
eevo1969
pfm Member
I stopped buying records in 2015 and many releases were delayed back then many for 6 months or more as there just wasn’t capacity to keep up back then.
RSD was a major source of annoyance to many small independent labels that were releasing small volume physical releases all year round but just got bumped back by the pressing plants for RSD which was galling tbh.
It wasn’t unheard of to pay for releases up front back then and they didn’t half take a lot of stick for the delays that were no fault of their own. I waited for one CD and eventually received it 30+ months late (glass master faulty/basement flood/flawed transfer iirc)
Have any new presses actually been manufactured or are the sales still in reality a minuscule % of what the capacity was 1950s to 1980s?
RSD was a major source of annoyance to many small independent labels that were releasing small volume physical releases all year round but just got bumped back by the pressing plants for RSD which was galling tbh.
It wasn’t unheard of to pay for releases up front back then and they didn’t half take a lot of stick for the delays that were no fault of their own. I waited for one CD and eventually received it 30+ months late (glass master faulty/basement flood/flawed transfer iirc)
Have any new presses actually been manufactured or are the sales still in reality a minuscule % of what the capacity was 1950s to 1980s?
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Including radio, I hope. When I'm listening to Music Planet or J-Z on R3 (Sat. pm), or indeed, Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the Seventies on R2 (Sun. pm 2 hours) I'm totally oblivious of the format from a sonic p.o.v.. This either on cans or big ESLs.
Glad that FM is safe until at least the end of the decade (official).
Del monaco
Del Monaco
Love Radio 3. It’s a morning and evening staple of mine. Love my mint Creek T40 but got my eye on an A&R T21 if I can snag it for the right price.
sonddek
Trade: SUPATRAC
A few years ago I had come to the view that digital was at least as good as vinyl without the noise, care and palaver, but I would keep my turntables and records because I just enjoy them more.
But this last year I've realised that I had never heard vinyl reproduced properly until I built my own design of tonearm bearing. As someone on another forum said, if this tonearm bearing had been available 50 years ago, CD would not have taken off.
For the absolute thrill of feeling the music's presence, vinyl is now back on top for me.
But this last year I've realised that I had never heard vinyl reproduced properly until I built my own design of tonearm bearing. As someone on another forum said, if this tonearm bearing had been available 50 years ago, CD would not have taken off.
For the absolute thrill of feeling the music's presence, vinyl is now back on top for me.