The Death of the Vinyl Revival
- Thread starter Mr Pig
- Start date
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Agree with some of that - but when he complains the record industry haven't improved on 1950s technology... what exactly did he have in mind?
My first thought was that they don't bother remastering for the vinyl. They just dump the digital/CD master on to the plastic and it often sounds rather flat and lacking in sparkle.
I totally agree that they are just out to rip people off and make a quick buck. They did the same with CD which cost less to produce than vinyl but cost more but what they are doing now is mad. The typical price for a new album is £30-plus. Who can afford to buy a lot of that? Certainly not the kids who drive music sales.
Nic Robinson
Moderator
Good article. I have always looked askance at the vinyl revival because so much of the product was so dear. Plus the anecdotal evidence of poor pressing quality to match the bad old days.
Presumably it's the same old machinery and production methods. Not saying I could suggest what they should do mind!
Presumably it's the same old machinery and production methods. Not saying I could suggest what they should do mind!
SONDEKNZ
Kiwi, now living in Hangzhou, CHINA
A very well written and very accurate write-up.
Absolutely he has called it correctly.
A great shame, but no surprise... We've all seen the appalling state of many new "big label" LP New Releases and LP Reissues.
Personally - on pressing quality alone, I'd say there is 50/50 chance of getting a flat and quiet new record these days.
In terms of the quality of the audio - and the purity of the analogue sources - I'd say lass than that.
Those who have not heard many (any) early original pressings of all analogue recordings may disagree - as sadly, they really don't know what they're missing - but that's the way I call it.
I for one am very thankful for our big collection of (aging) original pressings - and for the tiny handful of small but expert labels such as PURE PLEASURE RECORDS and ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS for getting it right, most of the time.
In the context of the bigger picture, "disappointing" is an understatement.
Absolutely he has called it correctly.
A great shame, but no surprise... We've all seen the appalling state of many new "big label" LP New Releases and LP Reissues.
Personally - on pressing quality alone, I'd say there is 50/50 chance of getting a flat and quiet new record these days.
In terms of the quality of the audio - and the purity of the analogue sources - I'd say lass than that.
Those who have not heard many (any) early original pressings of all analogue recordings may disagree - as sadly, they really don't know what they're missing - but that's the way I call it.
I for one am very thankful for our big collection of (aging) original pressings - and for the tiny handful of small but expert labels such as PURE PLEASURE RECORDS and ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS for getting it right, most of the time.
In the context of the bigger picture, "disappointing" is an understatement.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Not sure analog sources really come into the equation when it comes to new music. 99.9999% of all new releases will be digital recordings.
Largely but new presses are being manufactured now.
SONDEKNZ
Kiwi, now living in Hangzhou, CHINA
Paul, I am really referring to the hype around brand-new reissues from the analogue era - and the pathetic sound many of them actually deliver.
I have no real problem with DSD sourcing of original AAA files to vinyl, but many new reissues sound worse than their CD counterparts.
That's a big problem for the industry.
Yeah, it really puts you off when you spend £35 on an album and it sounds worse than the CD you already have. Makes you very reluctant to buy new vinyl.
SONDEKNZ
Kiwi, now living in Hangzhou, CHINA
Precisely. Particularly when you own an original vinyl pressing of said album - and appreciate just how superb the reissue should (could) be.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Sure. But I'd argue this just points to a bigger problem for the vinyl revival - that the major labels have primarily used it to churn out reissues of the usual suspects. How sustainable is that? Do we really need another reissue of DSOTM when it's already been released on vinyl 544 times.
When the current crop of ageing audiophiles shuffle off this mortal coil will the record industry be able to flog their 'deluxe' vinyl editions of Rumours to the next generation? Dunno.
Nic Robinson
Moderator
Surely the medium will only ever grow beyond where it is now to the extent that it can be demonstrated to sound as fantastic as we all know it can. Reliably.
narabdela
who?
I would doubt it.
Tony L
Administrator
The article is largely framed from a mainstream perspective. I suspect the stuff I’m interested in, e.g. independent artists selling very bespoke product from Bandcamp, Rough Trade etc, high-end audiophile jazz reissues etc will be safe for a very long time yet, as will the endless expensive dad-rock reissue box-sets. These markets are established now. FWIW I’m actually astonished how much vinyl Taylor Swift managed to sell, but to my eyes she is off at one extreme of the market rather than the area that has become pretty solid of late. New pressing plants are coming online, there are companies making brand new pressing machines again. Independents are buying them, e.g. Jack White’s Third Man Records.
The high price of vinyl is now largely normalised. It is arguably not much more in real terms than it was in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, but it represents a much needed re-balancing to the crippling exploitation of corporate streaming. There is no way in hell minority interest independent music can survive on a Spotify type model.
The high price of vinyl is now largely normalised. It is arguably not much more in real terms than it was in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, but it represents a much needed re-balancing to the crippling exploitation of corporate streaming. There is no way in hell minority interest independent music can survive on a Spotify type model.
Some are fine. I have a reissue of The Queen Is Dead which sounds pretty much as good as my original pressing.
SONDEKNZ
Kiwi, now living in Hangzhou, CHINA
Yep. There are some good ones. No denying that.
But buying new vinyl - whether Classic Reissue or New Release - still feels like a crap-shoot, to me.
kjb
Proof reading not always a strength
B*st*rds
Mind you, they call a game played primarily with hands football so what do they know?
"Vinyls" are records
"Soccer" is football
There is a need to maintain standards!