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The Death of the Vinyl Revival

I couldn't understand the vinyl revival. LPs offer worse sound quality in a less convenient format than CDs and downloads unless you spend serious money on a table/arm/cart and get lucky with a clean, good pressing. (My Rega P3/Goldring 1024 is certainly not better than CD - almost equal on a good day). While there may be a niche for small artists (and good luck to them) I think it's mostly been about duping folks with a mix of nostalgia for the oldies and "coolness" for the younger crowd.

I agree with Tony about the depressing economics of music streaming (from the POV of musicians) but selling over-priced LPs is not a great answer.
 
tiggers said:
You've completely missed my point, but no surprise on here really these days. Either that or you actually think certain people who like certain artists are idiots just because you don't like them? Enlighten me.
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I think it's you that's missed the point, IMHO Harry Styles music (that I've heard) is utter tripe, very much in the same manner as Rick Astley or Take That or any of that type of manufactured crap.
I've made no mention of anyone being an idiot or moron at any time whatsoever because of their taste in music and never would.
 
Darren L said:
I think it's you that's missed the point, IMHO Harry Styles music (that I've heard) is utter tripe, very much in the same manner as Rick Astley or Take That or any of that type of manufactured crap.
I've made no mention of anyone being an idiot or moron at any time whatsoever because of their taste in music and never would.
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My post was not about whether I think Harry Styles is any good or not, it was about the fact that certain people judge others upon their musical taste and have a belligerent attitude that what they say is gospel and anyone who contradicts their opinion is wrong. You then said

"In your opinion, it works both ways."

The converse of my opinion in this instance is that it's OK for people to be judged negatively because of their musical taste ergo why I said you missed my point as to be fair to you that doesn't seem to be what you say as is evidenced by the fact that you clearly said in the above quoted post that in your opinion Harry Styles's music is utter tripe.

Anyway pointing any of this out to the perpetrators of such negativity is pointless as by the very definition of their personalities I will just be labelled as an idiot :D I'm off to listen to some music... not Harry Styles or Phil Collins though ;)
 
GavinA said:
Yes - back in the 60s some of my LPs had a standard instruction “Users of wide range equipment should set their controls to the RIAA curve” and I vaguely recall seeing older amplifiers with a front panel control offering a range of curves to choose from. I can’t recall what these different curves were called before the issue was standardised to the RIAA curve.
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Graham Slee makes a couple of phono stages with multiple curves. This link (have to scroll down) gives information on which curves work with which eras and labels.
 
ChrisS said:
Graham Slee makes a couple of phono stages with multiple curves. This link (have to scroll down) gives information on which curves work with which eras and labels.
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Thank you - that’s reminded me of the names of the older curves! I had LPs with FFRR (full frequency range recording) which was succeeded by FFSS (full frequency stereo sound) which were both Decca. One of the few LPs I hung onto is an FFRR of Gregorian chant from the Abbey of Solesmes which I still listen to through the hiss and pops. It must be 60 years since I bought it.
 
For me the 'vinyl revival' has made it much easier to buy records.
After nearly all the indie record shops had closed here sometime in the 90s and the chain outlets were only selling CDs for a good period of time I had too order my records via Mail order normally from Diverse Vinyl or trawl the record fairs.
Now we have local-ish (Bangor & Belfast) indie shops that only stock records and the prices are not unreasonable, couple of nice and very knowledgeable people working in them too.
Whether the 'vinyl revival' dies or not ? I hope not but I guess like any trend,( and it is 'trendy' nowadays) it may plateau or decline.
Hopefully I'll be able to keep buying and discovering 'new music' whether a new release or a secondhand and I'd much rather visit a shop than buy online.
 
GavinA said:
Yes - back in the 60s some of my LPs had a standard instruction “Users of wide range equipment should set their controls to the RIAA curve” and I vaguely recall seeing older amplifiers with a front panel control offering a range of curves to choose from. I can’t recall what these different curves were called before the issue was standardised to the RIAA curve.
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Here are the EQ curve choices I have on my phono stage - there are lots. Sorry about the poor focus on these.







 
sean99 said:
I couldn't understand the vinyl revival.
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Maybe not the best person to answer that as I never really stopped buying records so it's not really a revival for me.

I just like records. I like them as objects. I like flicking through them on the shelf. I like hunting through boxes in record shops and fairs. I like putting a record on the turntable to play it. I like the way the sleeves are made. I even like the way old sleeves smell. It's not rational but it brings me pleasure. The nearest thing I can think of is someone who enjoys old books.

And as a jazz fan it's just a lot more fun to me to listen to that music on the original format it was issued. Thankfully labels like Prestige and Riverside haven't been fetishised to quite the same extent as Blue Note and I can still pick up nice 1960s pressings for less than a modern reissue - two arrived in the post today.

Like I say, it's not rational. But when it comes to our appreciation of art - and I consider jazz to be THE artistic statement of the 20th century - I'm not sure logic and rationality are good starting points. A 1960s pressing cut by Rudy Van Gelder will always have more meaning for me than a CD. And where's the harm in that?
 
I reckon there's a parallel universe where a survey has just claimed that 50% of people buying turntables have no records to play on them.

"I just like buying them, leaving them in their boxes and putting them all into a cupboard and scattered around my house. I take great comfort in knowing I own them even though I know I'll never need them" said one sad old man.

"I love all the pretty colours and the retro looks of the vinyls players. The experience of not listening to music in analogue is so much warmer than not listening to music via horrible, digital streaming" said one ditzy young girl.
 
Darren L said:
That's alot:eek: @Lowgroove
How many have you used?
I don't think I've anything other than RIAA records.
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I only have RIAA curve records. You can play with the curves and it does change the tonality which you might prefer. Personally I just leave it in RIAA.

In the Custom setting you can adjust the Bass Turnover, Rolloff and Low Shelf independently to see what effects it has and if you like it. I played initially but not for long and leave it on RIAA.

In a review of the phono stage the reviewer in Positive Feedback said he used DECCA curve for original UK pressings of the Who Tommy and Who's Next because that is what the label on the record said. He reported that it sounded fuller and more balanced on the DECCA curve.
 
chartz said:
Oh, and I like Taylor Swift too (but not the way she looks).
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Sloop John B said:
good to know, how do you rate Harry Styles?
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posting sometimes I think of the Dylan lyric “maybe I’m too sensitive or else I’m getting soft” – but I’ve 2 daughters and I wouldn’t like their looks commented upon in public forum – strange this was missed and we had a conversation about Harry Styles.

.sjb
 
I come from exactly the same place. I have always bought LPs (also CDs) and it is not necessarily because LPs are 'superior' to CDs sonically.

BUT the vinyl revival is a bit unfathomable because it was mostly driven (and probably still is) by new records and reissues. What's the charm and merit in that?

paulfromcamden said:
Maybe not the best person to answer that as I never really stopped buying records so it's not really a revival for me.

I just like records. I like them as objects. I like flicking through them on the shelf. I like hunting through boxes in record shops and fairs. I like putting a record on the turntable to play it. I like the way the sleeves are made. I even like the way old sleeves smell. It's not rational but it brings me pleasure. The nearest thing I can think of is someone who enjoys old books.

And as a jazz fan it's just a lot more fun to me to listen to that music on the original format it was issued. Thankfully labels like Prestige and Riverside haven't been fetishised to quite the same extent as Blue Note and I can still pick up nice 1960s pressings for less than a modern reissue - two arrived in the post today.

Like I say, it's not rational. But when it comes to our appreciation of art - and I consider jazz to be THE artistic statement of the 20th century - I'm not sure logic and rationality are good starting points. A 1960s pressing cut by Rudy Van Gelder will always have more meaning for me than a CD. And where's the harm in that?
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Joe P said:
Tony,



It's a lot of effort but worth it. Here are the first 15 seconds of Anti-hero.

punch-cards.png

Joe
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It’s still early here, so I may have gone wrong, but I think that stack might be more like 15 minutes worth of music. That’s assuming only 128kbps MP3, which was obviously way more popular than FLAC back in those days.
 
I suspect that most of the 50% of buyers with no record deck are buying them as presents. They are about the right price for a present and fit neatly into the "couldn't justify it for myself but happy to receive it as a prezzie" category.
 
paulfromcamden said:
... I consider jazz to be THE artistic statement of the 20th century...
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How so? I'm not saying that jazz isn't art of course but that's a very sweeping statement. Not rhythm and blues, gospel etc which were directly responsible for most of the rock and pop since? Jazz, while influential, was and still is a niche.
 
Sloop John B said:
posting sometimes I think of the Dylan lyric “maybe I’m too sensitive or else I’m getting soft” – but I’ve 2 daughters and I wouldn’t like their looks commented upon in public forum – strange this was missed and we had a conversation about Harry Styles.

.sjb
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Can of worms....so don't come back at me on this but, I think you missed the irony in his post. I read it as a compliment on her looks.

( or are compliments also not allowed ? )
 
Two things today that made me wonder about the vinyl revival.

1. Attended a large record fair in London. For a few years there have been an increasing number of stalls selling sealed recent releases at a discount. I'm assuming these are unsold 'remainders' being dumped. Today I found a stall with boxes and boxes of sealed recent vinyl LPs priced at two for £5. I bought six decent indie LPs for £15 all in!

2. Frank Maier who runs the amazing Vinyl On Demand reissue label announced on Facebook that he'll switch to CD from 2024. He cites the cost of vinyl production doubling over the past four years and the high cost of postage for his large box sets. In the comments he states that he can't bring himself to charge enough to cover his costs and he's personally subsiding the cost of shipping. And his sets aren't cheap.
 
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