Is vinyl a PITA?

Take what you will from what I said. I stated the part that I thought was funny.
It had nothing to do with someone's ineptness at constructing a record shelving unit.

 

Slice it and dice however you want
I just told y'all how I felt about it and that's all
Pretty simple
When the shoe's on the other foot..............

 

If people think that playing, cleaning and storing their vinyl is a PITA maybe they should sell their collections and not bother.

 

I love vinyl and voted yes, PITA, but I'm kinda OCD. But guess most of the other ¨yes¨ votes came from posters who don't own a TT anymore ?

 

That's wealth, not PITA

 

Right! I am also running out of space for my polo ponies. Life can really be unfair.

 

Tell me about it ! I'm already out of space. Unless I want a divorce, that it .

 

No. I think it generally falls into two camps, which breaks down as thus:

- Those who enjoy the effortlessness and simplicity of vinyl.
- Those who are down with the struggle and challenge of vinyl.

Neither is necessarily right or wrong - these are merely different paths to a same goal.

 

Which can equally be applied to the supposed ease and 'freedom' of digital.

Both can be hell or heaven in equal portions.

 

Sitting on the couch, picking up my phone hitting shuffle on the iTunes and letting it play for 2years without repeating a song is effortless. I don't see what part of analog playback is without effort.

And I have opened my iTunes about three times in the last year. I don't care for it anymore, I prefer vinyl. I gladly make the effort, it is really the only reason I am on this forum at all.

 

Having recently returned 2 of the 5 RSD items I bought, I should say yes.

 

The most frustrating thing about vinyl is defective new vinyl. Something we customers should not have to deal with in such quantity. I was lucky and only had one disc of 7 this RSD.

 

People who rarely use iTunes like to imagine iTunes as being effortless. A quick search of this forum of threads from the last month alone tells a different story:
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/annoying-itunes-issue-help.430698/
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/itunes-autofill-question.430565/
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...hout-losing-alternate-mixes-remasters.430392/
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/itunes-download-and-syncing-question.429744/
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...-songs-to-192-kbps-aac-itunes-feature.424934/
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ipping-one-right-the-other-very-wrong.420718/

Major PITA. And I can attest from my own experiences with streaming and music servers there's plenty more issues not mentioned above. That's just scratching the surface.

Or you can just put a record on and drop the needle down. No worries. Simple as falling down a hill.

 

I think some folks just want ITUNES to be a difficult process. Otherwise, what's the point - right?

If people don't know how to drive a car that comes up as a difficult process as well. I am no iTunes novice, I don't have to imagine anything. When it goes bad everything is at risk.

 

Last 6 records; 2 are ace (brit pressings) , 1 has some acceptable flaws (american), 1 is irritantly flawed (american) and 1 unnacceptably flawed (mexican).

 

Yes, and that's a real PITA.

 

is this just a thinly veiled records vs. digital debate? some how I feel like I wound up on the wrong side.

 

Agreed. I don't think I realized what this thread was and took it too literally. I think you're correct in the analog vs. digital with a little dab of "generational skillets" thrown in. At least now I'm less confused.

 

No, I think it's more like a vinyl vs vinyl debate.

As someone who has had many happy years with this format, I could not count how many times I've read posts here referring to how much a PITA vinyl is, and how "we" all put up with it because [place theory here]. Every time I read such posts, it leaves me wondering just who are these people and what exactly are they doing that makes this such a difficult experience for them.

This is an old thread I started that somebody dug up for some reason. In the time since then, I have concluded that it's merely a matter of preference - not the format, but level of difficulty and complexity involved. Compulsive, thorough washings... wood glue... clamps and rings... random, surprise VTA inspections etc. It's the process that becomes the focus of attention. The ceremony. Only with vinyl can such a process become so complicated and convoluted. You just can't get this crazy with CDs, the format cannot accommodate it.

Then, with that, is the complaining. "It's a PITA, but it's so worth it" is really a veiled boast, not intended to be taken as a negative - that is, unless you're one of those who hates vinyl. The only real issue I have with all of this is when these people say "we" - to mean there is some sort of consensus that we all agree that vinyl is a PITA.

 

While I can appreciate the simplicity of "just lower the needle and flip the side", stop thinking about it and enjoy the music. There is also a nice reward waiting for those that put more effort into it and a penalty for those that don't.

I think those that argue against the format with the claim of it being a pain in the ass might really be giving too little effort. Cleaning a record (and handling it properly) is critical IF you care about sound quality. There are many confused people that think 'pops and clicks" are an inherent part of the medium and that is why it went away and CD's are better. not on hear as much but certainly the general public.

Learning how to set up a table and what gear suits your taste is also a noticeable benefit of the additional effort. I think that is a great advantage of the format, you can learn and grow where digital is more of a plug and play format. I don't see how saying that you give this effort and it is additional to what is required for digital is boasting.

and...clamps are a good thing. Not a pain in the ass and very worthwhile. I don't know about the ones that are just a weight, but the screw down on my VPI is fantastic. It doesn't belong in the same conversation as wood glue.

 

Hell yes vinyl is a PITA. The size if an LP is difficult compared to a CD or MP3. The album cover is comparatively fragile and wears out easily. The actual vinyl album is fragile when one considers groove damage, heat damage, cleanliness issues, label damage, proper handling and of course storage space requirements. Then you have to fiddle with the turntable. Oh sure, when properly set up things are pretty easy but still, compared to other sound equipment a TT is trouble. Next is finding an LP in good shape. Searching the used racks for the special master pressing on the right label with the right weight vinyl in great shape is a PITA for sure. Oh and lets not forget the start, stop, flip, start, stop, remove, repeat LP dance required to listen to each album too. So when all is added up vinyl is a great big PITA.
Yet here we are, still dealing with the PITA vinyl...with a willing heart, knowing mind and smile on our face.

 

Playing vinyl is like making your own dinner verses playing a CD which is like going out to dinner and having someone else make and clean-up the meal.

 

Yes, it is. As moslty any love story

 

Yes. I wish they'd come up with an alternative.