Poll: When CDs first emerged, did you replace/duplicate your records with CDs?

When CDs first emerged, many people were excited by the new format. There were reports of collectors ditching their existing records and replacing them with the same titles on CDs (well, we were told the new format was perfect, so why would we want to keep the imperfect records?). Others refused to drawn towards the new format. Others were somewhere in the middle, only replacing a few records.

What did you do at the time? Did you replace/duplicate all/most/some/a few/ or none your existing records with the equivalent CD titles? Replacement in this poll can mean discarding your vinyl when you bought the CD, and it can also mean keeping the vinyl and the CD.

For the purpose of this poll purchases of new CDs which you did not previously own in vinyl format will not be cosidered. Please feel free to elaborate on your response below.

 

Well, initially there weren't that many CDs available so I couldn't replace my records with them

My initial idea was to buy greatest hits and best ofs by many artists, just in case the format didn't take root. However, CDs sounded so good I soon abandoned this and bought as many replacements as I could. They were expensive then, though.

So, over 30 years later, I'd say I've replaced most of my LPs with CDs. Certainly all the ones I like and love. I've kept many of my records from before the arrival of CD, but I never again bought vinyl over the digital format. If there's a CD, I'll go for that every time.

 

I (ultimately) replaced all my most beloved albums on CD.

 

Yep, I couldn't replace my vinyl fast enough in the mid-eighties.

 

I stopped buying vinyl when i got a cd player, and bougyt cds of my favorite lp's overtime.

The motivation was very simple. You could get more low end on a cd and there was no cracking, popping and need to flip the record over.

 

I remember replacing only a few albums with cds , mainly ones which had some surface noise during softer passages , the ones I can remember were Grateful Dead's Blues for Allah and Gong's Shamal - at the time I didn't care as much for cover art as I do now so I didn't mind the cd format (booklet) - in the meantime I have bought the records again but, of course, also kept the cds

 

I replaced my cassette tapes with cds.

 

Me too. Then again, I often replaced my cassettes with records before the arrival of CD.

 

I've spent the last 32 years trying to at least duplicate my total vinyl collection on CD. It's been mostly successful, but there are still some titles that have never been issued on CD. I still have all my vinyl, and have absolutely no plans to get rid of it.

 

This.

Saved me a lot of typing, thanks.

 

Yes, annoyingly, there are some titles that have never graced the CD format. Also some that were issued in the early days of the format only to go OOP and command huge prices today.

 

Not one option for not born yet or too young to have awareness of Records or CD at the time.... how could you not have an option for those here are say 34-40 years old.Sheesh, what kind of ancient old fogie forum is this?

 

It's hard for me to remember exactly what my mindset was 30 years ago, but to the best of my recollection, i attempted to duplicate my favorite albums only, not ever one or even the majority of LPs I had at the time.

Probably something like 25% of them. So, e.g., I do remember trying to get all the Foreigner and Van Halen LPs on CD as soon as I could (those were two of my very favorite bands) but not, say, the two REO Speedwagon albums I had, and many others.

 

How dare you.

It's the best ancient old fogey forum in town.

 

I couldn't afford to replace them all, of course, but at the time I sensed what was happening and drove an entire carload of LPs to the used music store and unloaded them for several hundred dollars.

To think that thirty years later that carload of LPS would be worth even more!

 

I didn't replace my favorite LP's, I augmented them with their CD counterparts.

There was a period when I would buy the LP when it was released and then the CD when it was released. In the early days of the format, at least in Canada, there was a significant lag with new releases.

Being impatient, I bought both...

As I've pointed out in other threads, sometimes I'm an idiot...

 

Replaced/duplicated some ... However, when I started in '85 choice was limited, prices were around 2-3x LP costs and I was still at school so funds very limited.

That meant only albums I really liked were duplicated and/or replaced.

 

Yes, I did the same. Up until 1987 or so, there was a 1-2 month lag between the vinyl release and the CD release. The CD manufacturing plants had a huge backlog, or so I was told at the time.

I was very upset when Madonna's True Blue was released in 1986, and the CD wasn't expected for at least a month. I thought for a release that huge, they would have tried to get the CDs into stores for the release date, but I had to buy the vinyl first, then get the CD when it eventually came out.

 

I eventually duplicated a lot of my albums but didn't start until 1990. I still play records the most, though.

 

Yes, I completely adopted the CD format.
I sold off 99% of my vinyl and my turntable.
Bought a TT about seven years ago and bought a bunch of vinyl.
Now my wife and I are moving into a condo and downsizing.
I am selling my TT and records once again and staying with the CD format
which I have always loved...it sounds fine to me.
Glen

 

The question does not work with me, as I adopted the CD format in late 1984. The first two CDs I bought indeed replacements for their vinyl counterparts, but the industry didn't really start cranking out reissued (particularly of music I owned) albums until around the 90s. Until then, it was mostly new product and compilations.

 

Initially, I bought only CDs that I did not have on LP.

Reason: no spare cash.

However, I eventually started to duplicate my albums on CD - when The Beatles catalog was released.

 

I agree. I started out with buying new music on CD. And also replaced some records with CD's for the artists whose back catalogue was reissued quickly. Mainly ABBA and Jean Michel Jarre at first. In the 90's I started rebuying the more "serious" artists whose albums were rereleased. And some compilation CD's of artists that didn't get their albums rereleased (in Europe).

I dumped all of my records long before I had bought them all on CD. By now I've rebought some 80% of my former vinyl collection. And I think I'm good. I spend the last 4 years getting my disco, funk and soul records back. With the present day internet it's much easier than it was in the 90's. I found the early CD releases of Michael Jackson, Chic and Earth, Wind & Fire and also found some okay sounding versions of Rose Royce's albums.

Nowadays I'm buying old, used CD's of albums that I never owned on vinyl, but are very nice in retrospect. I must add that my budget is not as restrained now as it was back then.

 

I replaced every record I possibly could with the cd version. Some of the albums I had have still not been released in cd form.

 

I didn't have the biggest record collection when CD's arrived....
I consider myself lucky to be a 'music freak' at the RIGHT TIME!