Who else is happy to see that the vinyl revival may be coming to an end?

Well, you seem to have a knack for guessing.

 

People have to remember that there has always been a market for vinyl and that won't end. A tail of would be beneficial as the people who drop out won't mainly be those that like the format enough to invest in decent playback. Probably those on a tight budget and/or bought Crosley type players which don't put out a sound that competes with half decent digital. Benefit would be easing the pressure on pressing plants and thus a much needed improvement in pressing quality. Anyone who comes here just to state they prefer digital is irrelevant. If their mind is so closed to the superiority of analogue sound they have no investment in the game and should just shut up. Why some people get so wound up that some people are buying records I can't understand. Maybe they really regret dumping their vinyl collections that now would be worth thousands of dollars? One thing I would like to see is the piles of obscure soundtrack releases disappear as well as the multiple colour variations for many releases.

 

When I talk about people who service/rebuild tape machines, I'm talking mainly about the professional machines (one of the pictures in my profile) with IEC-1 equalization which can play tapes which are offered now by Acoustic Sounds and others. Your garden variety consumer 1/4 track Akai, Pioneer or Technics need not apply.

 

Gatekeeper

 

I haven't read the entire thread, so I'll just give you my own opinions.

I don't have much of a feeling either way when it comes to vinyl, except I will give it a pass for myself. In the days before CD I chose vinyl just because it was the best commonly available option at the time but I never really liked vinyl. If someone wishes to purchase music on vinyl then that is fine as far as I'm concerned, just like if they choose to purchase music on compact cassette, R2R, 8-track, or any other format.

 

Need to sell some stuff soon, I take it?

 

I grew up in the era (1960s and 70s) when people complained about vinyl, i.e. the pops and clicks, scratches, record cleaning PITA, needle wear, 20-25 minutes per side limitation, etc.
CDs and digital audio fixed those issues and made for a much better portable music listening experience, but they didn't always make for a more enjoyable listening experience at home.

 

Agree, there is something about analogue sound when it comes to listening enjoyment. CD lacks something technically due to it's limited sampling frequency and bit depth but hi-res does not completely solve the issues of digital sound. I found cassettes more practical than CD for portable sound if you are not seeking the best quality.

 

Looking at this:

For most U.S. workers, real wages have barely budged in decades

Wages are actually pretty flat; we're actually slightly ahead relative to 1964. However the real picture is more complicated, for example health care costs have risen dramatically in terms of what individual workers pay (see a bit further down on that page) in that same time frame. I suspect the reality is that high-middle class is probably coming out ahead and low-middle and lower class are coming out behind.

 

Hmmm, I guess it's subjective whether one thinks there's any thing special about the analogue sound itself. All sound we hear is analogue anyways, and IMO digital does a fantastic job without issues.

What I think is special is just the fact that vinyl forces us to be more methodical, mindful of what we put on, and more patient to sit through the tracks. We're also rewarded with the TLC we put into the vinyl set-up, cleaning, and selection of the albums we play. In a world of constant multi-tasking and attention deficiency, these are certainly virtues vinyl playback cultivates!

As for cassette tapes... No thanks! There's nothing there I seek... ;-)

 

I might leave the "without issues" part off...

So, if all sound starts off as analog and all sound we hear is analog, then why bother to turn the original analog sound into digital, transport that digital to someone who then must transfer that sound back into analog again?

Cassette tapes have a ton of issues. But at least the cassette copies of albums I used to record from records, had better dynamic range than music on today's CD's.

Progress works in strange and mysterious ways...

 

Or Ray Coniff music.

 

Yeah, not so much.

I am a huge Ray Conniff fan and would literally buy a copy of every LP in his catalog if I could find a copy in NM condition.

In reality, it's almost impossible.

Despite the popular opinion that they're everywhere and were treated with care by elderly owners, in reality I've only been able to source two or three at used record stores or local thrift stores.

The same for Andy Williams albums, actually (or the mentioned 70s country.)

If you know of a store with any/all of these recordings in NM condition, let me know.

 

I see them everywhere...estate sales, Goodwills, etc......Along with Andy Williams, Mitch Miller, Perry Como, etc. I have no clue what condition the records are in since I just pass over. You are probably correct, that most are not taken care of. Stacked on a spindle with the Magnavox or RCA Console Stereo. If I do find something interesting at those outlets, generally the wrong record will be inside the cover LOL

 

I went to a few stores this weekend and they were packed. People are buying.

 

But maybe not so many records at a time?

 

Says who??

99% of people do not have this issue you have.
My Vinyl rips sound IDENTICAL to the original vinyl, so maybe this is mostly in your mind?

 

To avoid all the bakers dozen of issues analog has......Tape hiss, generational loss, added distortion, frequency extremes truncated, limited channel separation etc.

You are just perpetuating the "I hate digital"

I see positives in digital and also for sure vinyl. Neither will make everyone happy. Why not focus on the good?

 

This is a 1 - 1/2 hour documentary movie about people on Record, Vinyl, LP, Singles, Album.. whatever you want to call it.
I'm a Cassette player / recording enthusiast all my life and later RTR and my support for LP will be forever.

 

Perhaps you might be better served by reading my posts?

Maybe checking out my profile?

 

For me, there is nothing worse than pops, clicks, hiss, warps on vinyl music. Back in the day, LOL, I had a SAE Impulse Noise reduction unit to get rid of pops and clicks. Worked OK if adjusted perfectly. When CD's came out I was completely sold on them. Now I play digital music much much more than vinyl just because it's more convenient. I listen to records so seldom the occasional noise is nostalgic! LOL

 

To the casual reader of this, my system should sound like crap then.

 

All of those deficiencies are likely to pass by the ear without being heard with the possible exception of tape hiss. I think that most people don't know what distortion actually sounds like because most people don't get an opportunity to hear it. Same thing with what generational loss sounds like.

 

Or the toaster, for that matter.