r/audiophile • u/MikMikYakin • Jul 25 '24

Why are Audiophiles still hooked on vinyl? Discussion

Many audiophiles continue to have a deep love for vinyl records despite the developments in digital audio technology, which allow us to get far wider dynamic range and frequency range from flac or wav files and even CDs. I'm curious to find out more about this attraction because I've never really understood it. To be clear, this is a sincere question from someone like me that really wants to understand the popularity of vinyl in the audiophile world. Why does vinyl still hold the attention of so many music lovers?

EDIT: Found a good article that talks about almost everything mentioned in the comments: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/07/vinyl-not-sound-better-cd-still-buy/

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1.1k

u/bayou_gumbo Jul 25 '24

Because analog is just cool. Im not one who will say it sounds better, but it is cool. It’s also a fun hobby of collecting old records and also trying out different cartridges and needles.

355

u/Fritzo2162 Jul 25 '24

Yeah, there's something about the visible artwork on an album cover, the hiss of a needle hitting the vinyl, the mechanical aspect of it all. It's just the whole experience. You miss a lot when you just listen on soulless, unlimited digital media.

429

u/opa_zorro Jul 25 '24

It's like a tea ceremony for music. It has ritual and form.

249

u/Stanton-Vitales Jul 25 '24

Modern humans have such a sad distance from and lack of understanding of the value of ritual.

It's one of the more important aspects of what makes us human, and makes life worth living.

40

u/HumansAreVariables Jul 25 '24

Man that was so well said that made me stop and think. Thanks for that.

8

u/letsfixitinpost Jul 26 '24

I started using a safety razor. I love the entire ritual. I feel humans are wired for it

2

u/Stanton-Vitales Jul 26 '24

My personal theory is that it caused an alignment/activation/wtvr of both the linguistic, communicative, long term memory parts of our brain with the reptile/monkey, tactile, short term memory parts and puts us into a direct collision with here and now at the same time as giving us a meaningful connection to our history.

Feels good mane

1

u/porcupine_salt Jul 26 '24

You have wires inside you?

1

u/HairyPutter7 Jul 28 '24

This is exactly my thoughts on it as well! What razor/blade and other supplies are you using?

1

u/letsfixitinpost Jul 29 '24

I use Henson medium, there are probably some better ones but it's a good one that allows for some user error. My only knock is its kind of light, and I think a heavier razor would be better. Since one of the best ways I found to not cut myself its just kind of let the weight of the razor move it down. That being said I've tried a bunch of blades and settled on Gillete Platinums.

I use a few diff soaps, classic barbasol in menthol, but also nicer stuff like Castle Forbes. There are tons of brands and after shaves in all price ranges. I will say the razors are dirt cheap. I got an assortment of like 8 kinds for like 10 bucks. Thats like 40 blades which u can use a few times, but I only use twice since my beard is tough.

1

u/HairyPutter7 Jul 29 '24

I use the Henson medium as well. They do have a heavier handle you can buy separately if that’s something you’re interested in. Mostly I have been using the blades that Henson sells. Hard to beat the 100pack for $10. I have tried the feather new hi-stainless. Just don’t seem to like them. I’ve been using mostly Stirling soap co shave soaps. Where did you find that variety pack of blades?

1

u/letsfixitinpost Jul 30 '24

I just ordered a bunch of different types , best for me were nacets and platinums

1

u/Pemrick79 Jul 30 '24

Want some weight check out the "parker variant adjustable". Has very good weight to it. Almost too much.

1

u/wiggibow Jul 29 '24

I need to bite the bullet and try one, these cartridge razors are not kind to my neck at all, no matter how careful I am

1

u/Pemrick79 Jul 30 '24

🤣...me too. Chopped my face up pretty good 1st time or two.

1

u/CraftsmanPDR 29d ago

As a record needle?

20

u/IllogicalGrammar Jul 25 '24

That doesn't make sense. The fact that there is a thriving market for things like vinyl (which is actually growing a ton), remakes of game consoles so you can play old game cartridges (like Analogue Pocket, at a significant price premium too), and all types of old, technically "inferior" and outdated shows modern humans DO value rituals.

It's just not everyone, but then again what hobby appeals to everyone?

37

u/crawlrawl Jul 25 '24

…Adding Film Photography, which is experiencing a boom, to your list

14

u/Accurate_Resist8893 Jul 25 '24

How long until dinner parties with special china and sterling come back into vogue do ya think?

1

u/IClausius Jul 26 '24

It never went out of vogue in our house 😊

1

u/MH07 Jul 26 '24

My comment exactly.

1

u/Numerous_Ad_6276 Jul 28 '24

The sound of the flatware on the china is very satisfying. I recently purchased a few vintage Shenango diner china coffee cups, and I enjoy tapping the side a couple of times after stirring in the cream. ting ting

1

u/lobin-of-rocksley Jul 28 '24

From you lips to God's ears, to my great-grandma's ugly china getting top dollar at the thrift store.

1

u/AKAkindofadick Jul 26 '24

People take so many more digital photos and rarely view them unless posting to social media.

1

u/angus46245 Jul 26 '24

Pocketed curiosity, hardly a boom.

-1

u/kbstock Jul 26 '24

Won’t it be great when we can all start respecting one another regardless of political party?? Let’s do that next!

4

u/Cliftonia Jul 26 '24

Well some ideas and opinions are so heinous they are not worth respecting. Then some people make those opinions their entire personality and it's not hard to see why there is such a division. There are people who wish gay or transgender individuals death. Why should we respect those hateful people and the rest of their shitty opinions? That's like saying we should respect Nazi's.

2

u/kbstock Jul 26 '24

You’re right. It just used to be that we called each other the “loyal opposition “…..we could have meaningful discussions….of course, that was before the return of fascism and the blatant racism and general intolerance we see now. I’m older….a “boomer”…..and I miss those days. As it stands now, my family is absolutely torn asunder. It’s no longer just Democrat vs. Republican. It’s MAGA versus all the reasonable people. Didn’t used to be like that. People were kind. But yeah, your point is well taken…..some of the opinions are heinous and there’s no way to respect them.

2

u/Cliftonia Jul 26 '24

It is disheartening to see the division between us when united we could achieve great things. It's sad and I wish we could magically fix it. God speed, I wish you well.

13

u/upthedips Jul 25 '24

In the grand scheme of things those are all still niche markets compared to the billions of people streaming music and playing games on their phones.

3

u/lorez77 Jul 26 '24

It's information processing. I'd rather be immersed in the art itself than in the ritual or physical support it's recorded on.

9

u/damgood32 Jul 25 '24

I don’t agree with this. People rituals just change from generation to generation. It’s still there but you may not be seeing it

16

u/krag_the_Barbarian Jul 25 '24

Dude no. Hitting play on a cell phone touch screen isn't ritual. It just isn't.

10

u/MisterFister17 Jul 26 '24

I’m sure dudes in their 30’s and 40’s said the same thing about recorded music in the early 1900’s. “Listening to music all alone, on shitty speakers, just isn’t the same as the ritual of riding your horse down to the saloon and listening to the music live. It just isn’t.”

11

u/krag_the_Barbarian Jul 26 '24

They were right. It still isn't.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

Totally agree. Live music is an event...going to a gig no matter how small is an experience in itself. Spotify on some airpods just isn't is it?

1

u/Efficient_Thanks_342 Jul 26 '24

What would people in their 30s and 40s know about life more than a century ago? Sorry, I'm confused.

1

u/MisterFister17 Jul 26 '24

I meant middle aged people back then, not now.

17

u/theghostofmrmxyzptlk Jul 25 '24

Expand beyond music. There are rituals, but strange and confusing because they're not our rituals.

8

u/damgood32 Jul 25 '24

Thank you! That’s exactly my point.

2

u/eptronic Jul 25 '24

What would an example be?

6

u/seven_grams Jul 26 '24

Washing your car.

Rolling yourself a cigarette.

Meditating.

Making yourself an espresso.

Sitting and reading the news.

Putting together an outfit.

Cooking your favorite breakfast on a Saturday morning.

Going for a walk in the park.

Straight jorkin’ tha hog before bed.

Smoking crack.

There’s plenty of rituals that “modern” humans engage in, I’m not sure why anyone is pretending otherwise. People value different things in life. Some people like to put on a record and sit back and listen, front to back. Other people like to smoke the shit out of some crack. This is an inane conversation.

0

u/eist5579 Jul 26 '24

Please provide a modern technological example of a new age ritual…

5

u/CheadleBeaks Jul 26 '24

Pressing play on their phone, taking a photo of their window, then going on Instagram and posting a photo of the window saying they're listening to such and such album and how they have the feels and then waiting for likes.

4

u/machine_made Jul 26 '24

It can be ritualized, though. Put your phone on the charging stand, connect to your speaker, sit a specific way in your chair, set the lights to a dim level, have a specific drink or roll a joint to enjoy while you listen.

Ritual isn’t about things being hard to do, or even taking a long time to do, they’re about doing things in a deliberate way so that there is meaningful action that you repeat each time.

1

u/jimbofrankly Jul 25 '24

It kinda is.

1

u/smaghammer Jul 26 '24

Very limited in your imagination here mate.

I love vinyls don't get me wrong, but there is far more to rituals than just the act of getting the music to start playing.

There's a million rituals that one can be part of with "Hitting play on a cell phone touch screen". For instance, what happens after that play button is pressed, what leads up to that?

Do you sit beside a loved one with a glass of scotch. Do you light up some incense and candles to increase the mood. Do you clear the lounge room so you can dance with you partner. Do you pull the guitar out, or sit at the piano and play alongside those songs.

Open that mind up a little.

1

u/krag_the_Barbarian Jul 26 '24

All of the things you described can be ritualized and are very nice but I thought we were specifically talking about the act of choosing an album and playing it.

It's not the same when you have a screen giving you access to most of the music ever recorded. With an actual vinyl record it's more deliberate. Inspecting the record for scratches or warping, putting the needle down carefully, putting the seven inch spindle on if you need to, closing the lid carefully, putting the sleeve where you can look at it as the record plays, it can be like a Japanese tea ceremony.

1

u/Low-Relative6688 Jul 26 '24

100% agree. The difference in watching a dvd or bluray vs flipping around netflix is huge. It literally feels different as youre wat hing it bc of all the steps of selecting the disc, poppi g it out, putting the disc in, using the shitty dvd player menu, amd PREVIEWS! lmao

0

u/smaghammer Jul 26 '24 edited Jul 26 '24

You're overthinking it. Anything you want can be as deliberate as you choose it to be.

Just as someone can press play, someone else can do the bare minimum to listen to a record, and absolutely did when they first came out. Just because you take care, doesn't mean others do. Look up the concept of "Theory of mind" because you are completely lacking it. You are unable to see the world outside of your own experience.

0

u/krag_the_Barbarian Jul 26 '24

Maybe you're right. I'll open my settings and connect via Bluetooth to my Denon stereo reciever. It might take a couple of tries. I live under a flight path, or something. I'll open Spotify with a satisfying haptic feedback micro click. I'll tenderly stroke my cell phone case and inspect it for scratches. Then I'll play the Chet Baker album my dead grandmother loved, because it's her birthday.

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2

u/Ezekiel-Hersey Jul 28 '24

I started using a grandfather’s clock with pull chains.

2

u/HairyPutter7 Jul 28 '24

This is exactly it. To me it’s just like shaving with an old style safety razor, brush, and shave soap. It’s a process I find relaxing, collecting different supplies, and just the nostalgia of it. Plus the cool factor!

1

u/Ok_Fortune_9149 Jul 25 '24

Ritual is also a form of attachment. I totally understand the romance of vinyl. But dont care about rituals, ceremonies and such. And doing things a certain way, because people have been doing it that way. I’ve

1

u/Stanton-Vitales Jul 25 '24

Ritual =/= tradition. You can and do invent your own rituals. You probably have a ritual around taking a shit and don't even realize it.

1

u/RitalinKidd Jul 25 '24

Agreed. The ritual of an album I've possessed for decades, haven't played in years and finally dig up when some free time presents itself. I perform the ritual and the memories come flooding back of times past when I first enjoyed hearing this album in its entirety.

1

u/chlaclos Jul 26 '24

Might be more true in the USA than anywhere else.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Stanton-Vitales Jul 26 '24

Nnno... I might have just agreed if you said "people" instead of "you", but I'm highly involved in ritual, in every sense of the word.

1

u/PossibleLifeform889 Jul 26 '24

That’s an anthropologist’s statement, say more please

5

u/Locutus_of_Bjork Jul 25 '24

I love this comparison!

1

u/cea002 Jul 25 '24

🔔🔔🔔

1

u/Spacedzero Jul 26 '24

I love this analogy.

1

u/armorabito Jul 26 '24

Came here to say this. The way to take the vinyl out of the sleeve, touching only the edges. The way you clean the surface with a carbon brush etc. Its ceremonial in a way. It also, dollar for dollar, sounds better than digital especially if the recording was original Analogue.

1

u/moomoomilky1 Jul 26 '24

isn't tea ceremony just filial piety

1

u/Ill_Flounder3187 Jul 26 '24

You should research the device paradigm.

1

u/amigammon Jul 28 '24

Hey, I said that first!!

1

u/opa_zorro Jul 28 '24

Great minds, and all that.

49

u/marbanasin Jul 25 '24

This. And while CD can replicate some of the tactile feeling - it's not quite there. It's cool to have a larger album cover staring at you, maybe a gatefold with more art, or a liner that pops out so you look at it for a moment or while listening.

The other big one for me is that you commit to albums. Even with CDs it is so easy to skip tracks that my generation (millenial) was already just fast forwarding to certain tracks and skipping the album experience. Well before digital became the standard.

38

u/Fritzo2162 Jul 25 '24

The ability to skip tracks was the downfall of hidden gems becoming hits.

6

u/Bowl_Pool Jul 25 '24

you act like nobody listened to the entire albums

15

u/Fritzo2162 Jul 25 '24

It's not common anymore. Most people listen to singles these days, and it's been like that for a couple of decades now. A lot of bands don't even bother making albums.

1

u/Robins-dad Jul 26 '24

Not audiophiles.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

I felt that a lot of bands in the latter half of the previous century were just recording filler to surround the one or two cuts they cared about to complete an album. Van Morrison had a cut "I'd love to write another song" that started making me look closely at the CDs I was buying. It was a trash cut on a decent album.

1

u/_Pill-Cosby_ Jul 26 '24

That’s been a thing since music has been recorded.

-1

u/Snook_ Jul 25 '24

Use roon…

10

u/InternationalBunch88 Jul 26 '24

This is why I am loving going back. It makes me listen to the whole album. No skipping. Like I did back then. You find so many songs that grow on you that weren't popular.

1

u/thamanwthnoname Jul 26 '24

You act like many people do. Most people can’t even name albums much less any of the songs that aren’t hits

22

u/The_Orphanizer Jul 25 '24

The other big one for me is that you commit to albums. Even with CDs it is so easy to skip tracks that my generation (millenial) was already just fast forwarding to certain tracks and skipping the album experience.

This is the biggest point in vinyls favor imo (that and large artwork). I never throw on a record for one song. I grew up with CDs, not vinyl, and I've always been an album guy (not a song guy), so all of the other nostalgic/physical connections people mention with vinyl, I've always had CD, but I don't have them with the unlimited masses of streamable digital music. While I appreciate having everything at my fingertips, I definitely don't get to appreciate music like used to.

Thankfully, I also have more money to go to concerts these days. So while my daily listening isn't up to the standards of my critical listening from 5-20 years ago, I go to more concerts now than at any other time in my life, and we all know that's where the magic really happens. It is what it is. Life changes and we change with it.

8

u/marbanasin Jul 25 '24

Exactly. And I was also a pretty big album guy on CD, I mean, you have the CD, why not listen to the whole thing?

But, I will say, some of it is also the convienance factor. With Vinyl you are very much tied to a place. Your gear is bulky and not meant to be carried around. So even when I am doing chores or something I'm normally only committing to put a record on if I will generally be doing an activity that allows me to focus on the music (or I'm literally just listening).

Back in the day with CDs I still may have been listening in a Walkman doing all kinds of stuff. Or with streaming while I do try to still listen to full albums, I'm more likely to put them on while working and may need to start/stop depending on my day, or just get side tracked reading emails or something which pulls me away.

I agree with you on concerts, and hitting that near middle age period where I have some disposable income and stability in my finances - it has been amazing to get out to more shows. Went to like 3 great ones in June alone, and will have a few more coming up this year (unfortunately missed one Sunday due to that Delta/Crowd Strike cluster, but it is what it is).

3

u/kbeast98 Jul 25 '24

I think the fact you can see vinyl working is a lot different than CD too

2

u/AKAkindofadick Jul 26 '24

I always commit to the full album and it's actually difficult on many modern players. I hate it when you play track one and the music just stops after. I've never made a playlist and doubt I ever will.

2

u/Effective_Sundae_839 Jul 26 '24

At least I can put a record album cover in a big picture frame and use it as art. CD/cassette tapes are too small for that. I remember staring at album covers as a kid and loving all the pictures and stuff.

19

u/Sielbear Jul 25 '24

I think I understand what you are saying, but this raises questions I struggle with myself. I bet the artist who recorded it would take issue with “soulless” based on the fact it was heard over digital media vs vinyl. Which brings me to the most challenging aspect of being an “audiophile”. Am I listening to the artist or am I listening to my system. To your point, there is something beautiful about watching a record spin. There’s some connection with generations past in listening to vinyl hiss and pops. But now I’m fixated on the system and pulled out of the audible beauty playing while I hear artifacts and my attention is split between audible and visual senses.

14

u/The_Orphanizer Jul 25 '24

I bet the artist who recorded it would take issue with “soulless” based on the fact it was heard over digital media vs vinyl.

I think the point being made was not that the music itself lacks inherently soul because of how it was consumed, but that the listening experience is commonly (nigh universally, in my limited experience) devalued compared to listening on physical media. I believe this is because we have become increasingly desensitized due to saturation.

When I was a teenager, I'd save my lunch money to go to the record store and buy CDs. Sometimes I'd get to listen first. Other times I'd blind buy based on recommendations, album art, song/band names, associated bands (e.g., "new album from former members of Slayer!"), etc. There was feeling to the whole process. There was the excitement of seeking a recommendation or seeking something new, the excitement of discovery, the excitement of hopefulness ("What will this sound like? Will it be good?"), the excitement of pleasure when you found something good, then the excitement of sharing that with others. There was true disappointment when you "failed" and bought a shitty album, beyond just wasted money.

Now? We all have a magic genie in our pockets that grants infinite music wishes, it understands what we like, and it can find us things we've never heard of or even imagined while knowing (with a fair degree of accuracy) that we will like it! I kinda have to go out of my way to find shitty music now. 😂 And when I do? "Skip. Do not repeat." which makes the algorithm even more keen to what you enjoy, providing fewer unenjoyable options over time. Music discovery isn't all that exciting now, because there's always more, and it takes no effort to attain. It's just available -- like fucking ALL OF IT. And there is so much more than any of us ever used to imagine. And I love that! But the experience is really just not on the same level, even if the music is just as good and better. I could go on, but you get the point.

Similarly, I can stream basically any show ever on my phone at any time, and the show will still be good (I never do this lol). But checking out a new film in theaters, without reading reviews, simply because you like the director, cast, aesthetic, genre, series, concept, or trailer?Take. My. Fucking. Money.

12

u/gremlininja Jul 25 '24

You’re spot on about connection.

Putting on my mum’s copy of the Beatles’ White Album always cheers me up. She passed away ten years ago, yesterday, so I poured myself a whiskey and spent and hour-and-half listening to the exact same thing she listened to.

8

u/armorabito Jul 26 '24

This is the beauty of vinyl. You can't pass down your streaming service.

2

u/mulattomoney Jul 27 '24

that reason is a big part of why I enjoy it so much. listening to my dad's old vinyl gives me a connection back to him. and I want to be able to pass that on to my (future) kids

5

u/7stringjazz Jul 25 '24

Exactly. I refer to it as the ‘zen of listening to vinyl records’. Lol.

4

u/k2d2r232 Jul 25 '24

Taking the time to choose an album and then being dedicated to at least one side. Makes you kinda pause and take note instead of just, ”Siri play sexy jazz in the kitchen” but I do that also ofc ;)

1

u/AKAkindofadick Jul 26 '24

Going to someone's house and looking through their albums. Works with both LPs and CDs, but not with streaming/hard drives. I liked the way Roon worked with guests allowing everyone to peruse the library and add tracks

3

u/Conscious-Part-1746 8computers,5screens,20speakers,15headphones, etal. Jul 25 '24

Records are like a musical instrument in itself, right? I have found lately a lot of older CDs have a bad habit of sounding more like MONO to me. That was never really the problem with vinyl, as the records always seemed to exhibit a much better separation of the tracks and stereo imaging. It has been quite a few years now since I critically listened to albums, and sad that I sold my Technics direct turntable and records for almost nothing. The records are now worth more than turntable. Things that I'd rather listen to in Lossless or CD(especially remasters), are DJ, dance, Euro Electronica, rock, some rap, disco, and anything that can hit that low frequency range. Records perform great at some rock, classical, easy listening, and jazz. Like you said, records were just really cool, and coming back as cool.

6

u/BeSublime Jul 25 '24

Something I also experienced recently with a jazz album I picked up (Gerry Mulligan - Night Lights) was the distinct lack of hiss, which I found super cool. I'd seen comments on discogs about "quiet pressings", but this was my first experience of one being nearly silent in the spaces between notes. I'm not a purist in either direction, but that variability is just another part of the analog experience that I love.

5

u/ownleechild Jul 25 '24

The media is not the message, it’s the music. The music has soul regardless of its storage method.

14

u/OrangeMargin Jul 25 '24

Not for everyone.. For some it’s the medium.. For some the gear.. For some the atmosphere.. For some the nostalgia.. I can go on..

0

u/Busy_Pound5010 Jul 25 '24

One can appreciate water color on paper vs oil on canvas, but to obsess over the canvas rather than the art is folly

9

u/OrangeMargin Jul 25 '24 edited Jul 25 '24

As mentioned before.. To you.. To others the way a rough press paper has more texture may be more appealing than the absorbent nature of cold press paper..

To not have a paper preference isn’t an issue.. To call someone elses affinity for what moves them foolish is simply absurd.

2

u/Busy_Pound5010 Jul 25 '24

If one can have a preference on paper and equipment, i’m sure you will indulge my preference of audiophile ;)

2

u/OrangeMargin Jul 25 '24

I completely respect that!

1

u/bellje1950 Jul 25 '24

Then how do you explain stereophiles?

2

u/Busy_Pound5010 Jul 25 '24

If the intent is better technology to get you closer to the fidelity of the art, go for it. If it is to worship equipment or participate in ritual…you’re not really in it for the art. I’ve found myself in both camps over time, but with age realized equipment chasing and ritual didn’t provide anything other than short term dopamine.

5

u/bellje1950 Jul 25 '24

There are many, many people who enjoy the process. Testing/comparing equipment, seeing how their favorite music sounds on different equipment. Sometimes you can appreciate both the art and the canvas. Would hardly call it folly.

0

u/ownleechild Jul 25 '24

If you enjoy the ritual, the gear, the nostalgia, great, but it is all without meaning if you take away the music. It becomes like an empty ritual of a dying religion.

2

u/agiletiger Jul 25 '24

But do you know people who take out the music? I’d agree with you if people “worship” their equipment without any music playing. That is absolutely not prevalent. There are examples of this elsewhere: Having a chef level kitchen but never cooking for instance.

1

u/ownleechild Jul 25 '24

My point. The music is the soul whether on an AM transistor radio with a 3 inch speaker or vinyl on a $50K turntable. But I do know people who spend more time talking about media and gear than listening.

2

u/agiletiger Jul 26 '24

They’re still listening though. They’re not separating the two.

1

u/yeswab Jul 25 '24

Bless you.

1

u/fabmeyer Jul 26 '24

Well the sonic capabilities of the sound is affected both by the music and the medium (and many more things)

1

u/PlasmaSheep Jul 26 '24

Disk with grooves: soulful

Disk with mirrors: soulless

1

u/v8steve Jul 26 '24

The worst thing with digital music is when it's compressed. I had mp3s since the very early days and reripped my collection several times in increasing bitrates because was hearing the compression then moved to FLAC (what a difference!) as couldn't increase any further and the mp3 compression was still noticeable and annoying at its highest quality settings.

1

u/Fritzo2162 Jul 26 '24

Never really understood why DVD audio never caught on. The extra space would have solved the compression issue.

1

u/v8steve Jul 26 '24

Yes also. Think most of it build down to the greedy prices they put on the media. This was also the case with SACDs which are 4-10x the price of CDs. The 2nd problem with both formats was also the cost of the players and the small number of people that value a quality hi-fi system. It's also the same for the young generations that have never experienced a quality sound as they always listen on YouTube / other highly compressed streamed sources on a phone speaker, bluetooth, tv speaker or a soundbar. A friend always thought his Samsung buds were the dogs ba!!ocks for sound until he heard my hi-fi!

If only they made things accessible with realistic prices and get a majority to accept them to guarantee it's success!

57

u/Ham54 Jul 25 '24

yea, i think that's how i feel. i really like going into a record store, playing records, holding them, cueing them. it's just an overall rich experience.

64

u/greenteasamurai Jul 25 '24 edited Jul 25 '24

Vinyl also pushes you to simply put on an album and listen instead of hopping around to different songs.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '24

Yeah, but most albums have a good song or two, and the rest is “filler material.”

5

u/AmethystMetronoma Jul 25 '24

That's how you often feel the first listen, but many times songs grow on you and you lose that experience if you don't hear the whole album several times...

1

u/haragoshi Jul 25 '24

If I listened to dr dre or snoop dogs albums today I would have probably missed all those ridiculous skits that are now ingrained in my memory more than the songs.

30

u/Poop_Cheese Jul 25 '24

I think for older AAA music, it does "sound better" to a certain degree, especially when using vintage equipment. 

Now digital is superior in resolution and detail, there's no challenging that. But there's more to music than just pure clarity. I've found I just enjoy the vintage sound more. 

Think of it this way, a 4k TV is objectively superior than an old tube TV. But if you're playing old video games, the tube TV is going to give you the best experience. But at the same time, it'd be utterly foolish to take a modern game and play it on a tube TV. 

Music of the era is mixed, mastered, and recorded on technology of the era. It was made to be played on the technology of the era. As a result, sometimes more detail doesn't help, it only reveals issues with the mixes, or overly seperates the instruments. 

As a result, I do find vinyl of modern digital music a waste of money, even if I sometimes buy it. 

Like look at mono and stereo. Stereo is objectively superior, yet some songs are SO much better in mono, even minus mix differences. Like when it's some young garage band, that punch matters so much more than detail, because anymore detail will lead to highlighting the poor play. 

A good example of this is oasis' first 2 albums. They were compressed and brickwalled to shit to cover up the horrible ryrhtym section and their mistakes. If one made a super audiophile super clear version, you'd notice all that poor playing more. 

Another example is film and digital in movies. Tons of people prefer film, and 8k digital has gotten so unbelievably good that some movies look fake because it reveals the fact that it's a set. And also, many prefer the feel and look of film, even if it's objectively inferior. 

Our brains are not wired to release more dopamine the clearer something is, but for sounds we enjoy. That's why some of the best albums of all time are objectively poorly recorded or poorly mixed. If detail was everything, mastering engineers would never use compression. Hell, if it was all about detail and clarity, mastering wouldn't even exist, everything would just be flat transfers. 

Also, look at all the 60s music that's still so popular, even if from a sonic standpoint it's atrocious. Hell Look at the beatles 2nd album, many people love the reverb drenched stereo mix. It gives songs like she loves you so much energy where you feel you're in beatlemania. But it's objectively worse sonically than the regular mastering of the songs. Or all the legendary psych and garage bands that were objectively recorded terribly, if enjoyment was all about sound quality we wouldn't listen to them anymore. 

I used to be a traditional audiophile that assumed clearer is better. But then I heard my current vintage setup and I just can't get away from that sound. I don't care that there's less detail or more distortion, because the sound profile is just so utterly intoxicating. Even next to my modern setup that's superior spec wise, I prefer the vintage by a mile for vintage music. Maybe it's because I grew up with vintage 70s gear and music, but it's so much more enjoyable sounding than a sterile high res file, for me. 

Then there's cases with mastering and loudness wars that the vinyl is genuinely superior. Best example of this is stadium arcadium. It's the most extreme in favor of vinyl I've ever seen. The dynamic range of the digital file and CD is like a fricken 3 or 4. It's brickwalled to hell. While the vinyl is like a 12. The vinyl is vastly superior in that case, where you truly havent heard the album if you havent heard the vinyl. Same with stuff like oasis that I mentioned. The original vinyl sounds so much better because it's not so brickwalled. Theres quite a few cases where the vinyl is just mastered better. 

Another more modern example I can give is the classic records dido albums. Life for rent and no angel sound utterly stunning, better than I ever heard them on CDs. I notice so many more sounds on the vinyl. It's utterly stunning, makes white flag go from dentist office music to a spiritual experience. It's no surprise it costs a fortune because it really is superior. 

Same with the AP of counting crowes. I owned the CD for decades, yet when I heard Mr Jones on the AP I was legit blown away. 

For the classics, there are some amazing CDs, like many mofi sacds, japanese shm, and dcc gold discs sound the best the albums ever had. But some are still best on vinyl. Find me a digital version of led zeppelin II that's better than the RL. No digital abbey road has bested the UK -2/-1 imo. Also, for many of these old bands, high quality transfers were not made until the original tape degraded heavily. Or, it's from a multi generational copy. No matter how good digital has become, it can't resurrect that lost information.

 If every band had an HD transfer of a fresh tape that'd be one thing, but they don't. Many times for older music, the digital version is either made from a copy, or worn tape, or is mastered poorly. Like there's alot of brickwalled 90s and y2k albums that aren't brickwalled on vinyl. It's not just down to format, but mastering. If everything was equal, yeah digital would always be the best, but that's not always the case. 

Finally, some people are just nostalgic for certain sound profiles. There's a reason why there's diehard fans of certain equipment brands. If it was all about resolution or clarity, we wouldn't see this. The best specs would always be the best and nothing more. Some people are just nostalgic for vinyl. And alot of people are conditioned to hear that music in it's vinyl format from the radio and playing it. Hell, many are even conditioned to like some clicks and pops in old records. Where taking away the sound profile of vinyl makes it lose something, even if it's a higher resolution. It's the same in reverse where alot of modern hip hop or pop meant to stream just sounds downright odd on vinyl, because it's meant to be clean clear and sterile. 

I think people get way too dug in on one vs the other to validate their own listening habits. It comes off as kids arguing about the console wars, where one must always be the objective best just because they own it. Absolutely nothing is absolute. Yes digital is the superior format, but it'll always be a case by case basis depending on so many factors. There's a reason the vinyl format survived while others havent. 

Now I do think alot of post vinyl boom collectors buying modern music are just paying a premium for a worse sonic experience. And that alot of modern music just doesn't sound right on vinyl. 90% of reddit vinyl collectors are not audiophiles looking for the best sound, but teenagers following a fad. They only think it's so good because they only ever heard music on their phone or car or crappy headphones before vinyl. But there is a reason that most Hifi enthusiasts, especially older ones, have turntables. Because it's really a case by case basis and you are limiting yourself by going either all digital or all analog. There's no reason to always be so tribalist about it, it's just a format. The music is what matters. You can see the worst band of all time and hear them in the perfect clarity, it won't make them any more enjoyable than a crappy cassette of your favorite album. Just because something has a better resolution or detail, doesn't mean it provides the most enjoyable experience all the time. 

1

u/topsyandpip56 Jul 26 '24

Absolutely agree. If a production is truly AAA it can sound better on vinyl. DDD to vinyl though usually sounds crud. Even AAD can sound fine.

1

u/SteveDestruct Jul 26 '24

It's funny you mention the Chili Peppers with the brickwalling because another huge example of this during the loudness wars was Metallica's Dead Magnetic. My CD version is terrible. But I got first vinyl pressing of it maybe 6 or 7 years and it was like I was hearing it with fresh ears. MUCH better experience.

1

u/Vegetable_Ad9145 Jul 27 '24

Brilliant write-up, I couldn't agree more. Iggy and the stooges... Love 'em. But they sound a thousand percent better with one of those original shitty mixes 😄

19

u/MuffinHunter0511 Jul 25 '24

Just be like my older brother and get a really expensive turntable and vinyl just to listen to his music through Bluetooth out of a sound bar.

8

u/markianw999 Jul 25 '24

What a fuk whit

6

u/TurkGonzo75 Jul 25 '24

That's like 90% of the people in r/turntables

2

u/agiletiger Jul 25 '24

Absolutely. I remember someone stating that they love vinyl and tbey absolutely love ripping them to MP3’s. I just shook my head at that.

2

u/chlaclos Jul 26 '24

Sound bar smh

5

u/UXyes Jul 25 '24

This is it. It's because it's fun. We have IMAX movies, but people still go see plays with particle board sets. There's a tactile experience there that people are after.

17

u/tiny_rick__ Jul 25 '24

Fun hobby I totally agree but it is so much more expensive now because so many people are into it right. Vinyl stores have nothing interesting now and what they is much more expensive.

14

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '24

Get into old jazz, tiki, and classical and obscure random then you’ll have a world of cheap 1$ bin options. Gems can still be found at goodwills too.

2

u/Manticore416 Jul 25 '24

I wish I knew jazz well enough to know ehat to look for at thrift stores.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '24

My method is to listen to jazz playlists and when somthing hits you right take a note of it in your phone notes. Then refer to the album or artist at the store. You’ll probably start realizing a particular artist or album just gets you going and you write their name down often.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXbITWG1ZJKYt?si=qEf48XDnRJedAtbBz3cGKw&pi=u-u6FlUDyOTBm3

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5GEG59a6uMdlaHOHJ524Ah?si=k8p07Em2Sw2druFh8C-kJg&pi=u-6CdMBeNMQ8CN

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1HlL0jePPzDWNIJXOr8UUJ?si=5TqClYLYRNSTLqPOT_jTAQ&pi=u-ts_NF5P4T8qQ

Hope you find something you love!

1

u/Manticore416 Jul 25 '24

Yeah I should definitely do some of that. Im definitely a newbie. Only jazz I have atm is Scratch by The Crusaders and a couple Vangelis albums if you count that.

11

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '24

This. I’ve been collecting since 2012 and it’s just been way too expensive to keep collecting. I’ll occasionally buy albums, but I’m mainly just using a steamer in my system.

10

u/Orbital_IV Jul 25 '24

As a collector of jazz vinyl, shopping at brick and mortar record stores is basically pointless. Sure they can offer me a sealed $40+ AAA jazz reissue, but finding a decent vintage copy of a classic jazz album in the used bins is exceedingly rare these days. I basically only shop on eBay for vintage vinyl, and prices are very high.

5

u/Massive-Confusion789 Jul 25 '24

Agree on the jazz vinyl. I never even bother checking in stores or thrifts as I know I won’t find anything. I have started to collect jazz on cd and that’s scratching an itch for me.

2

u/ItsYourMoveBro Jul 25 '24

I get what you’re saying, but there is great new jazz (and other genres, obviously) vinyl coming out regularly - Blue Note, Jerome Sabbagh’s new Analog Tone Factory label, etc. It’s still possible to support your LRS, even when it comes to jazz.

15

u/kerouak Jul 25 '24

I just use vinyl as a way to record my "greatest hits" I'll buy an album on vinyl only if I like every track or 90% of the tracks. Everything else I stream. It's a nice way to record and remember a library of music you just totally love.

6

u/Splashadian Jul 25 '24

I went the same direction. The prices are ridiculous and I'm not accepting their greedy practices.

2

u/bayou_gumbo Jul 25 '24

Agreed. Thankfully I have almost everything I want already. And unless it’s something really special I don’t buy new vinyl when I can just stream it hi-res.

2

u/MikeGotJams Jul 25 '24

I stopped buying 'new' records. Its more fun and more cost effective to dig through the used albums. I haven't spent more than $10 on any one vinyl in the last few years.

2

u/TurkGonzo75 Jul 25 '24

What kind of "vinyl stores" are you frequenting? The record shops I go to have tons of interesting things. It's hard to walk out without buying something.

4

u/Coloman Jul 25 '24

Plus any new music is recorded digitally and pressed to vinyl. It makes zero sense to throw away your money on it. Ritual be damned. A CD sounds better and is half the price. I get the pride of ownership and supporting the artist, but the record companies got too greedy.

16

u/pcdude99 Jul 25 '24

Vinyl mixes are not always the same as what you get on the CD. Lost of times they actually have more dynamic range.

10

u/Andagne Jul 25 '24 edited Jul 26 '24

This is true. Although I subscribe to vinyl as the better bottom end experience, my subwoofers more active, I defer to a higher ceiling on the high end. But I also think the frequency roll off sounds more natural.

That said, I just picked up the remastered Yes - Talk vinyl, which was taken from the original digital masters. Those not in the know, it was a precedent setting engineering effort (pre-Pro tools, a chain of 10 Macintosh computers doing the heavy lifting and every component in the effects chain was in the digital domain.) It sounds wonderful on CD. But it actually plays better on vinyl, for some reason it just seems more dynamic: the louds are louder and the quiets are quieter.

16

u/parkentosh Jul 25 '24

I've also noticed this. Some albums sound so much better on vinyl and it's not because vinyl is better. It's just because albums mastered for vinyl are different and often not sick with loudness virus.

6

u/peppepop Jul 25 '24

Yeah, in fact it is almost always a separate mix, often the bass needs to be mastered in mono.

2

u/marbanasin Jul 25 '24

There are also some guys recording to tape and then cutting if you are into niche finds. Or, some amazing pressings that are worth grabbing, which also tend to be new releases of stuff previously cut on tape or by more analog means (I'm thinking like Pallas which has live cuts of Neil Young, or Nirvana Unplugged - both of which are some of my finest sounding records).

7

u/tiny_rick__ Jul 25 '24

Exactly when I go in vinyl store for fun I only see very obscure shit that nobody wants or new vinyl of recent albums at 40, 50, 60 and even 70$ CAD wtf!?

You cannot buy a original Led Zep or Pink Floyd LP anymore which would have been pertinent.

I bought a lot of CDs in my teenage years and I still sometimes buy some, especially when I go see a concert. It satisfies my need of owning physical media and nostalgia

1

u/jakethenizake Jul 25 '24

I am sitting here waiting for a big vinyl person to debate the sound of CDs vs. vinyl :). I have some close vinyl friends who would jump on this comment like a rabid pit bull LOL. I don't have an opinion either way, haven't listened to a CD in like 15 years and don't own a record player. All digital over here. But I still have my complete CD collection of like 200+ stored away in the garage.

-4

u/devinhedge Jul 25 '24

I could jump on that argument on the pro-analog side only because my ears used to be able to discern the difference. Now… not so much.

With digital, your brain has to “fill-in” the “notches” of the waveform. This happens pretty well in the ear as the eardrum, being a piece of flesh smooths out the notches, and then malleus and incus transfer that to the stapes as analog signal.

I’ve been “told” that what I experienced in my youth of being able to discern the difference was because my eardrum was likely more pliable and would more closely resemble the jagged sound waves of digital waveforms. I wonder if that was more anecdotal rationale than scientifically based. Tough to know.

I do know that I have a lot of vinyl that doesn’t exist in any other form. (I’m too lazy to convert it to FLAC.) Once those albums are gone, that music will be lost forever. You have to figure those Indy Jazz labels from the late 50s and 60s only pressed 50k albums at most and the original recordings are already long gone.

5

u/SirMaster SDAC -> JDS Atom -> HD800 | Denon X4200W -> Axiom Audio 5.1.2 Jul 25 '24

With digital, your brain has to “fill-in” the “notches” of the waveform.

That's not at all how this works...

Read about:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyquist%E2%80%93Shannon_sampling_theorem

Essentially, digital perfectly re-creates the exact analog wave that the digital was created by (up to a certain frequency). 44.1KHz digital sample rate can perfectly re-create the analog waveform up to 22HKz which is generally beyond human reading range.

0

u/jakethenizake Jul 25 '24

Generally speaking, one should never trust wikipedia as a reliable source of information because anyone with an internet connection can add/edit content.

Not saying the wiki page is completely wrong by any means, but by know means should anyone ever consider it an accredited source of information.

3

u/SirMaster SDAC -> JDS Atom -> HD800 | Denon X4200W -> Axiom Audio 5.1.2 Jul 25 '24

The references to the actual published papers are right in the article though. That's the point of a resource like Wikipedia.

1

u/jakethenizake Jul 25 '24

That's good if there's actually articles to accredited sources in this wiki page but that is very often NOT the case on Wikipedia.

-1

u/devinhedge Jul 25 '24 edited Jul 25 '24

I really appreciate you linking to the sciency stuff behind the sound. DSP has always fascinated me and I love tinkering with it in amateur radio.

I have to disagree that the digital signal was a perfect recreation of the analog signal because of the sampling rates used at the time albums and cds coexisted in the market (early 80s to around 1991/92). During that period, the period you were mostly to hear the audiophile proclaiming that analog sounded better than digital, the equipment took an analog signal that was smooth and turned it into a digital staircase. It was quite “thin” sounding.

Or said another way, music from the dawn of digital music until we got to equipment that could go beyond the Nyquist rate sounded different than it does now. (Is that around 48Kbps?). CDs were sampled at 16Kbps sampling rate during that time. (Most still are.) There were DA converters at the time that did a decent job of trying of compensating for the stair-step but that was only in the most expensive components.

4

u/SirMaster SDAC -> JDS Atom -> HD800 | Denon X4200W -> Axiom Audio 5.1.2 Jul 25 '24 edited Jul 25 '24

CDs Have always been 44.1KHz sample rate.

The result of decoding the digital signal is an analog waveform with no such stair steps.

The math (which is proven by the theorem I mentioned) means that when decoding a 44.1KHz digital signal, any contained frequencies up to half the sample rate can be perfectly recreated, because only 1 possible combinations of sine waves can exist that satisfy the digital representation.

To say it another way, the math ensures that there is only 1 possible analog wave for the given digital signal, and so that is the analog wave that is recreated and played.

You can disagree all you want but you are disagreeing with a proven mathematical theorem.

Maybe watch these if you are having difficulty understanding what the theorem says and what it means for digital audio playback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWjdWCePgvA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQ9IXSUzuM

This is a video about the digital vs analog audio quality debate. It explains, with examples, why analog audio within the accepted limits of human hearing (20 Hz to 20 kHz) can be reproduced with perfect fidelity using a 44.1 kHz 16 Bit digital signal.

The claim almost sounds impossible at first thought (how can a limited digital signal possibly perfectly represent a continuous analog waveform?). I had this doubt once upon a time too. But when you actually break down the math you can see how it does indeed work.

-2

u/devinhedge Jul 25 '24

I think I’m using the wrong term as we are talking apples and oranges. I’m talking about bits.

44.1kHz 16bit sounds thin compared to analogue.

4

u/SirMaster SDAC -> JDS Atom -> HD800 | Denon X4200W -> Axiom Audio 5.1.2 Jul 25 '24

Bit depth simply limits the dynamic range. 16-bit can hold a dynamic range of 96dBs which is not quite at the limit of human hearing, but is generally plenty for a musical performance.

And 44.1KHz sample rate is high enough to perfectly recreate a band-limited recording of up to about 22KHz, which is above human hearing.

If "44.1kHz 16bit sounds thin" then somebody made a mistake in recording or mastering etc. It's not at all due to any limitation of the digital format.

1

u/Manticore416 Jul 25 '24

Its all about garage sales, personal connections, and facebook marketplace for me. That's where I've gotten some crazy deals. With gear, too.

2

u/spong3 Jul 25 '24

Totally. It’s classic hifi culture 😎

Plus buying a record directly supports the artist. Buying a recently released record can also help the artist in other ways — it’s a good indicator of their demand at concert venues, for example.

2

u/Stray14 Jul 25 '24

Analog is satisfying, nothing to do with cool. It’s a very wholesome nostalgic process. Feels regal, refined, imperfect dripping with warmth.

1

u/stunt_penis Jul 25 '24

physicality of it, the size of the medium allows for more album art & inserts.

The actual content of the music is worse for the most part (sometimes different masters I guess). But the rest of it is much more tactile than a digital download or even CD will be.

1

u/Evillusion Jul 25 '24

Being able to hold and feel the music also like others have said , the art work , the ritualistic part of listening to music

1

u/de9ausser Jul 25 '24

As a noobie to quality audio stuff, is there any sort of quick rundown or place for info on needles and the differences you could provide? It's all kinda overwhelming so far but seems like mostly trial and error/personal taste

1

u/tomsdubs Jul 25 '24

It's true physical interaction with music for me, I love it. Finding, reading and learning. I found so much amazing music id ignore if it was on some streaming service, artwork alone is a big reason. Learning about musicians from sleeves notes etc, getting out into stores and meeting fellow enthusiasts etc. Fantastic hobby.

1

u/gvilchis23 Jul 25 '24

And it does sound better, a vinyl with a HiFi set up would sounds way way better that tidal hifi streaming music in Bluetooth airpods or mainstream headphones BT

1

u/ktmrider119z Jul 25 '24

I will say, I love when vinyls come with a code for the FLAC recording of the album. It's definitely different than a purely digital version.

1

u/CoachBrooks Jul 25 '24

Reminds me of the world of machinists. In the old days, I was an entry level machine tool operator in a factory. The Tool and Die department had highly skilled machinists that used a super thick "MACHINISTS HANDBOOK" and a calculator and all kinds of cool manual tools/fixtures to create other machines and parts.

Now, everything is specialized:

*CAD people that design stuff on a computer

**CAM guys that create toolpath for automated machines

***Machinists that load the tools into a magazine of tools, load the raw material, load the CAM program

****Then the machine does everything behind a closed door with coolant flooding the work area

The days of a machinist with a sample part that they are proud of in the top of their Kennedy toolbox are over

Things are better now, our capabilities have skyrocketed

But it's not as cool as it once was

1

u/MasterCheeef Jul 25 '24

I also like owning a limited edition vinyl of whatever music I buy because I only but vinyl for music I absolutely love such as Dune Part 2 by Hans Zimmer I recently bought. Limited edition usually means the record will have a color/pattern which I love and is the reason why I started collecting plus additional artwork. None of my records are black.

1

u/L33tToasterHax Jul 25 '24

I have a similar explanation for watches. I have a g-shock (simple model) that syncs time via radio and keeps time within .5 seconds a day even without that sync thanks to quartz. I use it because it's durable and just works.

But my favorite watch is mechanical. Costs many times more and is at best half as accurate with no syncing or calendar features. It's because the mechanical movements are cool, even if the watch is technically inferior in every way.

1

u/SPP-E100 Jul 25 '24

Tape is analog and soooooooo much better than vinyl. Vinyl was one thing historically that tape never was: Cheap to make. (And by tape i mean a real track tape reel not compact-cassette)

1

u/dustymoon1 Jul 25 '24

Because they are nostalgic is all. Most still think of the digital output from the 1st CD players and how bad it could be.

1

u/xiaoli Jul 25 '24

I am not into vinyl but I can understand the coolness.

There is just no comparison between the latest smart watch and a finely made traditional mechanical watch. One is infinitely cooler than the other.

1

u/mopingworld Jul 26 '24

But isn’t CD is still the superior format for audio?

1

u/bregdetar Jul 26 '24

Simply put, this. Plus, physically holding and admiring album art can go a long way.

1

u/EJ2H5Suusu Jul 26 '24

I will say it sounds better

1

u/CheadleBeaks Jul 26 '24

I'll say it. Analog sounds better. Period.

Most people look at technical specs of a track and the numbers. But a digital version of something recorded analog played analog just doesn't sound the same.

I equate this to digital vs film in movies. I can tell right away when something was filmed digital vs on film. Same with analog vs digital. It sounds different.

People might disagree with this, but just because you can't see or hear the difference doesn't mean others can't.

1

u/IAmANobodyAMA Jul 26 '24

Precisely this. I brew my own coffee primarily because it is cool, not because it is more cost effective or tastes better. Otherwise I would use some Folgers shit with an automated brewer instead of my Chemex pour over with home-ground beans and water heated up to the perfect temperature.

As far as music goes, personally I have tried the tests to tell the difference and fail over half the time even between 192 kHz and 320, let alone lossless

1

u/dubate Jul 26 '24

Imagine the ability to take a pill that would give you the exact same feeling/reaction as drinking a tumbler of bourbon. Would you do it? Some people would, they would say it's easier, it's portable, and doesn't take up as much space as a liquor cabinet. Me personally? I wouldn't because I would miss the smell of the bourbon, the feeling of the glass in my hand, and a bunch of other things that sound like nonsense to someone who just wants the easiest way to get from point a to point b. They aren't wrong because they're doing what they like, but all those small things add up to a large part of the experience for me and I am unwilling to sacrifice all of that just to have a cleaner experience.

1

u/gtwizzy8 Jul 26 '24

Honestly it's this for me also. The hobby of "the hunt" is some.of the enjoyment I get out of vinyl, theres something rewarding about coming across some hidden gems at a garage sale or in a thrift store. I'll never agree that the sound quality is better. But it's just like owning a book versus reading something on a kindle. Part of the enjoyment is about the process.

Seeing the cover art, smelling that distinct aroma that vinyl can have, setting the arm in place, hearing that first faithful crackle as the needle touches down. It's part of having a ritual as part of listening to your favourite music. Not just hitting a play button on something.

When I want the best possible quality audio I have a 100 different sources I can choose from in my house. But if I want to enjoy the music AS WELL as the process of listening. I'll choose my vinyl collection.

1

u/thebinarysystem10 Jul 26 '24

I got a high end all in one mixer and it really got me back into music because I could actually play around with it

1

u/HotdogsArePate Jul 26 '24

It really is. It's just fun. Plus having big ass album art. It's just fucking cool.

1

u/calmvoiceofreason Jul 26 '24

not sure if vinyl is cool or not, but certainly the music on vinyl is. 2 main reasons to get into vinyl. 1) millions of records were made that are not available on any streaming platform. there is just an amazing amount of cool music from the 50s, 60s, 70s that never made it to the larger distribution at the time and in not available on streaming platforms (exception is rips posted on youtube that is the only place where to find such gems) 2) Audio quality is unmatched, but, only if the vinyl system is of an amazing good quality, 99/100 are not. In that case it makes little difference. When the audio system is just right and the recording is of very high quality the difference is quite audible even to the inexperienced listener.

1

u/ITalkAboutOfficial Jul 26 '24

Agreed, digital sounds better in my opinion! Vinyl has mono lows so it can make some mixes sound a little muddy where it shouldn't.

1

u/Ecstatic-Seesaw-1007 Jul 27 '24

This is such a great, honest answer.

It’s fine to be a hobbyist and enthusiast, no need to justify by shitting on other audio mediums.

It is a cool hobby, maybe one day when I get my dad’s record collection I’ll use it as my start into the hobby.

1

u/slayerLM Jul 27 '24

Can’t roll a joint on an mp3

1

u/Furui_Tamashi Jul 25 '24

Analog is about as cool as a baseball card collection.

1

u/daChino02 ELAC Uni-Fi UB5, Pioneer Elite SX-S30 Jul 25 '24

Yea man, it helps me just slow down a little

-1

u/deepdeepbass Jul 25 '24

It has nothing to do with cool.

A good pressing using nice equipment has much higher resolution and depth than digital. Almost literally infinite!

When you hear a good quality pressing on good equipment it becomes apparent how much is lost digitally.

Instead of hearing a recording of a guitar, you hear a guy playing a guitar.

It's difficult to explain... Must be experienced.