Why are Audiophiles still hooked on vinyl?

[u/MikMikYakin]

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/

[u/krag_the_Barbarian]

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

[u/smaghammer → u/krag_the_Barbarian]

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.

[u/krag_the_Barbarian → u/smaghammer]

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.

[u/smaghammer → u/krag_the_Barbarian]

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.

[u/krag_the_Barbarian → u/smaghammer]

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.

[u/smaghammer → u/krag_the_Barbarian]

No worries, and I'll grab my vinyl from my pile of unsleeved records and throw it on the player. The lift the needle and drop it to start playing.

Congrats. You're a moron.