music formats

[johncomic]

I just read an article about how the CD is dying thanx to digital downloads, and it was also going on about how vinyl is making a comeback. Ostensibly this is on account of vinyl's superior sound quality.

Speaking as one who grew up on vinyl and remembers its scratches and crackles and skips... as one who was there when the CD came in, and we compared vinyl and CD versions side by side and were blown away by the CD's vastly superior sound quality [e.g., Queensrÿche's Operation:mindcrime -- listen to the vinyl and CD back to back, no comparison!]... I gotta say WTF??!!??

Comments

[johncomic.livejournal.com]

Thanx! And yes, I do appreciate the theoretical superiority of an analog medium in accurately storing an analog phenomenon like soundwaves...

...assuming you have The Perfect Pressing on Invulnerable Vinyl that will never wear, or collect dust, or undergo any physical damage or degradation whatsoever. Again, those of us who grew up on vinyl know how that one works out [he said, looking at his first copy of Kiss Alive! that literally went from glossy black to matte gray due to pure wear...]

[viridescence13]

Exactly. The inevitable degradation of vinyl is its downfall.

I have many records that I currently have no way of playing, because my 15+ year old stereo bit the dust a few years ago. I should've transferred them to CD, but couldn't afford the necessary hardware at the time. I guess I need to buy a new record player...or new to me, anyway...

[johncomic.livejournal.com]

The inevitable degradation of vinyl is its downfall.

And, in some cases, the degradation has occurred before you even slit open the shrinkwrap.

In the 60s and 70s, at least, there were labels notorious for the crappy quality [sic] of their pressings -- it was nearly impossible to buy an album on that label that wouldn't skip or have built-in Rice Krispies or whatever. (And far fewer labels with a reputation for releasing smooth, immaculate pressings.)