| Vinyl 14:22 - Dec 20 with 16373 views | Monahoop |
Vinyl is back. Now outselling the product that virtually killed it, the CD. But why? As a music collector I couldn't wait to see the back of vinyl, though I did miss being able to read the sleeve notes and inserts without the need of a microscope as with the CD. But that was the only advantage of the vinyl LP imo. They scratched, they warped and you had to get up to turn the disc over to hear a second installment of the album. Plus you needed a healthy stylus and a good turn table drive belt if you wanted to get any half decent sound and the disc to turn at the correct revolutions. John Peel once quoted that background noise is essential. Well yes, to a point, but when listening to music I don't want to listen to snap, crackle and pop Rice Crispy noises often associated with vinyl ruining my listening experience.
So why the resurgence in this outdated form of listening material I ask myself? Is it just a fad? Is it a niche market for hipsters who I hear hang their LP's on the walls in their retro decor abodes rather than play them. Are they back to fuel nostalgic 40 to 50 somethings of what life was like before the word digital conquered the tech world. I don't buy this old romantic tosh I've heard it said by some music fans, they like the smell of vinyl, especially after it has come off the turn table a bit warmer than when it went on. Or the experience of delicately pulling the LP out of its paper sleeve and relishing the site of the glossy disc poised carefully in the tips of your fingers. Tripe! Just play the bloody thing! Plus vinyl these days is expensive often horribly so.
I still have lots of vinyl LPs though I've sold a few and a good turntable of 30 years vintage, but I rarely play them. They are just a collection of my listening past. And that's where vinyl belongs, in the past or cluttering up corners of charity shops or antique and collectors stores. Any fans or detractors of vinyl out there like to comment? |  |
| There aint half been some clever bastards. |
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| Vinyl on 00:24 - Dec 21 with 3366 views | PunteR |
| Vinyl on 00:17 - Dec 21 by CroydonCaptJack |
Great track Reachin mate. Did it have a UK release.? I've got it on that Garage sound of Deepest New York compilation. |
I've got it on that Movin Records label, Brotherhood mix. Not sure if it had a uk release.
Had a quick glance on discogs and it was released on Rumour and republic records in the uk but not sure if it has the Brotherhood mix on it.
[Post edited 21 Dec 2016 0:32]
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| Occasional providers of half decent House music. |
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| Vinyl on 01:36 - Dec 21 with 3334 views | silky |
I already have 3 vinyl releases of my own in the last couple of years and I now have secured 5 more for next year alone.
Jungle and Jungle Techno is what I produce and there is quite the demand for it. I can't tell you how awesome it is in this digital age to own your own works on a physical format. Long may it continue. Love my vinyl, have an awesome collection of very obscure white labels from 90-94. |  |
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| Vinyl on 02:18 - Dec 21 with 3323 views | UPPERLOFTNZ |
As pro musician, Vinyl is the only way you can ensure at least SOME of the money owed to the artist for producing the work actually gets to them. As opposed to streaming or downloading which basically ends up as theft one way or another. |  |
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| Vinyl on 07:31 - Dec 21 with 3306 views | Lblock |
| Vinyl on 01:36 - Dec 21 by silky |
I already have 3 vinyl releases of my own in the last couple of years and I now have secured 5 more for next year alone.
Jungle and Jungle Techno is what I produce and there is quite the demand for it. I can't tell you how awesome it is in this digital age to own your own works on a physical format. Long may it continue. Love my vinyl, have an awesome collection of very obscure white labels from 90-94. |
Fair play mate
You can't sign, frame, mount and hang a digital download on the wall as a forever memory
Good luck with your releases next year, not my favourite genre but hats off to anyone who creates music. I'd loved to of been able to cobble together some hooks, bass lines and samples etc |  |
| Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal |
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| Vinyl on 08:38 - Dec 21 with 3285 views | Monahoop |
| Vinyl on 00:04 - Dec 21 by queensparker |
Now we're talking. My musical heyday was around 86-97 which means most of my treasured music was all on tape - originals, mix tapes, copies of stuff from Ealing library, recordings of pirate radio and John Peel etc SAX90s for the win
Got a lot of vinyl too but it's the tapes I treasure, currently driving round in a knackered old Audi with a tape deck and it's brilliant. Amazingly they pretty much all still work too
Bring back the tape! |
Bring back the tape? Nooo! The worlds a cleaner place without them. Remember streams of tape rapped around roadside hedges or anything else they could rap themselves round to. Thankfully not a sight I would like to see again.
But talking of tapes. It was fun back in the day recording off radio stations. Kind of pioneering illegal downloads. I still have a tape I recorded off the radio in 1985 about the Rolling Stones at the BBC in the early 60's. It still plays. Good programme too. | |
| There aint half been some clever bastards. |
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| Vinyl on 09:14 - Dec 21 with 3267 views | Toast_R |
The Cassette tape was the worst format ever. Wear, rewinding, getting chewed up, abysmal sound.
That goes for VHS too. |  | | |
| Vinyl on 10:19 - Dec 21 with 3253 views | robith |
| Vinyl on 16:20 - Dec 20 by Monahoop |
The same could also said of the CD Robith. That too is real and a lot more practical or efficient than the cumbersome vinyl LP. I agree with your comments about downloading though, but each to their own. Like you I like to give back something to the artists by supporting their work be it through buying a CD or as in the past a vinyl LP.
What next for the nostalgic fetishers? TV's where you have to physically get up to switch channel, adjust the brightness or volume etc? Oh and they must be monochrome sets. Remote controls, colour?? Pah! |
I guess the thing with TV is TVs have legitimately improved and are better now. The advent off the CD brought with it overcompression and the destruction of volume control on the mastering - vinyl, and I never thought I'd be someone who says this, legitimately sounds better on a good system.
I got my missus the Mogwai vinyl retrospective boxset for Chrimbo on vinyl last year, and some of the tracks sound so so so huge on our pretty meagre set up it's unreal |  | | |
| Vinyl on 10:27 - Dec 21 with 3247 views | Metallica_Hoop |
| Vinyl on 09:14 - Dec 21 by Toast_R |
The Cassette tape was the worst format ever. Wear, rewinding, getting chewed up, abysmal sound.
That goes for VHS too. |
I remember being excited when I bought my first TDK D-120.
120 mins of tape to record stuff.
Sadly the quality was less than the D-90.
Bic and Stadlaer(sp) pencils were best for rewinding I ran out of batteries for my walkman in Northumbria in 1991 on a tour and was a right grumpy bastard without metal for 3 days. |  |
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| Vinyl on 10:30 - Dec 21 with 3243 views | robith |
| Vinyl on 08:38 - Dec 21 by Monahoop |
Bring back the tape? Nooo! The worlds a cleaner place without them. Remember streams of tape rapped around roadside hedges or anything else they could rap themselves round to. Thankfully not a sight I would like to see again.
But talking of tapes. It was fun back in the day recording off radio stations. Kind of pioneering illegal downloads. I still have a tape I recorded off the radio in 1985 about the Rolling Stones at the BBC in the early 60's. It still plays. Good programme too. |
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| Vinyl on 12:46 - Dec 21 with 3216 views | MrSheen |
I'll have to take the word of the afficionados on the superior sound quality of vinyl. My teenage vinyl was played on a Russian record player my dad bought in a junk shop in Cricklewood, though inch-thick plywood may have resonant qualities overlooked in recent decades. Worked for me.
I now listen to classical music, and I can't imagine any benefit from getting up every 30 minutes to turn a record over, often in the middle of a piece. Give me CDs any day. [Post edited 21 Dec 2016 12:56]
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| Vinyl on 12:55 - Dec 21 with 3209 views | ngbqpr |
| Vinyl on 00:24 - Dec 21 by PunteR |
I've got it on that Movin Records label, Brotherhood mix. Not sure if it had a uk release.
Had a quick glance on discogs and it was released on Rumour and republic records in the uk but not sure if it has the Brotherhood mix on it.
[Post edited 21 Dec 2016 0:32]
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Dave Lee released it as one of the singles to promote that comp on his Republic label
Plenty available here at bargain price. all mixes intact - you can even get the Spanish import if you like!
https://www.discogs.com/Phase-II-Reachin/master/120490 |  |
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| Vinyl on 12:58 - Dec 21 with 3206 views | ultramagnetic |
Vinyl is back. Now outselling the product that virtually killed it, the CD. But why? As a music collector I couldn't wait to see the back of vinyl
you should not have written that sorry as a music collector it's vinyl for me all the way, also it outselling downloads. |  | | |
| Vinyl on 13:04 - Dec 21 with 3200 views | ultramagnetic |
the tape has made a comeback artists and labels are releasing tapes, I still buy tapes mainly mixtapes hip hop, soul, funk, breaks, electro etc. Vinyl never really went away for real hip hop. | | | |
| Vinyl on 15:19 - Dec 21 with 3162 views | stowmarketrange |
I've just set up my old stereo and I've got many hours of listening pleasure over the next few days and months,scratches and all. |  | | |
| Vinyl on 15:40 - Dec 21 with 2855 views | Monahoop |
| Vinyl on 12:58 - Dec 21 by ultramagnetic |
Vinyl is back. Now outselling the product that virtually killed it, the CD. But why? As a music collector I couldn't wait to see the back of vinyl
you should not have written that sorry as a music collector it's vinyl for me all the way, also it outselling downloads. |
As a music collector I used to collect vinyl, but not anymore. It's been CDs ever since. I just don't buy into the nostalgic folly that goes with vinyl sales plus the over inflated prices often charged to buy it. If I were to buy vinyl now it would have to be something to replace some old LPs I lost in the past which were not pressed into CD format. I had some rare punk and blues stuff go walkies years ago and I know they can only be found on old vinyl pressings. May be I'll do that and search them out and replace them one day. To music collectors vinyl isn't the only option and it certainly is not the ultimate one. | |
| There aint half been some clever bastards. |
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| Vinyl on 20:03 - Dec 21 with 2803 views | PunteR |
| Vinyl on 01:36 - Dec 21 by silky |
I already have 3 vinyl releases of my own in the last couple of years and I now have secured 5 more for next year alone.
Jungle and Jungle Techno is what I produce and there is quite the demand for it. I can't tell you how awesome it is in this digital age to own your own works on a physical format. Long may it continue. Love my vinyl, have an awesome collection of very obscure white labels from 90-94. |
Whats the name of the tracks mate | |
| Occasional providers of half decent House music. |
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| Vinyl on 21:08 - Dec 21 with 2784 views | MrSheen |
| Vinyl on 15:19 - Dec 21 by FredManRave |
Couldn't you just get your butler to turn the "Now That's What I Call Classical Music 1" LP over?!
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Flogged it for £500. Then flogged the butler. | | | |
| Vinyl on 21:19 - Dec 21 with 2780 views | Juzzie |
. [Post edited 21 Dec 2016 21:27]
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| Vinyl on 21:25 - Dec 21 with 2774 views | Juzzie |
| Vinyl on 14:38 - Dec 20 by Metallica_Hoop |
I sold all mine (mostly from the NH record exchanges and made a profit!)
I kept a few back like this
Now I run my CD's through DBpoweramp to get rid of volume control. It's great for old non remastered CD's.
Unfortunate though if you sit near me on the tube. |
I was part of the Production dept at A&M that made those :)
To slightly correct the OP, CD's didn't nearly kill vinyl, Woolworths did.
Back in them there days, retailers dictated a lot of things. Records companies didnt sell to the public, retailers did. Record companies sold to the retailers .
Entertainment UK were owned by and looked after the national ordering of all record stock for Woolworths. As they accounted for some 55% of the market they called the shots.
Woolworths decided that vinyl took up more space and there was a bigger profit margin in CD's so simply stopped ordering vinyl off of the record companies and the record companies stopped making them, even though the public demand was still strong.
Over a short space of time, vinyl died away and factories closed (quite a few UK based ones) losing all that mastering and manufacturing knowledge.
We went from three European suppliers to just one about a dozen years ago. Demand was so small it was just a kitsch product.
What has happened the last few years? No idea but its made my life hell the last couple of years lol! Demand has outsripped supply to the point we now have to book capacity at the 4-5 factories we now use months in advance. Parts deadlines are so long i started working on tne "NOW thats what i call christmas" LP in the summer!
From what i understand a lot of them are bought by a younger generation and they dont get played, which is kind of ironic considering the huge lengths we go to to get cutting, mastering & pressing quality as best as it can be.
I can see why theyd do this as i have a lot of file copies from this year and they all look great, but i dont want to play any of them!
Personally im perfectly happy with my large, high quality ripped MP3 collection that i can play through my soundbase or any other bluetooth speaker i have and the sound quality for me is great.
Im not that big an audiophile to notice the subtlest of difference you get with vinyl half-speed mastering etc.
Its posible it is just a fad for people to collect and show when friends come around. I think to some extent people are cautious to develop the factories. I heard tne other week the last absolutely brand new pressing machine was made in 1981. All machines to date are maintained by using salvaged parts from other donor machines though i have also heard some new machines may actually be made. They cost huge amounts so no surprise pressing plants are cautious as if the format does demise again they'll be left with a big problem.
Interestingly, legitamate downloads are declining, streaming is on a big rise and the good old CD is holding its own in a field where people predicted 10 years ago it would be 5% of tne market yet holding around 35/40% [Post edited 21 Dec 2016 21:45]
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| Vinyl on 06:55 - Dec 22 with 2722 views | MrSheen |
| Vinyl on 21:25 - Dec 21 by Juzzie |
I was part of the Production dept at A&M that made those :)
To slightly correct the OP, CD's didn't nearly kill vinyl, Woolworths did.
Back in them there days, retailers dictated a lot of things. Records companies didnt sell to the public, retailers did. Record companies sold to the retailers .
Entertainment UK were owned by and looked after the national ordering of all record stock for Woolworths. As they accounted for some 55% of the market they called the shots.
Woolworths decided that vinyl took up more space and there was a bigger profit margin in CD's so simply stopped ordering vinyl off of the record companies and the record companies stopped making them, even though the public demand was still strong.
Over a short space of time, vinyl died away and factories closed (quite a few UK based ones) losing all that mastering and manufacturing knowledge.
We went from three European suppliers to just one about a dozen years ago. Demand was so small it was just a kitsch product.
What has happened the last few years? No idea but its made my life hell the last couple of years lol! Demand has outsripped supply to the point we now have to book capacity at the 4-5 factories we now use months in advance. Parts deadlines are so long i started working on tne "NOW thats what i call christmas" LP in the summer!
From what i understand a lot of them are bought by a younger generation and they dont get played, which is kind of ironic considering the huge lengths we go to to get cutting, mastering & pressing quality as best as it can be.
I can see why theyd do this as i have a lot of file copies from this year and they all look great, but i dont want to play any of them!
Personally im perfectly happy with my large, high quality ripped MP3 collection that i can play through my soundbase or any other bluetooth speaker i have and the sound quality for me is great.
Im not that big an audiophile to notice the subtlest of difference you get with vinyl half-speed mastering etc.
Its posible it is just a fad for people to collect and show when friends come around. I think to some extent people are cautious to develop the factories. I heard tne other week the last absolutely brand new pressing machine was made in 1981. All machines to date are maintained by using salvaged parts from other donor machines though i have also heard some new machines may actually be made. They cost huge amounts so no surprise pressing plants are cautious as if the format does demise again they'll be left with a big problem.
Interestingly, legitamate downloads are declining, streaming is on a big rise and the good old CD is holding its own in a field where people predicted 10 years ago it would be 5% of tne market yet holding around 35/40% [Post edited 21 Dec 2016 21:45]
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Really interesting post. Part of the current vinyl bonanza is that there is about 15 or 20 years of recordings which never appeared on vinyl and which is now being reissued for my kids and their friends to collect. Online sales mean you don't have to press hundreds of thousands of copies to send hopefully around the country and risk having to grind them up for landfill. Just make a couple of thousand and do more if they sell out. Best of all, there's no second hand competition.
Like with CDs, once the punters have stocked their libraries (or lost interest), demand will sink back to a lower level. Not surprising companies are reluctant to invest. | | | |
| Vinyl on 08:59 - Dec 22 with 2704 views | Monahoop |
| Vinyl on 21:25 - Dec 21 by Juzzie |
I was part of the Production dept at A&M that made those :)
To slightly correct the OP, CD's didn't nearly kill vinyl, Woolworths did.
Back in them there days, retailers dictated a lot of things. Records companies didnt sell to the public, retailers did. Record companies sold to the retailers .
Entertainment UK were owned by and looked after the national ordering of all record stock for Woolworths. As they accounted for some 55% of the market they called the shots.
Woolworths decided that vinyl took up more space and there was a bigger profit margin in CD's so simply stopped ordering vinyl off of the record companies and the record companies stopped making them, even though the public demand was still strong.
Over a short space of time, vinyl died away and factories closed (quite a few UK based ones) losing all that mastering and manufacturing knowledge.
We went from three European suppliers to just one about a dozen years ago. Demand was so small it was just a kitsch product.
What has happened the last few years? No idea but its made my life hell the last couple of years lol! Demand has outsripped supply to the point we now have to book capacity at the 4-5 factories we now use months in advance. Parts deadlines are so long i started working on tne "NOW thats what i call christmas" LP in the summer!
From what i understand a lot of them are bought by a younger generation and they dont get played, which is kind of ironic considering the huge lengths we go to to get cutting, mastering & pressing quality as best as it can be.
I can see why theyd do this as i have a lot of file copies from this year and they all look great, but i dont want to play any of them!
Personally im perfectly happy with my large, high quality ripped MP3 collection that i can play through my soundbase or any other bluetooth speaker i have and the sound quality for me is great.
Im not that big an audiophile to notice the subtlest of difference you get with vinyl half-speed mastering etc.
Its posible it is just a fad for people to collect and show when friends come around. I think to some extent people are cautious to develop the factories. I heard tne other week the last absolutely brand new pressing machine was made in 1981. All machines to date are maintained by using salvaged parts from other donor machines though i have also heard some new machines may actually be made. They cost huge amounts so no surprise pressing plants are cautious as if the format does demise again they'll be left with a big problem.
Interestingly, legitamate downloads are declining, streaming is on a big rise and the good old CD is holding its own in a field where people predicted 10 years ago it would be 5% of tne market yet holding around 35/40% [Post edited 21 Dec 2016 21:45]
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Good post Juzzie. Some interesting insights into the subject.I was aware that pressing machines haven't been manufactured for about 30 years all this possibly fuelling the current 'charm' for vinyl. Make something using traditional methods or machinery and it will sell for a while. It was also interesting to note your mention of people buying vinyl and not playing it. The notion that retro fashion conscious hipsters today buying it for decorative purposes is not far wrong.
It would be interesting to know whether vinyl sales have increased elsewhere around the world and not just in the nostalgia driven British Isles. | |
| There aint half been some clever bastards. |
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| Vinyl on 09:14 - Dec 22 with 2696 views | MrSheen |
| Vinyl on 08:59 - Dec 22 by Monahoop |
Good post Juzzie. Some interesting insights into the subject.I was aware that pressing machines haven't been manufactured for about 30 years all this possibly fuelling the current 'charm' for vinyl. Make something using traditional methods or machinery and it will sell for a while. It was also interesting to note your mention of people buying vinyl and not playing it. The notion that retro fashion conscious hipsters today buying it for decorative purposes is not far wrong.
It would be interesting to know whether vinyl sales have increased elsewhere around the world and not just in the nostalgia driven British Isles. |
Not just here. Retro is everywhere.
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2055199/vinyl-record-industry-booming | | | |
| Vinyl on 10:38 - Dec 22 with 2676 views | westberksr |
Currently having my turntable serviced (Linn Sondek LP12) and recommissioned after 15 years of doing nothing but feeling sorry for itself. Have ordered a load of 'new' vinyl, mainly key pieces that either died years ago or were on other formats. New amplifier that is dedicated to the job, although might add a new CD too as have 30 years f that to play too.
so alongside a very big Sonos set up I'll have a bespoke turntable, amp & speakers in the main living room to enjoy the delights of vinyl and it will also make me sit and listen to it as I cannot 'stream' it around the house. Quite looking to the enforced relaxation.
Think Stevie Wonder 'Songs In The Key Of Life' might kick things off. |  | | |
| Vinyl on 11:29 - Dec 22 with 2654 views | robith |
I don't want to quote it again and clog the thread up, but thank you Juzzie for a really interesting post | | | |
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