LP sales overtake CDs

[Ancient Citizen]

Modern cars have more sensors than they do moving parts. And the sensors are often less reliable and more expensive to fix than the parts they are connected to.

This is true, engines and bodywork are virtually bullet proof these days, but the computerised stuff can be well dodgy, and very expensive. Better off with a mint low mileage, older car without all that gubbins. I hate all the touch screen crap for the radios too, and what's this 'Keyless' bollocks all about, what, exactly, is the hardship about remote unlocking, (good feature), then sticking the key in the ignition and starting the bloody thing?

 

[twosips]

I only ever buy LPs now. They're wonderfully tactile and look a thousand times better than a CD. It's really nice putting a record on and just leaving it...no urge to skip songs. I can't remember the last time I bought a CD, and tbh my hand was forced on that anyway. Lots of new cars don't have CD players, my laptop doesn't have a CD drive. They're redundant really.

 

[twosips]

I love vinyl and I'm in my early 30s. I enjoy listening to music on all formats.

For me listening to an album is an event, there's something nice about putting on a record whilst gazing at the sleeve artwork for a few minutes before relaxing to the rest of the album. I personally find the sound quality a lot better than streams but I do have a strong set up with my Audio Technica linked to a Marshall BT speaker.

I also stream music when I'm working, through YouTube music. I normally listen to new music/new bands on stream then purchase an LP if I enjoy the album. I have a casual approach to streaming, great on some occasions when you want a specific song on demand. I also continue to buy LPs for my favourite artists.

On the face of it, yes vinyl can be pricey with a new LP typically costing around £22. Whilst this is expensive, vinyl seems to retain value. I'm not a huge collector and would probably buy one vinyl every month or bi monthly depending on releases etc, but once bought it's your piece of physical media. Spotify is aroung £10 a month which is great value but after a year you've spent £120 and have nothing to show for it. You could apply the same thought to Netflix but music is something we revisit more often than TV series.

There is also the enjoyment of spending time in a 2nd hand record shop softing through old LPs and picking out some great music for little cost, going home to crack open a beer and listen to that classic song on 7" 45rpm you just bought for £1.50.

Yeah that's how I feel. New record is always quite exciting. It becomes an evening in for me and my missus usually. What we tend to do is put the record on, sit down with a few drinks and play some card games or sumat as we listen. I know it doesn't sound particularly wild, but with the crackle of a vinyl, a few drinks down you, while in a room all tidy and cosy etc.... incredibly relaxing.

Edit - I do have Spotify too btw. I'm fine with both. Vinyls for things I love, spotify for things I want to check out or just briefly dive into.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I also have no idea why people don't like owning music. Lack of space? Funds? Far easier to flick a switch or say "hey alexa"?

Is it the same with book sales/ kindle/ audible?

Nah, the publishing industry basically got together to fuck over kindle. It's now not uncommon for the kindle version to be more expensive than the print book, even though in theory, it should be much less. But then there's a whole new area of self-publishing that goes along with Amazon, that could be a threat to publishers in the same way that more and more musicians are now able to release their own music and build up a following.

I noticed a while back that my Spotify favourites are now absolutely full of female artists, most in their 30s. That wasn't a conscious decision, I just listened to the best-reviewed albums each year and kept the stuff I liked. I doubt that would have happened 20 years ago when you had to go through a record company to release music and therefore had to be marketable to a wide audience.

 

[BlindEyeSeesAll]

Actually, I'm looking for some kind of 'machine' that I can load all my dust-gathering CDs onto. Any ideas you fuckin freaky techy geeks out there? What about one of those Brennans. No Chinese stuff!

I bought a Micromega stage 1 off eBay a couple of years ago, in near mint condition so I paid around £250 - worth every penny.

Here's one:

Micromega Stage 1 Audiophile CD Player for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Micromega Stage 1 Audiophile CD Player at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Ancient Citizen]

I used to live near a shop that specialised in HI FI equipment, it's still there and thriving, I believe. This place sold, sells, some seriously tasty kit, not that I'm in anyway au fait with the technicalities, but the blokes' customers spend thousands on just turntables, more on solid gold leads etc, and amps. Apparently, and the music geeks on here will probably affirm or otherwise, Vinyl is the best medium for the purists, as it delivers the inherent slight flaws and nuances cleaned up by digital, I don't know, is this true? All I know is he told me years ago that nobody went in to buy CD players, I don't remember if he even sold them, his business was directed at these particular, probably wealthy people, and with the vinyl resurgence still is.

 

[dronefromsector7G]

I haven’t bought a CD for 13 years. Admittedly I have no vinyl whatsoever either. My hifi broke 2 years ago which I bought in 1997 and it won’t be getting replaced. The 200 CDs I have are gathering dust on the top shelf.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

This is true, engines and bodywork are virtually bullet proof these days, but the computerised stuff can be well dodgy, and very expensive. Better off with a mint low mileage, older car without all that gubbins. I hate all the touch screen crap for the radios too, and what's this 'Keyless' bollocks all about, what, exactly, is the hardship about remote unlocking, (good feature), then sticking the key in the ignition and starting the bloody thing?

Yeah, my radio has suddenly stopped recognising the Bluetooth signal from my phone. I don't know which of the two is responsible, but I'm gonna go out and buy a wire. Better sound quality anyway.

 

[BlindEyeSeesAll]

I bought a Micromega stage 1 off eBay a couple of years ago, in near mint condition so I paid around £250 - worth every penny.

Here's one:

Micromega Stage 1 Audiophile CD Player for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Micromega Stage 1 Audiophile CD Player at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Just realised you're looking for something to download your CD's to and not a new player!

Anyway, for what it's worth: I use all formats for listening to music - but for pure sound quality vinyl is still the best IMO.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I used to live near a shop that specialised in HI FI equipment, it's still there and thriving, I believe. This place sold, sells, some seriously tasty kit, not that I'm in anyway au fait with the technicalities, but the blokes' customers spend thousands on just turntables, more on solid gold leads etc, and amps. Apparently, and the music geeks on here will probably affirm or otherwise, Vinyl is the best medium for the purists, as it delivers the inherent slight flaws and nuances cleaned up by digital, I don't know, is this true?

Technically speaking, CDs are better quality. Vinyl is like people who prefer real film in photography. More because it has a particular sound quality rather than because it has a better quality sound. That and the experience of the whole thing.

It's also worth mentioning that people spend a lot of money on things they believe is better, which doesn't mean it is. There's a million dollar prize up for grabs for anyone who can reliably tell the difference between decent quality speaker cables and gold ones in a double-blind test. Nobody has claimed it yet.