New vinyl's noisy little secret

"Is it just impossible to make this old-generation type of vinyl currently?"

You would think for the prices charged it would be possible.

Then again, when records were plentiful 30-40 years ago, new records cost more or less what most CDs cost today. Factor in inflation, and maybe it just is not cost effective at all to make 'em like they used to anymore, especially for a niche, low volume market.

BTW, the only records I buy these days are either used titles that I can pick up for a pittance (less than cost of CD) or older higher quality records that may cost more but are not similarly available on well mastered and produced CDs these days.

For apples/apples choices between vinyl and CD, I will generally chose CD. You may call for the straight-jacket for me, but I think good CDs sound just fine and often better than vinyl equivalents.

BTW, I agree that some of the best sounding records are old MOR/pop/orchestral vinyl recordings from those days. Henry Mancini is a good example, but I can think of many others as well, soundtracks, etc.

Of course we were all too cool to listen to that stuff then, but armed with our ultra performing modern rigs now, those old geezer recordings are often something else!

the days of using virgin vinyl are long gone, as are the days of hundreds of pressing plants competing to top each other, and 'cost effective' pressing runs. even the cardboard cover runs today are incredibly expensive. add the above to numerous costs including 180 or 200gm vinyl(bs),the cost of shipping, and yes, the good old days are gone. the above mentioned 'mancini' record probably had an initial run of over 100k units alone back in the day. the days of hundreds of thousands of turntables being made that are dependable and affordable?...yeah, they're gone too.

07-08-09: Jaybo
...The days of hundreds of thousands of turntables being made that are dependable and affordable?...yeah, they're gone too.

Well, except for the Technics SL12x0 series--over 3 million manufactured and available for $400, which is equivalent to $107 in 1976 when they came out for around $350.

No matter how you feel about the Technics DD turntables, they are indisputably "dependable and affordable".

And speaking of the soundtrack to Hatari, I would imagine that's a fun record. I've found many RCAs from the early '60s black label era to be a real hoot. I usually heard the music from those albums on my plastic-bodied Zenith AM clock radio, so when I play these records now on my relatively hi-rez system, revelations abound.

I just played "Baby Elephant Walk" (written for Hatari and also won a Grammy), and I was really surprised to find that the instrument that drives that song is a real, honest-to-God calliope. You can hear the air pressure and rush whenever it's playing.

Similarly, I have some Al Hirt records (RCA black label), and I was surprised to find that his hit songs like "Java", "Sugar Lips", and "Cotton Candy" all make extensive use of vocal harmonies in the crescendos.