The past meets the future

Nothing beats shopping in a good record store....leafing through albums,perusing the covers and liner notes. Digital is nice, but it doesn't give the tactile experience that records do.

Interesting thread - lots of nostalgia floating around, but here is what I am seeing since the advent of the CD.

• more new sytlus profiles have been developed than at any time prior to the advent of the CD
• More cantilever materials have been employed to improve cartridge performance
•  More retipping services are now available than at any time in the past
• More new cartridges are now available
• More new Tutntable designs are now available to the market
  • from entry level to highest end products
• More third party arms are now available
• More audio companies are now building Phono stages
• More artists are releasing albums in both formats
  • AND the quality of new vinyl is improving 
• more used record outlets are popping up everywhere
• more younger people are discovering the "kick back and relax" approach, when listening to vinyl
• I know younger people are really getting intl the album cover art and included artist's notes
  • they find the foramt is a more intimite connection to the artist and the album

I think vinyl has made its resurgence and established itself as another medium that for some is preferred.

I have some albums in both formats

Both formats perform to very similar levels in my system, so for me, it's not a case of which one is better.

I just see each format  as serving a different purpose

1. the convenience of the NAS drive or streaming service, more for backgroud music when friends are over
2. vs. those "Rrituals" that for me, puts me into a more "relaxed frame of mind"
   • plus a glass of my favourite beverage 🤪

Where will it all end up? Only time will tell - but MY vinyl rig is here to stay

Regards - Steve

@williewonka

Very true about the resurgent phase… the number and variety of really high end gear… reliant of course on material science as well a improved techniques and specialization has been remarkable. Very satisfying for us old guys steeped in a lifetime of collecting.

A glass of great red wine and vinyl go well. Tonite, Leone D'Oro Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, 2015

Yes, there continues to be innovation in vinyl, but not to the same extent and speed of digital. Vinyl has some real physical limitations, both in recording and playback arenas, digital much less. What does this mean for future?

I can only say as a boomer, vinyl was the dominant physical playback medium. From the time we were children we were exposed to record players and records, as budding audiophiles, turntables, cartridges held all our attention. We gathered great numbers of albums, albums easily available at department, drug, record, discount stores. Even allowing for inflation, albums were relatively cheap, we could use allowance or paper route money to purchase records. And I could go on and on. This was the golden age of audio to my mind, records dominated in so many ways. Today it is only niche, certainly there has been a renaissance, but this has been from near extinction levels. If I compare youth today to those of my time, vinyl is practically or totally non-existent for them. Between many, many youthful relatives and friends of theirs, the only youth I know involved with vinyl are DJ's, not a single one has turntable or home stereo system, most have or have had albums owned by parents in the home, all sold or cast off in garage or attic. I hear about this vinyl resurgence but don't see it with youthful masses, the only youth I observe becoming involved with vinyl are the budding audiophiles, relatively few and far between

I have fond memories of vinyl, lament the vast majority of today's youth won't  have these experiences and memories of a particular music format. I love steaming, but these vinyl experiences and memories cannot be replicated by streaming for the youth of today.

@sns

+1

To me the real key to longevity is performance. Sure, there is nostalgia, or cachet. Take for instance the wrist watch. As a child… young adult… adult I saw the Rolex the mark of a successful man. I had lusted after one since a kid. So ten or fifteen years ago I was in a work position that it would have been appropriate to wear such a accoutrement. My experience with luxury stuff was that in addition to being a work of art… they were functionally far superior… I mean… high end, fountain pens, audio gear, cars.. etc. You get superior performance AND great aesthetics. My Lexus was a tremendous surprise, it exceeded my expectations in performance in every way… it was a bargain. That is the definition of luxury stuff to me… expensive, but a bargain. 

So I bought a Tag Heuer as a tip toe in before I spent $10- 15K on a Rolex. I was shocked at its poor time keeping performance. Plus or minus a couple seconds a day. I got it fixed by the manufacturer to keep time to a second a day. That is good for a mechanical Rolex or Tag. I was practically living in Japan. There can be two trains within 1 minute… you need to know the exact time… not some generality. I don’t want to be spending all sorts of tie fiddling with my $15K watch. How is that luxury? I was really disappointed and disillusioned.I want back to the drawing board.

So after lots of research I found the Seiko Astron for a few thousand. Beautiful, but accurate within 1/10,000 of a second for 10,000 years, solar powered, and automatically changed time zones where you walked off the plane. Absolutely no question I was getting on the right train. Now, that is a luxury good! It doesn’t have the gold and recognition… but it is superior in performance and looks great.

My point is that when a good looses its performance edge… it’s appeal becomes all nostalgic… which will appeal to a hugely smaller population. so, as digital gets the sonic edge in all cost categories the renaissance will be over. Sure, there will be folks that continue to love it… but the audience will drop to tiny.