The past meets the future

i just don't get people who say that "good phonographic playback is totally noiseless" - that is basically like saying that analog tape is noiseless when it is quite obvious to anybody with ears that it is not. even a dolby A-encoded master tape has a residual amount of tape noise. even virgin vinyl in a lab-grade clean room has surface noise. how anybody can deny this is beyond me. 

@williewonka 

you said:

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• 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

Acrually:

- we have lost many profiles such as stereohydron

- the MM cantilevers by JVC and Technics are definitely not made anymore- hollow beryllium? jewel cantilevers are nothing new

- I agree with the re-tipper thing - some new guys think they are much better than the establishment and are extortionate

- more new cartridges? Pre1985 - no  - possibly vinyl dark age in the 90’s

- more turntables? No - compare to 1970’s heyday 

I think you are talking about the 90’s when  the only thing to really keep vinyl in the mainstream were DJ wannabe’s like me. 
 

People buy for vinyl now for really naff kitsch reasons (ie they love the crackles) and often get awful Usb link decks that really do no justice to the format. Nearly all vinyl is digitally mastered too. 180gram is a bit of a con to satisfy a somewhat dim market. Sadly this has forced vinyl prices stratospherically. Vinyl costs at least double CD prices due to retooling. I used to pick up superb vinyl at car boot sales in the 90’s and at jumble sales. 
I am sorry to sound grumpy 😠 but I am not - I am just being realistic 

btw I was also thinking of I-Robot.

Damn auto correct on phone

As to the issue artist treated unfairly in distribution of money with streaming. I agree there are issues here, but this is not inherent to streaming platform, its simply an unfair business model at present.

And since when have we not had unfair business models in the music business? I remember when a few record companies controlled the entire recording and distribution networks, Some bands signing for multi $100k contracts, others for relative pennies, and that if they could get recorded at all! Think of how many band never even got to record in the bad old days! I know I have a few cd's of these totally obscure bands from 60's into 80's where bands only output was some demos that were never released in the day. What about all these bands?

No, if one is going to lament the good old days, if you look back without the rose colored glasses you'll see they weren't so good. I lament what I believe will be the passing of vinyl, don't lament the business models that existed during it's heyday. I'll also add, the vinyl situation as it applies to business models continues to be very bad. I bet more than 90% of streaming content NOT available on vinyl. Most of the vinyl I see is the some reissue of some reissue of older material for which bands have been handsomely paid or current popular bands which are also being handsomely paid.

At least with streaming and the wide availability of home recording equipment one has a much better chance of having your music heard vs. vinyl. Since streaming I've heard the most obscure bands imaginable, both current and from those not so good old days. Just yesterday I discovered Moondog, totally obscure experimental artist from the 60's, the guy had to invent his own label, and of course no one heard his music back in the day, eventually left for Europe to be heard. This guy also has amazing life story, which is another bonus of streaming in that you get some insight into artists with attendant stories on artist and/or recording screen.

Streaming is awesome in that I get to discover new artists and new releases from old artists all the time. My musical horizons have been pushed much farther than vinyl ever allowed. Back in the day, the only way I could broaden my music horizons was through University student FM stations.

How can vinyl hope to compete with streaming going into future. I don't think its possible just based on some of the above. Vinyl requires expenditures most artists can't afford, pressing and distribution costs alone make it prohibitive. Vinyl will never be more than nostalgic or niche in future.

@sns 

+1 Good comments.