Home » Audio » Source » What explains new popularity of vinyl records?
What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89359] Sat, 15 December 2018 10:40 Go to next message
musicluvr is currently offline  musicluvr
Messages: 60
Registered: December 2018
Viscount
It feels like vinyl records are experiencing a resurgence in popularity among mainstream sellers and buyers. Since we're living in a digital world, what explains the revival of almighty vinyl?
Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89361 is a reply to message #89359] Sat, 15 December 2018 11:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rusty is currently offline  Rusty
Messages: 1068
Registered: May 2018
Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
I think the children and grandchildren of the baby boom generation have found this medium nostalgic, through shared experience with remembrance with their parents, grandparents, and a hipster inspired interest in a more hands on experience with music reproduction. Then all the aging boomers themselves, such as I that never left it behind. It's a fluke sort of, but there was decades of old equipment available that were bought for cheap for awhile, then new opportunistic production got rolling again to meet the demand. Most of which is sub par. I spect it will fade away as fads do. Kept going by eccentrics and remaining old pharts spinning records to oblivion.

Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89381 is a reply to message #89359] Sun, 16 December 2018 20:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gofar99 is currently offline  gofar99
Messages: 1889
Registered: May 2010
Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, You get some satisfaction from setting up the gear and playing them well. Sort of a diy well done feedback loop.....plus they sound terrific on a good system.

Good Listening
Bruce
Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89389 is a reply to message #89381] Mon, 17 December 2018 08:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lost the Remote is currently offline  Lost the Remote
Messages: 145
Registered: June 2017
Master
That's how my sister Madison and I got hooked on vinyl, Rusty. Our father passed away and we stumbled upon his records while cleaning things out. Surprisingly, all but a couple of his records still sound terrific. I know my old tapes and CDs would never last that long.
Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89393 is a reply to message #89389] Mon, 17 December 2018 10:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18664
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Most audiophiles I know that run analog source gear (turntables and/or reel-to-reel) claim it sounds better than digital.

I don't know that I would agree in all cases - High-res digital recording is capable of really good quality, and side-steps the noise problems inherent in analog recording.

But I would agree that high-end analog sources are quite a bit better than a lot of the digital formats, e.g. standard CD and medium and low-res MP3 files.

Guess that goes without saying though. It's probably not fair to compare the best analog sources to the worst digital sources and say, "see there, analog is superior!"

Still, a nice clean half-speed master vinyl record sounds really sweet.
Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89436 is a reply to message #89393] Sun, 23 December 2018 10:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Porter is currently offline  Porter
Messages: 72
Registered: December 2018
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I can't remember where I read it, but I found an article recently that gave Spotify credit for raising interest in vinyl. Personally, I still think it's a fairly niche form of entertainment. Perhaps it just seems to have gained popularity to us because we're in an echo chamber of other audio fans.
Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89442 is a reply to message #89436] Mon, 24 December 2018 09:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18664
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I think that if there was an article written by someone that claimed Spotify was responsible for "the comeback of vinyl," that author was probably very young. I say that because Spotify itself is very young.

Vinyl and reel-to-reel formats have enjoyed a growing resurgence since around Y2K. I noticed it at audio shows, which is where audiophile trends are seen first. All analog formats were growing in popularity, with record collectors working hard to obtain the best recordings from existing old stock.

By the mid-2000s, the popularity of vinyl had already grown enough that companies started re-issuing new release 180g vinyl pressings. That tells me that vinyl resurgence was well underway by the time Spotify was "born."
Re: What explains new popularity of vinyl records? [message #89504 is a reply to message #89359] Mon, 07 January 2019 02:18 Go to previous message
Newjack is currently offline  Newjack
Messages: 62
Registered: December 2018
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In my opinion, the notion that Spotify is responsible for the resurgence in vinyl records is silly. As Wayne pointed out, Spotify is quite "new" in the grand scheme of things. Vinyl was already "coming back" long before then.
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