Vinyl records making a comeback? - Page 3

**Office Boy** · June 21st, 2012, 08:54 PM

My collection contains a mix of cd's and vinyls. But because of the rapid price drop in cd's now, I now will not pay a lot to buy a cd at places like HMV and so on. Fortunately, I am fairly content with what I have on cd, and over the last ten months, have turned back to vinyl and are now collecting 7' singles and EP'S as well as 12' singles or albums.

In a lot of cases, the vinyls are better value for money, and if you're lucky enough you could be sitting on a little goldmine if you have certain releases by well known popstars and groups. The picture sleeves and picture discs are an even better bonus.

The thing with vinyl is you get its original recording, and one thing I cannot stand these days, is getting an 'enhanced' version on cd. The chances are, the enhanced version is not as good as the original-it rarely is. If you liked a record so much back then and went out and bought it, you would not like an updated version of it because you know how it should sound. And if it does sound different, well you may decide you have wasted your money.

The thing about vinyl is its uniqueness. The thought and artistry that went into some of them, the designs, ideas and the like on the LP sleeves. Jethro Tull's 'Stand Up' album, which when you open up the double sleeve, the band members stand up like in a cardboard cutout. The Beatles, Bowie, Led Zep, Stones, Mike Oldfield. The list is endless. You don't get this kind of VFM on cd, if it is reproduced, well sometimes the lack of thought that goes into these cd's amazes me. You cannot always read the writings-it's so small or its colours are difficult to distinguish. The plastic corner brackets often break off and on a double cd, a disc might fall out when you open it.

Yes you might get the crackles on a vinyl, but that is part of the authenticity of it. It's simple, you have a record that fits into an sleeve, then slides into a bigger cardboard sleeve. You can read all the words on the songsheet if there is one, and all the credits and details. Not possible with the majority of cd's.

**9876543210** · June 21st, 2012, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlg118

Plus you could use the record cover to clean the seeds out of your bag of weed. Try doing that with a CD case.

Ahhh, the 70's!!!! The memories....... oh the memories!

**NIN** · June 21st, 2012, 09:58 PM

The thing with a lot of CDs produced in the 80s & early 90s is that they used the same master tapes to produce the digital counterparts

These do have the EQs compromised for Vinyl mastering , bass frequencies are reduced to allow the 25 mins per side (whether vinyl fetishists like it or not - it's fact)
& Some early CD releases were actually vinyl rips

direct recordings from a vinyl album.

You can easily notice differences in the same song simply by looking at the volume of waveforms...

Original 1986 release ..

.. & the 2002 Re-issue ..

Frequencies have been maximised & volume adjusted

However there are some things that do not go so well when 'on this example' Re-Mastering goes ahead without the Band or Producer at the helm and Master tapes are acquired & re-worked.

The prime example I can demonstrate clearly is the Blancmange reissue of Believe You Me. There are many differences easily audible on this album, Backing Vox are left out from some tracks and one track is the Single release & not the Original album version.

But nothing is as noticable and unforgivable as seemingly leaving a fader down on a drum rhythm track as shown here in the Intro of "Other Animals" & you can clearly see a silent section on the reissue

and 15 second clips consecutively to demonstrate the audio ... Click Here

Some good points & some bad - so I try to keep Original releases as well as acquiring some of the re-issues
(when finances & space allow

)

**mitchspur** · June 21st, 2012, 10:08 PM

I've still got a box of 350 Tamla Motown singles. All the pre-68 in the bright orange sleeves. Then post 68 in the darker brown covers. It includes loads of U.S. singles on the Gordy, Tamla V.I.P. etc.
BUT I could only see someone buying them as a collection.
I've got loads of Stax & Atlantic.
But i sold most my reggae to a dealer. I made over £300 with my albums as well. But I don't see vinyl as being collectable any more.
I then collected everything on CD as well. don't know how many cd's I've got.
BUT now I've got an i-Tunes library with over 42,000 songs!!
the only things i need are available on YouTube now so i copy from there. I think I've paid enough money over the years, to earn the right!
My i-Tunes won't even fit on my i-Pod classic now.
But I never thought I would seriously be content with it in 'Computer Mode' as it were, But I am.

**billybunter** · September 9th, 2012, 05:10 PM

I still buy vinyl. I love it. Turntable sales are up as are vinyl sales.

**mizlaplan** · September 9th, 2012, 09:43 PM

I've got a 2 foot pile of LP's in a cupboard which I'm to scared to play these days in case I damage them.
I've seen ads for vinyl to cd/MP3 turntables in the press.
Are they any good?
There's this one Hendrix LP track I'd love to transfer over to digital just so I can play it over and over and over.
But only if the quality is good enough.

**steamjon** · September 9th, 2012, 11:50 PM

I had a batch of scratched vinyls from yesteryear.

I look (as they are unplayable) at them occasionally to remind me how crap vinyl records were.

noodlesoup · September 10th, 2012, 09:37 AM

I've got about 300 records; classic rock, prog, fusion, jazz, 80's pop/new wave and a few newer albums for good measure. My stereo is simple and effective (I like it that way). I clean my records and keep them in good sleeves.

I usually buy one or two at a time, with no sign of letting up. The hobby is rewarding, as I love music and LP's are just a great and indescribable pleasure to own and collect.

Steely Dan, Cream, Talking Heads, Judas Priest, Herbie Hancock... it's all alive and well in my room!

**G-Type** · September 10th, 2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizlaplan

...
I've seen ads for vinyl to cd/MP3 turntables in the press.
Are they any good?

The answer is simple - no, they aren´t!

The crucial point is the cartridge on these converter-turntables. They are mostly the cheapest available. The analogue signal to get converted will be poor by result, disregardless how high the sample-rate on the converter operates.

AFAIK, there are adaptors available which can pick the signal from your regular turntable and the being transferred to your PC which will then do the conversion-process by use of appropriate software.

**NIN** · September 10th, 2012, 11:17 AM

I agree with George totally

Better to get a half-decent midrange turntable, put it through your Hi Fi amplifier & run the 'Rec Out' that would normally go to your Cassette/Recorder to your computer audio in (perhaps thru a mixer if you have one - to tweak any EQ)
Most software will allow a level of EQ adjustment or Parametric Equaliser after audio-capture

June 21st, 2012, 08:54 PM	#21
Office Boy Former Staff Join Date: May 2008 Location: in the office upstairs Posts: 1,415 Thanks: 6,048 Thanked 40,273 Times in 1,357 Posts	My collection contains a mix of cd's and vinyls. But because of the rapid price drop in cd's now, I now will not pay a lot to buy a cd at places like HMV and so on. Fortunately, I am fairly content with what I have on cd, and over the last ten months, have turned back to vinyl and are now collecting 7' singles and EP'S as well as 12' singles or albums. In a lot of cases, the vinyls are better value for money, and if you're lucky enough you could be sitting on a little goldmine if you have certain releases by well known popstars and groups. The picture sleeves and picture discs are an even better bonus. The thing with vinyl is you get its original recording, and one thing I cannot stand these days, is getting an 'enhanced' version on cd. The chances are, the enhanced version is not as good as the original-it rarely is. If you liked a record so much back then and went out and bought it, you would not like an updated version of it because you know how it should sound. And if it does sound different, well you may decide you have wasted your money. The thing about vinyl is its uniqueness. The thought and artistry that went into some of them, the designs, ideas and the like on the LP sleeves. Jethro Tull's 'Stand Up' album, which when you open up the double sleeve, the band members stand up like in a cardboard cutout. The Beatles, Bowie, Led Zep, Stones, Mike Oldfield. The list is endless. You don't get this kind of VFM on cd, if it is reproduced, well sometimes the lack of thought that goes into these cd's amazes me. You cannot always read the writings-it's so small or its colours are difficult to distinguish. The plastic corner brackets often break off and on a double cd, a disc might fall out when you open it. Yes you might get the crackles on a vinyl, but that is part of the authenticity of it. It's simple, you have a record that fits into an sleeve, then slides into a bigger cardboard sleeve. You can read all the words on the songsheet if there is one, and all the credits and details. Not possible with the majority of cd's. __________________ DON'T TREAD ON ME.

June 21st, 2012, 09:58 PM	#23
NIN Banned Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 8,823 Thanks: 200,569 Thanked 131,967 Times in 9,045 Posts	Some issues regarding CD re-issues The thing with a lot of CDs produced in the 80s & early 90s is that they used the same master tapes to produce the digital counterparts These do have the EQs compromised for Vinyl mastering , bass frequencies are reduced to allow the 25 mins per side (whether vinyl fetishists like it or not - it's fact) & Some early CD releases were actually vinyl rips direct recordings from a vinyl album. You can easily notice differences in the same song simply by looking at the volume of waveforms... Original 1986 release .. .. & the 2002 Re-issue .. Frequencies have been maximised & volume adjusted However there are some things that do not go so well when 'on this example' Re-Mastering goes ahead without the Band or Producer at the helm and Master tapes are acquired & re-worked. The prime example I can demonstrate clearly is the Blancmange reissue of Believe You Me. There are many differences easily audible on this album, Backing Vox are left out from some tracks and one track is the Single release & not the Original album version. But nothing is as noticable and unforgivable as seemingly leaving a fader down on a drum rhythm track as shown here in the Intro of "Other Animals" & you can clearly see a silent section on the reissue and 15 second clips consecutively to demonstrate the audio ... Click Here Some good points & some bad - so I try to keep Original releases as well as acquiring some of the re-issues (when finances & space allow )

September 9th, 2012, 05:10 PM	#25
billybunter R.I.P. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gone But Not Forgotten Posts: 14,404 Thanks: 51,687 Thanked 252,376 Times in 14,171 Posts	I still buy vinyl. I love it. Turntable sales are up as are vinyl sales. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

September 9th, 2012, 09:43 PM	#26
mizlaplan Good show! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The Marches Posts: 2,526 Thanks: 102,981 Thanked 31,900 Times in 2,528 Posts	I've got a 2 foot pile of LP's in a cupboard which I'm to scared to play these days in case I damage them. I've seen ads for vinyl to cd/MP3 turntables in the press. Are they any good? There's this one Hendrix LP track I'd love to transfer over to digital just so I can play it over and over and over. But only if the quality is good enough. __________________ motley crew though they were, they were all happily united in the roisterous, bawdy camaraderie of lust.

June 21st, 2012, 10:08 PM	#24
mitchspur Vintage Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5,660 Thanks: 10,168 Thanked 87,393 Times in 5,775 Posts	I've still got a box of 350 Tamla Motown singles. All the pre-68 in the bright orange sleeves. Then post 68 in the darker brown covers. It includes loads of U.S. singles on the Gordy, Tamla V.I.P. etc. BUT I could only see someone buying them as a collection. I've got loads of Stax & Atlantic. But i sold most my reggae to a dealer. I made over £300 with my albums as well. But I don't see vinyl as being collectable any more. I then collected everything on CD as well. don't know how many cd's I've got. BUT now I've got an i-Tunes library with over 42,000 songs!! the only things i need are available on YouTube now so i copy from there. I think I've paid enough money over the years, to earn the right! My i-Tunes won't even fit on my i-Pod classic now. But I never thought I would seriously be content with it in 'Computer Mode' as it were, But I am.

September 9th, 2012, 11:50 PM	#27
steamjon Vintage Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,109 Thanks: 6,188 Thanked 22,400 Times in 1,260 Posts	I had a batch of scratched vinyls from yesteryear. I look (as they are unplayable) at them occasionally to remind me how crap vinyl records were.

September 10th, 2012, 09:37 AM	#28
noodlesoup Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Washington State Posts: 147 Thanks: 3,946 Thanked 1,841 Times in 146 Posts	I've got about 300 records; classic rock, prog, fusion, jazz, 80's pop/new wave and a few newer albums for good measure. My stereo is simple and effective (I like it that way). I clean my records and keep them in good sleeves. I usually buy one or two at a time, with no sign of letting up. The hobby is rewarding, as I love music and LP's are just a great and indescribable pleasure to own and collect. Steely Dan, Cream, Talking Heads, Judas Priest, Herbie Hancock... it's all alive and well in my room!

September 10th, 2012, 11:17 AM	#30
NIN Banned Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 8,823 Thanks: 200,569 Thanked 131,967 Times in 9,045 Posts	I agree with George totally Better to get a half-decent midrange turntable, put it through your Hi Fi amplifier & run the 'Rec Out' that would normally go to your Cassette/Recorder to your computer audio in (perhaps thru a mixer if you have one - to tweak any EQ) Most software will allow a level of EQ adjustment or Parametric Equaliser after audio-capture