I fitted the newly purchased replacement Ortofon Red 2M stylus, as discussed in A New Stylus the other day and played some Human League vinyl (but more on that in a later blog). It got me thinking about record players and vinyl.
I watched Steve Guttenberg’s
New Year’s AUDIOPHILE Resolutions + 5 Viewer Systems of the Day!
and then went on to
Vinyl Revolution – Documentary Short Film led by YouTube, you know how it goes.
Discussion
There is a lot of discussion about vinyl in the form of – ‘it’s better than X’, ‘CD’s are dying out’, streaming isn’t tactile’. I love and collect vinyl but not to the exclusion of other formats. My CD collection is large and I buy albums from Bandcamp to stream. All three have a place in my love of music. One of the main reasons is that the expense of changing from one format to another, to another is prohibitive.
I feel each format has its positives and negatives. However, what is touted as a positive for vinyl can also be a negative. For example, size of media. The large album is great for artwork and liner notes but this can be a negative, if you don’t have enough space to store it all.
Also, what is touted as a negative for CD can also be a positive. For example, looking at size of media again. The small size of a CD may constrain the appreciation of artwork and liner notes but it is easier to store. This is just a single, simple example but there are many more.
At different times, I like to listen to music via different formats and the format is dictated by my mood and even location.
I like to collect. Each format allows me to do this, in its own way.
I also feel people’s opinions are flavoured by the way in which they listen to music. The types of systems vary greatly. There are many combinations of amps, speakers, DACs and more. It is for this reason that, while I felt the documentary was good, I didn’t agree with every opinion. Definitely worth a watch tho’.
Some Thoughts
- Choose your system carefully –
- It requires a stylus, not a nail –
- Music is for everyone, you don’t have to be an audiophile (but it helps) –
Watched the following after writing the above
Part 3: Analog vs digital – can vinyl ever sound better than digital?
Nothing is ever cut and dried – you have to research it for yourself and come up with what works for you. Try not to be influenced…
(After all this, I ended the day listening to Carbon Based Lifeforms – VLA, on Bandcamp, through my laptop speakers – lol)
Peace and music
rp
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