Vinyl or CD?

[Jahova]

Why would you even use CDs now, let alone vinyl. It (vinyl) sounds terrible, even if you're a DJ you can get away with MP3 based decks now.

You are incorrect. Vinyl is analogue meaning it is one continuous wave. It is the highest quality audio format anyone can get. A CD is digital meaning the sound is chopped up.

Sorry but a vinyl record for a fact doesn't have as good of a sound quality as a CD.

Incorrect. The sound quality of a vinyl record is far superior than to any CD, see above.

The only reason anyone in their right mind would consider using vinyl is to look 'cool'.

CD's are the past, Vinyl is just.. ancient.

Incorrect:

• People may appreciate the highest quality audio;
• People may want to own their favourite music on a nice physical format;
• People may want to "read" their music (you can read the grooves of vinyl, looking at loudness, etc);
• If you are a DJ, you may want to play using vinyl (as they're more impressive & have a better feel) to DJ with;
• And yes, there are some people who buy vinyl to look 'cool'.

Also, a lot of modern dance music is released on vinyl record. Literally every track from the genres of Dubstep, Drum & Bass, House and Techno are all released on vinyl record.

Kinda related - It's Record Store Day today!

Spent too much I think, did anyone else buy stuff? Did you know about it? etc.

The guy infront of me bought the last Radiohead 12'', it was £8, now going for £80 on ebay. Not impressed.

They didn't stock Panda Bear either which was my other main priority, didn't have enough money left over to buy the Lady GaGa 12''. HOWEVER I GOT:

Xiu Xiu
Fleet Foxes
Wild Beasts
DOM
Foals
Rolo Tomassi
Flying Lotus
The Go! Team

Pretty impressed in getting the Wild Beasts single - only 250 out there - had to wait in line at about 8:30am though, and there were still around 30 people infront of me. OVERALL I AM KNACKERED.

Yeah, I DJ'ed at my local record shop, it was a 100% vinyl set (Dubstep) and it was a fantastic day! Was going to get the flying lotus release but then I spent my money on other things including a limited edition t-shirt Pictures at the bottom of my post

Finally, vinyl sales have actually increased hugely in the past few years, meanwhile, CD sales are decreasing rapidly. People want high quality audio and a good looking cover / artwork to play and collect for home use. Vinyl records are perfect for this. Want to argue with me about anything I've said? Go ahead, I have only stated facts.

Two pictures from record store day (not sure if I'm breaking rules, I've blacked out other peoples faces and only left mine):

[AgnesIO]

You are incorrect. Vinyl is analogue meaning it is one continuous wave. It is the highest quality audio format anyone can get. A CD is digital meaning the sound is chopped up.



Incorrect. The sound quality of a vinyl record is far superior than to any CD, see above.



Incorrect:

• People may appreciate the highest quality audio;
• People may want to own their favourite music on a nice physical format;
• People may want to "read" their music (you can read the grooves of vinyl, looking at loudness, etc);
• If you are a DJ, you may want to play using vinyl (as they're more impressive & have a better feel) to DJ with;
• And yes, there are some people who buy vinyl to look 'cool'.

Also, a lot of modern dance music is released on vinyl record. Literally every track from the genres of Dubstep, Drum & Bass, House and Techno are all released on vinyl record.



Yeah, I DJ'ed at my local record shop, it was a 100% vinyl set (Dubstep) and it was a fantastic day! Was going to get the flying lotus release but then I spent my money on other things including a limited edition t-shirt Pictures at the bottom of my post

Finally, vinyl sales have actually increased hugely in the past few years, meanwhile, CD sales are decreasing rapidly. People want high quality audio and a good looking cover / artwork to play and collect for home use. Vinyl records are perfect for this. Want to argue with me about anything I've said? Go ahead, I have only stated facts.

Two pictures from record store day (not sure if I'm breaking rules, I've blacked out other peoples faces and only left mine):

I do not wish to argue with you.

I apologise, my knowledge of club dance is appalling! Didn't realise club dance still used vinyl.

Also, although CD sales have fell, downloads have rocketed. Just like book sales fell, whereas e-book sales trebled.

[Eoin247]

orrrr to support their favourite band? i don't buy vinyl to look "cool", i just buy them to help support bands i like who MAINLY make their money off e.p vinyl releases.

i listen to alot of indie/alternative/electro stuff and regardless of what technology defines, they still use vinyl as a main form of selling music.

What bands still use vinyl as their main source of income? Might as well just donate money to them if the only reason vinyl is bought is to support the band.

[Plebings]

What bands still use vinyl as their main source of income? Might as well just donate money to them if the only reason vinyl is bought is to support the band.

yeah we could give them money for nothing, BUT BANDS EXIST TO MAKE MUSIC?? If a band decides to only release their music on vinyl, that's their choice.

Tours are really bands main income, but there are acts (like the one beth is talking about) who feel that vinyl have a more communial feel (again, the effort it takes to create, artwork, inside notes, limited pressings, etc) than CDs (blank disc, etc)

[lawrawrrr]

Vinyls are gorgeous - I usually buy music in electronic form but I do occasionally buy vinyls as collectibles/decorations - they're so pretty and classic

[beth]

What bands still use vinyl as their main source of income? Might as well just donate money to them if the only reason vinyl is bought is to support the band.

www.bloggyforeigner.blogspot.com feel free to browse their blog and look at their releases on vinyl. and yeh i might aswell donate money because i'm not using the vinyl but if they're selling it i will buy one to support them.

[FlyingJesus]

i listen to alot of indie/alternative/electro stuff and regardless of what technology defines, they still use vinyl as a main form of selling music.

Also, a lot of modern dance music is released on vinyl record. Literally every track from the genres of Dubstep, Drum & Bass, House and Techno are all released on vinyl record.

I'm certain a large part of the reason for these (especially in light of the fact that vinyl sales have shot up in recent years) is that it's currently the cool thing to have *+_*ViNtAgE+&* items and vinyl records are one of these omgindividual items. That said I do agree that for a lot of dance music it's a great advantage to be able to work with vinyl and if you can afford it then it's almost certainly worth getting into for any aspiring dance DJ

ALL THIS ASIDE I'd still choose CD over vinyl because it's so much easier to use and I don't keep my record player in my car

[beth]

I'm certain a large part of the reason for these (especially in light of the fact that vinyl sales have shot up in recent years) is that it's currently the cool thing to have *+_*ViNtAgE+&* items and vinyl records are one of these omgindividual items. That said I do agree that for a lot of dance music it's a great advantage to be able to work with vinyl and if you can afford it then it's almost certainly worth getting into for any aspiring dance DJ

ALL THIS ASIDE I'd still choose CD over vinyl because it's so much easier to use and I don't keep my record player in my car

vinyl is v.hipster.

[Plebings]

vinyl is v.hipster.

IT'S WHY WE LOVE IT

[N!ck]

You are incorrect. Vinyl is analogue meaning it is one continuous wave. It is the highest quality audio format anyone can get. A CD is digital meaning the sound is chopped up.

Incorrect. The sound quality of a vinyl record is far superior than to any CD, see above.

You are only correct with this because it's your opinion, not factual.

Technically speaking, CD should be of higher quality.

Let me put it like this, imagine a video cassette compared to a DVD/Blu-ray. Using your analogy, a video cassette is analogue meaning it is one continuous wave. It is the highest quality video format anyone can get. A DVD/Blu-ray is digital meaning the video is chopped up.

Now, I don't know the technical details about how exactly the audio is etched on the vinyl, but none of the equipment used to create the medium (the manufacturer) or to read it (your decks) is infinitely accurate as it must be to work in the way that you suggest. Also, because the vinyl is an analogue medium it means it's fundamentally impossible to reproduce an exact copy of it when being made. This means that theoretically every vinyl of the same thing will be slightly different (impossible for a human to hear, but there all the same).

The radio is also analogue (I'm not talking about DAB of course). Are you telling me that this is of the exact same quality as vinyl and superior to CDs?

A digital signal is chopped up into bits as you correctly state, which means it has a bandwidth. Without going into the mathematics of it all, you gan break an analogue signal down using a Fourier transform and will find that there is also a finite bandwidth to an analogue signal. I had the unfortunate pleasure of learning to do Fourier analysis as part of my degree course earlier this year.

Now, I haven't done any calculations or research, but I believe that if you did then you'd find that CD is a theoretically superior medium to vinyl.



Of course music is all about what you enjoy and vinyl does supposedly give a "warmer" feel to audio.

If you prefer the sound of vinyl to CD, then for you is is better, but please don't go around with the idea that it is the be-all and end-all.