The cost of LP's and CD's - an observation
I have been adding to my CD collection by going to thrift shops, flea markets, and bookstores that carry used CD's. It's kind of like treasure hunting. I almost always return with 10 or more jazz CDs from top flight labels like ECM, Verve, Blue Note, etc and rarely pay more than $2-$3 each. Nice thing about CDs is that I have never had one that was unplayable because of condition. J.Chip |
Comparing the music of the last 60 years to "Classical" is a bit disingeous. Music survives due its inherent quality not the quality of its recording. My question is the hybrid solution to digital "sound" the introduction of tubes in the pathway? Vinyl cannot be the end all technology, despite its recent resurgence. Plus not sure most vinyl users get the same experience as those with uber systems. My vintage Thorens needs some upgrades to possibly equal my Tidal experience. |
And I remember the price of a CD being raised to $18.99. I believe Tower records initiated this with the record labels. That’s when I stopped buying new discs.I buy used CDs on Amazon and rip them to HD. Ripping program can "renew" pretty much all CDs, while used scratched LP cannot be repaired. That makes cost of CDs way lower. |
@mikelavigne There were no Loudness Wars in the 1980s, compression was low. We were able to hear compression on CDs vs records, but most people jumped on the CD bandwagon. Perfect sound forever. And yes, it was the beginning of recording individual artists from different locations to put together a record. In the 80s, the record labels exerted more power over bands and robbed them blind. If your band wasn’t a supergroup they were at the mercy of the label. The 80’s was perhaps the greatest era for record company profits. Consumers were price gauged with the cost of a CD. It cost the label about $1.50 to manufacture a disc including packaging. And I remember the price of a CD being raised to $18.99. I believe Tower records initiated this with the record labels. That’s when I stopped buying new discs. |
As much as I prefer my vinyl over digital, I also really enjoy new music. The simple reality is we close ourselves off to TONS of new music by limiting ourselves simply to vinyl, and listening to the same old stuff over and over. The genre’s I like on digital are selections that are MADE for the digital spectrum. Also, the convenience of digital is what it is. For casual listening it’s hard to beat. As much as vinyl has taken off over the last few years, it will never, ever, surpass the digital market. Ever... just the way it is. |
I, and I'm sure like many on this forum, find my music listening is based on my mood. Especially after a work day. Jazz, classic rock, classical, bluegrass, maybe some 80's punk ,etc. But I also find the medium to deliver the music is also based on my mood. Not entirely sure what drives the feeling for vinyl or CD's or streaming because its not based on the genre. I'm not gonna over analyze but it just works. Also, like wine pairing does anyone pair booze or cocktails with the music they're listening to? Man I started listening to some Ferit Odman based on glupson's comment and sure enough...Whiskey Sour. Perfect with Dameronia With Strings. Classic with a little zip. And I gotta agree CD's are to be had at the moment. I was lucky enough to stumble into a shop a few months ago and it was all CD's at the front of the house. 5 CD's for 10 bucks. 3 good recordings and 2 so-so but for $2 each how can I complain. And finding a shop like this is like finding a good fishing hole...now back to a whiskey sour and the rest of Ferit. |
They may have "started" in the 70's but they made their mark and the bulk of their music in the 80's. The Police and U2 are very much "epic". Prince? Doesn't get much more epic than that. Iron Maiden? Many consider Depeche Mode even today a lot more epic than many other groups. REM? .... People will be listening to Jackson for decades, probably Madonna. Whitney Houston not so much. Others like Bowie reinvented themselves for the era. |
I was kind of like that. Every record would be listened to once as it was dubbed onto the Pioneer RT, usually the whole album and then a few choice cuts that would go onto play lists. But then after that they would only come out for the occasional "serious listening session." Now its all "serious listening sessions". They come out all the time! |
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And there were record lovers who cleaned their new vinyl, applied “Last” to the pressing before it’s first spin, put in a blank cassette and recorded the music for future use. Putting the album and jackets both in plastic sleeves for pristine copies. Occasionally I would pull the vinyl out for another listen when in the mood. |
no doubt there is 80’s music i like, even love. and plenty we might all agree is beautiful. i own lots of it. but the 80’s was not a time of huge artistic changes in music, and the best and brightest of a generation were not music makers. they were on Wall Street or writing code. the process of music making was dumbed down and made relatively trivial. pro audio guys in the 80’s were throwing away their reel to reel decks and tube mixing consoles (or were new and never even worked with them so did not appreciate what they could do) and loudness wars reigned supreme. one piece of a recording was made in this town, another in this other town across the country. Michael Jackson and Madonna were King and Queen. god help us. :-) your honor, the prosecution rests. btw; i truly enjoy Michael Jackson’s and Madonna’s music.......but it’s pop stuff.....guilty pleasures. not epic. not even close. the best of the 80’s mostly started and flourished in the 60’s and 70’s first. |
Listening recently to: Baaba Maal: Missing youRokia Traore: Beautiful AfricaMary Halvorson: MeltframeJohn Daversa: CuarentenaKurt Elling: The Questions (studio album) Jessie Reyez: Being Human in PublicRosalia: Los AngelesBeyonce: Homecoming Live Not arguing that music in the golden age that @mikelavigne refers to was not beautiful. But the relatively recent releases I list are skillfully recorded and feature beautiful music. Does not make sense that human ingenuity in music was restricted to a specific, limited span of decades. Making music is a human feature. Not likely that the human gene pool would change in this short span of time to limit musical ability. My listing of Beyonce will likely elicit some snickers. But listen to that album. It's a recording of her concert of Coachella. She sings backed by a marching band. Consider how difficult it is arrange pop music for a marching band so that the vocals and other aspects of the music are not drowned by the brass or drums. Consider how difficult it is record. Check out Beyonce's talent and pleasure in playing with English when she raps in moments. Check out the rapid transition between songs, rhythms, and keys. Her singing is not as powerful as Arethra's but still remarkable. The album is a tour-de-force. |
it’s not just that analog is better, but that the recording process served the music and music making, much better then. and the musicians were....more special. Imagine: one take, no mix-downs- and all recorded to a standard far in excess of the finest playback systems of the day. Lightning in a bottle. Special, indeed. |
One thing that should be considered is longevity. CDs backed-up on HD can last forever (can be restored), while LPs will develop over time more noise and pops (that I cannot tolerate). Of course one can make analog tape copy or digitize LP, but original media cannot be recreated from it. Also, according to RIAA, copying CDs (for non-commercial use) on Audio CD-Rs is perfectly legal, since royalties are paid (included in the price of Audio CD-R). CD I copy from my friend doesn't have box/booklet but it cost about $0.25 It is not only the way to save money, but mostly to legally obtain CDs that are impossible to buy. |
thank you for the comments about the ’Ferit Odman’ rec. we need more music recorded and played like that. :-) I would not venture into saying that they think of current music as not being the golden age for the music they like. And they like it, no doubt about it. well....maybe....but all we have to do is look at the 80’s music to realize how little youth liking the music might matter. in the winds of time it’s like it never happened. time has not been kind to it. i suspect today's music might not be much better. |
"The great mass of people abandoned the quality of records for the convenience of CD. " In my case, nothing could be further from the truth. What caused me to pack my bags was the abysmal quality of LP's. Recall in my college days returning defective LP's over and over. Remember the ritual trying to guess which LP in the bin had the least tics and pops. THAT's what drove many of us to CD's. Ironically, I just hauled out my Project Expression table, Ortofon om super 20e, Bellari vp129, and Sennheiser hd580's. This all on a Salamander rack with built in goody drawer. I LIKE the ritual of tinkering with the table, cleaning the LP's. No doubt the nostalgia factor is operative but I love listening to these LP's all over again. This affordable gear plays together incredibly well and I get the whole LP thing. But if I want to demo my system, I would haul out a well engineered CD or SACD. Not for convenience, but for SQ. |
"literally the golden age of both music, and the recording process, came and went prior to digital.... As much as it is true that even current teenagers listen to Simon and Garfunkel, I would not venture into saying that they think of current music as not being the golden age for the music they like. And they like it, no doubt about it. Having said that, and in case I have not already thanked you, thanks for that Ferit Odman LP recommendation. It was worth it and I am recommending it to everyone who is willing to pay attention to me. I guess I am preaching coexistence? |
I enjoy music. Too much great music is not and never will be on "records.’ of course, you have that quite backwards. literally the golden age of both music, and the recording process, came and went prior to digital. it’s not just that analog is better, but that the recording process served the music and music making, much better then. and the musicians were....more special. we do have inferior digital copies of many of these recordings, but not nearly enough of them. few people would want only current music, in substitute for music from that classic period. let alone digital instead of analog. and there are plenty of vinyl versions of current music to keep it interesting. personally i don't want to choose so i have top flight digital. but if i had to choose, i know what it would be. |
"Is it now 15 or 20 years, or more, that records have been the one growth segment in the music industry? I've long since lost count. Or interest." Not much of a business analyst? These guys may not get it right, but they have analyzed the pattern for sure... https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/pages/infographics/music-in-the-air-2020/index.html?cid=sch-pd... |
Of course with streaming music of vinyl quality is unobtainable at any price, I think you meant to say. The great mass of people abandoned the quality of records for the convenience of CD. It has taken a very long time, decades in fact (and is ongoing still), but those who really listen to music naturally gravitate to quality, and that means records. Is it now 15 or 20 years, or more, that records have been the one growth segment in the music industry? I've long since lost count. Or interest. If you enjoy music get your records. Records do run out, and unlike digital cannot be replicated to infinity. Its only their sound quality goes to infinity. Given time, price will follow suit. |
