Records and CDs


I’ve just spent a couple of weeks exclusively going through my extensive record collection playing hardly any digital media and have come to some conclusions.
Records are fun and enjoyable to work with, but ultimately for a music lover they’re a dead end. Since very few new titles are being released on records these days I find myself going through mainly old familiar performances. Then there’s the age old problem of comparing the SQ of both media which is maddening. I just today went back to streaming (and CDs.). I clearly see, for me this is the way to continue my listening habits. Records can be used as a diversion but not the main event.

128x128rvpiano

In the beginning, we had AM radio or vinyl.  The we got FM and cassettes or 8-track.  We have come a long way in the world of Hi-Fi.  I still listen to vinyl when I am feeling nostalgic.  Dad had  a medium size collection of vinyl including Johnny Horton, Merle, even Ray Charles.  He ruined every record stacking 6 at a time on the cheap record changer. Ow!            @RVPiano

Wow, I completely forgot about the stacked record changer. Hmm, I was thinking about VTA… then remember I used to have to tape a penny or a nickel to the tone arm to hold it down… yeah… nice warm tubes, but terrible record players.

Why would you want to get rid of your record collection that you worked very hard to culminate? It’s like a music library/history. That would be like saying I’m a book collector and I have created a beautiful library, but want to sell off the books because I can have them all on my kindle! Really? Would you actually truly still own those books? I don’t think so. Unless room Is of a concern, then why even consider such. To me, I find great satisfaction being able to walk on over to the record collection, randomly pulling one off the shelf and playing it. I sometimes even forget what I have and I’m surprised all over again. I find it peaceful to know I have that luxury of ownership. Streaming takes away a large part of the hobby, the touchy and Feely part. How much info are you getting from looking at a tiny screen, if there is a screen at all. 

@boxcarman I still own and use a stereo tuner, several actially. I own a dynalab, kenwood, camridge audio, and several others. I also own a nakamichi tape deck, as well as two Aiwa and a vintage Toshiba. I play them all. To me, both FM stereo and a "good" tape deck sound very very good to me. In fact, I’d rather listen to them more so than any stream of any sort. Something about that Analog sound.

Too each his own.

That said ….

- to my ears, analog sounds better than digital. For example: I was able to tell that the sound quality of MOFI had declined, but I did not know why until the controversy leaped out into the press.
- I like the process of taking the record out of the sleave, clamping it to the table, starting the table, lifting the arm, placing the arm down, and settling into the armchair with a Pino or a joint. It’s ritualistic rhythms are part of my zen of listening.
- there are dozens of titles being released and re-released on vinyl. I really do not know what you are talking about there.