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Why it’s a good time to start collecting vinyl
Interesting article from the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/onlin...8_Am8yF4m2qpps Collecting vinyl isn’t just for lovers of vintage music; a growing number of younger record collectors are getting involved in the addictive pastime – and with good reason. Vinyl is back and spinning into our lives. A surprise success story in an industry that is largely dominated by digital, last year it recorded its highest sales since 1988. A sound and quality investment, you can find these covetable and collectable blasts from the past at online auction houses such as catawiki.com. When I think of vinyl, I recall my childhood, when my father, now 64, would play the likes of Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin for hours on end on his old yet fully functioning record player. His generation enjoyed the pinnacle of the vinyl era. In 2016, however, it is no longer just the baby boomers keeping the old flame alive and spinning. Astonishingly, as every other format of music sales spirals downhill, the vinyl revival is only increasing in volume – and that is largely thanks to millennials. In 2015, consumer research website Music Watch reported that under-25s made half of the vinyl purchases in the United States. That represents a peachy 8 million records bought by today’s youth. Even Justin Bieber sells surprisingly well on vinyl It seems that touchy-feely vinyl is serving up a whole new listening experience and a visceral new way to engage with music that is being lapped up by curious snap-instagramming-twittering adolescents. Even more surprising, they are more interested in investing in old records and limited edition sets than current chart hits. “In an increasingly digital age, vinyl records can provide a deeper, tactile connection to music that resonates with some of the biggest fans,” according to Josh Friedlander, vice-president of strategic data analysis at the Recording Industry Association of America. Modern-day musicians are not oblivious to this fact. Adele’s 25 and Taylor Swift’s 1989 records were both in the top five album vinyl sales of 2015. Even Justin Bieber sells surprisingly well on vinyl. Overall in 2015, sales in the US rose by 30 per cent, with 12 million records sold. That was a staggering increase on 2014, when sales peaked at 9 million. In the UK, vinyl is expected to smash past the three-million mark by the end of this year. If you invest in a vinyl collection, your taste in and appreciation of music can soar. Although recent popular artists are cashing in on the buzz, the majority of collectors listen to artists from the original vinyl era. David Bowie’s Blackstar is set to be the biggest seller of 2016, closely followed by musical and cultural giant such as Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd. In the UK, vinyl is expected to smash past the three-million mark by the end of this year These artists and their vinyl output, symbolic of an era that isn’t defined by commercial success, boy bands, or run by record company accountants, tell us a story that cannot be discovered via the click of a finger. And you are not only investing in quality music but also a quality work of art. The square sleeve format is an integral part of the experience, and one that expanded the careers of artists such as Andy Warhol, Roger Dean, Burt Goldblatt and Peter Saville. Their designs created a visual language for music and turned records into some of the most recognisable of the world’s artworks. Be smart and invest now because these stunning visual masterpieces are only going up in price and demand. In the late 1960s, the Beatles’ iconic album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cost $2-$3. Today an original from this era is estimated at $280 (£225). So vinyl looks good – but most importantly, how good does it sound? “Many digital music files and streaming services have sound that is actually quite poor, because of their compression. Vinyl produces a much fuller sound, which balances the quiets and the louds,” says Chad Jacobsen, chief sound engineer of Iowa State University music department. In other words, vinyl is full-fat while digital is semi-skimmed. Technically, digital may be a little cleaner but a lot of beneficial elements get filtered out. The difference isn’t huge but vinyl does provide a richer and fuller sound that should keep you satisfied longer, making it a foolproof investment. Don’t call it a comeback – vinyl has been here for years. It’s time to face the music and start your vinyl collection. Check out Catawiki’s weekly record auctions to see what vintage pieces for record prices they have in store for you. |
#2
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I know it's a little OT, but the differences between digital and analog in my system are very small at this point. They both sound terrific. In some cases the vinyl sounds better than the same album in digital format. Of course it can go the other way as well.
But I agree with the article that it's a good time to "invest" in vinyl, and a good time to try and find the stuff you loved as a kid. There is definitely some nostalgia mixed in there for me! |
#3
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#4
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Couldn't agree more. :vinyl, because it just sounds better:
__________________
Main: Wilson Alexia, D'Agostino M400 monoblocks, Ypsilon PST-100 Mk 2 preamp, Helix 1 turntable w/Lyra Etna SL cart and SAT tonearm, Ypsilon VPS-100, dCS Vivaldi DAC, Shunyata Triton v2 & Typhon, Shunyata Cyclops and power cords, Transparent Opus MM2 speaker cables and interconnects, Kubala-Sosna interconnects and power cords. Family Room: Legacy Focus towers, sub, and surrounds, McIntosh MC452, McIntosh C2500, DHC-80.3, Parasound Halo A-51, Sony HAP-Z1ES, AppleTV, OPPO BDP-105D, Sonos, XBox One, XBox 360, Shunyata Triton. Office: KEF LS-50, Decware Zen Mystery Amp, E.A.R. 868, Sony HAP-Z1ES, Sonos. Library: B&W 805 Maserati, JL Audio Fathom f113 sub, twin MC275LE, McIntosh C2500, AMG Viella V12 w/Lyra Etna cart, Sony HAP-Z1ES, Sennheiser HDVD 800 headphone amp/DAC, Sennheiser HD800 cans. Other: VPI Aries 3 w/Triplanar tonearm and Dynavector 17D3 cart, CTC Blowtorch, Vendetta Research SCP-2A, 2 MC30's, 3 MC240's, MC275 Mk V, MC275 Mk VI, 2 Bob Carver Black Beauties, EAR 890, EAR 324, Parasound Halo A21, Parasound Halo JC-1 monoblocks, Parasound Halo JC-3, Pioneer SX-1250, Pioneer SX-5590, Pioneer SX-1980, Thiel CS2.4 speakers. A man's reach should exceed his grasp, else what's there a Heaven for? |
#5
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When I buy vinyl I consider it an expense but in a way it does allow me to "invest" in myself since the return on investment is the pleasure derived.
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Two Channel: McIntosh C2300 preamp, MC601 amps x2, MR88 tuner, MEN220; Esoteric K-03X; Aurender N100C 4TB; B&W 802D2 Diamonds, JL Audio F113V2 x 2 on Sound Anchor Sub Stands; VPI Classic Signature Piano Black, Ortofon Cadenza Black, VPI SDS, periphery ring, StillPoints center weight, Gingko Audio ClaraVu Dust Cover CT, KAB SpeedStrobe, Dr. Feickert Analogue Protractor; Sonos with W4S digital modification to W4S Remedy to Esoteric; W4S PS1 Linear Power unit for the 2x Remedy and Recovery w/ W4S PS1 Power Cord; Torus RM20; Wireworld Silver Series 7 Electra/Starlight/Eclipse cables and WW Platinum Power Cord for Amps and Platinum USB for Aurender; KLAUDIO RCM; Steve Blinn Designs extra wide three shelf rack; GIK Acoustics panels and bass traps, StillPoints Ultra Minis under all gear and Stillpoint Ultra SS under amps and speakers. Home Theater 7.2: McIntosh MX150, MC452, MC207; B&W 803D2 Diamonds, HTM2 center, CWM7.3 surrounds; JLAudio F112 x2 subs; Panasonic TC-P65ZT60 65" Studio Master Plasma; Oppo 205; Crown FM Two Tuner; Sonos with W4S Remedy; Apple TV; Furman Elite 20 amp PFi x2; WW and AQ Cables/Cords; Salamander Synergy Four Bay Cabinet Office 2ch with McIntosh vintage refurbished gear: McIntosh MC275V6 x2 tube amps; Klipsch Cornwall I vintage speakers (1982); AQ Dragonfly Red DAC/Jitterbug/cables; PS Audio Dectet Power Center; Mcintosh C28, MC2105, MR78 (with mod), MQ101, each with original walnut cabinet and panloc (1976), MCD7008 (1996), ML1C speakers (1976); Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4002 turntable (1976) with new SoundSmith SMMC20CL cartridge (2015); Salamander double rack |
#6
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- Buck
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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3 |
#7
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Great article! The practical side of me says just stay digital, but I know I will not be able to overcome my desire to go analog.
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Glenn Aurender N10 / Ayre QX-5 Twenty / Ayre KX-R Twenty / Ayre MX-R Twenty / Wilson Sasha DAW / Isotek TITAN and EVO3 / Transparent Reference / Meze Empyrean |
#8
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Digital and analogue coexist in my system quite happily. Its fun to compare one with the other during tweeks and upgrades. Great too while listening to a sacd I can choose the next vinyl recording and vice versa.
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#9
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I'd argue that 15 years ago when nobody cared about vinyl was the best time to start collecting, everything is so much more expensive now.
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