[jimdgoulding]

Some of us, including me, may have a practical. as well as esthetic, reason for preferring vinyl on some types of music.  I began collecting music way before the advent of CD's.  I have two turntables but only one dig system and I have around ten albums to every one CD.  I have not gotten into high rez cause I'm very enamoured with vinyl for my predominant taste in music.   I'm a happy camper and, subsequently, steadfast in my appreciation of music, my music, via vibration over bits, generally speaking.

[vinyl_lady]

It should be noted that there is a ton of music (both new and old) available only on CD, quite probably more than is available only on vinyl.

I don't believe this is true and I don't think it is even close. Records have been around since the 1920s and CDs since the 80s.

[MaxCast]

I don't believe this is true and I don't think it is even close. Records have been around since the 1920s and CDs since the 80s.

No doubt about it.  Just go to any thrift shop and you will find tons of Christmas, big band and of course Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass lps.   

[orientalexpress]

What everybody forget to mention is music genre,if you like music from 60,70 and 80  Vinyl sound much better.If u like 90-present CD is better because of digital mastering.

[rbbert]

I don't believe this is true and I don't think it is even close. Records have been around since the 1920s and CDs since the 80s.

difficult to prove either way, but...

there is lots of stuff from the "vinyl era" which has only been released on CD.  Almost nothing post-90 has been released on vinyl.  It's certainly possible (likely?) that there has been more music released on CD since 1990 than on vinyl previous to that, and that's not even counting all the stuff originally on vinyl which has been re-released on CD.

[vinyl_lady]

there is lots of stuff from the "vinyl era" which has only been released on CD.  Almost nothing post-90 has been released on vinyl.

Neither one of these statements are true. If the music is from the so called vinyl era, then it was released on vinyl. As to the second statement, record companies never stopped pressing vinyl in Great Britain and Europe and lots of albums that were released only on CD in the U.S. in the 90's were released on vinyl across the pond. I can guarantee you based on my own buying habits that there is a lot of post-90 music being released on vinyl. Almost all indie as well as major label artists are insisting on vinyl relases of their albums. There is a reason new vinyl is the only physical medium that has experienced increased sales in each year since 2005.

[Scottdazzle]

What is true in my experience is that there are many records that were never released on cd and many cd's that were never release on vinyl.  That's why I have thousands of each.  Given a choice, I go with vinyl because I have listened to hundreds of records and the cd of each and the records sounded more like real music about 95% of the time.

[vinyl_lady]

What is true in my experience is that there are many records that were never released on cd and many cd's that were never release on vinyl.  That's why I have thousands of each.  Given a choice, I go with vinyl because I have listened to hundreds of records and the cd of each and the records sounded more like real music about 95% of the time.

Completely agree!

[Elizabeth]

What is true in my experience is that there are many records that were never released on cd and many cd's that were never release on vinyl.  That's why I have thousands of each.  Given a choice, I go with vinyl because I have listened to hundreds of records and the cd of each and the records sounded more like real music about 95% of the time.

For me, it is more a matter of whatever i can find used.. Either locally or via the internet, at a low price.
I would way rather have 10 or 20 CDs or LPs I want for $50. Than one LP or CD I want at that price. No way would a spend big bucks on some music. (I have become used to saying to myself: I can wait, eventually I will find it at a good price..)

[SteveFord]

Why vinyl?
It sounds better if you have a good album and a good turntable/cartridge/phono stage.

Why digital?
It's convenient, kind of like FM.

[rbbert]

...There is a reason new vinyl is the only physical medium that has experienced increased sales in each year since 2005.

 

You know, from a fraction of a percent to a slightly higher fraction of a percent doesn't really mean much.  Furthermore, the biggest reason vinyl has increased sales compared to digital media is that it is essentially copy-protected (although it is true thaat plenty of vinyl rips circulate on "illegal" sites).

Sorry about the topic drift.

[FullRangeMan]

Neither one of these statements are true. If the music is from the so called vinyl era, then it was released on vinyl. As to the second statement, record companies never stopped pressing vinyl in Great Britain and Europe and lots of albums that were released only on CD in the U.S. in the 90's were released on vinyl across the pond. I can guarantee you based on my own buying habits that there is a lot of post-90 music being released on vinyl. Almost all indie as well as major label artists are insisting on vinyl relases of their albums. There is a reason new vinyl is the only physical medium that has experienced increased sales in each year since 2005.

Quote:  There is a reason new vinyl is the only physical medium that has experienced increased sales in each year since 2005.

The reason vinyl has increased sales compared to CD/SACD is vinyl wears out with the constant use, and vinyl fans had to buy the same discs again to replace those that have deteriorated, and CD/SACD lasts forever... 

[Devil Doc]

Horse hockey! I've have albums I bought at least 40yrs ago and I can assure you they weren't always played on audiophile approved hardware and they're just fine. The wear crap is highly exaggerated.

Doc

[jimdgoulding]

I submit that new pressing and mastering entities are releasing albums that sound better than the originals and that's pretty exciting for music lovers who play records. 

[simoon]

The reason vinyl has increased sales compared to CD/SACD is vinyl wears out with the constant use, and vinyl fans had to buy the same discs again to replace those that have deteriorated, and CD/SACD lasts forever... 

This is provably wrong.

Google 'disc rot' or 'cd rot' . It is deterioration that happens to ALL CD's sooner or later.

"Disc rot is a phrase describing the tendency of CD or DVD or other optical discs to become unreadable due to physical or chemical deterioration. The causes of this effect vary from oxidation of the reflective layer, to physical scuffing and abrasion of disc surfaces or edges, including visible scratches, to other kinds of reactions with contaminants, to ultra-violet light damage and de-bonding of the adhesive used to adhere the layers of the disc together."

I have vinyl that sounds as good as it did the day I bought it decades ago. I am not as optimistic about my CD's.

And here's the thing. When vinyl ages, it is almost always still playable. It may be noisy, but it will still play.

When CDs age due to rot, which is inevitable, they will no longer be playable. The player will not be able to decode the media. Even small pinholes, the most likely signs of rot, may make the disc unplayable.

Disc rot occurs in 10 - 20 years. Even a disc that is never taken out of it's package will rot sooner or later. A vinyl record that is never taken out of it's package will remain pristine.

Well cared for vinyl played on good equipment, will not show audible signs of wear.

CD's will rot, NO MATTER how they are cared for. You may be able to delay the rot by keeping them out of UV,  but rot is still inevitable.

[TONEPUB]

I submit that new pressing and mastering entities are releasing albums that sound better than the originals and that's pretty exciting for music lovers who play records.

Actually precious few, but it depends on how you do the comparison.  A lot of the new stuff from MoFi, and the other labels is certainly a lot better than the garden variety disc you're buying in the used record store for $2-10 each.  But at best most of it gets really close, sometimes equal to the low pressing, first and second stamper pressings from the original country.  However, those records are crazy money now.

So, it's still a great investment if you don't have the holy grail pressings and the quality on most of these labels is very consistent.

[twitch54]

Wow......over a thousand views, fifty plus replies and we still manage to argue on....digital vs. vinyl, it's as if nobody paid attention the numerous times this was argued about before.

Laura (Vinyl Lady), I agree with you !

[*Scotty*]

The work around on the rot is to transfer the CD to the hard drive and keep backing it up Ad infinitum. For what it's worth I have some CDs that are 30 years old and show no sign of rot so far.
I haven't noticed even 50 old records getting noisier with time, any noise seems to be a function of how dirty they are and how often they have been played. I have low wear records that are 40 to 50 years old that have very quite surfaces. Like wise I have purchased new records that were very noisy from day one,GRRR!
Scotty

[TONEPUB]

I just listen to vinyl because it's fun.  Sometimes it sounds great, sometimes only ok.  I listen to music on whatever format I can find it.

[Scottdazzle]

This is provably wrong.

Google 'disc rot' or 'cd rot' . It is deterioration that happens to ALL CD's sooner or later.

"Disc rot is a phrase describing the tendency of CD or DVD or other optical discs to become unreadable due to physical or chemical deterioration. The causes of this effect vary from oxidation of the reflective layer, to physical scuffing and abrasion of disc surfaces or edges, including visible scratches, to other kinds of reactions with contaminants, to ultra-violet light damage and de-bonding of the adhesive used to adhere the layers of the disc together."

I have vinyl that sounds as good as it did the day I bought it decades ago. I am not as optimistic about my CD's.

And here's the thing. When vinyl ages, it is almost always still playable. It may be noisy, but it will still play.

When CDs age due to rot, which is inevitable, they will no longer be playable. The player will not be able to decode the media. Even small pinholes, the most likely signs of rot, may make the disc unplayable.

Disc rot occurs in 10 - 20 years. Even a disc that is never taken out of it's package will rot sooner or later. A vinyl record that is never taken out of it's package will remain pristine.

Well cared for vinyl played on good equipment, will not show audible signs of wear.

CD's will rot, NO MATTER how they are cared for. You may be able to delay the rot by keeping them out of UV,  but rot is still inevitable.

Although I prefer vinyl, I have never had a cd get cd rot.  I have been buying cd's from the year they were first introduced and every one has played no matter how old it is.  At 2,000-3,000 cd's and counting (from the early 1980s until today), surely one would have rotted if cd rot were inevitable.  Could it be that cd rot is related to environmental (storage) conditions and is not as inevitable as simoon thinks?