Vinyl?

[Serious Paul]

Some people I work with have been discussing purchasing a record collection from a guy who DJ's as a side business. He is offering to sell them 35,000 Vinyl Records, 3600 CD's, 5000 8 Tracks, and an unspecified number of cassette tapes.

While discussing what to offer and why, we came onto the subject of sound quality. One of the men I was discussing this with insisted Vinyl offers the clearest sound quality available. It was my position that with modern equipment speakers, not the out put device mattered.

What say all of you?

[3278]

I actually know the correct answer, so I'm going to sit back and let everyone spout shit so I can come back and castigate them to improve my own self-esteem.

[TLM]

I've heard from the people freakily involved in sound quality and the like over here, that vinyl has a richer sound than CD's. No idea if it's true or not, though, since I don't really care all that much.

[Instant Cash]

It also is dependant on when it was made.

Vinyl can get you a deeper sound, however cleaner sound goes to CD's. One problem though is that it can become "too clean" which is why so many bands sound a lot different live. It takes the "dirty-ness" out.

I have used both, and I do enjoy the sound of vinyl, however storing them is a bitch and a half.

How much is askin for all that?

[Serious Paul]

A lot as I understand it. It's not been put out into the open just what the numbers really are, but I am guessing between 5 and 10 dollars on average per record, with some of the rare Beatles stuff going for upwards of a grand or more. (Apparently he has some never released in the US stuff, or the like.)

[Ancient History]

Technically speaking, vinyl as an analog recording medium is exceptional. I'd still prefer analog tape because you don't get the change in treble response as the needle moves toward the center of the record. Realistically speaking, however, most people cannot tell the difference between the most high-quality digital recordings and the matching high-quality analog recordings.

Speaking historically, the worst analog records were made pre-1940s (before the War of the Speeds and HiFi, plus the European 78s which actually ran at a different speed) and the late nineties (the ones cut from recycled plastic with a heated stylus crap). Records are still the best way to go for scratching, and the limited runs they make nowadays (usually 1000 or less) are of excellent material.

There is a novelty factor to records-a lot of stuff on the 78s (1930s and before, mainly) doesn't exist in a better format; then there are the really weird Russian rock and roll records cut from X-ray film, the Beatles album with the loop cut into the end, etc.

IC, the "too clean" sound is generally a factor of the recording, not the recording medium (at least these days), and there are ways around it that better studio engineers take advantage of.

[Liniah]

I <3 Vynal!

[Instant Cash]

IC, the "too clean" sound is generally a factor of the recording, not the recording medium (at least these days), and there are ways around it that better studio engineers take advantage of.

I know, hence my caviat before saying that it depends on when it was made.

The production of music now is done on such a different level and depth that I really do not know if there /is/ that much of a difference.

I do agree that vinyl is WAY better for scratchin and hard mixin though.

[UncleJoseph]

Here's my spouting of shit:

As I understand Vinyl recording technology, vinyl represents the most accurate reproduction of the original sound, if it is recorded from an analog source. It can also record nearly the entire range of sound frequencies produced for practical purposes. Therefore, vinyl tends to be "pure" in that the recording is not converted to 1's and 0's before being compiled back into sound that you hear. Nothing is converted into a file, and the gouges in the vinyl record are vibrations sensed by the recording needle and transferred into the medium. In a sense, it is a "direct" recording. All other methods of recording for mass distribution involve the use of magnetics (i.e. tapes) and/or digital conversion into files.

[Bethyaga]

Okay, 32, come in and be all smart and shit. I'm actually curious.

[Instant Cash]

Side note:

I haven't DJed with Vinyl in oh....about 6 years, but I do miss it at times. There is a different science to it, none of the time count downs, fancy gadgets, etc.

It is a fun challenge to match up the beats and mix.

[Angel]

Should I feel deprived that I have never heard any audio from a vinyl record/album?

I have a friend at work who DJs and she keeps telling me that I need to come over and listen to the quality of vinyl records. ...really?

[Cash]

Should I feel deprived that I have never heard any audio from a vinyl record/album?

You're forgiven...this time.

[Serious Paul]

I used to have a record player, and I will admit having seen some of Estes Vinyl on the walls, I think some of them make great decorations.