Posted on 07/04/2017 7:56:12 AM PDT by Logicbox
Did you know research shows that an incredible 45% of music lovers have not felt comfortable asking for advice in a record store while 25% have chickened out entirely asking for a particular artist or record in a record store because they didn't feel it was cool enough and might be judged?
(Excerpt) Read more at britznbeatz.co.uk ...
Record store? The only stores around here that I know of that sell records are the Half Priced Books with their used vinyl. You can’t even find tapes or CDs in other stores.
When I used to buy music way back when vinyl was king, I had no problem asking for obscure musicians. Outside of a few whose records I already had, Coltrane, Monk, and some others, I was looking for artists I had heard on the cheapo sampler discs. Some of those guys were really good but didn’t sell much. In record stores I sometimes got, “who??” and the clerk would go to the catalogue but they often had them. The real benefit was music I liked a lot at throwaway prices.
vinyl records are the only growth sector in the music industry besides streaming, Going to a record store and schooling the hipster about good music is one of the reasons.
I used to enjoy buying records not knowing who they were, just based on the cover... got a few duds, but also an occasional treasure...
Then they came in with stores where you could actually hear the record before you buy it. That was great. Some of them you could have coffee while you thought about what you were going to buy. That was great too.
Now you can download straight from Amazon, and they have a lot of obscure artists. There are still some people you can’t find even on Amazon, but not so many. I’m not sure how record stores are surviving these days. I’m sure its getting to be a tough business.
Pre-internet the only way to hear some artists was going to the record store. I recall buying The Cure ‘standing on a beach’ purely on word of mouth. After the first spin I wanted to be take it back for a refund. Flash forward over 30 years and that album is one of my favorites on my vinyl shelf.
We were going through our vinyls in anticipation of retirement and moving (and vinyls are HEAVY) nearer family. I really cannot part with 95% of my vinyls! I love them! Would love to see them resurge and become more valuable again.
Some albums take a while to sink in.
record stores in these parts seem to make it by combining vintage and new sales along with being a hipster hub with coffee, beer, gathering spots and occassional live music.
Do you know how many of us are afraid to crank opera or polka on our car’s boomin’ system?
We actually have some slate 78s.
... and the live music uses tube amps, if amplified at all. There’s a strong belief that analog is superior and I happen to agree with that for all but electronica which never had any other basis.
Go to youtube and search “vinyl comeback”
You’ll be shocked. The percentage numbers regarding growth are the envy of pretty much every industry. It’ actually become a significant part of the music industry again. Not hugely significant, but significant.
And Sony just announced that it is pressing vinyl again.
And feel free to go to youtube and search “record store day”.
Good place to value your old vinyl is discogs.com. I put mine in a database and have watched the values increase over the last few years.
https://www.discogs.com/user/bagadonutz/collection
I have a mono version of Rubber Soul.
It sounds crude primitive and awesome !
My 23 yr old son-in-law has been collecting vinyls and we’ve bought him a few as gifts. Whenever we’ve been to their house to visit he will have one playing. There is just something about the sound of music coming through a record player that makes you feel good.
I have almost 3000 records and if I’m listening to music just to listen to music, it’s always vinyl. However, I think digital technically sounds better, assuming you’re using a player with a decent DAC.
But vinyl is so much more of a physical experience. And when I put on a record and close my eyes it is like I’ve traveled back in time.
A lot of people say vinyl sounds “warmer”. Yeah, that’s what people said about tube amps too, But here is the dirty little secret: Warm, by definition, means distortion. It’s a great thing in a guitar amp. :)
I was very happy when CDs came in. It was always disappointing the way vinyl records would deteriorate, they were so fragile and easy to damage and seemed to get damaged even with careful treatment. CDs gave you perfect music and didn’t scratch.
Except, even CDs get damaged. Again, with even careful treatment CDs start failing after a while. So now the neat thing is to keep them on electronic memory and back them up and keep transferring them.
I haven’t had a turntable in a long time. People keep assuring me the difference in quality is noticeable, but I can’t say for myself. I still enjoy finding old records from yesteryear, and downloading the electronic file.
I can hear what they mean, particularly with older music originally recorded via analog means. Vinyl is sort of buttery smooth and warmer, yes. Digital is “brighter,” a little harsh by comparison and this sounds odd but the word “crunchy” springs to mind. Most other than serious audiophiles wouldn’t perceive the difference but it is there.
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