What is the actual percentage of people exclusively listening to vinyl vs digital?

LOL :) Right on! 

One problem, you are all very old (nearly all of you, sorry). Let’s face it!

Convenience is important when you’re old, I often read that people are too lazy even to pull the LP or to flip it over.

You can talk about sonic difference or "clicks and pops" in every posts about analog vs. digital, but nobody really cares about sonic difference, except for boring audiophiles (often with awful taste in music, if any).

Younger generation have different attitude about vinyl culture and have so much enthusiasm about it. They appreciate the nature of vinyl and don’t want to make vinyl sound like their father’s or grandfather’s CD. Some of them don’t know what is CD, because they have streaming since they are born (in the digital world).

And while older people lost their enthusiasm about vinyl and at their age only discovering streaming, the situation is totally different with some people born in digital era.

Between the different generations of grandfathers and their grandchild we have Pepsi Generation, kids grew up in the late 80’s - early 90s. In my country it was a time for cassette tapes and early days of CDs (in the 90’s). Even 25 later in my mind the CDs associated only with 90’s era. It was a way cooler to copy an expensive CD on some nice chrome Maxell or TDK cassette tapes (handwritten titles).

Since the mid 90’s I collect vinyl records, this is my main listening format and it’s getting better and better over the years with my system upgrades (and growing collection of original records from the 70’s).

Free streaming services used only to discover music and buy it on vinyl.

Vinyl all over the room, record shelves ... this is a lifestyle.

Big vintage high-end turntables, cartridges, speakers, different tonearms, phono stages ... this is so cool and it’s all real. It’s impossible to replace this lifestyle with streaming from nowhere even if it’s super HD, my favorite music was recorded on multi-track tape, mastered on analog studio equipment, and pressed on vinyl. This is the OG!

And BTW I went to the local record store nearby, it was opened by Pepsi Generation people, buyers are mostly very young, but look at the system. 

@bkeske my mom is 78 this year, but we are not talking about moms here, ok?


I’m talking about lazy audiophiles and 90% of the a’gon members are over 60, they are often complaining that it’s too complicated for them to flip vinyl record while they are listening to music, and “clicks and pops” are so annoying for them, so they discovered better format and this format is CD (sensational news). 


Vinyl industry did not die because of the dance music in the 90’s and it was difficult times, let’s face it too. That was music for young generation and it has nothing to do with audiophiles. 


DJs/collectors rediscovered music from the 70’s in the 90’s and spread it all over the world once again (via fm radio, clubs, on mixtapes). 


Nothing changed much, they are still doing it, and there are only young people in the recordshops in my town, audiophiles world is just parallel reality. 

However, music on high-end shows is extremely boring, same tunes. 


Streaming is just like FM radio, you can always use it, but there are vinyl world somewhere near to buy records, this is a lifestyle. 

Again, I think you are over-gereralizing. I’m 63. Many in my age group left vinyl completely by the 90’s and went to primarily CD’s, and then to streaming.

Maybe, but I’m 45 this year and I sold all my CDs in the early 90’s and since that time I don’t have anything but vinyl/turntables in my system and keep searching and buying OG records all the time (if i’m not completely broke). A friend came with his high-end DAC and high resolution streaming to compare digital to analog in my system, the original LP was so much better that high resolution digital (he was upset a bit). Many of my younger friends are into vinyl, very few are into both vinyl and digital.

But we’re in Russia, St.Petersburg. Maybe it’s a cultural difference. Also different generation as I said earlier.

I don’t thing digital is natural progression from analog. Digital is ok only for new music recorded on digital master. But digital copy from good analog tape is bad. For old music lovers digital can’t replace the analog. There are oustanding quality records recorded in the 70’s (my favorite period).

@surfmuz my nephew also asked me to help him with his first analog rig, he tried to scratch my records since he was born :))


Now he’s got a Micro Seiki DD with Empire MI cartridge from me, he ordered Trends TA-1 (tripath amp) next step is phono stage,  and then a pair of high efficient speakers like small vintage Tannoy.

Vinyl is definitely very cool and this is most important when you are young.

the question was, what percentage of *people* (not audiophiles) who listen to music listen exclusively analog vs digital. As I said, folks as us are a very small percentage of all music listeners. But, I have no idea what that percentage is. You?

I have no idea, but audiophiles are definitely in minority, there are “normal people” at the records shops, not audiophiles, and definitely not older people, so the question on this forum is a joke (as always), I know for sure that percentage of older people on this forum is 90% and this is the only reason CD even mentioned as a media, nobody use CDs (streaming and digital files - yes, but not CDs). CD is expired format supported by older generation only. Asking question on forum like this has nothing to do with reality. Everyone can go to the recordshop trying to catch someone over 40 y.o. (Normally buyers are much younger). I can’t remember any recordshop that sells CDs nowadays.

If the question was about USA only, then I’m talking about another country. The world is not the same. At the recordshops in my neighborhood they sell Vinyl and Tapes (and all cassette tapes are new releases from independent young artists).


Andwering the OP’s question if it was so simple:

I do NOT listen to any form of digital in my system at all and I don’t have TV at all. 

Digital is on my is iPhone and it’s enough.

I only use wood for heat and power and I don’t have indoor plumbing at all. Not bad, eh? ;-)

@hilde45

I use 45 tubes for heating (and those Globe RCA made nearly 100 years ago), my First Watt F2J solid state amp is also very hot which is very nice during the cold winter :)

Here is my system. Now please tell me why do I need digital or stupid TV between the speakers? Digital is on my iPhone to discover music and to buy what I like on original vinyl, very simple.

I also can play digital from my iPhone via bluetooth anytime I want to share new discoveries when I visit friends (which is great).

But I want my music on vinyl and digital in whatever quality can’t replace original vinyl (or a habit to buy vintage vinyl every month). I have massive collection of rare records (45s and LPs).

Digital is nothing, everyone can copy many terabytes of music immediately from hard drive, it’s free. If this is what you want then go digital.

Record collecting is something else.

I remember a trend for CD format in the 90’s, this trend almost destroyed the industry of cartridge manufacturing, turntables, vinyl pressing etc ... but it will never happen again. Now analog is a part of this digital world and stronger than ever compared to 90’s. I see enough interest for vinyl around me in my town and worldwide. I was 20 y.o. when vinyl became my obsession in the mid 90’s and I can’t stop 25 years later. The difference between 90’s and present time is my sound system, not my vinyl. Some of these new youngsters will definitely become record collectors, nothing can replace a real music media like vinyl. I think it’s a good trend, at least it’s harmless for the music industry.

As for the sonic difference I think spending too much on analog sound system is not for everyone, "analog people" prefer to spend on vinyl, except for audiophiles.

And what is good in digital is internet and online record shops.

The reason you have a big screen (TV?) between your speakers is to watch/listen to your favorite music concert video’s like NIN’S With Teeth or RTF’s Return or the Stones in 78 or Zappa’s Roxy and a hundred others. When the low end comes around and the whole house swells in the dark the screen comes alive and you get that kick inside. Close to being there, very close. I can get closer yet.

No way, black TV screen is so ugly in any interior, also it shouldn’t be even close to audio equipment if it’s not a separate home theater room.

But that’s just my opinion.

Too much computer screens in our life anyway.

TV between your speakers isn’t a problem at all. You could use it to elevate heights if needed. At some setups it could bring more air to the scene and make sound more atmospheric.

Actually, even a window (glass) is pure evil for room acoustic and must be covered if possible by absorbers or diffusers. Glass (or tv screen) act like a mirror for sound, on side or rear wall is even more evil than behind the speakers. In the living room (if it’s also a listening room) it’s impossible to get rid of the windows, so it’s a compromise like in my room. But if you can get rid of the TV between the speakers and put acoustic panels instead then it’s a huge benefit. I ordered acoustic analysis of my room and I use acoustic panels instead of TV screens :)

Extremely maximalistic approach. All depends on effect you want to reach. Mirrors could be very helpful at some situations.

@surfmuz

Watch this if you want to know how it works. Even bare wall is bad for the sound. I use acoustic panels on my ceiling and on my walls.

TV screens, pictures in the frames with glass surface - this is all must be removed from the walls in the listening room.

Before people start talking about sonic difference between different media format they must prepare their room, it much more important for the sound.

chakster, you are in a good company.
(I do not have a TV. One of the reasons is......black TV screen is so ugly in any interior.)

@glupson I’d like to recommend Samsung The Serif to my mom, she’s watching TV (I don’t watch TV at all, but this is the only one affordable tv design I like).

You missing the whole point. Acoustic reflection process is pure physics and implementation of it into the listening room setup, where the goal is full Spectrum music SQ (some time customised depends on genre or personal preference), is balanced process and not always dogmatic but compromised. Some flows of sound Spectrum you want to be reflected other not, that why all those room acoustic analysis services are silly. If you just try to break your sound flow with diffusers and rugged walls to as smallest particles you can, you wrong cause you will get nothing but dull woolly sound. Check it out how glass or sleek surface could be implemented-

@surfmuz First of all please post a link to your system and your room if you can.

In your video link a Russian guy sitting in a very small room with very low ceiling with huge speakers and some sick setup! Why did you post this?

My room acoustic analysis made by professionals, who are you to say it’s silly?

Each acoustic panel designed for work with certain range of frequencies and does not placed randomly, it’s not necessary to cover the whole room with panels everywhere to get dull sound, but there are absolutely necessary to cover first reflection points with acoustic panels, front and rear walls, ceiling also, the rest is more complicated.

For me it's no brainer to compare two rooms (one with bare walls, another with acoustic treatment).

This is a great channel to watch about acoustic treatment. So many different topics and everything explained very well.

Before someone chime in I want to say that digital processing in room acoustic should not be used with analog source (but can be used with digital source). Acoustic panels and room itself are the only methods for proper acoustic treatment with analog source (for us who listen to VINYL mastered in analog before digital was invented).


As I can see in your other thread the question you asked about analog setup is a bit strange.


P.S. People who listen to digital should think twice before they post something for those who listen to a pure analog source only. Digital processing is death for analog signal.

I also have different systems, at least 3 different pairs of speakers, 6 turntables, 4 different phono stages and over 20 different cartridges and 9 tonearms, but I do not listen to digital in any of my systems for one reason (all my favorite music originally recorded in analog before digital was invented and I don’t like the sound of digital remastering, I like original pressings). Digital in my situation with my taste in music is irrelevant and it’s only a good tool to discover music and buy it on OG vinyl. I hope you understand my point of view.

Digital is perfect when the master is digital, so the choice of music is limited to something from the 80’s to a present day, but early digital is not good too.

Digital on vinyl is nonsense in my opinion, in this scenario digital source is better.

But analog master tape converted to digital is BS, this is why most of the re-issues are so bad compared to the original. I replaced most of my reissues purchased long time ago with original pressings and I was shocked how better those vintage records really are. 

Pure magic of vinyl is 100% analog (mastertape to vinyl, or direct cut), it can be new or old.

I don’t want to discuss acoustic treatment because it’s off topic here, but I have dedicated thread about acoustic panels on this forum, I realized that very few people on this forum taking care about acoustic treatment.

Bone records are crap (but good souvenir), in Soviet era it was impossible to buy even mainstream records from America or Europe, except for one source - overpriced black market dealers, it was a crime back then. So people made bone records in terrible quality to re-sell them.

At the same time nearly all Melodiya presses of foreign LPs in USSR are bootlegs and musicians never get paid even if they are Rolling Stones or similar big names in show business. Melodiya is one and only record label in USSR.

They did the same with books, in one of his interview Erich Maria Remarque claimed he never get paid for any of his books translated to Russian, he was extremely popular here and they sold millions.

They also copies Japanese photo cameras and hi-fi audio equipment, simplified them to release on local market under new Soviet trademarks.

Chinese can do the same now.

@fleschler those people will never understand what is record collecting and real passion for records.

I wish I could buy as much as you, it's fun to have records and there are always hidden gems (not even available in digital or even in the database). I'm buying records every month.