Streaming Is To Audio What Red Plastic Cups Are To Wine


Unpacking and going through my vinyl collection, it occurs to me that vinyl is it, whereas streaming is Audio’s red plastic cup.

The best wines taste low-shelf in the red plastic cup. Yes, the red plastic cup is cheap and convenient, just like streaming. Wine should feel the same regardless of the vessel - it’s the same wine - but it does not. So should music - but it does not. Streamed music may sound (nearly) as good as vinyl, but it feels... disposable. Vinyl does not. Vinyl is the thing. Vinyl is it! Just my opinion, of course.

devinplombier

 

@newton_john 

You’re quick to tell people about your preference. Aren’t other people allowed to do the same? Nobody’s cutting your choices down - you’ve done that all on your own. But as I said it’s entirely your privilege to do this. ​​​​​​

 Well maybe it's just me, but I would disagree and say the original OP did have negative comment on streaming, and I was responding that I disagree. Thats all, I have done both(and for quite awhile), and was sharing my preference. It is an old discussion, that is meaningless, and yes everybody can have thier preference. Just to clarify I made no negative comment on Vinyl. The only negative I have with vinyl, is I need to get rid of all this stuff I got left.........

The only negative I have with vinyl, is I need to get rid of all this stuff I got left.........

@waynefia I'll take it! I'll send you a shipping label 😃

 

I'm 65 and grew up with vinyl and had a turntable with my first system when I was 18 years old. Over the years I had a career, family and other life detours and expenses and hifi was not my priority! Eventually I had no real stereo and my vinyl collection disappeared. I can't even imagine trying to resurrect that today with the costs of records. My music selection is so much greater with streaming music and the sound I hear is still amazing! To each his own I guess. If you always had a huge vinyl collection that you've owned for decades then yeah I totally understand it. My guess many of us are in the same situation I'm in.

Of course, it’s not necessarily just a binary choice between vinyl and streaming Qobuz, Tidal, etc. See what I did there.😀

I am sure that I am not the only one who has quite a big collection of ripped CDs and rips of other optical discs as well as downloads and digitalised vinyl records in my local library of digital files. There’s even some of my own music included. I still buy the odd CD now and again.

Thanks to Roon, I can easily select any of these from a single screen on a tablet for each particular artists that integrates everything including what’s available on Qobuz. I really am spoiled for choice.

Yet often these days, I choose to play a vinyl record on my turntable. This a refreshing throw back to a simpler more innocent time. A reminder of a little mono record player sitting on the floor playing Beatles 45s. It’s also a different kind of sonic treat.

How blessed I am to have lived to see an age where all this choice is available in stunning high quality. How foolish it is to expend precious energy on audiophile neurosis.