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The Great Vinyl Debate

Vinyl record prices are out of control. Their quality is also lacking: Too many poor pressings and cheap packaging (paper sleeves and cheap card stock outer sleeves) don't justify the price. My question is why is this happening?

I refuse to buy re-issues when used originals can still be had cut from the original analog sources to those that love to search for them (I get that some folks don't care for hunting/waiting) and ultimatly find them.

The trouble I have is with the price of "new vinyl." It varies of course, but both indie and major label vinyl records are grossly over priced IMO. I have no qualms about supported an artist whatsoever, however the average price for LPs both single and double and box sets are outragous.

Labels, distributors et. al. appear to be taking advantage of an inflated/exaggerated supply and demand equilibrium more so these days than ever before. Why is this? Even tho I've been hearing and reading about the vinyl resurgance since 2007 and the plethora of other documents stating that it's on the rise - even that vinyl is killing the compact disc - only 3 people where I work have turntables (that includes me) but I'm the only one that actually listens to, and buys records. In my world, I don't see the resurgance at all. But I do see inflated record prices along the lines of $46 for double LPs and $35 dollars for single LPs! These aren't re-issue inflated prices either - these are new music prices. And most if not all don't include "free MP3 downloads" (who wants MP3's anyway?)

Perhaps the recording industry believes that if they have a customer base that will pay $2000 for one foot of power cord or $10K+ for turntables (sans tonearm and cartridge) - we won't balk at $30 150 gram records or multi-hundred dollar box sets.

I'm a music lover not a sucka. Hey music industry mad men I'm on to you - the revolution is now....
notec
koegz
317 posts
 
Tzh21y, I do not know where your info or experiance comes from? But, all I can say, from my point of view, you have no clue of what you speak.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
Koegz, I can only go by what I hear and have heard and I have heard quite a bit in the last 25 years. If I am wrong, why do they make newer records with tracks only to about 75% of the record surface? I have been at it for over a year and I still have not figured it or heard it to this day. Don't get me wrong, I love vinyl, the decay and the naturalness of the sound. It cannot be beat, for the first 75% of the record surface, then inevitably, stuff starts to happen. It is called physics. You have a great setup and I have never heard a Walker. Maybe if i did, I would change my mind. I do know what I hear and I am not just talking about my table. So what you are saying is that nobody in any of the audio shops I have been in know how to set up a table. I cannot remember ever hearing a table without some deterioration in sound as the stylus moved across the record and the closer to the spindle, the more the deterioration in sound quality. Maybe I hear different than you. That is my experience.
notec OP
407 posts
 
As far as new vinyl pricing is concerned, nobody is forced to buy. If the cost is prohibitive, buy used vinyl or fire up the cd player.

Unfortunately, we are "forced" to buy "new" vinyl. And since we are in this unfair pricing model aka "prohibitive prices" set by the four major corporate labels which dominate recorded music - waiting a year or five to hear the new music when it is relegated to the used bin defeats the purpose of "new" right out of the gate.

Consider all new vinyl prices coming from independent labels - all well under $20. Most are $12-15 USD. Is the quality better coming out from the likes of Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI? I don't see that it is. If it has what Koegz mentions:

Me, I am willing to pay for quality music, quality sound, quality vinyl and quality packaging(in that order). The more of the 4 involved, the more I am likely to buy.

then at least it's more palpable for me to hand over my money to these racketeers.

And I'm not saying the indie labels have better quality either. Everyone needs to improve here. However, spending $24 total on a second LP because it was warped or had too much surface noise etc., is easier to digest then spending $60 to get a record one can enjoy fully.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
>>10-24-10: Tzh21y
I cannot remember ever hearing a table without some deterioration in sound as the stylus moved across the record and the closer to the spindle, the more the deterioration in sound quality<<

I listen to various combinations of tables/arms/cartridges for 6-10 hours per day and do not hear any of the deterioration of which you speak.

Quite frankly, you are severly limited by your hardware.

IMO
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
Audiofeil, I do not disagree with your comment regarding my table, but I hoestly cannot remember listening to a table that was set up to the point where there was no degradation in sound. I have heard a few that I could certainly live with, but they were not perfect either. That has been my experience. If it is possible, I would love to hear it.
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