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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
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
Koegz, what question is it that you are referring to? It seems like I hit a nerve with you which is unfortunate. All I can say is I hope to God that your Walker tracks much better than what I have heard listening to music in this hobby of ours. It seems like if that is what it takes, something of that cost to do the job, linear tracking and all, then many of us probably should stick to Cds or be satisfied with the first 3 songs of an LP. You should not have to be a hi fi engineer to set up a table. I am sure you just about have to be close one to set up your table.

Don't make it sound like I do not know what I hear. I bet there are many that read these threads that can identify with me as well as yourself. I know that I certainly do not have equipment of the caliber that you have. You do have a great setup. I guess I just expected a little more from my table. It was after I started listening to my table that I really started to hear the tracking error in more expensive tables. The one table that I did hear that was pretty decent was a Basis but even that was not perfect to my ears either. It tracked great, but it certainly was not the same at the end as it was in the beginning of the side. It did sound great though, something I could probably live with, still fairly expensive. CDS are sounding much better, even to the point that many are selling off their analog gear. I am not to that point as I can hear the difference, I just wish it was better and did not take $$$$$$ of analog gear to do the trick.
koegz
317 posts
 
Last response, Tzh21y you hit NO nerve. You are simply, a waist of my time and typing! As I said believe what you will.
notec OP
407 posts
 
Guys - (Koegz/Tzh21y) the inner groove thing is not the debate here. Thanks for your comments but lets move on as Koetz has done.

Peace.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
Whatever
dgarretson
2,588 posts
 
The last discounted LPs that I purchased at the dawn of the CD era were mostly marked $5.99-- about $15 in 2010 dollars. Today most of the discounted new issues at the indie store are very close to this price, and some are cheaper. Not bad considering the limited economies of scale today as compared to the early days of high-volume pressings. Audiophile labels are another matter...a new market.

Generally speaking SQ of new pop issues is good. Moreover the playback capability of an average TT rig and audio system today is better than an average rig in days of yore. Thus the overall quality of the LP experience is generally higher today regardless of pressing. The greater problem is that as the mainstream has deserted the LP, the vinyl phenomenon has been ceded to a smaller group of audiophiles whose obsessiveness with equipment sometimes tastes like sucking lemon juice.

Tzh21y, There are several high-quality linear arms(e.g. Trans-Fi and ET)that will solve your inner groove problem at reasonable cost. At RMAF I did not hear a single pivot arm that markedly surpassed the experience of my linear arm.
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