2. music
  3. 1287851320

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
 
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
2,592 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.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
I have never used or heard a linear arm but I have heard that they track much better than pivot arms. I have also read that they are a pain. Why is that?

Also, is there an audible difference in fidelity with regards to outer grooves and inner grooves? I have read that even if you can get the table/tonearm/cartridge/stylus to track a record perfectly that there is an audible difference in fidelity regarding the inner /outer grooves. I have never really made it beyond the inner groove distortion to be able to clearly hear the audible difference in outer and inner grooves. I just know that the records I listen to do not sound uniform as they get to the inner grooves. They sound great to about the end of the 3rd song usually based on 4 songs on a side, always deteriorating as the tonearm tracks across the record. I have been thinking of getting a new cartridge with low output and a better phono pre but I am trying to justify the expense. As I eluded to earlier, a Walker table with a linear tracking arm is probably getting close to as good as it gets in LP playback. It is just not in the realm of possibility for me.
More to discover