How I taught my son to love vinyl

[BillF]

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/26/how-i-taught-my-son-to-love-vinyl

[A Lark Ascending]

Strikes me as sentimental twaddle.

Playing the record after almost 25 years I was almost moved to tears as my living room was filled with music of such warmth, fullness and richness you simply don’t hear on digital. I felt I was in the studio with the band as they put the tracks down.

Even turning over the album to side two was like a spiritual act. I felt an intimacy; that Coltrane had recorded this piece of music solely for my listening pleasure – I could touch it, feel it and smell it. And I could read the sleeve notes including Coltrane’s A Love Supreme poem and his note to the “Dear Listener” acknowledging his faith in God and how his masterpiece recording was conceived.

I had played A Love Supreme a thousand times before on CD and MP3 but I never felt that emotional connection before: why would I when these days all it takes is to press play on a digital device?

Presumably next week he will introduce his kids to another sublime communion - his complete 'Carry On' film set on VHS.

Edited December 26, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[erwbol]

The man is obviously ignorant of APO's Hybrid SACD of A Love Supreme. If you don't feel a heightened emotional connection with the music even listening to the CD layer of that disc you're probably not into jazz period!

For this type of blogger and the people who place their thoughts in the comment sections it seems there is only Vinyl and all digital is no better than contemptible MP3.

[sidewinder]

I've obviously inadvertently happened upon the official 'bah humbug' thread..

Edited December 26, 2013 by sidewinder

[ejp626]

Strikes me as sentimental twaddle.

Even turning over the album to side two was like a spiritual act. I felt an intimacy; that Coltrane had recorded this piece of music solely for my listening pleasure – I could touch it, feel it, smell it,

scratch it

.

Agreed -- someone who has fallen completely for the vinyl hype. The preciousness in how he describes what is a right nuisance and makes it into a sacrament. And I certainly don't feel any closer to Coltrane or any other musician through the crackle and pops on most of the LPs I have than I do listening on CD.

[A Lark Ascending]

I've obviously inadvertently happened upon the official 'bah humbug' thread..

Just as long as it's analogue humbug. Don't want any of that digital belly-aching.

[colinmce]

Strikes me as sentimental twaddle.

Even turning over the album to side two was like a spiritual act. I felt an intimacy; that Coltrane had recorded this piece of music solely for my listening pleasure I could touch it, feel it, smell it, scratch it.

And I certainly don't feel any closer to Coltrane or any other musician through the crackle and pops on most of the LPs I have than I do listening on CD.

Yep, style over substance. The tale of our time.

[CJ Shearn]

My thing with vinyl is this: the way I play music, the vinyl would be and was toast. Also since I only have the use of one hand, handling vinyl really carefully in the proper way, so for me, CD's are better.

[Homefromtheforest]

I love vinyl but I do not worship it...when I started buying records back in the mid to late 80s I bought records simply because at that time you could get 2 or 3 lps for the price of a CD. Also, most of the music I liked as a kid was independent alternative/punk type music which often only was released on vinyl back then. As I got into jazz in the early 90s I found it was much easier/quicker/cheaper to buy used jazz lps rather then brand new jazz CDs(with the exception of new jazz CD releases which I would buy as well) to fill in gaps in the collection. Even back then though I hated noisy records and would rather have a quiet CD over a scratched record.

A clean NM album on a good turntable beats a CD hands down for me, but if I hear a lot of snap/crackle/pop on the vinyl then give me a CD anytime! If this guy who wrote this blog claims to love crackly vinyl then I am surprised...if anything noisy vinyl completely destroys the enjoyment of the music for me! It's incredibly annoying...

[mikeweil]

Some nostalgic emotions are simply too strong to get over.

When he cites “Sitting in a room, alone, listening to a CD is to be lonely. Sitting in a room alone with an LP crackling away … is enjoying the sublime state of solitude.", that says it all.

Edited December 27, 2013 by mikeweil

[ejp626]

Some nostalgic emotions are simply too strong to get over.

When he cites “Sitting in a room, alone, listening to a CD is to be lonely. Sitting in a room alone with an LP crackling away … is enjoying the sublime state of solitude.", that says it all.

Perhaps. But then would it not be a form of child abuse to attempt to induce (or rather inculcate) this state in his child.

I don't go around trying to convince my kids of the glories of mimeo machines.

[crisp]

Once again the comparison is between vinyl and MP3s. Of course vinyl sounds better! MP3s sound dreadful. If he compared a CD to a 78 he'd prefer the CD. I'm afraid it's just the usual middle-class posturing/youth ingratiating from The Guardian.

[paul secor]

If he compared a CD to a 78 he'd prefer the CD.

Don't tell that to our 78 listening crew. I'm sure they have some comments to make about that statement.

[JSngry]

I got my son (and daughter, fathers, don't unduly lavish on sons and not pay equal heed to your daughters) to love vinyl by mixing it with SpaghettiOs.

[jeffcrom]

If he compared a CD to a 78 he'd prefer the CD.

Don't tell that to our 78 listening crew. I'm sure they have some comments to make about that statement.

Depends. But we're nuts, anyway.

[David Ayers]

I didn't even read the piece - life is too short - and I can't listen to vinyl a the moment - but - it absorbs me in a way digital never has. Ever.

[crisp]

If he compared a CD to a 78 he'd prefer the CD.

Don't tell that to our 78 listening crew. I'm sure they have some comments to make about that statement.

Some of our members think 78s sound better than CDs? Oh well, I actually respect that if it's what they truly feel.

FWIW I appreciate the allure vinyl has for some – the ritual, the paraphanalia, the nostalgia, the ambience, all make sense to me even though I don't partake. It's just that in this article I don't believe it – he's trying to show off his superiority as a connoisseur and parent but only displaying his ignorance. I mean – "£100 on an amp and speakers and a free turntable advertised by a friend on Facebook" and he's comparing it to an iPod? Clueless.

[Leeway]

The article combines two very popular genres: the technology of another era, and the coming of age/bonding with son-daughter story. You used to (and probably still can) read similar stories where dad and son bonded over old Corvettes, or hunting rifles, or hunting itself, or wilderness treks (one very successful example is Robert Ruark's "The Old Man and the Boy," which captures all the tropes). It's a form of bourgeois romanticism. Who was it who said, "Old wine, old books, old friends." That's the mantra. Rejection of the present (that makes all this possible) and a consequent restoration of the relationships that seem to no longer exist. It's silly, and sad, and a bit dishonest too.

[jeffcrom]

If he compared a CD to a 78 he'd prefer the CD.

Don't tell that to our 78 listening crew. I'm sure they have some comments to make about that statement.

Some of our members think 78s sound better than CDs? Oh well, I actually respect that if it's what they truly feel.

.

I doubt that anyone thinks that 78s sound better than CDs per se. I listen to 78s regularly, and enjoy the experience for a variety of reasons, not all related to sound. I do think that, when the source material only exists in 78 form, a 78 in excellent condition sounds more vibrant and "better" than most CD reissues.

[Scott Dolan]

Once again the comparison is between vinyl and MP3s. Of course vinyl sounds better! MP3s sound dreadful.

Even this is no longer true. As long as the sampling rate is at least 256k VBR/44.100, and it is played through a standalone DAC it is all but impossible to hear the difference between a CD waveform and a MP3. I prefer lossless audio, but a properly sampled MP3 can sound just about as good.

The Emotiva DAC Mrs. Claus bought me for Christmas even takes those files and puts a nice warm, round tone on them getting them as close to the tube amp and LP sound that you will get without using that exact medium and media.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Scott Dolan

[crisp]

That's interesting Scott, thanks. I admit my only experience of MP3s was playing them through iTunes or on an iPod classic or shuffle up until about two years ago and even then only occasionally as they both sounded poor to me and were fatiguing. It wouldn't surprise me if they had improved, but I'm all CD and Flac now.

[Scott Dolan]

Crisp, for some reason I can't post the link here, but Google "Think MP3 Sucks?" and read the article. Pretty impressive stuff. I almost went with the Peachtree Audio DAC they demo'd, but found equally favorable reviews for the Emotiva I ended up with a few hundred bucks less.

And I'm right there with you with CD and ALAC (Apple's FLAC). The exception being anything I purchase through Emusic or iTunes. But even those sound simply wonderful through the DAC. I don't even play CDs anymore. I rip them to lossless, and stream them through my Apple TV.

It's like I was saying on another site earlier, I was very skeptical concerning the difference a DAC would make, but having spent the last 72 hours with one I can now guarantee with 100% certainty that it, and not speakers, is the most crucial link in your digital audio system. My wife usually yawns and rolls her eyes when I ask if she hears a difference when I make changes to my system. She was stunned, and has said so multiple times, after the first few seconds of the first song I played after hooking up the DAC.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Scott Dolan

[crisp]

Cheers. It hasn't occurred to me that a DAC upgrade could also improve the sound, but I'll investigate it. There are so many little influences that I get overwhelmed -- I got into ripping, streaming and separates all in one go only this year. Initially I found lossless sounded fine on my system but a bit inferior to CD. I use JRiver and since it was upgraded from MC18 to 19 its much better, but of course it could have been the DAC that was lacking (I use an Arcam rlink).

But we're getting way off topic -- this is the vinyl forum I'm crashing!

[jazztrain]

When I listen to music on 78 that I know very well from LP or CD reissues, I'm almost always amazed by how much more of a presence the original 78 issue has. Little details, like the sizzle of cymbals, the presence of a rhythm guitar, the real sound of a tuba, often come through much more clearly on 78 than on LP or CD reissues. I hear nuances and subtleties in familiar recordings often for the first time.

If he compared a CD to a 78 he'd prefer the CD.

Don't tell that to our 78 listening crew. I'm sure they have some comments to make about that statement.
Some of our members think 78s sound better than CDs? Oh well, I actually respect that if it's what they truly feel.
.
I doubt that anyone thinks that 78s sound better than CDs per se. I listen to 78s regularly, and enjoy the experience for a variety of reasons, not all related to sound. I do think that, when the source material only exists in 78 form, a 78 in excellent condition sounds more vibrant and "better" than most CD reissues.

[crisp]

OK, bad example