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> the cassette “puts a smudgy fingerprint on everything it touches,” adding noise and hiss, the sound quality degrading with each playback. This applies equall

> the cassette “puts a smudgy fingerprint on everything it touches,” adding noise and hiss, the sound quality degrading with each playback. This applies equally to phonograph recordings. The only real virtue of LP vinyl is that it largely prohibits loudness war nonsense.

lancesells 3y ago
99% of the time I listen to music digitally but I buy LPs for the art and liner notes. My connection with the music I listen to is bigger when I see more of the art and design and read what went into making the album.
dylan604 3y ago
>The only real virtue of LP vinyl is I disagree. As a former DJ that played vinyl, it truly was a tactile experience. The loss of that with the switch to CDs and now digital media is truly something that's not appreciated.
- ano-ther 3y ago
  Yes. Including the haptic + visual element of searching for the next one when going through the sleeves. CDs at least still had that, while digital file lists are just much harder to navigate. (This is also why I keep buying physical books despite enjoying the convenience of an e-reader)
  - dylan604 3y ago
    ctrl+f in the list is still a lot easier to find something even if just file name, but most systems use id3 tags so artist/track/album are accessible.
    - nine_k 3y ago
      Ctrl+F is efficient. Fingering through disks and books is visceral. The latter is a special pleasure for some, and an easier way to orient in a multitude. (Not for me, but I can appreciate the difference all right.)
      - dylan604 3y ago
        Don't get me wrong, I love digging through crates of vinyl. There were times where one might find oneself with insufficient funds for new vinyl. There was something quite satisfying to walk through all of the 12"s in the crate and play all of the B-sides of the 12"s that you didn't play because the A-side was always the one you turned to. It was just like going to the record store, but at home. Can't recreate that by scrolling through a file listing. I'm all about that physical experience, but doesn't mean one can't admit the pros of another format.
OfSanguineFire 3y ago
LP vinyl had another virtue in permitting large-format artwork. For example, the work of Vaughan Oliver for a number of albums on the 4AD label, is now regarded as such original design that it is exhibited in art museums completely separate from the music. However, once CDs overtook vinyl he and other designers found the small size of the new format very limiting. This is one major reason why vinyl had a comeback in the new millennium: so many of the people buying that vinyl didn’t even own a turntable, but they wanted something to exhibit as home decoration, and hanging vinyl records up on the wall has long been a favourite DYI project.
- LiquidPolymer 3y ago
  I would add that physical media has its own charms beyond simply the art (which I love). Removing vinyl from the sleeve, finding the perfect spot to drop the needle, flipping the record- this is all very pleasing if you enjoy physical objects that are engineered yet beautiful. I have reel-to-reel, minidisc, digital audio tape, and cassette in addition to CD and vinyl. I find reel-to-reel hardware fascinating. Well-built machines are heavy, with tactile switches and buttons that are very pleasing. I can get better audio quality from a minidisc player the size of a deck of cards - but with r-to-r you get this lovely machine spinning about, counting time while VU meters dance. Obviously the hardware is part of the experience for me. FWIW - cassette can actually sound fantastic. They often did not, but the capability is there. The Sony Walkman’s I still enjoy are delightful to listen to and operate. Just for fun I bought one of Taylor Swift’s new releases on cassette (yes, she sells cassettes) and was a terrific audio experience.
TerrifiedMouse 3y ago
> The only real virtue of LP vinyl is that it largely prohibits loudness war nonsense. Actually the loudness war started in the 40s with vinyl. https://www.npr.org/2009/12/31/122114058/the-loudness-wars-why-music-sounds-worse https://www.npr.org/2009/12/31/122114058/the-loudness-wars-w... The part about digital compression is nonsense though. That’s not now digital audio works. Not sure why the article author asked a psychology professor to explain digital signal processing.

lancesells 3y ago

99% of the time I listen to music digitally but I buy LPs for the art and liner notes. My connection with the music I listen to is bigger when I see more of the art and design and read what went into making the album.

dylan604 3y ago

>The only real virtue of LP vinyl is I disagree. As a former DJ that played vinyl, it truly was a tactile experience. The loss of that with the switch to CDs and now digital media is truly something that's not appreciated.

ano-ther 3y ago
Yes. Including the haptic + visual element of searching for the next one when going through the sleeves. CDs at least still had that, while digital file lists are just much harder to navigate. (This is also why I keep buying physical books despite enjoying the convenience of an e-reader)
- dylan604 3y ago
  ctrl+f in the list is still a lot easier to find something even if just file name, but most systems use id3 tags so artist/track/album are accessible.
  - nine_k 3y ago
    Ctrl+F is efficient. Fingering through disks and books is visceral. The latter is a special pleasure for some, and an easier way to orient in a multitude. (Not for me, but I can appreciate the difference all right.)
    - dylan604 3y ago
      Don't get me wrong, I love digging through crates of vinyl. There were times where one might find oneself with insufficient funds for new vinyl. There was something quite satisfying to walk through all of the 12"s in the crate and play all of the B-sides of the 12"s that you didn't play because the A-side was always the one you turned to. It was just like going to the record store, but at home. Can't recreate that by scrolling through a file listing. I'm all about that physical experience, but doesn't mean one can't admit the pros of another format.

OfSanguineFire 3y ago

LP vinyl had another virtue in permitting large-format artwork. For example, the work of Vaughan Oliver for a number of albums on the 4AD label, is now regarded as such original design that it is exhibited in art museums completely separate from the music. However, once CDs overtook vinyl he and other designers found the small size of the new format very limiting. This is one major reason why vinyl had a comeback in the new millennium: so many of the people buying that vinyl didn’t even own a turntable, but they wanted something to exhibit as home decoration, and hanging vinyl records up on the wall has long been a favourite DYI project.

LiquidPolymer 3y ago
I would add that physical media has its own charms beyond simply the art (which I love). Removing vinyl from the sleeve, finding the perfect spot to drop the needle, flipping the record- this is all very pleasing if you enjoy physical objects that are engineered yet beautiful. I have reel-to-reel, minidisc, digital audio tape, and cassette in addition to CD and vinyl. I find reel-to-reel hardware fascinating. Well-built machines are heavy, with tactile switches and buttons that are very pleasing. I can get better audio quality from a minidisc player the size of a deck of cards - but with r-to-r you get this lovely machine spinning about, counting time while VU meters dance. Obviously the hardware is part of the experience for me. FWIW - cassette can actually sound fantastic. They often did not, but the capability is there. The Sony Walkman’s I still enjoy are delightful to listen to and operate. Just for fun I bought one of Taylor Swift’s new releases on cassette (yes, she sells cassettes) and was a terrific audio experience.

TerrifiedMouse 3y ago

> The only real virtue of LP vinyl is that it largely prohibits loudness war nonsense. Actually the loudness war started in the 40s with vinyl. https://www.npr.org/2009/12/31/122114058/the-loudness-wars-why-music-sounds-worse https://www.npr.org/2009/12/31/122114058/the-loudness-wars-w... The part about digital compression is nonsense though. That’s not now digital audio works. Not sure why the article author asked a psychology professor to explain digital signal processing.