4 ms·

Vinyl (IMO) isn't about it being retro or having "better" sound quality (whatever that means, it's mostly subjective), but about having a collectable, physical

Vinyl (IMO) isn't about it being retro or having "better" sound quality (whatever that means, it's mostly subjective), but about having a collectable, physical item. I think CDs were a step backwards, not because the sound quality was off but because the boxes were smaller and fragile; I've never owned any music CDs. Digital music is neat for listening to music, but it also feels like it lowers the value of it.

dbt00 7mo ago
Jewel cases may be fragile but LPs are far more vulnerable to damage than CDs are. There are much better ways to hold a CD collection.
Bratmon 7mo ago
Most people buying vinyl in 2026 don't own a record player. Because that's not the point.
- BuildTheRobots 7mo ago
  This probably isn't the point either, but I get an almost perverse level of calm knowing that for my most favourite albums, I own a physical representation of the waveform trapped in a medium. I very rarely listen to them in that form, but I honestly like the idea that in a post-Carrington event, zombie apocalypse or mad-max style future where electricity or electronics become scarce, I can (if desperate enough) listen to them with a nail and a cone.
Someone 7mo ago
> I think CDs were a step backwards, not because the sound quality was off but because the boxes were smaller and fragile Smaller, yes, but fragile? Certainly not more fragile than Vinyl.
- packetlost 7mo ago
  The jewel cases absolutely were more fragile than the cardboard that was typical of vinyl, but vinyl itself is more fragile than CDs, though the failure modes are completely different.
  - giobox 7mo ago
    The jewel case does have the advantage of being easily replaceable too though - you can transfer album art/booklets and in most cases the result looks the same as the original. With vinyl, album artwork and the case are the same thing and damaging or destroying the case also damages or destroys the album art - you can’t really replace the case without repurchasing the record if the art matters to you.
  - Someone 7mo ago
    > The jewel cases absolutely were more fragile than the cardboard CD cases more easily break catastrophically but I think that, for most kinds of impacts, CD cases are less easily damaged than vinyl sleeves. Water damages them less easily, they’re less susceptible to smudges, corners don’t get creased, etc.
specproc 7mo ago
I think there's something to be said for _any_ physical media when it comes to audio. I hate opening my phone/laptop to put music on, inadvertently opening HN/lichess, and watching the next few hours vanish in silence. Also deeper engagement, and a big second hand and artist-driven markets keeping my money out of the hands of NastyCorp. Vinyl is just the nicest.
HerbManic 7mo ago
Like retro PC game collectors, they realpy just want that giant box! Most of their games are probably just ISOs on an SSD.

dbt00 7mo ago

Jewel cases may be fragile but LPs are far more vulnerable to damage than CDs are. There are much better ways to hold a CD collection.

Bratmon 7mo ago

Most people buying vinyl in 2026 don't own a record player. Because that's not the point.

BuildTheRobots 7mo ago
This probably isn't the point either, but I get an almost perverse level of calm knowing that for my most favourite albums, I own a physical representation of the waveform trapped in a medium. I very rarely listen to them in that form, but I honestly like the idea that in a post-Carrington event, zombie apocalypse or mad-max style future where electricity or electronics become scarce, I can (if desperate enough) listen to them with a nail and a cone.

Someone 7mo ago

> I think CDs were a step backwards, not because the sound quality was off but because the boxes were smaller and fragile Smaller, yes, but fragile? Certainly not more fragile than Vinyl.

packetlost 7mo ago
The jewel cases absolutely were more fragile than the cardboard that was typical of vinyl, but vinyl itself is more fragile than CDs, though the failure modes are completely different.
- giobox 7mo ago
  The jewel case does have the advantage of being easily replaceable too though - you can transfer album art/booklets and in most cases the result looks the same as the original. With vinyl, album artwork and the case are the same thing and damaging or destroying the case also damages or destroys the album art - you can’t really replace the case without repurchasing the record if the art matters to you.
- Someone 7mo ago
  > The jewel cases absolutely were more fragile than the cardboard CD cases more easily break catastrophically but I think that, for most kinds of impacts, CD cases are less easily damaged than vinyl sleeves. Water damages them less easily, they’re less susceptible to smudges, corners don’t get creased, etc.

specproc 7mo ago

I think there's something to be said for _any_ physical media when it comes to audio. I hate opening my phone/laptop to put music on, inadvertently opening HN/lichess, and watching the next few hours vanish in silence. Also deeper engagement, and a big second hand and artist-driven markets keeping my money out of the hands of NastyCorp. Vinyl is just the nicest.

HerbManic 7mo ago

Like retro PC game collectors, they realpy just want that giant box! Most of their games are probably just ISOs on an SSD.