A record technically has the actual sound waves recorded on it. Anything other format that we have has digital representations of the sound waves on it.
Yes, but the mechanical nature of vinyl means that the are a huge number of variables that conspire against it. Temperature, vibration, dirt, needle wear, needle wear on the record, inductive losses at the transducer (ie. where the mechanical movement of the needle is translated into electrical currents)
Just because the analog waveform is represented in an analog fashion on vinyl does not mean that you have more resolution than digitally sampled audio:
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24-bit precision gives you about 16.77 million values. Assuming a total groove width of 50 x 10^-6m, the maximum movement of the cutter is physically bounded at about half that. Much more and the cutter will be in the space for an adjacent groove. Thus, 50 microns width divided by 16.77 million gives us about 3 x 10^-12m, i.e. ~0.03 angstroms.
The diameter of a hydrogen atom is 1.0 angstroms (1 x 10^-10m). That would make the resolution of a 24-bit digital signal equivalent to an analog cutter whose resolution is just about 1/30 the width of a hydrogen atom. Sadly, this seems to be physically impossible, as none of the particles smaller than atoms are stable enough to be used in records.
Of course, records aren't made of hydrogen, they're made of the polymer pvc. One molecule of pvc is about 100,000 angstroms. This means that, if the cutters were actually removing single pvc molecules the vinyl records would have about 11 bits of resolution. Sadly, they don't get even that precise, though I'm not sure the actual precision. To get down to a record made of hydrogen atoms (possible under very low temp/very high pressure I suppose) one would need 19 bits. Anything beyond that is useless as long as the laws of physics hold.
If you like the sound of vinyl, and many do, that's great. But it's not a superior format on technical merit. It's actually a lower sampling rate that is more subject to environmental factors when reading back the waveform, and with no error correction to top it all off.
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A CD on that same system was spectacular, but it did not have the warmth and natural, organic tone that vinyl produces.
This is actually extremely mild distortion and harmonic overtones you are hearing that give it the added warmth and organic feel. It's the same thing with guitar amplifiers - tube amps working hard have a far warmer feel that most people prefer to solid state amps, because they are subtly (and often not so subtly!) overdriving and distorting. Even at reasonable drive levels for a clean signal, tubes distort in ways that the human ear finds pleasing.
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I guess its really going to be the end of album cover art, its taken a beating in the CD Era because there' just not the same real estate as old albums but it was still there to some extent.
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I will believe the death of CD when I see it - I am not sure that there are enough cars equipped with the proper audio systems to deal with purely digital. And there are too many old people who won't be able to deal with anything other than a physical format (jam disk into player).
I could be wrong...
Do like the idea of throwing away my jewel cases of the CDs I do have (my wife will like it most though).
As for album art - I agree... even in the age of CDs there was something visceral about listening to an album while actually looking at the album art...
The only time I buy a CD is at a show. Then I get home and put it on my computer and the CD sits in a pile. The odd time I will have a few kicking around in my car, just in case I forget my IPOD or adapter..
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The last CD I bought was Nas-I Am, way back in jr high school when getting HMV certificates was the cool gift to get. I can't help but think that music companies dropped the ball on digital music when it first came out. I really don't feel bad for music companies who lost money/went under due to online music. They are the ones who refused to adapt to the technology at the time and by the time they did it was too little too late.
I'll be disappointed if this does happen. I still like to physically own something that isn't some digital file. Last cd I bought was Megadeth's 13 last Tuesday.
The last CD I bought was Nas-I Am, way back in jr high school when getting HMV certificates was the cool gift to get. I can't help but think that music companies dropped the ball on digital music when it first came out. I really don't feel bad for music companies who lost money/went under due to online music. They are the ones who refused to adapt to the technology at the time and by the time they did it was too little too late.
I think the problem was the recording industry was too in bed with the established distrubtion channels. They couldn't go all digital since the record companies would be up in arms. They also couldn't bypass distrubition deals.
The way it's become now is basically Youtube and MP3 have replaced MTV/radio and MP3s.
I don't buy physial music anymore, but spend more money on music than ever. I go to way more concerts. I would never have heard of most of these bands if not for the ability to quickly access their music digitally. We're at the point now where recorded music is merely a way to advertise the live act.
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I refuse to believe that people just listen to singles now.
/music snob.
You may say that a bit sarcastically, but even artists see the value in singles over albums. There's actually more money to be made by releasing singles of 12 tracks at $1.99 each rather than one album at $9.99.
I chatted with BT on twitter last year about his thoughts on releasing "mini-albums" versus a full album like he did for These Hopeful Machines. He said the hardest part of making his albums are making everything flow together, and mini-albums and singles allow his ideas and genres to stick together rather than trying to make them mesh with sometimes varied results. Plus he can release stuff more often which is always a plus since he's usually slow; 2-4 years between new albums.
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Originally Posted by Daradon
I may be in the minority here, but I would love something physical to hang onto (when it comes to purchasing)
And I'm no DJ.
Buying tapes and later CD's was something that made you think about, made you have a choice, and later have something at home.
I agree that having something physical is great (I prefer and buy many CDs still). I can rip it however I like, and it when it comes to some albums that are mixed, you usually get them in one giant mp3 which is a pain. Sometimes I don't want one giant MP3, so the CD comes in handy because I can maintain the high quality mp3 without having to cut and re-encode.
Most of my CDs have only been used once, which is in my computer CD-ROM drive to be ripped to V0 MP3s. I'm glad I have all these CDs, because I was stupid back in the day and ripped them using iTunes with default settings. They sound like crap compared when I re-ripped them, and since then all CDs I have are ripped at V0.
I chatted with BT on twitter last year about his thoughts on releasing "mini-albums" versus a full album like he did for These Hopeful Machines. He said the hardest part of making his albums are making everything flow together, and mini-albums and singles allow his ideas and genres to stick together rather than trying to make them mesh with sometimes varied results. Plus he can release stuff more often which is always a plus since he's usually slow; 2-4 years between new albums.
Isn't that the trick though? The reason there are great albums is because artists have successfully been able to create something that flows and fits so well, it has a massive impact if consumed as a larger piece of work.
Are we going to see anything like Dark Side of The Moon again...OK Computer? I think its sad if artists arene't even attempting albums anymore. Its pretty special if an artist can make something of that calibur. There's a reason people remember these albums decades after release. Making a hit single is just an easily digestible piece that is quickly consumed and probably equally quickly forgotten.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
When people say they haven't bought a CD in five years, what they are really saying is they haven't bought any music in five years. Many people pirate music with impunity.
