The Colossal Move To CDs

[Feggy]

I didn't start, although many of my friends did. So now I have two collections of records - one of old music in vinyl and another of mostly new music in cd. I just cannot afford the new vinyls, so I buy old music as relatively cheap vinyls and get my new records as cd:s. Well, I have some doubles, mostly The Who-remasters with additional stuff and some others. But not many.

 

[LG]

I've been collecting vinyl again recently to replace many of the CD's I bought that just Don't measure up to the old analog recordings.

If any of you don't think there is a Huge difference then you just haven't really listened to a proper set up.

I could fill this thread with albums that have never been equaled when they were converted to 16-44 CD format. In fact many audiophiles who do collect both prize the very first CD's released because they were "honest" transfers, with no messing about with the original, unlike the travesty of the loudness wars/constant remasters that seem to be flooding the market now.

I truly regret both selling many of my old vinyl records, and the ones that were lost in a fire that are irreplaceable, with the technological improvements today for cleaning them and the amazing phono-stage preamps that are out there you can get into vinyl again without spending a fortune.

I went all in with the digital craze, including $1,000's on state of the art electronics to get the best results possible, and collecting 1,000's of CD's as well.

Vinyl is making a comeback here, there are some fabulous online shops too that have a very good selection, I have almost finished getting my "Must Haves" now.

As a result I will be selling off or trading in my CD copies once I have the vinyl in the house.

DVD's/Blu-Ray are far better formats, looking back I wished I had waited 10 years and skipped CD's altogether and just got 24-96 or 24-192 studio quality recordings instead.

 

[gcczep]

^Some of the first run CDs though have been questioned as to whether they used the original or first gen tapes for mastering. I hedged thinking it was the industry just slapping them on then throwing it out to the masses just to capitalize on the craze...make the cash registers sing until it peters out.

The first version of "Physical Graffiti"...the powers that be edited out the chatter which did not sit well with Zeppelin fans. Page was not happy with the initial releases of the catalog. He corrected it since. I do agree that some of these remixed or remastered releases merely turned up the level. The labels should leave that kind of tinkering to the clubs.

 

[LG]

^^There are a few exceptions of course, but by and large the earlier run CD's have the least amount of "tinkering" done to the original mastertapes.

I will stipulate that my Classical CD collection is of a higher standard than the rock CD's, they seem to have taken more time to do a better job all round.

What irritates me about the digital process in many cases they have lost the "essence" of a great album, that once you listen to the analog version you'll never be satisfied with the CD.

Leftoverture by Kansas is a prime example, when I got my new HQ vinyl pressing it totally put the CD in the shade, to the point I'll never listen to it again. That is what I meant by selling/trading in my CD's that I've got on vinyl again.

I've done exhaustive research into the processes involved and have come to the conclusion that the 16 bit 44 megahertz format just cannot do justice to music, not our old classic rock albums anyway.

Getting back to Vehicle's OP, it took ages for them to release proper studio albums for the longest time we got compilation after compilation and usually once I get the studio albums I want I won't bother with the greatest hits package again.

I found a site for legal downloading "Studio Quality" files, the genuine 24-96 or 24-192 highest quality available, but the selection wasn't very deep. Who knows perhaps they will offer those when they take CD's off the market the next couple of years, I would pay $10 for a classic album download in that format.

Oh and there are rumours that the next jump will be from 24-192(Blu-Ray) to 32-192, and that format does have the capacity to capture everything on old analog tapes, and the new artists releasing music as well.

 

[Sox]

I bought my first CD player about 1990 and the first CD I bought was ...



The CD collection has grown a bit now though and I still have all my old vinyl stash and still play them regularly.

 

[Soot and Stars]

I actually had a pretty good size cassette collection and I sold the whole thing for 20 bucks at my families yard sale very soon after getting my c.d. player around '95.

 

[stepcousin]

I didnt buy CD's until 1986. By the mid 80's I had more or less stopped buying music from the big bands from the 70's that I grew up to (Aerosmith, Van Halen, Rush, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, etc..). I was really into underground metal and thrash. I would buy CD's when applicable but most of the underground bands were only releasing LP's up until about 1988. By 1989, I think I was completely done with LP's and only bought CD's, that is until about 2 years ago when I got back into vinyl again in a huge way.

 

[That 70s Guy]

I would also like to add....now I rarely listen to the 700 or so cd's I own.

 

[LG]

^^I'm not surprised opposite for me, I don't listen to MP3's or AAC files at all anymore not even on my portable on the rare occasions I use my Sansa.

Not all CD's were poorly made, didn't mean to give that impression there are a handful that are first class and in one or two instances the CD is better than the old record I own.

Here's an example, Starz "Attention Shoppers!", the CD I bought 3 years ago is fantastic, especially "Johnny All Alone" the guitar on that track is mesmerizing on the CD, I was very impressed. The old vinyl might be "smoother and silkier" but the soundstage on the CD is more impressive.

 

[gcczep]

I still lean on listening to CDs more than my LPs though it isn't as one sided as it used to be for the former. My outboard DAC really helps in wringing out every bit of info with nice clarity. In a good system, you can easily tell how inadequate some of the mastering was done.

I'm slowly re-acquiring LP versions of what I already have on disc. At least the bands that I am into. Makes me feel like I am 18 again.