Vinyl Records - Cool or Otherwise...

[The Folk Prophet]

So I've recently ordered myself a moderately nice record player with the intention of starting a record collection. I also purchased my first 3 record (Metallica's Death Magnetic, and used Mormon Tab albums (The Lord's Prayer 1 and 2)).

None of my family and friends seem to get it. They all respond to me when I tell them like I'm a weirdo. But for some reason it just seems cool to me. I think it's probably mostly sentiment. But I also like the idea of having the physical medium, the decorative nature of the "old school" record player in my home, etc.

So what say ye?

Cool retro or lame hipster move?

For anyone who's interested, here's the player I ordered:

[NeuroTypical]

I still have my dual-tape deck stereo record player cool thing I got from Radio Shack in the '90's.  The tape decks don't work any more, but the record player does.  I have a few hundred records in the basement somewhere, maybe half a dozen of them might be actual valuable collectors items.  Some have sentimental value.

I'm hardly an audiophile, but I can see the appeal.

[zil]

13 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

None of my family and friends seem to get it. They all respond to me when I tell them like I'm a weirdo. But for some reason it just seems cool to me.

Now go get yourself a few fountain pens.  The reaction will be the same.   I like the sound of vinyl, so I don't think you're weird.  My brother has ripped some of my old vinyl to mp3s - they sound great.

[Guest]

Vinyl is awesome!  To me, listening to music on vinyl is kind of like playing a video game on an arcade machine.  You can play a video game on a phone, or listen to an album on mp3, but vinyl is just somehow more authentic somehow and more fun, despite being decidedly lower-tech.  I don't care if my vinyl is scratchy and pops (within reason) - to me, that is part of the charm!

For a long time, I used to go to Half Price Books or goodwill and load up on old 25 cent country LPs, then I would take them home and rip to MP3 and listen to them on my ipod.  That is how I discovered Charlie Daniels, Jackson Browne, David Alan Coe, Charley Pride and Ernest Tubb.  I also filled in lots of holes in my Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson albums.  (I already had everything by Waylon Jennings, and I mean EVERYTHING).  There is nothing like listening to old country music on vinyl... it is, in a very real way, experiencing Americana and an era gone by, a piece of history.  It just isn't the same downloading these albums on itunes.  Some of these albums are not even available on Itunes, as far as I can tell (Neil Young's Time Fades Away was recently re-released, but lots of Hank Williams' old albums are not individually available.  Same goes with Charlie Daniels' self titled album, etc.)

If you want a really good experience, try listening to Townes Van Zandt, Live at the Old Quarter, on vinyl.  Best album ever!  Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding is similarly amazing (or any Bob Dylan from the 1960s, for that matter).

Just don't do like what I did and get totally out of control with collecting vinyl (especially since you can get four albums for a dollar at some places).  There is nothing like having to move houses and having to cart around 25 boxes of old records!

Edited January 16, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[anatess2]

TFP!!!  You're back!!! Missed you.

i love vinyl.  I love the sound of it.  It has that certain roughness that adds to the texture of the sound.  It's like that certain squeakiness to a chord change on an acoustic guitar that is cleaned out in the electric.

My nephew who turned 25 last month got a record player 2 years ago.  He loves it.  And this is a kid that just caught the tail end of the CD era.

[Jane_Doe]

39 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

TFP!!!  You're back!!! Missed you.

Same here!

[Guest]

10 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

They all respond to me when I tell them like I'm a weirdo.

You say that like it's a bad thing.  I've raised my entire family to be proud that people think we're weird.

To quote Donna fromSuits

Quote

You're weird.  We're going to be friends.

 

[zil]

10 hours ago, zil said:

My brother has ripped some of my old vinyl to mp3s - they sound great.

I should be clearer - they sound like listening to vinyl with all the so-called "flaws".  Probably not as good as the original vinyl, but certainly different from the 100% sterile digital version.

[Guest]

Quote

I love my records
Black, shiny vinyl
Clicks and pops
And white noise
Man they sounded fine

-- Tim McGraw Back When

 

[Guest Godless]

One of my employees collects vinyls. Thanks to him, I have a limited edition pressing of Bad Religion's No Control, but no record player to play it on (womp womp). I sometimes tease him about being a hipster (he kind of is), but I do think vinyl has a practical retro appeal. I wouldn't mind picking up some more if something good pops up, but I haven't reached the point where I'm going to seek them out, especially without a player.

[NeedleinA]

12 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

So what say ye?

Cool retro

Cool retro!
I really enjoy collecting things from the 80's... reminds me of a carefree childhood and simpler times. Just looked at some Atari 2600 stuff the other day. 

[anatess2]

41 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

Cool retro!
I really enjoy collecting things from the 80's... reminds me of a carefree childhood and simpler times. Just looked at some Atari 2600 stuff the other day. 

Dude... I'm an 80's woman and I can tell you straight up... vinyls are before my time. 

I grew up on cassette tapes.

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by anatess2

[Vort]

2 hours ago, zil said:

I should be clearer - they sound like listening to vinyl with all the so-called "flaws".  Probably not as good as the original vinyl, but certainly different from the 100% sterile digital version.

As a child of the '60s, I say: Gimme the sterile digital version! I appreciate the genius of old technology, but if I get to choose between the pops, scratches, and skips of vinyl, the hiss and low signal-to-noise ratio of cassette tape, or the crispness of CD/mp3/other digital format -- guess what? I take the digital format every. single. time.

[Vort]

13 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

So I've recently ordered myself a moderately nice record player with the intention of starting a record collection. I also purchased my first 3 record (Metallica's Death Magnetic, and used Mormon Tab albums (The Lord's Prayer 1 and 2)).

I didn't realize that Death Magnetic had even been released on vinyl. Must be some retro-pop hiphop scratching sample thing.

No, I don't think it's lame. Now, if you spend $10,000 setting up a complete high-end '70s-era hi-fi system, well then, yes, my friend, that's sort of lame.

[Vort]

Oh, and nice to see you, TFP.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

When my daughter got into vinyl, I was surprised, but I've grown accustomed to the idea. My son and daughter in law now have one too.  

The thing I think is fun about it is that you can get a wide range of vinyl from vintage to modern. My daughter has the coolest record of Elvis (she has very diverse musical taste). One of the songs was taped live and someone in the front row made him laugh so hard. He tried to recover but couldn't for a minute. I love hearing his laugh. 

Enjoy the record player!

[The Folk Prophet]

7 hours ago, Vort said:

I didn't realize that Death Magnetic had even been released on vinyl.

They've releases all their catalog (re-released in some cases) on vinyl.

Now if only Tool would release 10000 days on vinyl!

My next purchase, however (new purchase...I might pick up used stuff at any time) will be Michael Jackson's Bad. 

[The Folk Prophet]

I like the idea of having a vinyl collection and record player even if I never listened to them. Just for the.....style. Same reason I have an old typewriter on a desk in my living room. Just looks cool.

So maybe a bit lame.

[The Folk Prophet]

11 hours ago, Carborendum said:

You say that like it's a bad thing.  I've raised my entire family to be proud that people think we're weird.

Yes. But it's my family thinking I'm weird. I don't so much outsiders thinking that. But the family is supposed to be weird with me -- as we were raised!

[NeedleinA]

10 hours ago, NeedleinA said:

Cool retro!
I really enjoy collecting things from the 80's... reminds me of a carefree childhood and simpler times. Just looked at some Atari 2600 stuff the other day. 

10 hours ago, anatess2 said:

Dude... I'm an 80's woman and I can tell you straight up... vinyls are before my time. 

I grew up on cassette tapes.

Insert distinct side note: I really enjoy collecting things from the 80's... 
vs. 
I really enjoy collecting things from 80's too 

[bytebear]

I like the retro nostalgia, but for quality of music, give me HD digital any day.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

Yes. But it's my family thinking I'm weird. I don't so much outsiders thinking that. But the family is supposed to be weird with me -- as we were raised!

(shrug).  My family thinks I'm weird (in a rolling their eyes at dad jokes kind of way).

[anatess2]

4 hours ago, NeedleinA said:

Insert distinct side note: I really enjoy collecting things from the 80's... 
vs. 
I really enjoy collecting things from 80's too 

Hopefully not YMCA shorts... 

[zil]

9 hours ago, Carborendum said:

(shrug).  My family thinks I'm weird (in a rolling their eyes at dad jokes kind of way).

Your family aren't the only ones.

(Just teasing.)

[Blackmarch]

On January 15, 2017 at 8:02 PM, The Folk Prophet said:

So I've recently ordered myself a moderately nice record player with the intention of starting a record collection. I also purchased my first 3 record (Metallica's Death Magnetic, and used Mormon Tab albums (The Lord's Prayer 1 and 2)).

None of my family and friends seem to get it. They all respond to me when I tell them like I'm a weirdo. But for some reason it just seems cool to me. I think it's probably mostly sentiment. But I also like the idea of having the physical medium, the decorative nature of the "old school" record player in my home, etc.

So what say ye?

Cool retro or lame hipster move?

For anyone who's interested, here's the player I ordered:

Sweet! Such hobby would take up too much space and the media would wear out too quickly for my taste... On the hand if you do get a bad spot the whole thing isnt lost.