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'Record Store Day' Creates Vinyl Logjam (newyorker.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Today is Record Store Day, an event which includes exclusive vinyl releases distributed only through record stores. But besides complaints about scalpers hoarding the limited-edition releases, musicians and labels say the event monopolizes all of the available production capacity for pressing vinyl records, creating delays as long as six months and inflating vinyl record prices as high as $30. "The bottleneck persists even though plants work around the clock for months to accommodate the surge in orders leading up to Record Store Day," writes the New Yorker, noting that the demand for vinyl records has now increased six-fold over the last eight years.
Part of the problem appears to be big labels. (One insisted on printing 2,100 copies of their 1974 novelty hit "Kung Fu Fighting" for the independent record store event, the New Yorker notes, "meaning that an up-and-coming band's new album could, in theory, be delayed.") Meanwhile, with current techniques, one production plant still has to scrap up to 20% of the records it presses due to quality issues -- although in the last four months, two companies have introduced new faster technologies for pressing vinyl records.
This year's records include a Dr. Who track called "Genesis of the Daleks" and a track from the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" soundtrack on a vinyl picture disc, as well as releases from Anthrax, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, the Flaming Lips, and even Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale. Metallica -- this year's "ambassador" for the event -- plans to stream a live performance at Rasputin Records in Berkeley California.)
Part of the problem appears to be big labels. (One insisted on printing 2,100 copies of their 1974 novelty hit "Kung Fu Fighting" for the independent record store event, the New Yorker notes, "meaning that an up-and-coming band's new album could, in theory, be delayed.") Meanwhile, with current techniques, one production plant still has to scrap up to 20% of the records it presses due to quality issues -- although in the last four months, two companies have introduced new faster technologies for pressing vinyl records.
This year's records include a Dr. Who track called "Genesis of the Daleks" and a track from the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" soundtrack on a vinyl picture disc, as well as releases from Anthrax, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, the Flaming Lips, and even Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale. Metallica -- this year's "ambassador" for the event -- plans to stream a live performance at Rasputin Records in Berkeley California.)
The fetishization of vinyl is for posers. The same kind of posers who fetishize $10,000 audio ethernet cables.
What matters most is mastering. A poorly mastered vinyl release will sound like shit compared to a quality mastering on CD or even an MP3. And then there is degradation and convenience, digital never degrades and is easily copied, shared, backed-up and stored. Given an identical mastering, the only reason to prefer vinyl is if you care about something other than audio quality.
As a sell-proclaimed audiophile I can appreciate the point of the article- limited production capacity, high demand, and large budget production runs leave little capacity and long delays for small vinyl releases- but I can't see this really being much of a tragedy. If you're wanting the music itself, a digital copy with superior quality is just a few clicks away. If you're in it for the novelty of vinyl, well you clearly enjoy ritual, waiting, and inconvenience. It would probably make actually receiving the plate all the more rewarding. Vinyl demand has shot up fairly aggressively in recent years. Production capacity will meet demand eventually. When it does. the only thing that will maintain the novelty of vinyl will probably be artificial scarcity and inflated prices.
Would is sound better with earplugs?
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
I'm over 50, grew up on vinyl records, so I like vinyl for the combination of nostalgia and having grown up with classic 70's era album masters. My vote for all-time best recording for vinyl is Supertramp's "Crime of the Century." But you had to look for quality recordings and pressings. We would seek out import version of our favorite bands, as they tended to come from higher quality masters and (sometimes) came in more interesting covers/jackets.
What do millennial and younger crowd love about vinyl? why do think it is regaining in popularity? Please post.
sigs are for losers (except to point out that sigs are for losers)
I grew up in the '70s - if you considered yourself anything other than a loser that didn't know anything about audio, this is what you did.
That and worry about:
- Your turntable (always wanted a direct drive for providing the most accurate 33 RPM)
- Arm (had to be balanced to minimized forces on the cartridge, needle and record)
- Cartridge
- Needle
I have a Technics turntable with a Shure cartridge and needle that probably cost the equivalent of $2,000 today. I couldn't find needles for the cartridges for years (although I can now) but now that I have replaced most of my collection with CDs,
I haven't brought it out of the (orginal) box for a few years now.
The irony is, I can't sell it to anybody because it isn't "modern technology".
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