The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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Jake
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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kincajou wrote: 29 Sep 2021, 20:47 My first copy of DM on red vinyl was warped and had surface scuffs. Returned it to Townsend music two weeks ago and haven't heard from them since. After sending it back they ran out of red vinyl, so I got one off ebay which is fine.

I'm also now on my 3rd black vinyl copy of DM after the first two were badly warped/scuffed and clearly scratched respectively. It's happening more and more with vinyl, which given it's increasingly expensive, is a right pain in the arse!


It’s a fucking disgrace. There’s no quality control in vinyl manufacturing these days or it’s seriously lacking at least. I have bought a few new vinyl albums in recent times with similar experiences. My DM red vinyl was ok, looked a little scuffed, but was only superficial, did not notice on playback. I’m not likely to play it often, so I suppose it’s a little bit annoying it lowers the collectibility.

I think one of the reasons this happens is down to the lack of pressing plants, too few pressing plants and too many vinyl orders. I believe most vinyl is pressed in EU, specifically Czech Republic and they are completely overrun with pressing orders. I don’t know what the state of play is with British pressing plants, I am reluctant to say there are none, but certainly the skill and expertise is something that has long gone, together with the huge scale production line of vinyl records that was once seen in England. It was exceptionally rare that vinyl records came out of pressing plants and into the hands of the consumer in days gone past in the shocking conditions of some vinyl in the age of the so called “vinyl resurgence”.
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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...I'm making lists of all the people I love,
and all the cunts that should fuck off...
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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Oh dear - look at that carbon footprint for vinyl - would be interesting to hear the eco-warrior justification for vinyl over mp3....

About time we had a new format that fuses convenience with the old skool experience - maybe a printed info pack/folder with built in NFC to autostream the music to your device?
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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8088 wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 00:31
Oh dear - look at that carbon footprint for vinyl - would be interesting to hear the eco-warrior justification for vinyl over mp3....

About time we had a new format that fuses convenience with the old skool experience - maybe a printed info pack/folder with built in NFC to autostream the music to your device?
Neither streaming or vinyl are ideal from an environmental point of view as the article points out;

Morrison pointed out that although vinyl manufacturing has, compared with other formats, a negative environmental impact, most buyers will at least cherish their items for a long time. “It’s not going to end up in the ocean like a plastic bottle,” he said, echoing Lorde’s sentiments. Besides, the alternative of streaming (which is rarely profitable for musicians) is not an environmentally sound choice either. The climate impact of streaming isn’t directly comparable with vinyl or CDs, but data suggests that the energy required to power the servers that house streaming platforms is significantly damaging to the environment.
There is also some discussion online out there whether owning vinyl is potentially damaging human health due to the use of lead in the production of PVC, cheery thought
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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Jake wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 12:30
Neither streaming or vinyl are ideal from an environmental point of view as the article points out;
That's why I said mp3 not streaming - apart from other reasons, streaming always ties you to a delivery model you have no input or control over and most importantly, the music is never yours and relies on you to constantly upgrade your device and operating system.
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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8088 wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 12:51



That's why I said mp3 not streaming - apart from other reasons, streaming always ties you to a delivery model you have no input or control over and most importantly, the music is never yours and relies on you to constantly upgrade your device and operating system.


MP3 is still downloaded, and comes from servers requiring not insignificant power, formats like Flac and Wav are preferable to MP3 for most these days surely, MP3 sounds notably worse than lossless formats.
I remember reading years ago that a bought a CD was considered less ecology damaging than downloading. I think CD on a CD player is still vastly more preferable to digital files on computer/hard drive/usb, etc
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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Jake wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 13:42
MP3 is still downloaded, and comes from servers requiring not insignificant power
Not if it's ripped from a CD/Tape/Vinyl you bought in the 70/80s.

The lossless debate is another story - I'm fine with 320k MP3 - any difference there is my ears cannot distinguish.
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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8088 wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 13:50
Not if it's ripped from a CD/Tape/Vinyl you bought in the 70/80s.

The lossless debate is another story - I'm fine with 320k MP3 - any difference there is my ears cannot distinguish.

Each to their own. I don’t rate burned CDs much, I reckon they have also contributed to a degree of plastic waste and I question the durability of some CD-R makes.
That article, I believe states that although yes vinyl record production is not environmentally friendly, it represents 1% of the total global plastic production pollution, which still sounds a significant amount for something that is a bit of a niche hobby.
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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Jake wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 14:59
8088 wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 13:50
Not if it's ripped from a CD/Tape/Vinyl you bought in the 70/80s.

The lossless debate is another story - I'm fine with 320k MP3 - any difference there is my ears cannot distinguish.

Each to their own. I don’t rate burned CDs much, I reckon they have also contributed to a degree of plastic waste and I question the durability of some CD-R makes.
That article, I believe states that although yes vinyl record production is not environmentally friendly, it represents 1% of the total global plastic production pollution, which still sounds a significant amount for something that is a bit of a niche hobby.
What have CD-R got to do with generating MP3s from original source? Or are you making a separate point?
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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8088 wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 15:07

What have CD-R got to do with generating MP3s from original source? Or are you making a separate point?
Easy fella, how am I to know what you play your mp3s on 8)
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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Jake wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 17:12
8088 wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 15:07

What have CD-R got to do with generating MP3s from original source? Or are you making a separate point?
Easy fella, how am I to know what you play your mp3s on 8)
I apologise - I forgot about CD MP3 players - very rarely used them myself as always had issues - any mixes I burnt for the car were always rendered as audio discs.
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Re: The Great CD vs Vinyl debate

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I listen using 3 methods all going through an old NAD amp and old Wharfedale speakers


Phone using Apple Music. It's good to listen to stuff that you don't want to shell out your hard earned dosh. Also, putting it on to shuffle is a bit like having a really good radio station.

CDs. Better sound than the phone, louder and clearer. Just always hated those plastic cases. Shite! Plus the sleeve notes are tiny for my poor old eyes.

Vinyl. The best sound on the NAD. Very loud and energetic sound. But what makes vinyl best is that it forces me to listen to the whole side because I can't be bothered to get up and lift the needle! Just like the old days, thereby giving the album a chance to be listened to thoroughly.

Call me old skool!
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