[net.audio] CDs and LPs

messina@ihuxl.UUCP (m. messina) (05/29/85)

	I know I'll get flamed for this but I can't resist.
	
	Anyone who spent $1000+ for a turntable is going
	to convince themselves that the imaging, sound quality, etc
	is much better than a CD.  This will justify the money spent.
	(Audio abuse is like drug abuse, you have to keep on spending more
	money to get a better high).
							
	When I was looking for a CD player, I could only hear (not imagine) that
	CDs were by far superior to any of my LPs, on any of there
	turntables, at any of the stores (but again I don't have a Phd in audio
	imaging or is it audio imagining).

	If it makes you feel better to think good analog equipment is
	better, then keep on spending $200+ every 6mon. to  year for
	your cartridge, play those records you enjoy once a year to keep
	down the wear, or keep on buying the same record over-and-over again
	to maintain that 1st time sound quality.

	Me I'll spend the $500 for the CD player and  $10-$15 for CDs once.
	Compared to high quality analog equipment, replacement of a cartridge,
	buying Master and Import LPs (which are about the same price as a CD, if
	not more in some cases), and buying the same LP several times because
	the one you have as been worn though to side B. 
	
	Who is spending more ?
	
	JUST MY OPINION.

	
			ihuxl!messina

ben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (05/30/85)

>	Compared to high quality analog equipment, replacement of a cartridge,
>	buying Master and Import LPs (which are about the same price as a CD, if
>	not more in some cases), and buying the same LP several times because
>	the one you have as been worn though to side B. 

True, record wear is a problem; it's all downhill after the first
play.  One of the things I like best about my CD player is knowing
that the unwanted sounds interrupting my musical pleasure are
the refrigerator and furnace fan, not a newly discovered defect on
the recording medium.

In defense of records, however, I'd like to raise two points.
1) Plenty of good music is available in the 'cut-out' bins of record
   stores.  This gives me an opportunity to buy music at $1.99 to
   $3.99 that I am not sufficiently interested in to justify a
   higher price tag.  This has helped to expand both my collection
   and my musical horizons.

2) Audiophile records are of more consistant quality.  The record you
   spend better than $10.00 on will either sound good or the store
   will take back the record and give you a credit.  As a result,
   there are very few audiophile records of poor fidelity.  With
   CDs there are definitely some clunkers out there, and if you happen
   to purchase one, you are stuck.  (Stores in this area will only
   replace CDs with a duplicate of the same title)  If you don't know
   what I am talking about, just ask anyone who bought the CD of
   Jethro Tull's 'Aqualung'.


Ben Broder
..ihnp4!princeton!moncol!ben
..vax135!petsd!moncol!ben

bytebug@pertec.UUCP (roger long) (06/04/85)

In article <340@moncol.UUCP> ben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder) writes:
>In defense of records, however, I'd like to raise two points.
>1) Plenty of good music is available in the 'cut-out' bins of record
>   stores.  This gives me an opportunity to buy music at $1.99 to
>   $3.99 that I am not sufficiently interested in to justify a
>   higher price tag.  This has helped to expand both my collection
>   and my musical horizons.

I'd like to point out the other side of this issue.  I belong to a CD
rental club.  I don't have to be so picky about the music I listen to
any more, and will often preview discs before I buy them, just to make
sure that it will be $12-$14 well spent. 

I've listened to a LOT more music since I joined the club, and have
found LOTS more music that I enjoy.  How many times have you bought an
record at a store based on one single you've heard on the radio, and
found that one single was the only thing worth listening to.

I don't know if other parts of the country have the same sort of rental
clubs, but it makes a LOT of sense when you think how much abuse a CD
can take.  And you know that some of the stuff has been in circulation
for awhile.  Try doing that with records...  (How many of you have gone
down to the public library and checked out a record recently?)
-- 
	roger long
	pertec computer corp
	{ucbvax!unisoft | scgvaxd | trwrb | felix}!pertec!bytebug