Never quite pushed off the shelf by CDs and digital downloads, vinyl LPs are enjoying a renewed interest among music fans who are rediscovering them. It looked like vinyl discs in general were going down for the third time when CDs came along and threatened to vaporize them.
It's been a great number of years since those dethroning CDs first appeared, only to be trailed years later by downloadable digital files. Forgetting all of the hype over new formats replacing the old, it seems that vinyl recordings have become the fastest growing format on the market.
Many were caught unaware by the renewed interest in vinyl, because it was assumed that once replaced by more modern alternatives, vinyl was never to be seen again. The unknown in this game is the customers themselves, who can be hard to figure at times, and who were apt to explore alternatives to all things mainstream.
On par with cassette tapes, the once popular format that also seemed to disappear with the CD's introduction, vinyl has been embraced by the alternative music audience. Those who favor, say, Bob Dylan vinyl over Bob Dylan MP3 downloads say that vinyl recordings have certain benefits over both CDs and digital tracks.
For the serious record collector, vinyl is thought to have richer, more natural sound than does the best playback on CDs or other digital media. CDs had no trouble providing a better sound performance than did cassette tapes, but many feel that LPs win the sound quality debate when matched with CDs.
Aside from sound quality, CDs offered a noise-free recording format that promised pristine playback quality that stays consistent for the life of the disc. The same is not true for LPs, which can be substantially noisy depending on their age and condition, and may deliver hisses and pops along with the music.
Considered a nuisance by some, a certain amount of background noise is actually welcome with appreciators of various genres of vintage music such as blues or folk. Background noise actually serves as a reassurance that the recording is an authentic vintage record, and the pops and hisses are thought to add character to the sound.
The distinction you will hear between CD and vinyl may be subtle if you're experiencing White Stripes vinyl, or could be dramatic if it's a vintage recording of Enrico Caruso. Of course, disc jockeys have always seemed to favor vinyl recordings when they spin platters at a nightclub or private party because they're simple to grip.
You'll uncover lots of vintage recordings that never made it onto CD when you search through vinyl LPs, which is reason enough for collectors to remain with vinyl.
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