Is the Compact Disk (CD) Dead?

[Analogman]

Definitely a dumb question, especially from someone with thousands of LPs, but:

 

Does "non-virgin vinyl" = melted down LPs repressed into other LPs?

 

Or is it vinyl from some other source?

 

Despite all the records you got,

You're still just non-virgin vinyl not knowing Jff from the block.

 

I found this at Wikipedia:

 

The composition of vinyl used to press records has varied considerably over the years. Virgin vinyl is preferred, but during the petrochemical crisis in the late 1970s, it became commonplace to use recycled vinyl, melted unsold records with all of the impurities. Sound quality suffered, with increased ticks, pops and other surface noises. Other experiments included reducing the thickness of LPs, leading to warping and increased susceptibility to damage. Using a bead of 130 grams of vinyl had been the standard, but some labels experimented with as little as 90 grams per LP. Today, high fidelity pressings follow the Japanese standard of 160, 180 or 200 grams.

 

The deal about the 1970s is also why some recording tape from the 1950s is in better shape than the same brand from the 1970s. It had to do with the oil shortage.

 

I always figured it was some sort of deal like that.

 

Anyone ever see serving bowls and/or purses made from melted records? Disgraceful.

[LouieB]

That was my point. I would assume in this petro rich world that melting down unused LPs is a thing of the past. Of course pops and other surface noise is also a product of the dies being in good shape as well as records being pressed in a clean environment. I am old enough to remember the record crises of the 70s and own a good many dynaflex records made by RCA. Some are crap and some are okay.

 

On a more historical note - old 78s were also melted down during WWII for their component materials. Kind of a bummer when you think about it. During the LP era (50s to early 80s), so many LPs were made that losing some of them didn't matter. More of a bummer where the lose of the metal parts that pressed up 78s, particularly those which produced the classic sides of the 20s. For more interesting stuff on old records, check out material on the Paramount records, the company that is largely responsible for many of the classic blues records of the golden age. Since they were "race records" the company didn't really care about quality control, so they pressed up shitty sounding records, which is why some of those old sides are not as clear as those put out by the major companies such as Columbia and Victor during the same period.

 

LouieB

[jff]

Despite all the records you got,

You're still just non-virgin vinyl not knowing Jff from the block.

 

 

 

Totally. If I had $70 to spend on records, I can't even begin to tell you how much more appealing 70 dollar bin records would be than, say, one copy of the upcoming Wilco "Kicking Television" box set.

[Analogman]

Sounds good. I wish I had still had somewhere to go buy old records.

 

I think the last new album I bought was Vitalogy.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Totally. If I had $70 to spend on records, I can't even begin to tell you how much more appealing 70 dollar bin records would be than, say, one copy of the upcoming Wilco "Kicking Television" box set.

YES!

 

I've bought one new LP in my record buying days. I buy all my "modern" music on CDs, and spend my vinyl money on used older records. I've built a pretty impressive collection of $10 and under records by doing so. Including a large amount of $1 albums I bought just to have the cover art alone.

[jff]

YES!

 

I've bought one new LP in my record buying days. I buy all my "modern" music on CDs, and spend my vinyl money on used older records. I've built a pretty impressive collection of $10 and under records by doing so. Including a large amount of $1 albums I bought just to have the cover art alone.

 

When I was a teenager in the early '90s there was a place nearby that had bins and bins of records on the floor underneath the more expensive records, ranging from 25 cents to $2. I'd go in there every couple months with $20 and leave with as many records as I could carry. Only rarely did I get one that skipped or was below my standards.

 

I still know of a couple decent dollar bins around town, but I wish it was still like that.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

When I was a teenager in the early '90s there was a place nearby that had bins and bins of records on the floor underneath the more expensive records, ranging from 25 cents to $2. I'd go in there every couple months with $20 and leave with as many records as I could carry. Only rarely did I get one that skipped or was below my standards.

 

I still know of a couple decent dollar bins around town, but I wish it was still like that.

All the record stores I frequent have simialr setups. And I've never had skipping problems. Ten $1 records are more appealing than one $10 record, plain and simple. That's what makes record shopping so fun, for me.

 

Last week I stopped at this local thrift store thats ells records for 60 cents each, or three for $1.40. I left with the following: Stage Fright - the Band, Kinda Kinks, Graceland - Paul Simon, Never A Dull Moment - Rod Stewart, Concert for Bangladesh (three discs) and David Gilmour's first solo album. Grand total...$2.80.

[Analogman]

I bought most of what I obtained in the late 90s/early 2000s at flea markets. Also, somewhat from the two record stores that used to be downtown where I live. It was mainly cds that I got in those two places though.

 

Before that, they were given to me by other people, or purchased at the record store at the mall, or by way of the record department in a department store.

[LouieB]

That is the way I bought and still buy records. I think I posted up that I found a promo copy of a Townes Van Zandt LP on Poppy (all the early ones I have are on Tomato which are also long out of print) at a resale shop where I got a bunch of LPs for a buck 25. Now days I buy used LPs for more because I have more money, but finding stuff at junk shops, yard sales, etc. for little or no money is still the funnest way to buy LPs. Checking cut out bins (which don't exist anymore) or dollar bins is still alot of fun, finding common, obscure or just plain goofy shit for little money can't be beat.

 

(Oh fuck I just bought a Smoking Popes LP at Lauries for a double sawbuck...I could have bought 20 or more LPs at the local Salvation Armer for that.)

 

By the way resale shops also sell old CDs and I have found cool stuff that way too. Also stuff that I would never buy at full or even used prices, I sometimes buy for a buck or two. I mean, why the hell not.

 

LouieB

[sonicshoulder]

As someone who has lost more than one digital library, I prefer to buy used cd's off Amazon and import them into my itunes. They are usualy 6 or 7 bucks at the very most for a nearly perfect used cd and sometimes less than the 2.99 shipping.(ala Nada Surf Hi/Lo...2.39 like new). Now youve got the hard copy, the books,credits, lyrics, case for less than itunes. Im obviously not very computer savy so Im hesitant to do the whole torrent thing and have a real issue with itunes making you buy another download if your shit crashes. They act like they physically handed you the songs and told you not to lose them. I think it will be a long time before artist cease to use the cd format, you may just not be able to buy one at a store. All that said, my dad still rocks the Beta vcr with a wired remote.

[LouieB]

All that said, my dad still rocks the Beta vcr with a wired remote.

Whoa good for him. I have one, but it sure is not hooked up and never had a wired remote. Beta sure was a nice format.

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

Anyone ever heard of this?

 

Wood Glue as Vinyl Cleaner

 

I recall trying to fix warped records with an iron/towel, or oven, but never trying to clean records with wood glue.

[LouieB]

I didn't read the post, but it seems improbable. I suppose if you put it on really thick and then peel it of, maybe, otherwise you are stuck with a bunch of glue in the grooves.

 

I also remember the idea of putting an LP in the oven between two peices of glass to straighten a warp. I don't know about that either. For all the bad karma people have regarding CDs, they play perfectly 99% of the time, even with slight scratches. I am certainly not a hater of CDs (in fact I am listening to a great one right this minute.....)

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

I have heard that you can fix cds with very fine sandpaper, or toothpaste. I have never tried those things though.

[tinnitus photography]

does anyone remember this myth?

http://www.snopes.com/music/media/marker.htm

[Beltmann]

I prefer to buy used cd's off Amazon... Now youve got the hard copy, the books,credits, lyrics, case for less than itunes.

Exactly... I often go that route. I buy plenty of digital downloads, too--some iTunes, but mostly eMusic--and I back up all the new files to DVD-R about twice a year. If my digital library ever crashes, I'll only lose a few months worth of stuff (and eMusic lets you re-download at no additional cost).

[jff]

 

 

I also remember the idea of putting an LP in the oven between two peices of glass to straighten a warp. I don't know about that either.

 

 

I've heard about doing this in the sun, but not an oven (although, in theory I guess it'd work just the same). An old Sonic Youth zine had an article detailing how-to do the glass/sun method. They claim it works, but the margin of error is pretty high.

[sonicshoulder]

Exactly... I often go that route. I buy plenty of digital downloads, too--some iTunes, but mostly eMusic--and I back up all the new files to DVD-R about twice a year. If my digital library ever crashes, I'll only lose a few months worth of stuff (and eMusic lets you re-download at no additional cost).

[/quot

 

Good to know about the re-download, down with Itunes.

[remphish1]

It guess it really is...

 

http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/56297

[lamradio]

I heard an interview with Wayne Coyne and I really like his take on it. Music is out there everywhere now.. If you want an album bad enough, you can find it for free.. Since it's so widely available (even to those folks that can't afford to pay for it) it helps spread the word about bands.. And maybe those people that didn't pay will get hooked for life and see them in concert, buy a t-shirt, etc... You can also come up with creative ways to release music like The Flaming Lips have. Release a gummy candy filled skull with a USB flash drive inside that contains four tracks...

 

Personally I've always made my music free via download, and the CD copy available for purchase... I've sold a lot of copies to customers that downloaded first, then wanted a physical copy.

[LouieB]

while the CD may not be dead, one of the developers IS dead. From the Trib this AM.

 

LouieB

 

Former Sony President and Chairman Norio Ohga, who gave up a career as an opera singer to join the fledgling consumer electronics maker in the 1950s and later led its expansion from hardware to software and entertainment and developing the compact disc, died Saturday. He was 81.

 

Ohga, who led the company from 1982 to 1995, died of multiple organ failure in Tokyo, Sony said.

 

Some decisions made during Ohga's presidency, such as the $3.4-billion purchase of Columbia Pictures, were criticized as unwise and costly at the time. But Ohga's focus on music, films and video games as a way to enrich the electronics business helped create Sony's success in his era.

 

"We are always chasing after things that other companies won't touch," Ohga said in 1998. "That is a big secret to our success."