The Vinyl Resurgence: demand quality

(Published in Planet JH Weekly)“Better to burn out than to fade away,” as Mr. Neil Young put it is generally agreeable, until the opposite is applicable.The subculture of vinyl record collecting never burned out, but it did fade away in the 80’s and was held at bay during the digital revolution of the 90’s before entering a mainstream resurgence period in the last several years. Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks record sales, reported there were 3.9 million vinyl records sold in 2011, the most ever in the U.S. since the tracking system began in 1991. And in 2012, those numbers were toppled with 4.7 million sold.Even most non-audiophiles (geeks) will agree there’s little comparison between the quality of listening when matching up MP3’s versus vinyl. MP3’s are convenient, but the lack of depth is lifeless in comparison. Vinyl versus high-quality digital (FLAC, Apple Lossless, etc.)? That comes down to subjectiveness. For me, vinyl has a unparalleled texture and richness that develops from the physicality of a needle in a groove, and requires a more intimate experience.Interested in owning a turntable? Entry level record players are quite affordable. Audio-Technica has a few highly-rated units in the $100 range, and Sony has a popular model for $80. Where do you get used vinyl? Well, this one gets a little tougher for Teton County residents, but there are options. Garage and yard sales often hold gems; Browse N’ Buy, online auctions, and YaHippie in Idaho Falls are your most convenient options.On my most recent travels, I hit up record stores in Portland, OR and Bellingham, WA. Some were devoted solely to new, vintage and bargain vinyl, others were thrift shops, and some were tradtional stores that also carried CDs. In the “bargain” bin, I picked up my favorite Hendrix album, Band of Gypsies ($3), Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Bros.’ Sleepness Nights ($6), Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors ($3), and A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night ($2), among others. I rarely buy new vinyl because of its price tag ($18-$25), but did spurge on the 180-gram version of Tom Waits’s Bad as Me last year because I liked the digital album so much.I only caught glimpses of the most recent Record Store Day (April 20) but wow, its become a phenomenon in mid-sized to large cities. More mainstream artists than ever are releasing vinyl 7” and LPs, and there’s a developing fan craze to wait in line for a copy of these limited releases. This is not just nostalgic baby boomers attracted to a piece of their past, but also fueled by a younger generation (even teenagers) who have found the vinyl aesthetic—including the 12x12-inch cover art display with liner notes—to their liking.Why is this important? Because consumers are demanding that quality be restored. Vinyl is not realistic for everyone but quality should be, even in digital form. Though online indie retailers like CDBaby.com and Bandcamp.com have long offered the consumer choice of format including high-res digital FLAC (FLAC players for your computer are available as freeware), iTunes and Amazon are barely getting their feet wet with “some” files offered at 256 Kbps for MP3 and AAC formats. At least iTunes users can convert CDs to Apple Lossless to listen to your CD collection in high-res format.Next time you ponder buying an album, consider the physical options for quality sake, or spend an extra two minutes to research high-res options for digital (often found on artist’s websites). Your ears -- and the musicians -- will thank you!