I feel old (mix tape content)

Appleseed wrote:

alfadriver wrote:

gearheadmb wrote:

RossD wrote: In other news, vinyl is back!

But why though? What is the actual draw to having records as opposed to digital? I guess vynil does make a better weapon in the event of the zombie apocalypse, i.e. Shawn of the Dead. When they were debating which albums they should throw and which to keep i was rolling.

Some people think it sounds better. I'm not one of them, but I do empathize with the idea.

To compress the information into an MP3 file, some audio information is left out of the conversion. Think of lopping off the tops of mountains and filling in the valleys. Very minute differences that an hearing impaired person like myself will never hear.

So "they" say. But we forget that the entire change over to CD's was the far better sound quality of the music. I can't stand the hiss from record, nor the checking. And I recall being in wonder the first time I heard a CD.

That was also the period that radios dominated cars, so the general improvement of CD's from the radio and tapes was astounding.

As for MP3's, it may be cut off, but realistically, even with good hearing, can you tell, and does it make a difference?

Either way, other than nostalgia, I don't see myself going back to vinyl. And given my nostalgia is a negative view on vinyl, I'm not going back for that, either.

alfadriver wrote: As for MP3's, it may be cut off, but realistically, even with good hearing, can you tell, and does it make a difference?

Yes, absolutely, without question MP3's sound "hollow" in comparison--- but that's just me. All of our ears are different. For playback in the car--- I'm fine with an MP3. If I want to sit down, and really listen to the music at home----- quality vinyl all the way.

That's just me though...... and I'm kind of a sound weirdo.

Joe Gearin wrote:

alfadriver wrote: As for MP3's, it may be cut off, but realistically, even with good hearing, can you tell, and does it make a difference?

Yes, absolutely, without question MP3's sound "hollow" in comparison--- but that's just me. All of our ears are different. For playback in the car--- I'm fine with an MP3. If I want to sit down, and really listen to the music at home----- quality vinyl all the way. That's just me though...... and I'm kind of a sound weirdo.

I'm really picky about how my music sounds. When MP3's started getting popular, it took me a long time to adjust to the terrible sound quality of the early stuff. These days, all my CD's are ripped in 320kbps MP3 format, and most of my downloaded stuff is as well. 320 is a good compromise of file compression and sound quality. I used an iPod Classic 80GB for about 10 years as my go-to portable playback device.

2 years ago, I got a Galaxy S5 with a 128gb Micro SD and loaded everything on there and retired the iPod. The stock music app has a "tube preamp" simulator that does a remarkably good job at making MP3's sound like they have some warmth. I recently upgraded to a S8 and the one that's on there is even better. In the car and through headphones, it sounds incredible. It's as close to vinyl sound quality as you're going to get in an easy, portable device IMHO.

gearheadmb wrote:

RossD wrote: In other news, vinyl is back!

But why though? What is the actual draw to having records as opposed to digital?

I sure can't answer that question. And I grew up listening to vinyl when it was the only real alternative; I probably have 500 old LPs in varying states of originality and condition. Why it's making this huge comeback entirely escapes me.