I think vinyl is great on the outer rim, but as you close into the inner diameter, there's a harmonic distortion that seems to occur, which many find pleasurable and fulfilling. Personally, I find the resurgence of vinyl a "cool" and collectable trend. Speaking with Ben Blackwell (Third-Man Records), who's a huge fan of vinyl, and would listen to vinyl any day over CD's admits the trend is largely a cool factor as well. Sure, there's some pleasure in listening to vinyl, but there's certainly a growing number of collectors out there who will pay through the nose for something wacko, such as Jack White's liquid filled vinyl (which sold for about $250 per record).
 
For me, I grew up with vinyl and cassette tapes. I love both, but I realized the limitations of each when I first heard CDs, and even more, when I first heard 24-Bit Audio. Everything has limits. What seems to happen in most industries is, the competition is first in the technology and techniques up until those are common. After the loudness wars (which hasn't died yet), when people would listen to old vinyl, they could hear/experience nuances unheard of in those slammed CD recordings. For many, this is a new experience--a positive one.
 
That said, I still chuckle when I see audiophile turntables that cost more than a car. Really, people? I'm a fan of Audiophile-class listening. In my home mastering, I use a Pass Labs X-350 amp Polk Audio SRS-SDA 2.3TL speakers, great cabling and Apogee D/A converters. I bought the amp and speakers used. But I can't see spending $40,000 on a turntable to play vinyl. My signature below says it all. Some cults are just a bit too over-zealous and fester like a zombie-attack. Luckily, the disease doesn't spread fast. Listen to the music, not the ghost flatulence the mic picked up in a haunted studio.
 
Ever notice nobody's going nuts about reel-to-reel? Give me the original reel-to-reel master tape and the recorder it was mastered with and I'll enjoy it to the fullest. heh.

How is this thread still going? Vinyl was cool up until now. Now that level are finally under control, they will fade. It was only that incessant loudness war that kept vinyl going.

carl
http://pitchfork.com/feat...ehind-vinyls-comeback/

Good article, and a great explanation of why the current vinyl resurgence isn't simply about nostalgia or the loudness wars.

Seth Kellogg [Cakewalk]

brconflict
I think vinyl is great on the outer rim, but as you close into the inner diameter, there's a harmonic distortion that seems to occur, 

 
Yup, there is, have you tried any of the curved arm tables? The distortion is really only a big issue in the straight arm tables. 

I've heard a few really high-end turn-tables, even one where the motor was a separate device altogether, and the platter was 2" thick, and I've heard a few older curved arm machines, but not a more recent one (haven't found a new one). I find it's more of a speed issue on 12" vinyl. If the 12" were cut at 45 R.P.M., for example, the inner areas would be much higher quality. With that said, Dave from Lucky Lacquers will tell you, "If it doesn't sound awesome, it wasn't cut me ME!"

brconflict

Seth Kellogg [Cakewalk]

brconflict
I think vinyl is great on the outer rim, but as you close into the inner diameter, there's a harmonic distortion that seems to occur, 

 
Yup, there is, have you tried any of the curved arm tables? The distortion is really only a big issue in the straight arm tables. 

I've heard a few really high-end turn-tables, even one where the motor was a separate device altogether, and the platter was 2" thick, and I've heard a few older curved arm machines, but not a more recent one (haven't found a new one). I find it's more of a speed issue on 12" vinyl. If the 12" were cut at 45 R.P.M., for example, the inner areas would be much higher quality. With that said, Dave from Lucky Lacquers will tell you, "If it doesn't sound awesome, it wasn't cut me ME!"

Yeah, even on the new ones its not *all* gone. I keep asking my fiance if we can put one of the optical players on our registry . I'm actually a big fan of 9"-12" 45RPM releases. The Black Keys "Lonely Boy" single was like this and it sounded fantastic.