Making Vinyl 2019 Berlln

I was wondering how valid a comparison of photography and audio is though? What part of the population is high end photography vs. high end audio? Are we talking similar numbers and ages? Differences of demographics could make a huge difference in the the projected out come based on photography's history.

Yah very cool,but who buys all this new vinyl and reissues for $30+++++ bucks? The new millionaires? Not me! I go into record stores ,see all the NEW stuff but rarely see any buying>

... to start pricing them like luxury goods?
Doesn't ERC already have that end of the market staked out?
If this comes to pass, will we see the return of direct metal mastering and JVC super vinyl?

This weekend I bought a near perfect copy of Side by Side by Ellington and Hodges for $8. I'm just saying. None of these surveys include the used vinyl market that is probably 50 times higher volume than new pressings. Keep digging!

“DBX can yield an improvement, but there will always be those who claim to hear certain artifacts of the processing.”

True, but again it — or Dolby A — is already used in most original tape recordings, otherwise tape hiss would build up with generations. It is almost less processing if the LP was made from the encoded original and first decoded at the consumer end. In fact you can do the opposite too: DBX used to recommend that encoded LPs be copied to home tape recorders as-is and decoding only applied when that tape is replayed.

Although I had some difficulty in following Herr Blum's presentation due to the acoustics of the venue, I was taken by the mention of a vinyl record as 'an investment'. That is the way I see it as do many others I am sure. While I accept that his heart is in the right place as to matters of quality, he would do well to address the problems at SONY MUSIC.

Sony has been using MPO in France, almost exclusively, for the past number of years. I have never encountered such poor quality as I have in the last two years or more from this French manufacturer. 'Non Fill' is nearly the norm with this manufacturer. Go online to the various audio fora and you will read posts from very disappointed and disaffected purchasers of Bob Dylan's 'Blood On The Tracks' Original New York Test Pressing which was offered for Record Store Day 2019. 'Non Fill', 'Warps' and 'filthy scuffed vinyl' affects quite a large proportion of the pressing run, it seems. As of now at least, I know of no program to replace these shoddily pressed and packaged copies. MPO pressed the RSD vinyl for 'BOTT'. I did not bother standing in line on RSD for this one as I knew it would be a 'crap shoot' with the French manufacturer involved. Having bought Van Morrison's 'The Healing Game; vinyl reissue the previous week, (re)issued by Sony/Legacy, I had no stomach for any more Sony vinyl. I received the most hideously off centre pressing I have seen in nearly 50 years buying records and an identical replacement which I also returned. I had to settle for the 3CD Deluxe release in place of the vinyl and it is fine, no make that wonderful. If MPO cannot correctly align stampers in a vinyl press then I wonder where vinyl is headed. A sightly off centre spindle hole can be 'corrected' but not when misaligned stampers are the cause of the problem.

I get the impression that Sony has ceased using Optimal and Record Industry for its vinyl because of cost issues and has instead opted for a cheaper alternative with disastrous results. Just to be clear, my criticism of MPO is not limited to Sony product. Everything that has come my way recently from MPO has been defective. I run a vinyl record cleaning service (www.vinyllpcare.com) and customers have brought records to me to wet and ultrasonically clean, because of noisy replay. It transpired that it was 'non fill'. I recall especially well a 2LP set by LONDON GRAMMAR that comprised of two 45 rpm 180 gram discs that was ruined by 'non fill' and manufactured in France. My customer was very unhappy and disappointed with his 'investment'. I was not bashful about telling him who pressed his records either. Most collectors are oblivious to this and need to be informed and perhaps they will think twice about 'investing' in records from this source in the future.

So in essence, my feeling is that we are going down the rocky path of poor quality vinyl in recent years where 'cheapskate' pressing plants are getting the work and making a 'dog's dinner' of it. The often cited excuse is 'oh well, vinyl is an imperfect format'. That is arrant nonsense. The Japanese manufacturers pressed perfect records during the 'first vinyl' era so it can be done if the mindset is right. Indeed, MPO pressed great records in the 80s and 90s for many indie labels in the U.K. which makes the current decline and unreliability all the more conspicuous. I agree with what Toptip posted in his message. Technology has advanced so much that vinyl records should now be of very high quality and issues such as 'off centre spindle holes', 'stitching','non fill' 'scuffing' etc. should be non existent. Of course, the record labels insist on using card inner sleeves which potentially cause hairline scratches and other damage to the vinyl disc. It would not happen in Japan!

I am going to Germany on Wednesday for the annual High End Show in Munich and some record shopping. I will be buying used records or new old stock items from the 'first vinyl era' when all of these problems were far less troublesome than they are now. I have confidence in Record Industry, Optimal, Pallas most of the time but I am slow to take a chance on new vinyl these days unless I can return it if it is defective. Modern cleaning methods have brought vinyl to a new level of quality where well cared for records from the 'first vinyl era' are noise free and sound wonderful as are many of the newer pressings from the 'second vinyl era'. I would pay higher prices so that quality can be guaranteed. I have no interest whatsoever in 'cheapskate' pressings that only cause aggravation and dissatisfaction. If this is not checked and addressed, then the attractiveness of vinyl will decline. I am sure I speak for a sizable percentage of the vinyl population, if only the so called 'outlier' audiophile contingent. I really hope that Herr Blum can cause a culture change at SONY MUSIC so that the emphasis is placed on quality product rather than what we are getting right now.

I throughly enjoyed that video, as I do with nearly everything posted by Michael on this site. I don't think a day goes by without me poking for something new on this site (usually a few times a day). Great site, thank you Michael!

The quality of many records I get are just outstanding, dead quiet and super dynamic range. I invest in vinyl, SACD and now Blu-ray for my music. If I want to hear something before I buy I just go to youtube...there's always multiple versions of anything I want to preview. (my favorite local record store that's now out of business used to have listening stations with headphones)

During his presentation I thought about this -- When can we start printing our own records, including the gatefold? Never say never!

Buying vinyl these days is like a box of chocolate, you don't know what you will really get for your money. And when you want to sell your record collection down the road, it's worth next to nothing unless it's a John Coltrane or Miles Davis album. For some, there isn't much we (consumer) can do except accept the inevitable.

I listen to music for the enjoyment of it and not so much about the economics. When I come across a record that doesn't sound right, I would spend hours tweaking my TT until I am satisfied. That's why I chose this hobby.