This post, reprinted from Wordpress, was originally published 8 August 2009.
About a month ago I stumbled upon "It's Only Rock and Roll," a record shop just off of Main Street in my hometown. I don't know how, but I hadn't noticed the white-and-red sign out front in the year or so (as I came to find out) that the shop had been open. Entering the shop, I could tell that Tom Goduto, the owner, was not interested in pushy sales tactics or flashy wallet-busters: he sat at a desk at the back of the white cinder-block room, scratching away at his crossword puzzle, and letting the records - most priced under $5.00 - sell themselves. From both the atmosphere and the prices, you could tell that Tom opened this shop as a way to share his passion for music with a small and relatively backward Ohio town. To make a long story short, I bought my first record - Paul McCartney's McCartney (1970) that day for $3.00, and I've been accumulating vinyl records of all types from antique shops, travelling street vendors, and (yes), Tom's record shop ever since.
But I started wondering: other than the kitschy charm of owning and playing LP's, what is it about music's first mass-distribution format that has audiophiles demanding the newest releases on vinyl? Is the record really a superior format, or have hipsters simply found another way to bolster their "trendier-than-though" appeal with Indy chicks everywhere? When I realized I hadn't the foggiest idea myself, I decided to do a bit of research. And now, I intend to pass the fruits of that research on to you.
What's the difference?
Vinyl is analog, CD is digital. What does that mean to sound quality? Well, let's put it this way: sound, as we know it, is analog. That means that a dog barking, your child's voice, and Mozart's Symphony No. 4o all come to your ear as vibrations in the air, which when they rattle your ear drum, are interpreted appropriately by your brain. An audio file (such as your typical mp3) on the other hand, is merely a series of snapshots of those sound waves - 44,ooo snapshots per second, to be exact. Here, I'll give you two pictures and metaphor to clear things up rather nicely:
Vinyl LP's are the original, hand-painted version of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, while CD's are a mosaic of the original, hand-painted version of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. No matter how many tiny pictures you cram into the equivalent amount of space, it will never be exactly the same as the original product. Admittedly, the difference between the sound quality of an LP and a CD is not this drastic, but you get the picture...seriously, no pun intended.
What are the pros and cons?
I've already more-or-less stated that music imprinted on vinyl is truer to the original recording than that burned onto a CD, and many purists argue that this contributes to a warmer sound. Heck, some would even argue that LP's are better because the larger dust jacket gives a better look at the album artwork...okay, whatever floats your boat. But what strikes do records have against them?
For starters, the audio produced by the partnership of LP's and record players is vulnerable to distortion from an abundance of sources: dust, scratches, mold, and warping are the most frequent offenders. And, in spite of what some have tried to convince me, you can't persuade me that the manner in which you play an LP contributes to the loss of quality. You're dragging a needle over the surface of vinyl, for God's sake!
On the other hand, CD's may suffer from a slight deficiency in sound quality, but what they lack in fidelity they make up for in portability and permanency. Sure, you could scratch a CD if you really wanted to, but try scratching an audio file. Furthermore, CD's make selecting a particular song (or creating a mixed album of your own) a snap. Forget lifting a needle and ever so carefully placing it in the grooves between tracks - push a button and stop, pause, or skip to the next song.
So, the verdict?
Each format certainly has its strengths and its weaknesses. But you could say the same thing of hot tea and coffee. Or Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Or cats and dogs. The bottom line is this: some people prefer records, and some people prefer CD's, and while they may or may not spit reasons or figures at you to explain their preferences, they shouldn't have to. Personally, I see listening to music in general and listening to music on LP as apples and oranges. I love the fact that I have the technology to control an entire library of music, speeches, and radio shows with my finger tips. But sometimes I enjoy basking in the raw scratchy goodness of music the way that generations heard it for the first time: on a vinyl LP.
