CDs or Vinyl? Who's actually crazy?

I’m genuinely curious about this urge to drop $100$43 on an original CD.
Especially if it's some lilac-colored release... I'm fine with the band...
Seriously though... why pay that kind of money just for a colored cover and something a friend can burn for you or you can just download?

Look... I get it when there's no other way to get it... but otherwise, 😲

btw, an LP is a completely different story. It makes total sense to buy Vinyl Records that you can't just copy—something unique both physically and in terms of how it feels in your hands (and obviously the sound, but let's not get carried away)

On a separate note:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I read somewhere that an original CD master lasts maybe 15 years or so before it dies. A burned disc lasts even less... but the second option is basically free anyway. A record lasts roughly 2,500 years... just for comparison...

I basically only pick up new CDs at shows for bands I actually vibe with, just as a way to show some love and help fund their tours. I mean, damn... if they aren't moving any physical copies, who knows how much they're even making from a gig at somewhere like Madison Square Garden.

Taste is taste
just let me go

see this needle...a see my hand...
drop, drop, dropping it down...oh, so gently...
well here it comes...i touch the plane...
turn me up...won't turn you away...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...spin the black, spin the black...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...whoa...
pull it out...a paper sleeve...
oh, my joy...only you deserve conceit...
i'm so big...a-my whole world...
i'd rather you...rather you...than her...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...spin the black, spin the black...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...whoa...oh...
you're so warm...oh, the ritual...when i lay down your crooked arm...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...spin the black, spin the black...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...
Spin
Spin...
spin, spin...
spin, spin...

A CD might not last fifteen years, but Vinyl Records? They're practically forever.
Let me lay out exactly why grabbing a CD is such a brilliant move:
1. Pure sound quality. I don't just listen to music to pass the time; I listen to experience it. You just can't get that level of immersion from an MP3. Honestly, if you have a decent 5.1 surround sound setup at home and you're only using it for low-bitrate files, why even bother? You might as well just give the speakers to me!
2. You're actually respecting the artists and their copyrights.
3. The artwork! Having those vibrant, full-color covers is easily the best part of the whole experience.
4. The joy of collecting... I mean, what’s even more satisfying than finding a scratched-up old CD in your collection?

So, there you go—just a few of my favorite reasons.😬

stormyviper11 said:I only pick up new CDs at shows for bands I actually like. It’s my way of showing support and helping fund their tours. Honestly, if they aren't moving physical media, I don't see how they make any real money from a gig at a venue like Madison Square Garden.

Fair enough. I respect that. 🙂

Anyone else have a logical reason for why they do what they do? 🙂

Harold Wright54 said:Preferences are preferences!
Let me be!

look at this needle...look at my hand...
dropping, dropping, dropping it down...so gentle...
here we go...touching the surface...
crank it up...I won't turn you away...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...spin the black, spin the black...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...whoa...
sliding it out...into a paper sleeve...
oh, what bliss...only you deserve this glory...
it's everything...my entire world...
I'd choose you...I'd choose you over her...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...spin the black, spin the black...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...whoa...oh...
you feel so warm...oh, the ritual...laying down your crooked arm...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...spin the black, spin the black...
spin, spin...Spin
spin, spin...
Spin
Spin...
spin, spin...
spin, spin...

Yeah, yeah, yeah! Pearl Jam - Spin

Is there any song that sounds better on Vinyl Records? I don't think so! Long live Vinyl Records! 😬

Brian Foster2 said:1. Audio quality. I don't just listen to music to have background noise; I listen to actually enjoy it, and you just can't get that experience from an MP3. If you have a 5.1 surround system at home, you might as well toss it if you're only using it for MP3s (or better yet, just give it to me)
2. You aren't infringing on any copyrights.
3. The color artwork... honestly, that's the best part of the whole thing.
4. Collecting... I mean, what’s the point of having a scratched-up CD in your collection anyway?

1. If you really want The Sound, then go buy some Vinyl Records... the price is pretty much the same.
2. Are you being serious right now? 🙂
3. :rolajz-u-boji:
4. Okay... I can actually get behind that one. 🙂

Alex Scott22 said:1. If you actually want The Sound, just get the Vinyl Records... the price is basically the same.

To actually get decent audio from Vinyl Records, you're going to need much more expensive gear than what you need for a CD. A CD will sound fine even on a cheap player, but a record won't.

This whole topic is pointless. Everyone has their own fetish; some people buy this, others buy that. And anyone who already has that obsession usually has their own ways to pick up CDs or records for way less than what you'd pay at a big retail chain. Or whatever else they're buying.

I mean, you could make that argument about pretty much any kind of collecting. For me, back in high school, I was obsessed with building up a book collection—literally blowing every cent I had just so I could one day walk into a house that actually had a real library.😬By now, I’ve probably handed over ninety percent of what I own to hardcore collectors who are basically characters in some movie.
It’s the same deal with CDs; they just create a massive mess in my room and, honestly, they’ve started getting on my nerves lately. But still, there’s that little spark of joy when I pick up an original copy every once in a while—mostly because of things stormyviper11 talks about. (I still remember staring at a display case filled with 2,000 original CDs and thinking, "Yeah, that's the dream.")
But even that's losing its luster for me, so I guess I'll just have to find some other random hobby to obsess over eventually.😁

As for Vinyl Records, most of those old pressings are just terrible quality and aren't even worth listening to.

It's not even just that the needle wears them down and the grooves eventually degrade after a certain amount of plays.🤔

I buy music in just about any format imaginable simply because I love it—it truly means something to me in this life. And, to echo what stormyviper11 was saying, I also do it to ensure these bands actually have a little something coming in to cover their strings, sticks, or whatever they need for a tour... I do own some vinyl, though, unfortunately, I don't have a turntable at the moment. I used to have one, but it ended up completely breaking down on me. Since I'm currently between jobs, there just isn't the extra cash to pick up a new one right now. For me, that would be a much larger investment than my current, rather infrequent purchases of original CDs.

Alex Scott22 said:1. If you actually want The Sound, just grab the Vinyl Records... the price is pretty much the same.
2. Are you being serious right now? 🙂
3. :rolajz-u-boji:
4. Okay... I can see where you're coming from on that one. 🙂

I’ll give vinyl its due, but it’s high-maintenance whether you're buying it or playing it.
Listening to records is a whole ritual—you need the space, a high-end setup, and a specific mood just to sit down and listen.
That’s something I mostly lack.
CDs are basically dinosaurs at this point,🙂 but they're practical. For example, there's no way I'm listening to vinyl in my car unless they install a turntable during a Pimp My Ride episode.
Same goes for work; you can't exactly sit here, mess around, and blast Sufjan Stevens on a record.
It's been ages since I bought an original CD, though the thought crosses my mind sometimes. If they only cost 50 bucks,$20 I'd be buying them way more often.

I actually had a soft spot for cassette tapes myself. Give me whatever you've got.
But if I'm being honest, I’d much rather own the original pressings of the things I truly cherish.

David Sullivan4 said:If you want decent audio from Vinyl Records, you’re going to need much more expensive gear than what you need for a CD. A cheap CD player can sound fine, but a record won't.

This whole topic is pointless. Everyone has their own thing—some people obsess over one thing, others go for something else. And anyone who's actually into this already knows the right channels to pick up CDs or LPs at way better prices than some big retail chain.

You seem pretty obsessed with those flashy booklets. 🙄
Fine, whatever, to each their own... I put some ground rules up earlier to keep things civil, and even got a few reasonable takes out of it... but seriously, paying that much $33 for 'that'... is the scam of the century.

I'm not even talking about the concept itself, just how much they inflate the price.

Alex Scott22 said:I'm not really talking about the concept as much as I am the pricing.

You're nitpicking everything. Look, an apartment in Chicago is five times more expensive than one in St. Louis for no damn reason. $33 Maybe, maybe not, regarding the CD... but you can always find that CD cheaper. Same goes for a Vinyl Record. It's against me! A CD in Chicago costs, say, $43 but you could order it from an American Walmart for 6 bucks plus shipping... we don't live in a fairy tale where Dancing Bear can charge $20 just because they feel like it. We live in capitalism; if they could charge $60 for a CD, they would, but their sales are already tanking anyway... the only upside is they've realized this, so lately you can actually grab DVDs at a decent price. $53 Paying for a DVD plus a CD is fine compared to the 230 they used to ask for. Though, if you look at big-box stores in Austria, prices are still $6.75 lower... it all comes down to choice. If you're going to fetishize colorful booklets, do it in a way that saves you money. Just like how you'd buy peanuts at Walmart because they're cheaper than at... I don't know... Trader Joe's...

I’ve officially lost it. I’m back to my old habit of blowing way too much money on music gear and physical releases.

Vinyl records have become nothing more than an exotic novelty. They’re overpriced, hard to find, and frankly, a headache to track down. I refuse to pay some random guy on the street more than the standard market value for a second-hand record. Honestly, the ship has sailed on that trend. Even shipping from the States is a total rip-off. Look, I’ll admit it—vinyl is vinyl. It’s just like owning a pair of original All-Star sneakers or something similar; it's a specific vibe, but you shouldn't go broke chasing it. Speedo Swim trunks.

I’ve got this pathetic Technics stereo that’s basically on its deathbed—it sounds absolutely terrible—and to make matters worse, my apartment has this awful, hollow echo.

Retro CDs actually have a really solid, remastered sound quality these days. Plus, they often come packed with extra singles that I never even got a chance to hear—like Television's "Little Johnny Jewel," for instance. You usually get an interesting booklet included, too, and they generally cost way less than... $40 (through established channels).
A complete discography or a full anthology? That’s the dream, isn't it? 😍

Vinyl Records vs. CDs? It’s basically a 1 to 3 ratio if you ask me.

Alex Scott22 said:but seriously, this is the scam of the century— $33for that price?

I am not even talking about the concept itself as much as I am talking about the sheer absurdity of the pricing.

It's ridiculous. If CDs were only 50 cents, $20 I would definitely be buying them; right now, it's just insanity. Back in the day, my uncle used to come over from his office every single weekend with at least two records... nowadays, I couldn't even afford two CDs a week. No freaking way.

Alex Scott22 said:What's with that obsession you have for those colorful booklets? 🙄
Fine, let them think what they want—to each their own, I guess. I even put some guardrails up around that topic, and honestly, a few decent explanations actually surfaced... but man, it’s still the scam of the century. $33 So... what's a fair price for that?

I'm not really talking about the concept itself so much as the actual distraction.

Whatever you say, man. $16I actually picked up a copy for my own music department and even talked some other libraries into grabbing one. Honestly, I might’ve done you a disservice there—now the crowds are going to be checking it out and wearing it out. But hey, I'll let you know how the lending goes.😁

Dana Anderson4 said:Well, it’s your call $16. Honestly, I bought it for my music department and even talked some other libraries into picking it up. Maybe I did you a disservice though, because now the masses are going to be checking it out and wearing it out. I'll let you know how the lending goes.😁

Let them wear it out.🙂

I give it a full 100% blessing to get used heavily.
The political crowd... you guys deserve it. 🙂

David Sullivan4 said:you're overthinking everything. honestly, a square foot in Chicago is five times more expensive than in some small town in the Midwest for no real reason...

There’s actually one big reason: supply and demand. It's pretty simple—you can pay those prices in Chicago because that's where the demand is. It's just how it works, kind of like how a square foot in New York City is a thousand times pricier than in Kuala Lumpur, for example.

Even though it doesn't have much to do with CDs—though there are some parallels—as long as they see a profit in pushing these inflated prices, they (THEY LIVE) are going to keep doing it....

If new releases were, say, 10 bucks, while old pressings sat at 5 or 7, I wouldn't even bother with all this stress... besides, I'm just asking out of curiosity...

David Sullivan4 said:Man, there’s zero logical reason why square footage in San Francisco is five times more expensive than it is in Phoenix.

It's because our guys have bigger egos.