Vinyl Vs. CD

Music purists and audiophiles claim that vinyl sounds far better than CD. Others claim that CDs are far cleaner than vinyl and avoid the annoyance of pops and unavoidable skips. Recently, Rolling Stone had an article that discussed the return of vinyl as well as asking master engineers which sounds better. It is interesting to note that Neilsen Soundscan have reported that in 2007 nearly one million new vinyl records were purchased, and that by the end of 2008, it could be around 1.6 million, nearly doubling the amount of vinyl sold in 2006. CD sales continue to drop as online downloading (both legal and illegal) progressively and almost aggressively becomes more popular.

So, is vinyl on its way back in? Among two small crowds, yes, it will maintain its power, and probably among the masses it may become a fad amongst "cool" kids. As for making a full-fledged comeback, it's not likely. Vinyl can cost nearly twice as much (or more) as a new CD. It's more expensive to make and is more expensive to ship, not to mention the labor is more difficult, resulting in hiked prices. Now, CDs don't need to be nearly as expensive as they are, as the production and shipping are far, far less than that of vinyl (and relatively cheap anyway, as a CD is estimated to cost about $2 US). In that sense, the music industry is screwing itself when it asks for $14 to $16 for a new album. The two pockets that are genuinely interested in vinyl are the older crowd, generally baby boomers who hold vinyl with nostalgia. The other are younger, mainly high school through college who listen to a good deal of music and enjoy sharing it with their friends. Album art and detailed liner notes interest them and add to the experience.

In hindsight, it's almost pointless to discuss whether CD sales will ever pick back up or if vinyl will ever surpass CDs as the second most popular medium (over downloads). What is worth discussing is the quality of each medium, and if one is truly better than the other.

Rolling Stone asked Bob Ludwig about three recent albums, concerned about which format was superior. The albums were Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket, Beggars Banquet (reissue) by the Rolling Stones, and Magic by Bruce Springsteen. Ludwig recommended vinyl for Evil Urges and Beggars Banquet, but went with CD for Magic. But only one one did he comment about the quality of the sound system, and that was for Magic. He said of it, "... On a really good sound system, it sounds a little bit warmer on vinyl."

I think that is the main thing that should be considered on the debate of vinyl vs. CD. How good is your sound system? I personally have a fairly mediocre system. My father picked up the equipment at a garage sale for $25, it included all Kenwood products; tuner, amp, pre-amp, and CD player. Before I moved into my apartment I snatched some of his old equipment, a Kenwood cassette player and surround sound setup. I have a turntable as well, an old Dual 1229. My speakers are two old KLH speakers, I do not know what model they are. In that respect, my system - depending on medium and quality of the release - can only sometimes audibly display one version as superior to the other.

I own somewhere between 150 and 200 albums, of which over 100 are CDs, the remaining being vinyl. This is another thing to take into account; the quality of the originals. Think about it this way, in 1967 the album Vanilla Fudge was released by Atco Records. I own both vinyl and CD. The original pressing from 1967 (or subsequent years, it is definitely very old) is in remarkably good condition considering its age. However, it seems to be slightly muffled and doesn't sound quite as good as the CD. One of the band's following albums, Near the Beginning, sounds even worse on vinyl. Yet, my Led Zeppelin records sound just as good as any CD of theirs that I have. My point being that the quality of the recording may vary from band to band based on the popularity of the band and quality of producers and engineers. Likewise, early CDs suffer the same problem. Take Slowhand by Eric Clapton. I own a CD from pressed in 1994, and compared to vinyl it sounds like a tinny FM rendition.

Finally, how much money do you have to spend and what do you want out of it? For those who want a complete musical experience, both audibly and visually, vinyl takes it, hands down. The sound of new 180 gram vinyl is just as good or better than a CD, and the gatefold albums with blown-up album art and liner note inserts make the experience all the more enjoyable. Plus, many modern artists include free online downloads so you can have the music on your iPod. For those who want a tangible copy for home entertainment or for the car, CD is the way to go. It is fairly cheaper than vinyl and can be burned to computers and therefore to iPods. Tracks can be mixed to make playlists, etc. For those who just want an album on their iPod or only a few tracks off an album, downloading from the iTunes store is the road to take. It's even cheaper than a CD and you get exactly the tracks you want.

It basically comes down to a few factors. 1) The quality of your sound system. The better it is, the better you'll be able to differentiate superior formats. 2) The quality of the format (vinyl or CD). Early CDs tend to sound very bad compared to remasters in the late 1990's to the present. Equally, old vinyl - especially those that have been passed down or bought in record stores - aren't always quality, as they can be over forty years old with unknown amounts of plays. 3) What do you want to get out of it? For an experience that can be shared with friends, vinyl is it. For the sake of having it, CD. Only need a few tracks? Download off of iTunes.

Not everyone is an audiophile, so the eternal debate is useless for most of us. What people need to think about is what they want, as that greatly dominates what they should purchase. Downloading music illegally is, well, illegal. While artists do make money off of tours, many need to prove to their labels (either major or independent) that they're worth keeping. Unfortunately, the artist doesn't see much money from a CD sale. I won't condone or condemn illegal downloading, but think about it this way; using torrents for getting albums and then putting them on your iPod is the equivalent to walking into a Best Buy and grabbing Highway 61 Revisited and then strolling out.

Is there a verdict in all this? What format is better? For me, I have begun to get back into vinyl. I prefer the experience, and since most new vinyl includes a free and legal download, I don't mind shelling out a few extra bucks. Does it sound better? Depends on my state of mind if you catch my drift, but that's not always what it's about. I enjoy listening to music with friends much more than walking around with headphone in my ears.

References: Rolling Stone - Vinyl Returns in the Age of MP3