Does anyone still use or like vinyl?

[richardfinegold]

https://dgt.link/karajan-mahler6

Karajan Mahler 6 has been remastered by Emile Berliner Studios for vinyl. Hopefully the above link works; if not go to YT and type Mahler 6 Karajan Emile Berliner. I found it fascinating; 4 tape machines, one separate for the bells; and the mention that in concert the bells were added electronically (There are two concert versions available on 78 experience, and the total timing varies it’s by 7 minutes, so obviously Karajan had to cue whoever worked the tape machine).
The YT extracts sound full blooded, enough to make me consider shelling out the more than 50 pounds asking price (some vendors are asking for 90). Then, of course, comes the realization that what I am hearing on YT is some form of digitalization of this analog recording. So eventually I expect some digital release to occur.
The Karajan Mahler 5 has been released as a Blu Ray but I was always disappointed that the Sixth never was. It’s disappointing to see that all of this care in remastering is going into an analog only version; it’s as if a car company poured as much enhanced technology as possible into a Model T

[smittims]

The 'retro' trend has thrown up some odd results. I suppose manufacturers, desperate at the drop in CD sales, are trying anything to start a new 'niche' fashion .

The only 'new' vinyl I've bought was the Anthony Collins Sibelius series , beautifully reissued by Decca, at a price of course, but worth having for a Collins fan. Nowadays I have difficulty choosing the right word when asking in charity shops. Some sales assistants don't recognise the term 'LPs' (which is what we called them in the 1970s) . 'Old Records' sounds too general, so I say 'vinyl, you know , gramophone records?' . One lady I tried this on said ' er... I think we have some vinyl, but I don;t know about gramophone; I'll go and ask'.

Good luck with your Herbie Mahler 6. I'll stick to the CDs I think.

[hmvman]

Interesting how 'vinyl' has become a niche thing as you say, smittims (I still call them 'LPs' too, but 'vinyl' can also refer to 45rpm discs). The cost of modern Vinyl/LP records seems extortionate but I imagine the production runs are quite small, relatively. And maybe it's also relative to one's replay equipment: I was with a friend recently who owns a turntable that costs £25,000...

[Roslynmuse]

When my son was small, he used to call my LPs my 'Penelopes'...

[Roger Webb]

.................... I was with a friend recently who owns a turntable that costs £25,000...

https://images.app.goo.gl/ArLZ4R4C3uVXaD3V7

[hmvman]

https://images.app.goo.gl/ArLZ4R4C3uVXaD3V7

[Dave2002]

https://dgt.link/karajan-mahler6

Karajan Mahler 6 has been remastered by Emile Berliner Studios for vinyl. Hopefully the above link works; if not go to YT and type Mahler 6 Karajan Emile Berliner. I found it fascinating; 4 tape machines, one separate for the bells; and the mention that in concert the bells were added electronically (There are two concert versions available on 78 experience, and the total timing varies it’s by 7 minutes, so obviously Karajan had to cue whoever worked the tape machine).
The YT extracts sound full blooded, enough to make me consider shelling out the more than 50 pounds asking price (some vendors are asking for 90). Then, of course, comes the realization that what I am hearing on YT is some form of digitalization of this analog recording. So eventually I expect some digital release to occur.
The Karajan Mahler 5 has been released as a Blu Ray but I was always disappointed that the Sixth never was. It’s disappointing to see that all of this care in remastering is going into an analog only version; it’s as if a car company poured as much enhanced technology as possible into a Model T

Wow - https://store.deutschegrammophon.com...l-source-vinyl

I think I'll stick to the charity shop CDs which are typically 25p each - sometimes less - and some are really rather good.

If there really is a significant improvement with those Original Release LPs, then I think that they could just as well be released on CD or some digital format, and should sound as good - but could be done a lot cheaper.

Marketing, money - profit ...!!!

[LHC]

Interesting how 'vinyl' has become a niche thing as you say, smittims (I still call them 'LPs' too, but 'vinyl' can also refer to 45rpm discs). The cost of modern Vinyl/LP records seems extortionate but I imagine the production runs are quite small, relatively. And maybe it's also relative to one's replay equipment: I was with a friend recently who owns a turntable that costs £25,000...

Apart from the very Hi end, there doesn't seem to be much correlation between LP prices and the quality of equipment they are played on. HMV sells new LPs for around £30 each, or 3 for £66, but also sells very low quality record players to play them on from about £70.

The music industry is doing quite well from LPs being a niche market for which people are prepared to pay over the odds. In the UK last year 6.7m LPs were sold, generating £196M for the industry. Although many more CDs were sold (10.5M), they only generated £126M. Of course, both are insignificant when compared to streaming, which accounted for 85% of music sales and generated around £2Bn.

[richardfinegold]

Wow - https://store.deutschegrammophon.com...l-source-vinyl

I think I'll stick to the charity shop CDs which are typically 25p each - sometimes less - and some are really rather good.

If there really is a significant improvement with those Original Release LPs, then I think that they could just as well be released on CD or some digital format, and should sound as good - but could be done a lot cheaper.

Marketing, money - profit ...!!!

There are two separate listings in that advert for Karajan Mahler 6; one is 130.As you stated Dave I try to limit my vinyl Euros and the other a bit more than half. No explanation as to how they differ.
A poster in a facebook group (that was started by BBM) bought the M6 and is very happy with it.

[HighlandDougie]

There are two separate listings in that advert for Karajan Mahler 6; one is 130.As you stated Dave I try to limit my vinyl Euros and the other a bit more than half. No explanation as to how they differ.
A poster in a facebook group (that was started by BBM) bought the M6 and is very happy with it.

The more expensive "white" vinyl is one of a limited number of copies (1,000 or maybe it's a 100?) made from the first stamper - and will, I suspect, sound pretty much the same as the ordinary black version, unless you have a fabulously expensive turntable, tone arm and cartridge, rather than a Dansette.

[Roger Webb]

The more expensive "white" vinyl is one of a limited number of copies (1,000 or maybe it's a 100?) made from the first stamper - and will, I suspect, sound pretty much the same as the ordinary black version, unless you have a fabulously expensive turntable, tone arm and cartridge, rather than a Dansette.

A stamper can press 1000 sides, so I can't see why they would only press 100. BTW my experience with coloured (including white) vinyl is that they charge up with static more than black vinyl - this is the reason carbon was introduced into the process....so I can't quite see why a 'premium' pressing would leave it out!!

My collection is as static-free as the day I treated them!!

[HighlandDougie]

Mea culpa - it's the label on the disc which is white but the vinyl is the usual black. And, if the DG website is to be believed, this edition is limited to 99 copies per issue. The previous tranche of such releases seems to have sold out very quickly. Some re-pressing appears to have been mooted but that seems to be mired in controversy among vinyl enthusiasts - as well as mud-slinging about people buying them as an "investment" to be resold, rather than opened and played.

[Roger Webb]

...........if the DG website is to be believed, this edition is limited to 99 copies per issue. The previous tranche of such releases seems to have sold out very quickly..............

Perhaps/Probably they do what producers of 'limited edition' 'fine art' prints do and make a calculation based on the optimum number that the market will stand for a particular price point. Limit it to too small a number at an inflated price and you make less than a larger number at a lower price. 'Limit' it to too large a number at a too high price and you risk not selling enough to make as much as an unlimited number at a low price....simple!.....a use for AI at last!

[pastoralguy]

https://dgt.link/karajan-mahler6

Karajan Mahler 6 has been remastered by Emile Berliner Studios for vinyl. Hopefully the above link works; if not go to YT and type Mahler 6 Karajan Emile Berliner. I found it fascinating; 4 tape machines, one separate for the bells; and the mention that in concert the bells were added electronically (There are two concert versions available on 78 experience, and the total timing varies it’s by 7 minutes, so obviously Karajan had to cue whoever worked the tape machine).
The YT extracts sound full blooded, enough to make me consider shelling out the more than 50 pounds asking price (some vendors are asking for 90). Then, of course, comes the realization that what I am hearing on YT is some form of digitalization of this analog recording. So eventually I expect some digital release to occur.
The Karajan Mahler 5 has been released as a Blu Ray but I was always disappointed that the Sixth never was. It’s disappointing to see that all of this care in remastering is going into an analog only version; it’s as if a car company poured as much enhanced technology as possible into a Model T

My gripe with these new vinyl recordings is why couldn’t these big multi-national companies have been producing such high quality products back in the 1970’s and 80’s when they were originally released? I’ve kept some of my vinyl LPs from that period and, frankly, they are dreadful! The records are thin and extremely bendy and it’s hardly surprising they sounded so poor in comparison to the discs that are being produced today which, adjusted for inflation, are roughly the same price that we were paying back in the days when I was a teenager.

I’m cynical enough to believe that by producing a third rate product music consumers were being softened up to embrace the new technology of cd that was just around the corner. No wonder music lovers embraced the new medium with open arms because the existing medium in those days was so poor!

[hmvman]

My gripe with these new vinyl recordings is why couldn’t these big multi-national companies have been producing such high quality products back in the 1970’s and 80’s when they were originally released? I’ve kept some of my vinyl LPs from that period and, frankly, they are dreadful! The records are thin and extremely bendy and it’s hardly surprising they sounded so poor in comparison to the discs that are being produced today which, adjusted for inflation, are roughly the same price that we were paying back in the days when I was a teenager.

I’m cynical enough to believe that by producing a third rate product music consumers were being softened up to embrace the new technology of cd that was just around the corner. No wonder music lovers embraced the new medium with open arms because the existing medium in those days was so poor!

Couldn't agree more. I used to make a point of looking out for records that were pressed in Germany or Holland as the British pressings were so terrible. I pretty much gave up buying EMI issues because of the poor quality (although the DMM discs that appeared latterly were better).