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Vinyl

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I can see that the general argument centers around what is the best quality - CD or Vinyl. The whole debate is flawed if that is the real reason to argue the point.

As a DJ, I use all forms of music medium to create a set - CDs, records and the trusty laptop. I therefor hold no bias on this front. In fact this is the one time i would readily not vote for the use of vinyl - when they have to be carried any distance. Even the weight issue and awkwardness of the vinyl does not put me off supporting them as the first choice for music playback. I can also give listen to the argument about poor durability of the record against CD. Then I found out that the line fed 'CDs are near unbreakable' was utter nonsense. Yes you may not be able to break them by standing on them or applying pressure to the side. Alas it is even easier that that effort taken to damage the disc. Just touch it on the wrong side with skin or allow the CD to lie on a surface that is not carpet or felt and see th scratches appear.

Why I love vinyl over the others? Simply the beauty of its form, the warmth of its voice and the naked relationship of needle on groove.

It is no real thrill to hold a CD between finger and thumb, trying not to get the problematic finger print on the shiny surface, against gripping a 12 inch disc in both hands around the edge. The bug black eye looking back at out with light caressing the nicks of the groove dazzles and excites. In more practical matters - have you ever tried to fan yourself with a CD when you get hot? It is not a patch on the mighty vinyl's offering.

The sound of the music comes to you in a much deeper and richer form from the vinyl. This unquestionable. It is very possible to determine which tunes in the club come from a cd or from a record once you have listened carefully to the same tracks played on each format. I even have it on good authority that science agrees. Its all to do with wave bend and modulation. Where analogue is free form waves, digital is boxed a squared off. However I do not possess the full knowledge of this first hand, I trust the person who told me.

Finally the point which no-one can deny. The format of playback for the vinyl is Representative to an instrument being played. The record the instrument, the needle the mouth with amp and speakers as lungs. A CD relies on a laster to read its near invisible groove, where a record player touches cold metal onto plastic to recreate the original recording.

All of this is my opinion, and only mine. You have to decide for yourself, however, I hope you agree with points and include them into your decision making process.

Learn more about this author, Donald Stephenson.
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