Some 30 or so years ago, I started collecting vinyl records. Like everyone else worldwide, locals were dumping their suddenly unfashionable record collections in favour of the digital CD.
To my delight, I found opportunity shops awash with the results of these dumps. Selling for a dollar each, I was able to gain iconic vinyl records from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and hundreds more brilliant gems.
Two years ago, I viewed my 30-year-old vinyl collection, which then numbered over 12,000 records! I decided to sell them and surprisingly felt little remorse. My mates, on hearing of my selling spree, were critical of my decision. “You should have sold your CDs and kept your vinyl!” said one. “Vinyl sounds better than CDs,” said another. A third argued strongly on the value: “CDs aren’t worth anything, whereas good vinyl can fetch hundreds!” However, the latter statement may now be in question, given worldwide reports.
Vinyl vs CDs: Which Wins the Sound Debate?
According to Ben Forrest, writing in the UK’s influential music magazine Far Out, vinyl sales have dropped 331.3% this year. This is echoed in Billboard, the worldwide charting magazine, reporting that worldwide vinyl record sales have fallen dramatically from 34.9 million units to 23.3 million.
Does this mean that the great vinyl revival we experienced has had its day? Well, maybe not. The growth of vinyl sales since the bad old dumping days has been nothing short of phenomenal! However, the experts still say to be careful about excessive investing.
Now, which sounds better, vinyl or CDs? The technical experts from the authoritative Louder magazine tell us that there is no proof of vinyl sound superiority compared with that of the compact disc. Many prefer listening to vinyl because of its tactile characteristics. Its artwork can be appealing and there is often an emotional reason for the preference as well.
So, do I regret selling my vinyl collection and keeping my CDs? No, I don’t. I still have my music and I have more room, as well!
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