A.Wayne

Lucas Mearian, Computerworld

September 24, 2010


Seventy-two years ago last week, the 33-1/3 long-playing vinyl record was invented. And while most music fans have moved on to streaming Bluetooth audio, MP3s and other digital music formats, LP sales are higher today than at any time in recent history.

According to Nielsen Entertainment, vinyl record sales have been booming over the past four years. In 2009, 2.5 million albums were sold in the U.S., up from 1.88 million in 2008.

In other words, digital music dominates, but analog isn't dead yet.

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"As surprising as it may sound, LP sales are up again this year, and 2009 had the highest number of LP sales ever since we started tracking them," said David Bakula, senior vice president of analytics at Nielsen Entertainment.

From 2006 to 2007, vinyl record sales rose 14%, from 858,000 to 990,000.

The same can't be said for CDs, sales of which have continued on a downward spiral that began after a peak in 2001. In the first half of this year, CD album sales were down about 18% to 110.3 million units from 134.6 million units during that same time last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

During that same period, vinyl albums represented just 1.2% of all physical album sales, but that's up significantly from last year when they represented only two-thirds of a percentage point between January and June, Bakula said.

And, while CDs still make up the lion's share physical album sales, their decline seems likely to continue. Earlier this month, at an event announcing Version 10 of iTunes, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that Apple (AAPL) had removed the image of a CD from the app's icon. It replaced the CD image with a music note inside of a circle to indicate, as Jobs put it, the future of music: Apple's new Ping social networking music service.

Like Twitter and Facebook , iTunes' Ping lets people follow online friends as well as musical artists by building top-10 lists.

Overall, record company revenues fell by 7.2% to $17 billion in 2009. At the same time, sales of digital music formats -- such as MP3s -- rose by 9.2% to $4.3 billion, which is 10 times what they were in 2004, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Physical album sales -- made up of CDs, tapes and vinyl albums -- fell by 12.7% globally.

Digital music sales now account for 25.3% of all trade revenues to record companies. In the U.S., digital sales account for nearly half -- 43% -- of the recorded music market, according to the IFPI.

So why, in the midst of a continuing boom in digital music sales, are vinyl record sales growing? Older audiophiles, who've long maintained that vinyl albums more accurately reproduce an artist's music, make up a large portion of the buyers shelling out money for LPs, Bakula said.

In addition, a younger generation of music fans is also buying vinyl albums because of the medium's historical significance and because they appreciate the album cover artwork and the extensive liner notes available with LPs.

Record companies are also making it easier for younger consumers to listen to their artists even when mobile. For example, many new vinyl albums come with digital download cards that have a code that customers can redeem online to get the digital version of a record at no additional cost, Bakula said.

"The trend sure does seem sustainable," Bakula said. "And the record industry is really doing a lot of cool things to not only make the format come alive but to make it more exciting for consumers."


http://www.cio.com/article/print/618417

Tonydec

It's all because of mp3 and similar digital media. If you only listen to digital, it is much easier to download the album. No storage issues, no trips to store, carrying cd's back and forth, burning them for the car, etc.

If you are into critical listening, vinyl is the only way to go for some. Sure, there are players running 10 grand and over that may be close, but those buyers are fewer than the hundreds of thousands others that do only digital. Had it not been for that, CD sales would still lead.

Plus, it's cyclical. Kinda like cigar smoking and bell bottoms, it's in then out. It's now a "cool" thing to do (vinyl).

DrJay

I love vinyl, have nearly 3500 vinyl records spanning a time period from approximately 1950 to the present...

But I have to admit that as the intake of Scotch and Whiskey goes up, my ability to safely handle vinyl goes down... Digital done right, has it's place.

A.Wayne

LOL......... true dat .........................

LT Texan

digital's place is while the vacuum cleaner is on.

cobalt

Or entertaining otherwise vinyl for me.

Just picked up the new boxed set first 4 lp's by Neil Young. Pressings today have gotten better and many old material is being released. Storage and handling are issues but ones i am willing to deal with.

Long live vinyl.

A.Wayne

What are you using for a cartridge .. I'm looking to replace my Ortofon om30

cobalt

The om30 is a great cartridge for the money. I went totally over the edge with cartridges. So take this for what it is worth. I can't justify these prices but to my ear it was money well spent.

A purely emotional buy with an absurd list price at 22 times that of the Ortofon. I am currently using a Clear Audio DiVinci. I some how walked into a great deal when trading in my Benz Micro, which I got by trading in a very used Koetsu Rosewood I picked up for free. I stayed with this line of cartridges because of their quality, sound and trade in policy which really worked out to my favor. At a third of its MSRP it was a deal I couldn't pass up and am very happy I did. I am amazed at how my worst Lp's which had years of abuse and sounded like a bowl of rice crispies with the Benz are noise free and incredibly accurate with the CA. Very strong cartridge with a full spectrum of sound from the highest highs to lowest lows. The fingered design of the ceramic coated aluminum shell reduces resonance by 60% over other cartridges I have tried.

All very good cartridges, pricey but the one I prefer the best over everything I have heard is the Air Tight PC-1. It is still twice as expensive as it should be but simply amazing.

A.Wayne

Yes the CA is a top notch player and absolutely out of my price point for this table ( AR) .

I'm leaning towards a Grado sig (wood body) as i had on my micro Seiki a few years before.

cobalt

I had a Grado Signature 1980's vintage on a grace CF arm many years ago. I enjoyed it tremendously through a PS audio 5.0 Pre, Hafler amps and Fried Signature III's. Simple but clean and rather accurate sounding. At least what I remember from back then. If you are willing to spend a little more I have heard good things second hand about the VPI Zepher and the benz glider Sl2 is nice offering good upgrade values. Although IIRC you want to stay with a MM vs MC design.

A.Wayne

MM for me , MC's are 2 hit and miss with loading, pre-pre .....etc..

tried this yet?
http://www.dak.com/reviews/3306story...FYXs7QodsgItaw

Tonydec

Try the Ortofon 2M series. Top is the 2M Black, then bronze, blue and red I believe. I had an Ortofon OM40 Gold. That was one sweet cartridge, had the magnets go bad on one side. I ordered an OM2 Black, then decided to go with a new table and MC cartridge. I was told the Black would be the closest to the 40 gold.

The Ortofons have a nice warm sound (well, except for their DJ style cartridges).

cobalt

Actually I have one. Nice brush when needed. I have a VPI 16.5 for deep cleaning but the DAk is a great value and works well. Unlike the Disc washers of yesteryear. I also like the zerodust for stylus cleaning. expensive but lasts forever and does a nice job cleaning. I am not a fan of using a brush on my stylus. Too much chance of screwing up.

There is always the Linn Sondek approach of just playing the lp and let the stylus do the cleaning but I am not a fan of that approach.

A.Wayne

Good , Just ordered one .......