[Iain Churches[_2_]]

"Boon" wrote in message
...
On Jan 11, 5:20?am, "Iain Churches" wrote:
"Boon" wrote in message

...

The finer things in life have always been enjoyed by the discerning
few.

It's the poor mastering on so many CDs, that lead people to
the eronious conclusion that vinyl is a superior medium.

I would agree. To make it more confusing, we have quite a few new LP
releases that were pressed from digital masters and even CDs. That's
definitely hurting the whole LP revival.

Are you saying you think that LP masters should be cut
from analogue tapes?
Almost without exception, masters are digital these days.

But it is interesting to compare an original LP with the
various versions of the same material issued, then
remastered several times over the interval of a
few years. The CDs get louder and louder,
brighter and brighter, with less and less dynamic
range. This is said to meet the developing public taste:-)

RTI recently had huge QC problems, with many titles arriving damaged.
My guess was that a pallet was knocked over somewhere, and they
quickly put it back together without checking. That put a dent in the
vinyl movement this year.

I recently ordered a double album from Elusive Disc. They sent me
an e-mail to say that all stock copies of the gatefold sleeve had a
crease in the top right corner (record factories in the UK used to call
this a "crumpled ear") They asked if I would prefer to cancel the order.
That level of attention to quality is previously unseen.


There's never been an argument about the fact that LPs have
become a niche segment. ?But 89%,

But, an 89% increase from what figure? ?Many people
guess at 1%. ?No firm data seems to be available.

That has always been the problem. For years, RIAA figures have been
incomplete at best because they do not include sales where vinyl is
the most active, such as specialty retailers (i.e. high-end salons)
and online auctions. But the figure over the last few years has
hovered steadily around the 1 million mark. To see it jump closer to 2
million is very exciting.

Indeed it is. There are also albums and 12inch 45s that are
pressed in considerable numbers for radio and DJ use. These
are courtesy copies, and probably do not figure in sales statistics.

A year ago, I mentioned that the head of the largest online LP seller
told me that his sales were up 40% over the previous year. Idiots
like Arny immediately wanted to know who said it and where was the URL
to support this "unbelievable" claim. Turns out this guy was being
conservative.

The former EMI factory in Hayes, Midd'x, UK is now in private
hands, and producing 1million LPs per year.

I don't know the situation in the US, but in the EU the past
couple of years have seen the opening of shops selling vinyl only.
A chap I know in Stockholm has such a shop, in addition to his
hi-fi shop. He's a pretty smart business man. I am pretty sure he
could see potential there.

Maybe there is a business opportunity for your pal Arny.
He could squat in a burnt-out shop in Detroit and sell pirate
LP pressings of the Full Gospell Baptist Fellowship Massed Choir
"Bow Down and Worship Him", recorded by the excellent Joe Neil.

Iain