CDs are unequivocally better than Vinyl records, no ifs and buts about it, amirite?

While you are definitely correct that CDs are a better recorded music storage format in terms of memory and sound quality, I don't think that is why vinyl has become popular again. The reason CDs went on to replace vinyl and tapes is precisely for the reasons stated. However, in currents times, the best storage format is simply computer files. This means that there is no reason for owning physical albums in any format, if what you are seeking is the best storage format. As a result, people have had to derive other forms of meaning form owning physical albums. As far as I can tell, the incentive is now based around sentimental value. You want to own it physically because that particular album has had a meaningful impact on your life. In this case, nothing could be better than vinyl. Its large album cover format allows the artwork to really shine, and the overall product and packaging signals this is something you should cherish and keep safe. In short: digital files for general use + vinyl for sentimental appreciation.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

There's also an enjoyable ceremony to using the vinyl. CD's don't have that same process.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I'll make sure to tell that to a person that cares about sentimental value in a debate discussing the technical merits of one or the other.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

What's a cd?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

CD'S nuts!

by Anonymous 2 years ago

CD went out favors three years ago. All music is on CDs, and never owned a CD player, except in my car. A CD is just format to sell music permanently. I make second CD to put in my car. I then store all my music on my computer, and on flash memory. I use to respect the rights musician, but they so!e out when they all supported vinyl. Now, I borrow CDs, and add the music to my collection. I also active support an underground music library. I have more music then I can possible listen in ten life times. The best scientist think quantum memory will be easier then quantum computing. It may be possible to own every possible recording of music in human history. Record companies are some the most evil people on the planet.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Just a piece of tech from the 80s that some of us (yours truly included) still use to listen to music.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I would say for good reason.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Cassettes are better. We need to bring the Walkman back

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Many underground bands stillake them. I also released a cassette, I just like how it looks, and you can put some cool design on it.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Wow didn't know people still use cassettes lol

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I use cassettes too. I rip from Spotify playlists onto them lol.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Vinyl is simply a more physical and vintage form compared to CDs. Anything vintage will have its fair share of collectors for the simple fact that its vintage. It's also easy to show off and display. Nobody likes it because it's more practical than other storage media.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

And did I ever point to the contrary or you just hate reading? > This is not about which is more pleasant, it's about which is the better technology and CDs are a clear winner.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Unpopular opinion cars are better than horses

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I see your CD and raise you a cassette tape that you could throw across the room, scratch with a knife, and still play!

by Anonymous 2 years ago

But God forbid it's a little humid, then it's game over for it.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

My tapes always worked in humidity.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

An analogue record from an analogue source is an unbroken line from the original vibrations that made the music, not 44 000 slices a second to "reproduce it"

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Do you know how to read? > And please don't tell me that the waveform of a digital recording doesn't contain the entire waveform because it was sampled. It's been shown time and time again that there's no identifiable difference between a Vinyl and a CD waveform, if anything CDs are again superior in how they don't sound noticeably worse every time they're played back.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

"it's been shown time and time again....". That's funny. How did you "show" that?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Not only is there not a meaningful difference, the CDs wider dynamic range makes Vinyl into a laughing stock by comparison. Vinyl's also have many limitations not present on CDs, such as a need to de-ess pronunciation of certain phrases.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

It's been proven that vinal records have worse audio quality than digital. It's not a matter of preference. Vinyl records are objectively lower quality. But doofus pretentious hipsters like them because it gives them cool points.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I don't really have a horse in this race because I don't listen to CDs or vinyl anymore, but one thing you left out is that CDs can skip, which absolutely ruins the experience. I hate how easily they can be scratched!

by Anonymous 2 years ago

You know the same is true for vinyl right?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

A cd is just calculus to approximate a perfect sample. A vinyl can have a perfect sample recorded but limitations in the needle and groove etc A compact music disc is like a vinyl because of its one continuous line or stream of information, whereas a dvd-r or cd-rom is not one continuous stream

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Man you really need to tone down that confidence. CDs are digital be they pressed or burned. The only difference is that on a burned CD, the laser etches marks on the surface that act as pits and lands on a pressed disc. When they're actually being read back there is no difference, whatsoever, in the resulting data stream.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Plus CDs are smaller and easier to carry around though they can also get scratched up.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Why does vinyl outsell CDs then?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

The *aesthetic*

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Yeah but they look cool

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Agreed. I own quite a few. Some are recent purchases.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

You are also speaking about "preference", my friend

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Can't get CDs in sick colors and patterns, at least to the extent you can with vinyl. Plus vinyl records hold value a lot better, and can often appreciate in value depending on the pressing and rarity. For example, I would suck 25 unwashed dicks for a vinyl record of Second Stage Turbine Blade from Coheed & Cambria. Right now all copies of it are selling for several hundred dollars on Discogs. Those records were probably $20 on release. CDs on the other hand? $5, you almost couldn't give one away because it doesn't feel any more special than pulling the album up on Spotify.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Scratch a cd and it might not even initialize

by Anonymous 2 years ago

And use a too heavy needle with a vinyl record and try playing it back ever again.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I'll still watch a movie on VHS over a 4k BD for the analogue warmth and nostalgia 😂

by Anonymous 2 years ago

CDs can and do degrade, there are still records from the 30s which play fine. If you have CDs from the 80s you'll likely see problems already. The idea of "warm" vinyl isn't right, and better sound is only in certain pressings where the CD version is just outright bad rather than anything the format gives it. Now we have so much storage available CDs are just defunct, we can have things ripped to flac which is lossless and play it that way instead of needing a disc. It can be copied and backed up. So vinyl will live on as a tactile, physical thing and CDs will just die.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I collect CDs as a tactile, physical thing and rip them to my hard drive. And for all the same reasons you might wanna buy a Vinyl. I don't necessarily think CDs are any less collectible than Vinyl. I don't usually use the CD to play music, unless I just randomly inserted one in my PC drive. And in that respect, the fact that you can do that with CDs so easily and have perfect copies of audio (as opposed to having to record it off of vinyl, which isn't cheap) makes CD superior in my book.

by Anonymous 2 years ago