Post Your Physical Media! (Vinyl, Tape, CDs, etc)

[Randy]

Went all digital about 12 years ago. A few years back I started getting back into physical copies of albums. I don't do much hunting but I'll pick stuff up if I see it.

Some albums I'll buy regardless of format just because, but if I'm looking for something in particular, I'm usually trying to match the format that was dominant when it came out or the format it was in when I first heard it.

Two recent acquisitions:

 

[jaxadam]

I have that Eric Johnson tape, but I have Flexable on CD.

This is just shit I immediately know of. There is a whole bunch of other stuff deep in some closets here somewhere.

@Drew 's Zero Mantra is up in there!

 

[jaxadam]

I just went and looked, this thing is filled to the brim.

 

[ThunderUnderground]

Il add a few but i wont post everything out of fear i break the forums servers.

Ballpark figure, i have about 300 vinyl, between 400-500 CD's and maybe about 100 tapes.

 

[jaxadam]

Il add a few but i wont post everything out of fear i break the forums servers.

Ballpark figure, i have about 300 vinyl, between 400-500 CD's and maybe about 100 tapes.

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That DJ Shadow CD is a masterpiece.

 

[gnoll]

I've been meaning to sell my cds but I never get around to it. I have some rare stuff that I think is still worth at least something.

When did I last listen to a cd? I don't know, 10 years? 15? The problem is everything is on Spotify pretty much.

For films and tv shows there's still a point to dvds because everything isn't easily available. But music? It's right there, all of it... I mean part of me does want to listen on vinyl but it's just not practical.

 

[Randy]

Il add a few but i wont post everything out of fear i break the forums servers.

Ballpark figure, i have about 300 vinyl, between 400-500 CD's and maybe about 100 tapes.

Ive got a pretty big collection of stuff I inherited from work (I work in broadcast). We're currently culling the duplicates and stuff we're not interested in but the collection is at 3k+ vinyls. A lot less of the other formats 200 - 300 CDs, 100 or so cassettes) and a lot of it is either super common albums from the 60s/70s or old radio shows (The Lone Ranger etc).

My "new" collection I'm trying to confine to stuff I've got a personal connection with. So far a lot of 80s stuff like Extreme, Warrant, etc. I think I've currently got more tapes than vinyls, mostly by virtue of the "chosen" format thing.

I think my favorite album in the collection is a really clean copy of White Lion - Pride on vinyl. Its a beautiful piece of album art, especially on a huge vinyl sleeve. I also think the mix sounds better on vinyl, for that particular one.

 

[Randy]

I mean part of me does want to listen on vinyl but it's just not practical.

That's kinda why I confined my purchases to specific stuff I've got a history with, and sticking to stuff that was mixed for vinyl/cassette etc.

I'm not gonna get into some golden ear mumbo jumbo, because I think modern digital (especially FLAC) gives you access to really listen to a recording mixed however you want with infinite options. But I do think all the formats sound "different" and some part of the mixing process (along with the writing/production) was done expecting you to hear it "that way".

Had an experience with that just yesterday. I've heard Mothers of Invention "Freak Out!" on vinyl dozens of times and it's a warm-ish kinda album with some honky mid range. Picked up a copy on CD to listen to in the car and it instantly gave me a headache. Whole thing sounded scooped with heavy low end and all the guitar/vocals were tinny high end that felt like an ice pick in your skull.

I don't think of collecting music as a competition or like you need to have every album you've ever heard of on vinyl. But I think some select stuff that you like that lends itself to experiencing in one format or the other, I think that's worth it. If my collection vinyls was confined to like a dozen or two dozen, I wouldn't mind. I still have streaming if I want "volume" or stuff I'm going to skip around.

 

[gnoll]

That's kinda why I confined my purchases to specific stuff I've got a history with, and sticking to stuff that was mixed for vinyl/cassette etc.

I'm not gonna get into some golden ear mumbo jumbo, because I think modern digital (especially FLAC) gives you access to really listen to a recording mixed however you want with infinite options. But I do think all the formats sound "different" and some part of the mixing process (along with the writing/production) was done expecting you to hear it "that way".

Had an experience with that just yesterday. I've heard Mothers of Invention "Freak Out!" on vinyl dozens of times and it's a warm-ish kinda album with some honky mid range. Picked up a copy on CD to listen to in the car and it instantly gave me a headache. Whole thing sounded scooped with heavy low end and all the guitar/vocals were tinny high end that felt like an ice pick in your skull.

I don't think of collecting music as a competition or like you need to have every album you've ever heard of on vinyl. But I think some select stuff that you like that lends itself to experiencing in one format or the other, I think that's worth it. If my collection vinyls was confined to like a dozen or two dozen, I wouldn't mind. I still have streaming if I want "volume" or stuff I'm going to skip around.

Yeah I think that's a really good way of looking at it. Totally agree that formats sound different. Vinyl may not be hifi but it has a pleasant sound. My brother does collect a bit like that, select stuff because he has Spotify too. Which means I can get him vinyls for his birthday and then I get to hear them too, perfect!

Also a friend told me that it's a bad habit not to listen to full albums because that's how they're intended. That made me feel bad because yeah on Spotify I jump all over the place.

 

[ThunderUnderground]

Ive got a pretty big collection of stuff I inherited from work (I work in broadcast). We're currently culling the duplicates and stuff we're not interested in but the collection is at 3k+ vinyls. A lot less of the other formats 200 - 300 CDs, 100 or so cassettes) and a lot of it is either super common albums from the 60s/70s or old radio shows (The Lone Ranger etc).

My "new" collection I'm trying to confine to stuff I've got a personal connection with. So far a lot of 80s stuff like Extreme, Warrant, etc. I think I've currently got more tapes than vinyls, mostly by virtue of the "chosen" format thing.

I think my favorite album in the collection is a really clean copy of White Lion - Pride on vinyl. Its a beautiful piece of album art, especially on a huge vinyl sleeve. I also think the mix sounds better on vinyl, for that particular one.

That's an excellent position to be in. I would absorb as many as possible if it was me. Digital media is very convenient but I don't like the idea of all of my eggs being in one basket, my family has always been big on music so its been a constant throughout my life.

I have no set limit as to what i buy, it just depends on what i find and what cash i have spare. My most valuable record is probably Necrophagist's debut album on solid orange vinyl, only 100 pressed and only 1000 copies of that record exist on vinyl in total, the remaining 900 being 100 clear vinyl and 800 on orange/black splatter vinyl. I also like my splatter Scream Blood Gore album too.

If anyone questions your logic for buying physical media in 2023 just tell them your keeping plastics out of landfill

 

[Open Lane]

That's kinda why I confined my purchases to specific stuff I've got a history with, and sticking to stuff that was mixed for vinyl/cassette etc.

I'm not gonna get into some golden ear mumbo jumbo, because I think modern digital (especially FLAC) gives you access to really listen to a recording mixed however you want with infinite options. But I do think all the formats sound "different" and some part of the mixing process (along with the writing/production) was done expecting you to hear it "that way".

Had an experience with that just yesterday. I've heard Mothers of Invention "Freak Out!" on vinyl dozens of times and it's a warm-ish kinda album with some honky mid range. Picked up a copy on CD to listen to in the car and it instantly gave me a headache. Whole thing sounded scooped with heavy low end and all the guitar/vocals were tinny high end that felt like an ice pick in your skull.

I don't think of collecting music as a competition or like you need to have every album you've ever heard of on vinyl. But I think some select stuff that you like that lends itself to experiencing in one format or the other, I think that's worth it. If my collection vinyls was confined to like a dozen or two dozen, I wouldn't mind. I still have streaming if I want "volume" or stuff I'm going to skip around.

I can't do vinyl. I listen to a lot of classical and can't stand the click/pops. Cleaning it and maintaining it without damaging it is also a concern. Also, hate having to flip it midway. Imo super audio cd is the ultimate format for me.

 

[Riverview]

I got so much it'd would be days getting everything together . Will say my most prized possession is a Vancouver specific pick that Lars tossed at the Metallica show . Was front row and managed to snag one , and I believe they only threw about 15 - 20 total .

I also ordered Thornhill's Dark Pool on vinyl just recently .That album really made me become a big fan of them , and opened up a lot of other bands for me as well in the Australian scene , so I had to grab that and support the guys . I'll be seeing them for the 3rd time in 2 weeks from now .

 

[zappatton2]

Yeah, as evidenced by my constant posting to the "CD haul" thread, I'm pretty addicted to physical music media, I've built up roughly 700 CDs, 400 cassettes and 1600 records. That's even after a few purges, but I have been collecting pretty heavily since the late 80's, so it's pretty much a part of me now.

I know it'd probably be easier if I used Spotify, and I do use Youtube and chat groups like this one to find new stuff, but I pretty much constantly play albums at home, or make mix tapes for the road. I know that seems archaic, and may even brand me as a "hipster" these days, but I got nothin' the prove, it's a hobby I enjoy, and I'll keep throwing unnecessary amounts of money at it for the foreseeable future.

 

[Open Lane]

I rip all of my cds to mp3 and put them on my phone. Got about 3121 cds and prob at least 50sacds

 

[DECEMBER]

I have over 400 original cassette tapes. They're my favorite medium. I'd still buy new music on tape if it was possible. Actually, Puscifer and Tori Amos released their newest albums on tape in 2020 & 2021.

 

[jaxadam]

I have over 400 original cassette tapes. They're my favorite medium. I'd still buy new music on tape if it was possible. Actually, Puscifer and Tori Amos released their newest albums on tape in 2020 & 2021.
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Bad Religion Generator is one of my favorite albums of all time.

 

[Open Lane]

Got quite a few that aren't pictured here, too.

 

[Randy]

I can't do vinyl. I listen to a lot of classical and can't stand the click/pops. Cleaning it and maintaining it without damaging it is also a concern. Also, hate having to flip it midway. Imo super audio cd is the ultimate format for me.

I still think it's contextual. Depends on what kinda music you're listening to and what you want to hear.

I'd imagine classical music is best enjoyed on the cleanest possible format yeah. Most classical music recordings I've listened to were recorded in a live setting or in a way meant to replicate a live setting.

I think that's different than say, Harvest by Neil Young that was recorded/produced intending for the listener to hear it on a system that would have been used in that day. If you transferred the recordings directly to digital or CD, it doesn't scale to your modern sound system (or your phone ) in a way that's accurate to the original experience. At that point, the record company has the choice of remastering it intending to make it sound like the old recording on a new system, or remix it to sound like a modern recording instead. And with that comes a lot of variables.

Also, "flipping records" was considered part of the writing experience. Lots of great albums where Side A and B were deliberately made for there to be a break between them. Listening to it on CD or on your phone you miss the transition.

There's a lot of examples of this but one that comes to mind is Van Morrison - Astral Weeks with Side A: In The Beginning and Side B: Afterwards. The themes, songwriting and lyrics are distinct in the two sides. That concept was totally lost when you remove "the flip"

 

[Open Lane]

I still think it's contextual. Depends on what kinda music you're listening to and what you want to hear.

I'd imagine classical music is best enjoyed on the cleanest possible format yeah. Most classical music recordings I've listened to were recorded in a live setting or in a way meant to replicate a live setting.

I think that's different than say, Harvest by Neil Young that was recorded/produced intending for the listener to hear it on a system that would have been used in that day. If you transferred the recordings directly to digital or CD, it doesn't scale to your modern sound system (or your phone ) in a way that's accurate to the original experience. At that point, the record company has the choice of remastering it intending to make it sound like the old recording on a new system, or remix it to sound like a modern recording instead. And with that comes a lot of variables.

Also, "flipping records" was considered part of the writing experience. Lots of great albums where Side A and B were deliberately made for there to be a break between them. Listening to it on CD or on your phone you miss the transition.

There's a lot of examples of this but one that comes to mind is Van Morrison - Astral Weeks with Side A: In The Beginning and Side B: Afterwards. The themes, songwriting and lyrics are distinct in the two sides. That concert was totally lost when you remove "the flip"

Yeah, I agree with you about certain styles of music being better on vinyl. I used to own most of sabbath's stuff on vinyl and enjoyed them on that format. Also, I find a lot of brass heavy jazz def sounds better to my ear.

As far as the deliberate dif between sides A and B, that is a good point that I did not consider. Still, though, I like being able to store and trigger most albums on my phone. It is the ultimate for me, outside of surround sound.

 

[Open Lane]

Brass on cd bothers my ears, but I have John Coltrane's "a love supreme" on super audio cd and it is great, to me. Unfortunately, because it is a format that never really caught on, it's not an option most of the time.

TBH, I considered getting back into vinyl for certain discs but for what I've been into lately, and considering all pros/cons it's something I have decided against for the time being.