It is fashion.

Frankly, a well made tube amp coupled with a quality phonograph cartridge has a great sound! It is a sound many people, myself included, crave.

Some of that sound happens because of production constraints. There are limits to what can be put into a groove with good results and those impact how the music is produced. A vinyl mix often stands right out.

A similar thing exists with AM radio. Back in the peak time for AM music listening, many stations were broadcasting 8 to 10Khz of bandwidth. It is a far cry from the brutal 5khz brick wall so many stations use today.

Mixing music so it would sound good on AM as well as FM, stereo and wi-fi, tape, vinyl, involved some production constraints that again color how music is produced.

That distinctive 70's era sound is that way because of these things, in part. Obviously, there is more to the story, but where there are limits, there is art.

As those limits were removed, we got loudness wars and some albums shipped clipped and brick wall tiring to listen to. Expose someone growing up on that to a banging vinyl production and it can blow their minds and they go looking for more!

And let me be clear:

The tube amp and vinyl source material are not better than a CD, though they may be better in some respects than a stream is, and digital audio is superior. Period.

It is better than our ears are and has been since we got the storage to produce it and distribute it properly to people.

So that gives?

It is all about the limits and the art. Sounds people crave.

And for what it is worth, each vinyl play is unique. Heard only once and then forever gone. People know the record is consumable, an experience to be valued and so they do.

I like to capture them after a few plays. The occassional rattle from the cartridge, pop, click, all speak to the time I recorded a record I love while in it's prime.

Here is a sort of digital parallel experience that might help:

Right now, I am typing to you in the little HN text input window. I could take it off line, use other tools, then paste it right in. Sometimes I do. Depends on what it is and whether I feel the window is risky...

And the difference on your end? NONE! It was for me. A bit of theatre, immediacy, connection to a "conversation", or "person" created in my mind that does help what I say flow differently.

These little things matter to people. They are why apps will signal, "X is typing..." in an attempt to convey more than text, but less than people in close proximity.

People run little radio stations for it too. The station has very low power. But, it is "on air" and that sense of a unique experience colors what people in the studio do. Others may listen on a radio, and a few will. Locals. Most will stream, or pick up a replay later.

And there will be a subtle energy in that missing from just recording in a studio.

Once a person begins to look for this, it is fascinating! And that is why I am writing this. Music from before the computer editing and processing was not quite as perfect as we can make it.

But ask around and many pick up on the energy to be had from a great show performed decades ago. Maybe from before the listener was born even. And they will talk about those humans who did it in real time, no bullshit, just everyone in the moment, experiencing something familiar, yet unique to them.

And that is all. The analog age has a sparkle to it people crave. And it will still work today too. All people have to do is embrace the art. Take the limitations and roll it all up onto good sounds.