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"Is that a record??? "

I guess I just found out today how out of touch I am with the rest of the non-audiophile world. I went to the local USPS office to return a damaged LP. I still had the package it came in from Acoustic Sounds, which had 'LP' written on it in several places. So the Postmaster says to me incredulously "Is that a record???!!!" . I calmly say "Yes". The woman in line behind me says "Reeeally!!!...one of those plastic thingyyys???". Again, I repeat my reply, "Yes, it's an LP".
Postmaster: "Wow! I had no idea they even made them anymore."
Me: "Yes, they still make them".
Woman: "Are you serious?"
Me: "Yes, they still make them. In fact, more today than even 10 years ago."
Postmaster: "You mean they still make NEW!! records???"
Me: "Yes."
Postmaster: "What kind of music do you buy?"
Me: "Mostly Jazz".
Postmaster: "Why do you buy them?"
Me: "Because they sound better than cd's."
Postmaster: "I've heard that before, but all of my old records sound like crap."
Me: "Well you do have to take care of them."
Postmaster: "I thought I was taking care of them....I guess I wasn't".

Now I'm not trying to start another vinyl vs. cd debate, been there done that. It just blew my mind that here are two folks around the same age as me, late 40's, who were stunned to find out that vinyl was still availible. I mean I guess I don't expect everyone to know this, but I was a bit taken back by their appearant shock. You'd have thought that I drove up in a Hudson automobile wearing a Fedora hat.

Am I THAT out of touch? I feel like a ostrich with my head in the ground listening to tunes.....out of touch with the real world............

Cheers,
John
128x128jmcgrogan2
waxwaves's avatar
waxwaves
206 posts
 
Good thing you didn't discuss any Elrod Power cables with them John. They would have thought you crazy for sure, LOL!

I love it when folks walk in to the listening room and say "OMG is that a record!!??" I tell em "Yes, someone took real good care of that one!! You can't get that kind of sound on the ipad listening to mp3 files coming from earbuds can you? And why is that so surprising???
pops
1,847 posts
 
@Waxwaves +1 and good thing you did not try to explain what a cartridge is - just tried that with a friend and had to resort to.....you know - the needle!!! And when I told him what "the needle" cost he gave me a look that scared me - sometimes I think we might all be crazy! LOL!
stevecham
3,298 posts
 
I read the sly cynicism above along with the humor and the earnestness; look, it is up to us to help educate and be resourceful when helping others understand what it is we enjoy and "get" when it comes to vinyl. Remember, for many, music is wallpaper. For me, it is an essential part of my health plan.
manitunc
795 posts
 
People in their late 40s would have come of age, their teens, about the time that LPs were disappearing from the record store shelves and cds and cassette were taking over, so they witnessed the demise, and probably thought it was all over. Their lp experience was most likely their parents old albums and console player. so its not surprising they are out of the loop. Today, its mostly those approaching 60 or young people discovering LP for the first time.
waxwaves's avatar
waxwaves
206 posts
 
I am 37 years old and have been collecting clean and enjoyable 33 1/3 rpm lps for the past 20 years. Well, most of them are clean and enjoyable. Yes, when I was a child the folks had a Zenith hi-fi with a pair of 8" full range drivers and a decent Shure cartridge. It amazed me that that kind of sound came off of that spinning piece of wax, dug out by a little "needle"! Then came 8tracks and cassettes(good God help us, we were all fooled)! After the introduction of cds... well the cds sucked too, and down deep we all know it's true, can somebody say "my ears are bleeding". I left out reel to reel because even though the sound was great, that was just not mainstream stuff that everyone had. Anyway, my point is, there are probably lots of other thirty-somethings out there like me who love the liquorice pizza too!
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