Is MP3 responsible for the return of Vinyl?


To the casual or untrained listener (which most people are), CDs sounded more dynamic with lower noise floor than LPs when they came out. Most people didn't notice the loss of warmth or the subtle dynamic shadings, or the loss of smoothness and air in the treble. So they migrated quickly to CDs. Then when mp3 technology became available, people didn't notice too much loss in sound quality over CD relative to the portability and convenience, so they migrated once again to mp3s.

HOWEVER, when you compare a lossy mp3 recording to an LP, the differences are dramatic. The LP suddenly reveals the microdynamics that make an emotional connection to the music. Word is that the teens and 20-somethings (the mp3 generation) are driving the vinyl renaissance.

So...do we actually have the mp3 paradigm shift to thank for bringing back vinyl?
johnnyb53
DJs scratching LP records is the reason for the resurgence of vinyl, which is happening on a larger scale outside the tiny realm of audiophiles.

Novelty rather than sound quality has more to do with it. Kids are interested in what's cool, and LPs are cool at the moment.
My friend is a DJ and he can scratch a CD the same way he scratches an LP, so I don't think DJ's are part of the equation at all. I never saw a DJ with a really good anaolg rig. Excellent analog just sunds more natrual and superior to excellent digital, and audiophiles who really have a keen ear and who can put up with the inconveinence of analog have created a market full of many analog choices.

As digital has improved greatly over the years, so has analog.
Take a look at the new vinyl listings on Amazon. The majority have are rap and hip hop titles.

I suppose if the OP's question is specifically directed at the increase in audiophile vinyl sales, then you might be correct. But, I suspect there is larger market growth in vinyl sales related to rap, hip hop, and non-audiophile titles, and these have nothing to do with better sound quality. It's kids' curiosity in nostalgia which fuels an appreciation for the medium, and promotes more sales.

So, I guess the root of my argument is that increased vinyl sales are fueled by kids, not by audiophiles, and improved sound quality of LPs over MP3s is not the motivating factor.