Steve Jobs, vinyl, and Neil Young

[Bob_in_OKC]

Well, I like how 'he' sounds, flaws and all, etc. The recording itself, After the Gold Rush, was just not well done. Sounded thin and flat. I have a box set of his on DVD (audio tracks in higher res on a DVD)- might dig it out. The problem is, my DVD player isn't as nice as my CD player.

Since you mentioned it, I dug out the CD. I think I see what you mean. I hadn't listened to this in a long time, perhaps never on my current system.

 

[Homerx]

Now if Itunes could offer CD quality downloads I would love em'. really no point not to now. given faster DL speeds and much larger HDD"S for storage

 

[rnorton]

So what did the guy have as far as equipment? That looks like a fairly advanced tt for 1982... and those speakers are enormous.

That room looks like an acoustic nightmare and those bipolar radiators are shoved right into the wall.

 

[rnorton]

One of the comments at the end of the article reads...

"I had to explain that it was bass. He had always listened to digitally recorded music, which has low notes, but no bass, and so had never heard bass in a recording. Digital can't do bass. Chopping sound waves up into little bitty quanta works ok at higher frequencies, but bass is too slow.

Of course, there's also the fact that digital music rests on the `basement of silence'. (The vast sea of sound lower in volume than the least significant bit in a digital bite is not captured by digital recording. It's absence is the `basement of silence.')"

I do not know the answer for certain; in particular, what I've underlined. Anyone?

Tyler

Young is completely clueless.

 

[JohnVF]

Young is completely clueless.

He didn't say that. It was some clueless person in the comments.

If you want to lose all faith in humanity, read the comments section on any article on anything on the internet. It's a wonder most people remember how to breathe.

 

[ssmith3046]

To say that NY sounds terrible on vinyl is a broad generalization and not an accurate statement.

 

[JohnVF]

To say that NY sounds terrible on vinyl is a broad generalization and not an accurate statement.

Its a completely accurate statement here, listening to After the Gold Rush. Its just not a great recording...as played on my system.

 

[vinylisfinal]

Who cares. The guy was a professional d-bag. Didn't even have the decency of recognize the fatherhood of her first daughter despite already making big sums of money. Never did any important donation to charity. Didn't really create anything that advanced computing further. Sold overpriced/overhyped equipment manufactured in china sweatshops. Took a free (zero cost) operating system, turned it into Mac OS X and then charged money for it. Ok, nothing wrong, but he is revered as some kind of modern Jesus or modern-day Da Vinci. That's a bit ridiculous.

His real genius was in marketing. The master of hype.

I agree.. NEXT!

 

[tnmike1]

OK--enuff of Jobs bashing. How about this bio about Neil Young??

Has two boys with cerebral palsy. Has one of the world's largest Lionel train collections that are housed in a separate barn he built just for them. His boys only have use of their hands and somewhat limited arm movement so he collaborated on the invention of a "switch"--looks like a big round "jellybean" (which is what they're called now)--where the boys could just tap the switch and make the switches on the tracks work. Also, I believe, modified the train transformers so the boys could operate the locomotives, altho somewhat limited in that use.

About ten years or so ago when Lionel went into receivership, he bought the cmpany, held it for a few years, then I believe sold it.

His wife is VERY involved in California with non-profits for children with disabilities and he himself shows up for small group sessions working with thekids.

most of the above information I read years ago in the magazine "Classic Trains". SO he may ACT the grunge rocker but in actuality is quite giving of his time and talent.

 

[flavio81]

"I had to explain that it was bass. He had always listened to digitally recorded music, which has low notes, but no bass, and so had never heard bass in a recording. Digital can't do bass. Chopping sound waves up into little bitty quanta works ok at higher frequencies, but bass is too slow.

Let's ask the BS detector...

 

[flavio81]

I don't understand how the hipsters did anything for vinyl fanatics. For me, all they've done is drive up prices on used records.

And... we have a winner here!! :thmbsp: Comment of the day!

Sad and so true. I like the days of 5, 7 years ago, when records were very very very cheap and listening to records was something that was done for pleasure, not for showing off.

 

[TebbieBear]

And... we have a winner here!! :thmbsp: Comment of the day!

Sad and so true. I like the days of 5, 7 years ago, when records were very very very cheap and listening to records was something that was done for pleasure, not for showing off.

So somehow hipsters getting into records changed you? You now listen to records to show off?
I can go into my local record shop, which wasn't here 5 or 7 years ago btw it was opened because of the rise in vinyl sales, and buy a nice stack of vinyl in very good condition for less than the cost of one new CD. OR I can get on Amazon or music Direct and order almost any new album on vinyl. Both of those are completely because, thanks to "hipsters", records are a viable business model.

 

[Isotonic]

OK--enuff of Jobs bashing. How about this bio about Neil Young??

Has two boys with cerebral palsy. Has one of the world's largest Lionel train collections that are housed in a separate barn he built just for them. His boys only have use of their hands and somewhat limited arm movement so he collaborated on the invention of a "switch"--looks like a big round "jellybean" (which is what they're called now)--where the boys could just tap the switch and make the switches on the tracks work. Also, I believe, modified the train transformers so the boys could operate the locomotives, altho somewhat limited in that use.

About ten years or so ago when Lionel went into receivership, he bought the cmpany, held it for a few years, then I believe sold it.

His wife is VERY involved in California with non-profits for children with disabilities and he himself shows up for small group sessions working with thekids.

most of the above information I read years ago in the magazine "Classic Trains". SO he may ACT the grunge rocker but in actuality is quite giving of his time and talent.

Absolutely. People listen to Neil Young because he is a very interesting person who has done a lot of good and truly walks the walk. He was one of the first people to question the quality of digital when everyone was declaring it perfect. He resonates with young people because he is authentic.

And it is not fair to judge his understanding of audio on a record he made 40 years ago. Besides, though he loves high fidelity stereos, his albums have always been about capturing an authentic performance. And that is one of the aspects of his recordings that make them compelling for so many people.

 

[flavio81]

So somehow hipsters getting into records changed you? You now listen to records to show off?
I can go into my local record shop, which wasn't here 5 or 7 years ago btw it was opened because of the rise in vinyl sales, and buy a nice stack of vinyl in very good condition for less than the cost of one new CD. OR I can get on Amazon or music Direct and order almost any new album on vinyl. Both of those are completely because, thanks to "hipsters", records are a viable business model.

You are lucky!!

Here in my third world country, used records in great shape -at informal stores- costed about $1.8-$3. Now they're $9-$26. USED records.

The most popular music store chain now carries records again... at about $52 each record!! This has caused all independent record sellers to go full greedy and increase their prices to the sky.

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

Back on earlier thoughts...I do think iTunes seems like a good thing for all of us. I want the industry to be profitable and keep making music...as long as in addition to compressed downloads they sell music in a format that allows me to play it on a nice audio system without being disappointed in the sound quality.