ObscuraJournal 1/15/26

Okay, yeah ... I'm going to turn into a vinyl snob.

So I picked up a turntable. It's an Audia Technica, and not one of the ones you have to put the needle on the record manually. Automatic for me. So it's a middle of the line and when you combine it with some powered speakers that allow you to control the bass and treble, this shit sounds fucking fantastic.

Imagine if I had an even better turntable and better speakers!

Trust me, the thought is whirring through my head. But this will work for now.

I've been hearing for years how vinyl sounds better, and I've been skeptical.

Better than "lossless" or whatever the audio format is nowadays? Better than that? You serious?

Or is there a digital format newer than that?

Doesn't matter because it doesn't compare to vinyl even with my mediocre set-up. There's something about the analog sound that picks up every note recorded. I'm hearing bits in songs I've listened to for years that I've never heard before until now. Now ... I knew Dark Side of the Moon sounded great on vinyl, because I had it when I was a kid. I guess I forgot how good it sounds, or probably more likely, I became accustomed to listening to CD quality music and streaming because of convenience.

I only have three albums so far, but they're stone-cold classics: Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, the afore mentioned Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (50th anniversary) and the recently released Wish You Were Here remaster. I'm heading out to the two local record stores tomorrow on the hunt for more Floyd, but also some Coltrane, and some Opeth and Rush ... I'm really curious how progressive rock/metal sounds on vinyl. Also Nine Inch Nails. Reznor always talks about how good his albums sound on vinyl, and I don't doubt it one bit.

I know jazz will sound amazing, that stuff was made to be listened to on vinyl.

So that's where I'm at right now.

peace&love