[periurban]

I am an innocent abroad here, I know it, but are you guys saying that all the old evils of vinyl have been tamed. It's, um, twenty years since I listened to records, and to tell the truth I was glad to see the back of them. Of course, I miss the sleeves (and the smell). But I don't miss the experience.

Here are the evils I remember.

1) Having to get several copies of a record before finding one that didn't crackle or skip.

2) Remembering to turn the volume down on the amp so that the lead in/out procedure didn't blow your speakers and your ears.

3) Static.

4) Dust.

5) Surface noise.

6) Distortion that increased towards the end of each side of the record.

7) Having to clean the records and stylus without damaging either.

8) Having to replace the stylus every so often.

9) Remembering not to fall asleep and let the run out groove wear the stylus to a nub.

10) Having to learn juggling to get the record out of its sleeve onto the deck without scratching it, fingering it or dropping it.

Have they really solved all those problems?