Vinyl records are back, sound for purists

The fashion for vinyl records seems to have returned in the last two years, we do not know if it is temporary, but the sound purists are gradually abandoning CDs for these records that had their boom from the 1950s to the mid-1950s. 90's.

Sound for purists or hipster fashion?

To speak with knowledge and concrete data, during 2014 some 9.4 million vinyl records were sold in the United States alone, 51.8% more than in 2013 and during the first quarter of 2015 the money generated by vinyls I surpass that of the sale of music in streaming. This undoubtedly sets a trend, vinyl records are becoming popular again to the detriment of CD.

This could have a fairly simple explanation, all the tracks on a CD fit perfectly on a USB key or on a phone occupying a tiny space and with a similar sound quality. In the case of vinyl, the sound has a different "look" that cannot be digitally emulated.

The return of vinyl has been evident in the last CES event in Las Vegas that was held earlier this year, where Sony and Technics have launched new models of vinyl players, including the new model of the mythical SL-1200 and that we can see in the image below.

Technics' new SL-1200 unveiled at CES

Sony on the other hand showed the PS-HX500, a somewhat more austere design vinyl player with wireless headphones, both offering high-definition sound like never been heard before for vinyl records. The latter will be marketed during the second half of the year.

The Sony PS-HX500 vinyl player

Only time will tell if the return of vinyl is a passing fad or if people are really tuning their ears many decades after "giving up" this format.