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New gear and software provide latest solutions to the drawbacks of digital sound

18.05.12

Much credit and blessings should go to the gang behind Beats Audio (Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and, until recently, accessories specialist Monster) for making it fashionable to wear big headphones that deliver far better performance than your average $2 (wholesale) Apple earbuds. "Happily for all, headphones have become a huge part of our business again," shared Bob Cole, an executive at local chain World Wide Stereo.

Now every other hi-fi brand is jumping on this bandwagon, from Polk to Panasonic, the latter reintroducing the Technics brand on DJ-style phones with turntable-platter-aping endcaps.

Such fashion statements go hand in hand with the surprising resurgence in vinyl record sales and pressings - another endorsement of quality over convenience. Sales of LPs were up 70 percent last year. And note that most special-edition offerings for this year's Record Store Day (April 21) will be vinyl pressings, including an ultra-retro crop of 10-inch LPs.

Also noteworthy was this past year's CD sales count, nearly holding steady while digital downloads were way up. We must largely thank cross-generational wonder Adele for that, and Amazon.com. The online retailer continues to sell CDs by the truckload, said a supplier, although big-box retailers such as Walmart and Costco are doing their best to kill the beast.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer