Digital Fatigue

Back in the 1970s I started to buy records. 45s, LPs, EPs.  I had a Dual 505 record deck and a NAD 3020 amp.  I used to really enjoy my music.  During the 80s the CD appeared.  I bought a Philips CD player in 1983 for about £400.  I upgraded my amp and speakers.  I purchased lots of CDs.  And although I listened to music a lot I found I couldn't spend much longer than a couple of hours in front of the hi-fi.  I couldn't put a finger on it.  A few years ago I resurrected my Pro-Ject 1 turntable.  I bought another new amp and some modern speakers.  I put a new cartridge on the turntable arm.  Wow!  Despite the odd pop and crackle music hadn't sounded this good for years.  I could play LPs all day and not get tired.


I thought about this and came up with a theory - Digital fatigue.  Although digital recordings are improving all the time I still don't believe they can portray the full nuance of natural analog sound.  Of course CDs, MP3s,  Ipods, Digital radio have their place but in my mind full analog does too.  So now I listen to music from both digital and analog though I know which one I prefer.



I have a similar theory about photography.  Film cameras were great.  Digital came along and blew film away on cost and convenience and often on quality too.  I went fully digital.  But after a while I got a bit tired.  Just recently I have started to use film again.  And again, Wow!  I'm now re-learning half of what I knew 30 years ago.  This blog will look at my film cameras.  Those I own, those I've bought, those I've found and those I've inherited.  It will be a record of my experiences, trials and tribulations and a look back in time.  I hope you enjoy it.

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