"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...
"Iain Churches" wrote in message


Despite being a niche market, the public have accepted
the considerable rise in the cost of an LP as the
improvement in quality both in the pressing and
presentation is there for all too see/hear.

Except there was never any such improvement. Elegant folios and high
quality pressings are not innovations of the declining days of the LP.
They were available in the days when LPs were all we had.


Presumably by "folios" you mean gatefold sleeves.
These, together with 180gr pressings were not very
common back then. But the most significant change
is the pressing of fewer copies from one stamper, at a
far slower pressing cycle, the discontinance of the use
of recycled material and vastly improved QC. In addition
LPs are supplied in dustproof anti-staic liners. Attention
to these five points have had a remarkable effect on quality.
People who listen to vinyl these days do so on equipment
far better than was generally in use in the 70s and are
willing to accept a price level that enable manufacturers
to produce a high quality product for which there is
an adequate demand.


It was widely thought that an increase in price might kill off
existing sales. This has proved not to be the case.

When LP sales dropped by 99% or *more* as they have for the LP, most sane
people would say that the sales were "killed off". They were not killed
off to the point of complete and total extinction, but they were
effectively killed off.

Make up your mind:-) Either they are killed off or they are not!

With at least one plant in each of the major EU countries,
and the Hayes UK factory turning out a healthy 1 000 000
pressings a year, the last time I read their annual report,
this niche market seems to be managing quite well.

Iain