Why Can't CD's Come in Vinyl Packaging?

Kosmiche · 10 Oct 2012 at 20:39

I was just wondering, why don't music cd's come in the same packaging you get for vinyl?

My cd collection is such a drab sight, and there is almost nothing I find exciting about adding to it, which is perhaps why I stopped buying cd's a long time ago.

If cd's came with the big vinyl packaging I would still be buying them, I really don't get why they don't?

You get to look at the artwork the way the composers intended, you get the full immersive experience.

There is just nothing I find compelling about cd packaging, its really drab and its just a waste of space when you have hundreds of cd's filling a cupboard/shelves imo.

CD's should come in vinyl packaging! Anyone else agree.

SexyGreyFox · 10 Oct 2012 at 20:46

Eames said:
CD's should come in vinyl packaging! Anyone else agree.

Buying an album in the 70s for me was a total experience.
I'd go up to town, browse the albums and then choose.
Once home I'd sit on the floor, put my headphones on, turn up full blast and take the album out and read it like a book.
You're right that CD packing doesn't give that excitement.

OhEsEcks · 10 Oct 2012 at 20:47

They do. Only smaller. Digisleeves.

Kosmiche · 10 Oct 2012 at 20:55

I have a few of those I think, are they also called digipacks?

They're a lot nicer than the cd jewel cases but also the art is still really cramped and I always feel would look 10x better if the packaging was a lot bigger so everything could breathe.

You also get packaging thats like a fold out piece of cardboard which is absolutely crud.

OhEsEcks · 10 Oct 2012 at 21:05

Yeah. I've got loads of digisleeve / digipack releases. The jewel cases are fine so long as it comes with a decent booklet in it. The only problem with vinyl is storage. I had hundreds of vinyl when I had my decks and carting it about and storing it was a nightmare. I wouldn't invest in it again unless I knew I was going to be living somewhere for more than a couple of years. Digital controllers and mp3's are much less hassle in that regard. When I was younger my mum had hundreds of rock and punk albums on vinyl. But she sold them all when I was about 12 / 13. The albums I remember most of all from her collection were the Santana albums. Trippy art work on a lot of them.

TheVoice · 10 Oct 2012 at 23:00

Eames said:
If cd's came with the big vinyl packaging I would still be buying them, I really don't get why they don't?

Because they'd be massive, and you'd be the only person buying them.

Marsman · 11 Oct 2012 at 00:23

Personally I find it baffling why anyone would want such huge packaging, given the actual product size. Reminds of when PC games came with large boxes, and that there are people that would still buy them like that, given the choice. Having a huge box for a standard CD seemed pointless to me, and did annoy me somewhat. I was relieved when DVD cases became the norm. No more having to store endless oversized game boxes.

But there we go, that's what makes the world an interesting place. Horses for courses, 'n all that. If everyone wanted the same thing, it would be a rather mundane place.

SexyGreyFox · 11 Oct 2012 at 07:44

Up to 1980 I used to have 3000+ vinyl albums and it was a bugger trying to store them but luckily my Mum has a huge attic.
When I got married in 1980 I ended up 'donating' around 2800 of them to friends and I've got around 200 in my attic now.
It's amazing that every album I've ever owned will fit on my SGS phone (over several small cards).

realBabelfish · 11 Oct 2012 at 09:16

cds are much easier to browse through.

take it from someone with thousands of vinyls sat in the garage. its almost impossible to look through them like i can with my CD collection, which has almost all been ripped to a NAS now (which is even easier to browse lol)

"andy" · 11 Oct 2012 at 11:31

Good point on the browsing

Unless your truly dedicated and sort them in A-Z or something then vinyls a nightmare and I've probably only got 100

realBabelfish · 11 Oct 2012 at 12:11

"andy" said:
Good point on the browsing

Unless your truly dedicated and sort them in A-Z or something then vinyls a nightmare and I've probably only got 100

when packed together they only seem to be a couple of mm thick, so you cant read the titles. many singles dont even have a title on them as they just have slip sleeve thing.

G-MAN2004 · 11 Oct 2012 at 12:38

I like Digipaks. I don't really see them these days though.

grimm · 11 Oct 2012 at 14:42

What do you mean by vinyl packaging? All mine are just in cardboard sleeves?

The size of it was just because vinyls are bigger and therefore need a sleeve of the corresponding size to fit it inside. From what I'v seen normally the artwork on a CD is just the same but smaller. Am I missing something here? lol

I generally prefer CD cases because they are plastic so quite durable and can generally be replaced easily if they break, whereas vinyl sleeves just end up looking tatty after a while unless you just never touch them.

Cosimo · 11 Oct 2012 at 15:22

The only benefit of having vinyl packaging for CD is that you could actually read what is on there but who would want something of that size for a cd.

Our vinyl collection is so large and bulky that we've almost given up using it. I don't mind digipacks as at least they don't fall apart like cd cases.

Shamikebab · 11 Oct 2012 at 15:27

digibooks > digipacks > jewel cases

Seriously google digibooks, they're stunning. You can get a lot of the Porcupine Tree releases as digibooks, they're like hardback books but CD sized with built in liner notes. I might take a picture later if I remember.

Cosimo · 11 Oct 2012 at 15:41

Shamikebab said:
digibooks > digipacks > jewel cases

Seriously google digibooks, they're stunning. You can get a lot of the Porcupine Tree releases as digibooks, they're like hardback books but CD sized with built in liner notes. I might take a picture later if I remember.

Like this:

Sometimes they are larger like the one at the top and not easy to store.

Shamikebab · 11 Oct 2012 at 15:57

Yeah, beautful things.

Martynt74 · 11 Oct 2012 at 16:29

I saw a recent live album by Fink in one of those today. Looked great but wouldnt fit on my cd shelving as it was dvd case sized. Although i do have the Kelly Jones album on a digibook which is CD sized. Looks pretty good.

I like Jewel cd cases to be honest, they're easy to keep looking good and when they're not they can easily be replaced whereas digipacks often look messy and sometimes they get stretched causing the cd to fall out a bit too easily.

Haggisman · 11 Oct 2012 at 16:52

Most Anjunabeats releases are on Digibooks/sleeves now, and they're great

If you want a /really/ nice CD "case" though, check out the Group Therapy collectors edition

RoachycaL · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:44

Luckily most of the must I listen to is from the 70's/80's so I buy it on Vinyl then download it as well so I can listen to it on the PC.

The Vinyl is literally for visual purposes. I think it looks great. Besides I would never buy CD's because it's impossible to tell between remasters and originals nowadays and some remasters are absolutely shocking. Screaming for Vengeance by Judas Priest I remember being particularly bad and quite a few others.

There is still quite a lot of Vinyl being released in the Rock/Metal scene but it is quite expensive brand new.