An Observation from Hong Kong

Posted by RGA (R) on September 18, 2014 at 01:26:19

In Reply to: Bless the Japanese posted by middleground on September 17, 2014 at 03:57:09:

Living here in HK for the last three years and it is surprising to me to see the sheer number of vinyl and CD retailers. And not just some side street on the 10th floor (although there are plenty of those selling second hand LPs and CDs). Right in the heart of Central HK sits HMV that covers two entire floors and the top floor has a new HUGE vinyl section and Audiophile grade CD/SACDs etc important from Japan on various boutique remastering labels. A big couch is set up and you can buy you LP's, Record Cleaning machines, and all wood record storage racks not to mention record players (not great ones but still).

Across the water in Tsim Sha Tsui is another high rent area and HMV is there and selling vinyl in significant space - again along with the import CDs from Japan.

What is kind of starling to me about this is that both HK and Japan are SO tech savvy. Everyone is pounding away on their Samsung S5s and everyone has one of those Borg implants sticking out of their ears. Apartments are VERY small - I pay nearly $1800 a month for a 700 square foot apartment which is 1) very cheap for Hong Kong and 2) considered big for a family of four let alone 1. So why on earth would they be filling their space up with vinyl and CD? But they do.

The big Audio Note dealer in the heart of Wanchai doesn't even sell computer audio DAC. Although he has a lot of people trading them in for those stone age CD players (and a little extra stone age when you look at AN's NOS designs).

I don't think it can be explained away by saying it's retro - I don;t see a ton of other things people buy for retro. It's not like there are a bunch of old cars around or old phones or old cameras.

Perhaps it is the physicality - the actual ability to hold the thing in your hand - to open the package up and to read the contents or the artist's thank yous or even the perfume. I remember buying Madonna's Like a Prayer album and each one was doused with her perfume. You don't get that kinda thing from a download.

Perhaps there is a forced attentive factor with physical mediums that some respond to.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Bless the Japanese - middleground 03:57:09 09/17/14 (26)

For Japan it might be OK, but probably not feasible on a worldwide basis... - genungo 10:03:49 09/18/14 (6)

RE: For Japan it might be OK, but probably not feasible on a worldwide basis... - Todd Krieger 16:34:35 09/18/14 (5)

RE: probably not feasible on a worldwide basis... - genungo 17:06:28 09/18/14 (4)

RE: probably not feasible on a worldwide basis... - Steve O 05:07:45 09/19/14 (3)

RE: probably not feasible on a worldwide basis... - genungo 06:57:13 09/19/14 (2)

I was thinking more about basic things like food, shelter, transportation, and health care and... - Steve O 08:08:10 09/19/14 (1)

Agreed, all of that... (nt - genungo 08:50:21 09/19/14 (0)

An Observation from Hong Kong - RGA 01:26:19 09/18/14 (2)

"Perhaps it is the physicality - the actual ability to hold the thing in your hand..." - rlw 09:22:26 09/18/14 (0)

Perhaps they just sound better and are less bother. -t - jusbe 03:03:00 09/18/14 (0)

Nevermind the increase in LP sales around the world! - morricab 00:57:13 09/18/14 (4)

Thanks for the "NT", Morri! - rlw 09:23:27 09/18/14 (0)

RE: Nevermind the increase in LP sales around the world! - Michael Samra 01:22:58 09/18/14 (2)

What yew talkin' 'bout, Willis?! - rlw 09:36:32 09/18/14 (0)

RE: Nevermind the increase in LP sales around the world! - sudz1234@yahoo.com 08:00:53 09/18/14 (0)

RE: Bless the Japanese - bjh 16:12:41 09/17/14 (2)

Surely, you jest?! - rlw 09:46:46 09/18/14 (0)

RE: Bless the Japanese - unclestu 21:21:03 09/17/14 (0)

Boutique CDs - Luminator 11:22:03 09/17/14 (2)

nice post - mbnx01 12:03:38 09/17/14 (1)

AKB48 - Luminator 07:22:48 09/18/14 (0)

I think you got it backwards - rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com 09:21:35 09/17/14 (1)

RE: I think you got it backwards - unclestu 15:00:35 09/17/14 (0)

RE: Bless the Japanese - Todd Krieger 07:14:55 09/17/14 (0)

RE: Bless the Japanese - fantja 05:36:35 09/17/14 (0)

{{{Strange how corporations want then to fit the mould.}}} - three_sox 05:08:18 09/17/14 (0)

Follow Ups

An Observation from Hong Kong - RGA 01:26:19 09/18/14 (2)

"Perhaps it is the physicality - the actual ability to hold the thing in your hand..." - rlw 09:22:26 09/18/14 (0)

Perhaps they just sound better and are less bother. -t - jusbe 03:03:00 09/18/14 (0)

An Observation from Hong Kong

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