Have you ever noticed how old styles and names come back around and reappear as the latest trend? Today’s youth are wearing styles made popular by my generation and they’re gravitating towards retro 80’s fads that should have stayed in that time period. After talking to some of these “trendsetters,” I’m not sure they even knew the styles were from the 80’s.
Last weekend my oldest daughter asked if she could borrow a stack of old compact discs with older music. Most of my CD’s have been converted to MP3 and tossed along with their thick plastic cases so I suggested she download the songs she likes from iTunes or go through my music library. It was at that moment she flipped out a portable CD player and explained CD players are the latest thing.
I guess I had noticed people using old electronics and never really thought twice about this reverting trend. After some thought I noticed people have access to a tremendous supply of new technology but for some reason have not quenched their thirst for the old. I’m seeing a queer trend and I can’t quite figure it out.
This week a customer came into one of my stores and showed me a musical keyboard he wanted repaired. The keyboard was old enough to have a floppy disc drive; so I’d venture to guess at least ten years old. After I did my repair and with him in front of me, I asked why he spent the money on something this old. His answer: “It’s simply made better.”
After he tested the repair and finalized the transaction we talked a bit about his decision to spend $100.00. A brand new keyboard with more functions is around $200.00 and would come with a factory warranty. Because he uses the keyboard daily, he doesn’t want a unit that will fall apart in his hands. eBay auctions selling the exact model closed for around $400.00 and according to the customer his keyboard was $300.00 new.
Audiophiles prefer the sound of analog to that reproduced digitally. For this reason, vintage audio equipment will always be in demand. Modern audio equipment is designed to reproduce sounds through a piece of technology called a digital to analog converter (DAC). Every modern piece of audio gear includes a DAC to translate from digital to analog so it can be heard through speakers or headphones.
True audio enthusiasts will invest thousands in standalone DAC units to convert unfiltered sound from MP3 or CD into analog signals for old amplifiers. One audiophile customer of mine tried explaining the basics and finally said the sound is better from the old. Extremely old electronics use tubes which offer an overall better sound experience. In this case a combination of new with old is best.
For the past several months I’ve been considering upgrading my digital camera but have been hesitant because mine is flawless. Because of the model and age I was able to use lenses from older cameras I’ve owned in the past. As it turns out, I’ve saved a ton of money because I can purchase older lenses used. One of the concerns I have with newer versions of my camera is the manufacturer has made the lens fitting proprietary.
I’m always amazed how much technology we send to the recycle yard because it’s old or doesn’t fit a specific need. Computers and cell phones seem to be the biggest culprit and because of the constant flux in technology needs, we can never reuse the old. However, some items seem to come back due to style trends or functionality that can’t be replicated or improved. In the meantime I guess I can live with my daughters using CD players as long as they aren’t able to find acid washed jeans.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can call him directly at (978) 919-8059) or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.