Even Better Than The Real Thing

Another example of good academic writing:

"It is remarkable to hear CDs spoken of as original and authentic. Not long ago, they were derided as cold, inhuman, and unattractively small--the antithesis of the LP, with its comforting tactility and oft-cited warmth of sound. Yet LPs were flimsy compared to the thicker, more substantial 78s; and to extend this further, many listeners preferred the 'warm' sound of acoustic 78s to those made by the electrical process beginning in 1925. And of course, recording itself can be considered inauthentic compared to live music-making. Authenticity is clearly a moving target. Often something is authentic to the extent that it has been replaced by something newer, less familiar, and more convenient, which is why CDs can now be thought of as 'the real thing.'"

-Mark Katz, Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music