In many cases, buying object has a purpose for those who buy it and those who create it. We can see the same with books. Now that almost all books are published as ebooks and also published as audiobooks, there is reaction for this. Generic detective books and entertainment remains as flashy paperbacks, but somewhat "higher literature", has had new wave of appreciation of quality object. Paper, print quality, cover, its graphics, dimensions of the book, typeface, tactile qualities overall. You can listen audio book, or you can read ebook online, yet for the book fans, there is more. It would be foolish to say "it is the same text, so why?". There are entire companies who treat book as artform itself. Its form, design, experimental qualities of bookbinding.
Very similar to what can be done in context of noise. If you just want to read ebook - meaning, just listen to noise, there is often possibility. If that is not enough, there is that other alternative that may require you a bit.
I think contemporary mainstream vinyl bullshit and pretty much also tape mania is quite opposite. Some warped shitty sounding piece of color vinyl in shelves, unopened, unplayed, isn't really art object, but commercial trash. In case of noise, we probably have a bit of both. Some physical trash, but also items which physicality contributes to sound art itself.
This leads to topic of "difficult way" here:
For artists or label, it may be NECESSARY to make release in specific way, or it is not filling its purpose. Like myself. Just uploading thing on youtube or bandcamp, it just doesn't give me the feeling what finished object does. It is not completed task, final piece of art.
The release may exist solely because of what the packaging is. Without packaging and process of making thing, it wouldn't even exist as a release. Not because sound sucks ass, but because for creator, the sound alone is not what it is about.
Some others may want to dub every tape themselves, to make sure sound is loud and crisp. Check every tape a bit that it sounds good. It sets it apart from bulk manufacturing. Make packaging yourself, that it wouldn't be just another bulk digipak cd. In such scenario, work happens most of all because it is what that expression is. Not biz of reaching maximized amount of customers at terms those customers demand, but in terms of what inspired maker as person. It wouldn't be the same when you remove all the physicality and all the personal manual labor of love. Like customer couldn't walk to carpenter and demand him provide IKEA furniture. It's not what he does.
This may lead into situation, that people who want to own and hear it, just need to do little legwork. Like, contact artists or label. Not wait item arrives to their preferred dealer cheap and easy.
Some items I have bought recently the "difficult way", may also include tapes sold at shows - while I have not been able to be there. Contact a friend who is there, let him know that he should try to pick extra copy, then wait eventually to get the item from friend. One can always complain why not make big edition and spread it all over the scene - yet artist may have work in a way he works to keep it interesting for himself. Not interested to become factory of tapes and engage into international logistic nightmare, hah.. I know, many times I decide not to order something. Or not even decide, just didn't even think about twice. But in some cases, buying "difficult way" all the time as some noise certainly benefits of it.
