Vinyl is back and in a big way. In a world where tangibility seems almost intangible, physically holding a record sleeve and reading liner notes while the record spins on a turntable provides a warm, welcome sense of nostalgia, and with this resurgence comes a new, more affordable wave of turntables.
In the past, audiophiles geeked out on rarefied gear that was a mystery to most. Having a turntable and its various accessories allowed you to be part of a club of a certain kind of listener. Now companies such as Gramovox and AudioTechnica are turning out quality turntables, making listening easy and accessible for all.
RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR
2016 was a successful year for vinyl sales in the United States and abroad. According to a report from Billboard, 13.1 million vinyl records were sold in 2016 — accounting for 6.5 percent of all full-length releases sold in any format. Vinyl outperformed digital downloads for the first time ever in the United Kingdom, according to figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association.
One of the country’s leading vinyl record producers, Nashville-based United Records Pressing, is adding a new 142,000 square-foot warehouse to meet demand, while musician Jack White recently opened the doors of Third Man Pressing— his state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly vinyl pressing plant in the heart of Detroit.
Picking up records has always been the easy part, but now picking out the turntable is easy too.
Here are some tips on what to look for, according to Tyler Barstow, co-founder of vinyl subscription service Vinyl Me, Please.
Budget
“You can find something solid at every major price point between $100 and $400,” says Barstow. “Spending a little more at the beginning can put you in a nice position to scale the quality of your setup as quickly or slowly as you want and can prevent breakage over time.”
Pointing out the difference between your record player’s “must-haves” vs. future “nice-to-haves,” Barstow notes that a built-in phono preamp (the circuit that converts phono output to a line level signal, so you get the right amplification), belt drive (the elastic belt that helps the motor spin the turntable, ultimately playing the record) and quality cartridge (the small electrical generator that supports the needle and produces the music signal) are important to take into consideration before purchasing.
“These three things will ensure that you’ll be able to upgrade your setup over time, get you used to the mechanics of the proper type of turntable and make sure you’re not wearing your records out because of a bad cartridge.
There is no shame in having a low budget when buying your first record player, but remember nobody wants to see your barely affordable record player — they want to hear your records.”
Other basic specifications to look for are speed variation, signal-to-noise ratio and playback speeds. Speed variation is how accurately the turntable spins the platter (where you place your record). Any deviation in speed can change the pitch of the music or create a wavering affect that ruins the listening experience. Signal-to-noise ratio is how much background noise you can expect to hear from the turntable. It’s best to keep your signal-to-noise ratio on the higher end, since you want more music signal than noise. Most vinyl pressed today spins at the standard 33 1/3 rpm (revolutions per minute) playback speed, but if you’re also looking to play a single that spins at 45 rpm or have records that play at 78 rpm, make sure your turntable provides those capabilities.
Keep space & storage in mind
Barstow says the first question you should really ask yourself is where are you planning to put your turntable?
“Create a space for it that will allow you to play your records as often as you have in mind — if the only place in your house to put your turntable is on the back of the toilet, chances are you won’t listen to as many records as you originally intended.”
The ideal spot is a flat, supported surface near an outlet that won’t be subject to too much vibration apart from your turntable’s cables. Also account for additional equipment you may need to buy, such as speakers, but make sure the speakers you purchase are compatible with your new record player. Barstow suggests cabinets that hold 50 to 100 records.
“They help you balance your collection when you can’t or don’t want to store all of your records in the same place,” he says. And your turntable can go right on top.
What to expect from all-in-one models
“As far as perks,” Barstow explains, “they can get vinyl newcomers up and running and listening to records without spending much at all, which is legitimate.” But, he warns, they’re not as durable or high-quality as more expensive options, and the problems that come along with them can be avoided for another $100 or so.
“For the most part, cheap all-in-one turntables have cartridges that wear your records out really quickly and, ultimately, may ruin them.” He continues.
More Top Picks Best Wrist Rests For Keyboards
Barstow’s only exception? The Gramovox.
Twitter @jessitaylorro
RELATED STORIES:
How to buy a pro-style range oven
Out with the old, in with the new(ish)
Home design trends from the International Home and Housewares Show
.galleries:after {
content: ”;
display: block;
background-color: #144A7C;
margin: 16px auto 0;
height: 5px;
width: 100px;
}
.galleries:before {
content: “Life & Style Photos and Video”;
display: block;
font: 700 23px/25px Georgia,serif;
text-align: center;
color: #1e1e1e;
var playlist = ‘chi_life_style’,
layout = ‘autoblurb’,
iu = ‘%2F4011%2Ftrb.chicagotribune%2Ffeature’;