Tips and Suggestions From A Vinyl Enthusiast
With the rising interest in the younger generations and the renewed interest in older generations of people discovering the world of vinyl records, I thought I would share with you some tips and suggestions of things I have learned over the last ten plus years of buying and collecting vinyl records. Things that I should have thought about when I first started, and things I wish someone had told me. There are some collectors who may, and probably will, balk at some of my tips, but I offer them to you as merely things to ponder as you begin or expand your journey into the wonderful world of vinyl records.
Tip #1: This is an investment, and you should treat it as such.
By investment, I do not mean trying to turn a profit or get rich down the line (though you may be able to benefit from that in the future). Instead, I mean it is an investment in music and the best experience possible. That means don’t be cheap, but don’t just drop a ton of money into the hobby either. Instead of going and grabbing any old turntable from Target or Amazon, do some research. Start with what you already have. Do you have a stereo with a phono input on the back? Does someone you know have a receiver they don’t use they are willing to give you? Do you have a home theater system that you can plug into? If not, there are a few options available to take.
- Option 1 (No stereo equipment): There are several decent turntables that don’t require a stereo receiver to work and work well. No, don’t touch those suitcase record players; that will only make you hate the overall experience in the long run. I recommend trying the
Audio Technica AT-LP60x (learn more). It’s a nice sounding intro level turntable that is cost effective. You can pair it with some Edifier bookshelf speakers (learn more) that will connect directly to the turntable without any further equipment needed. I have this setup that I used in my garage, and it sounded remarkably good. Total investment: $330.00
- Option 2 (Have a stereo, no turntable): Here is where it gets fun. You have a stereo and (hopefully) some speakers connected to it. Now you just need to find a turntable, and there are plenty of options here.
The first option is to buy a new turntable. As with option 1, the AT-LP60x is a very viable option on a budget. It will sound very good hooked up to a stereo system, and you do have the option of using the phono input on the stereo or the AUX input (there is a button on the table). You can also look at upping your turntable game with a few more dollars. Audio Technica makes a very nice turntable called the AT-LP120x (learn more) that I use for my office setup. It sounds great, is upgradable when it comes to stylus you want, and offers great features. Another great choice is the Fluance RT-82 turntable (learn more). Fluance does offer cheaper tables, but they are limited to what it comes with. With the RT-82 you can upgrade the stylus and the platter in the future. My personal pick is the Fluance RT82, but both are solid turntables. Total investment: $350-$400Fluance RT85 is the upgraded version of the RT82 with acrylic platter and Ortofon 2M Blue stylus.
- Option 3 (Have a stereo, but a tight budget): Option 3 is a very good and viable one… buy a used turntable. You can find them in many places: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, or garage sale. Vintage turntables can add a nice look to your stereo setup, provide great sound, and many work great. You will want to test out the player before buying it. Make sure it isn’t running slow, in need of repairs, or anything that may end up costing more money. Many will likely need a new stylus if they have been sitting a while, but you can get a nice sounding stylus for under $100 if that is the case, and many record stores will install it for free if you buy from them. Total investment: $0-$150
Tip #2: Don’t buy just to buy.
So, what does that mean? Many of us make the mistake of buying everything that looks like a deal even if we don’t know the album or never listen to the band. You see people posting it on social media, so it must be something you need. Don’t fall into this trap. You will end up with albums you will never listen to and just take up space in your home. How many times have I gone to a ninety-nine-cent record sale and brought home a stack of records from bands I don’t know or albums I’ve never listened to before? Too many times is the correct answer. Sure, they are a “great deal,” but I didn’t really need them in my collection. And that brings me to Tip #3…
Tip #3: Curate your ultimate collection.
Make your record collection mean something by buying the albums you really want and know you will listen to. As mentioned above, it’s too late for me. I bought so many albums that were a “good deal,” all they do is sit on the shelf. I wish I would have focused on buying the albums that resonate with me. In a world where any album is at your fingertips with just a couple clicks, you have the choice to build a collection full of meaningful albums and artists that you connect with. I have bought an album too many times because it was on sale for $15 instead of the normal $25, not giving any thought to if I even want the album to begin with. We all fall into this trap at some point but try to build your ultimate collection filled with your favorite bands and favorite albums. You will love your collection so much more if you do, and you will save a lot of storage space.
Tip #4: Don’t be afraid of price.
If there is one thing I’ve learned over the last ten plus years it is that vinyl prices are not going down. When I first started buying records again, I put a cap on how much money I would spend on a single album. I’m just going to say it: that was stupid. My cap was $40, which today gets you a new album, but back then it felt like a lot of money for a single album of music. What an idiot I was. As the years progressed and my list of albums that I really wanted got larger, so did the price of those albums. As an example, there is an album by Rhino Bucket titled Get Used to It that has been a favorite of mine since the 90s. I really wanted to get a vinyl copy, but it was only ever pressed one time in Germany and the price to get one was around $90. Well, that was above my cap of $40, so I held out hoping one would show up for $40 or less. That did not happen. What did happen is it became harder to find, and the price kept going up… $100, $150, $200, $400, $600. You read that correctly, $600, so when I saw one pop up in the US for a great discount, I paid the piper and honestly felt relieved that it only cost me what it did. My point is that if the album is something you really want, and you can afford to buy it (very important), do it and don’t have any regrets. That Rhino Bucket album meant something to me, and I really wanted to add it to my collection… so I did with no regrets.
I hope you found these tips and suggestions helpful. Maybe later I will give you a few more tips, but for now I wish you well on your vinyl journey. Please share some advice for getting into vinyl in the comments. Until next time, keep calm and spin vinyl.