“Vinyl is the only consumer playback format we have that’s fully analog and fully lossless… You just need a decent turntable with a decent needle on it and you’re going to enjoy a full-fidelity listening experience.”
–Adam Gonsalves, Sound Engineer, Telegraph Mastering
It’s the age of Spotify, Apple Music, MP3s, and high-quality Bluetooth speakers. Yet, there are people who still collect vintage vinyl LP records. So much, so, that there’s a healthy secondary market for them. In fact, vinyl records are still in production, which means, new songs are ‘pressed’ for both collectors and audiophiles to enjoy. Despite the existence of digital music, claiming higher quality and fidelity, Why Collect Vinyl record? Let’s discuss 5 Reasons to Start Collecting Vinyl LP Records.
As mentioned, it’s quite fortunate that vinyl technology isn’t going away anytime soon. And even if it does, a healthy aftermarket will still allow many others to benefit from the main reasons why some people still collect vinyl LPs. You can still enjoy your digital music on-the-go, but when it’s time to relax at home, LPs are much better. Without further ado, here are 5 Reasons to Start Collecting Vinyl LP Records.
Better Sound
Audiophile or not, the added crispness or detail in the sounds of your favorite tunes is always a more pleasurable experience. The experience extends to your eyes, as if they’ve been opened to new sights. It’s like how one listens to a low bit-rate MP3 through cheap headphones and is then exposed to CD-quality music on a hi-fi sound system. The sound from Vinyl LPs coursed through a high-quality player is a step above that CD-quality music. There’s a big reason audiophiles love listening to LPs.
“Vinyl is the only consumer playback format we have that’s fully analog and fully lossless… You just need a decent turntable with a decent needle on it and you’re going to enjoy a full-fidelity listening experience.”
–Adam Gonsalves, Sound Engineer, Telegraph Mastering
Sound has always been analog. But for reasons, needed to be converted to digital for storage, and then back to analog for playback. Issues happen that affect quality during the conversion hence the term lossless because some data is lost during conversion. With analog, the sound is directly fed into the system, without loss or delay.
Artwork
Vinyl LPs come in different sizes yet are sizable. They come in sleeves with interesting artwork, especially the older ones. Some even have their share of controversy and one must appreciate the great lengths to create effects before the Photoshop era. Some albums even have posters included and some of those posters have yet to be taken down from walls somewhere.
Full Content Appreciation
Because skipping is not an option when it comes to LPs, unless you know which track the needle needs to be, people are forced to listen in full to the album, or just stop somewhere. And because skipping isn’t an option, artists really had to give it their all–even to their fillers. Many albums in the past contain tracks that can be fully appreciated or have strategic placement that affects mood. That’s in contrast to modern albums that have only one good single, while the rest is a derivative filler.
Media Preservation
In this age of digital content, subscription tends to lean more and more into the cloud where even all the film, games and music are kept. The moment the publisher kicks the bucket, or makes some crazy decision, there goes the paid content. Content that was paid for. Not owned, but more like leased. There’s nothing like owning your physical media, your book, your cartridge, your cassette, your vinyl LP record. There’s also no danger of getting altered or censored. Owning a vintage vinyl LP means being able to hold it, see it, display it, preserve it, hug it! and maybe if you are will to part with it, re-sell it. Digital cannot be re-sold.
Deeper Connections
You’ll develop a deeper connection to the media. As mentioned, listening to high-fidelity sound can sometimes release a wave of emotions that can pump you or relax you. You’ll tend to be careful with the media, and even appreciate it visually. Plus, they’re great conversation pieces with the older generation or parents and grandparents. You can also connect with others of the vinyl collecting community.
So yes, collecting vinyl is worth it. It’s relaxing both visually and aurally. It’s also a unique and a classier overall music listening experience.
