Written by: Gavin Harrison
With an ongoing rise in popularity of physical music media, vinyl records have taken the top spot. For the first time since 1987, according to a year-end report from the Recorded Industry Association of America (2022), vinyl sold more units than CDs here in the U.S. As a Richmond local and avid vinyl collector, this news made me so happy to see! So If you’re interested or thought about collecting vinyl and appreciating your music and favorite artists to the max, this is your sign to start! If you don’t know where to start, what to buy, how to find the best bang for the buck starting off, or even where to buy what you would need, then this is for you! I have spent the last six (+) years researching, learning, weighing out the pros/cons on entry level products, and finding a cost effective way to get the very best out of my money.
If you are a local to Richmond Va, or able to visit, the city is bountiful with shops selling physical music media, specifically in this case, vinyl. There are so many amazing stores where you can buy vinyl, such as; Plan 9, Vinyl Conflict, Deep Groove Records, Wax Moon Vinyl and Video, and Small Friend Records & Books. Just to name a few. Knowing a good local music shop is the first step to start your vinyl journey. There are options for buying online, such as Discogs. However, to know exactly what you're getting, I recommend going into a store physically to be able to identify the quality of a new or used vinyl record and sleeve.
The second step is to identify what are the parameters you want to meet for your music setup, which then you can figure out what your general price range would be. To help establish an idea, there are two important choices that need to be made. What kind of turntable, and what kind of speakers you would want to get that best suits your needs and price range. Another plus for going into a local record store is that a lot of stores have equipment there, sometimes new and used. While you are there you can also ask an employee for recommendations and advice as well.
In my opinion, Audio-technica has some of the best entry level turntables available for the price. My first turntable was the AT-LP60X, and after owning it for over six years, it is still holding up amazingly. For the price, the sound quality is fantastic, and is very easy to use. Which has an auto-start and stop button. You can buy one of these from just about any store that sells records, in person or online. For some great mid-priced options, the Fluance RT81 and the Orbit Basic Turntable. Of course there are many more options to choose from different brands/styles, but for price to quality, these two are some of the best you can get. They are also more focused on the classic manual style of a turntable.
As for speakers, this is the more difficult decision of the second step. You can always just grab a pair of speakers and be happy with the sound you get, or you can go down the rabbit hole of finding what is the best quality sound for your personal price range. For the all around best entry level and budget friendly speakers, the Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers are the one for you. It has its own volume, treble, and bass knobs located on the side of the right speaker, as well as a remote control. Is it the best quality in the world? Not at all. Is it fantastic for the price and will do everything you need to start off? Absolutely, and at the end of the day, you are going for what makes you happy in your record journey!
As a side note, if you want to have your ears blessed by some high-end equipment and live near or in RVA, I would highly recommend stopping by and spending time at Carytown Sound. They are some of the best people to talk to when it comes to speakers and learning about truly high quality sound. Another great one stop shop, with a wide variety of speakers/turntables, new and used, is the Audio Exchange. In the end of course the more you spend, typically the better quality. Why I say “typically” is because there is tons of equipment out there that cost less and punch way above its price range. An example of this is the KEF Q150 speakers. I got a pair of these myself not too long ago and they are absolutely fantastic. The overall sound quality, imaging, and detail, are something that is worth at least three times the amount! However you will need a receiver or amplifier to power the speakers themselves.if you want to learn more about it I would recommend going by Carytown Sound to learn more and even listen to the speakers yourself.
The last and most important step is how to properly use and take care of your new vinyl and equipment. For handling your vinyls, always handle them at the edges or by the inner label at the center. Be very very careful not to touch the playing surface of the vinyl itself, because you will transfer any dirt, oil, or grime, in which dust will stick and affect the sound quality. If there is light specs of dust on the vinyl you can use a Record Cleaner Brush. There are quite a few different kinds of brushes, and even kits with cleaning spray and needle brushes to help clean. If you want to get fancy, a compressed air duster is also great at removing dust. Even though it is somewhat self explanatory, having a dust cover for your turntable is also very useful. However not all turntables come with one. Preventing dust buildup on your turntable mat, and needle is important to the longevity of your turntable.
Knowing where to get your music locally, knowing what kind of equipment you need, and knowing how to take proper care. From there, your journey begins. Owning the music, experiencing the album through and through, and sharing it with others makes listening to music that much more amazing. Save up and take the first step, because your love for music will always grow.
(P.s. if you want to check out my vinyl collection you can find me on Discogs.)
Blog Author - Gavin Harrison: Oh hey, name's Gavin and music is my life. I personally create digital graphics, video edit, videography/photography, and radio. But everything I create is always circled around music. I am Richmond born and raised and have grown with the city. Watching its beautiful art scene and music scene grow exponentially, only getting better and better by the day. I am a very active music listener, so if you ever need new music, check out some of my curated playlists! Link.
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