For some time, independent record labels have expressed concern about Vinyl hype and the very real problems caused by the production bottleneck. According to small labels, independent artists now struggle to get their work pressed as the major labels leverage their size and budget to squeeze more and more records through a limited number of pressing plants across the globe. Due to … Read More
How to Look After Your Vinyl Records (Part Two)
In 2015, sales of vinyl records grew for the tenth consecutive year, and while millions of music fans are rediscovering the joy of music on wax, they’re also learning how maintenance comes with the territory. As we’ve already established in our first post about vinyl record care – great sounding records require care and attention. In this second edition, we’ll cover plenty more methods … Read More
Upgrades You Should Make to Your Project Essential II Turntable
As regular readers of this blog will know, I’m a huge fan of Projects Essential II for its low-cost, minimalistic approach that gets all the basics right. They don’t have any fancy features, but they sound great and won’t ruin your precious vinyl records. For $300 (£209) you can’t go wrong on a budget. One of the great things about project turntables is … Read More
Why I switched my record cleaning solution from Clear Groove to Vinyl Revival
I love vinyl records, but when it comes to keeping them clean and clear of dust, they can be a real pain in the neck. There are many ways to keep your vinyl records clean and sounding great, the most affordable of which is a good cleaning solution. Previously, I’ve recommended Clear Groove as an affordable and effective solution, but … Read More
3 Albums Where Sound Quality, Production, And Story All Come Together
No matter what genre you listen to, all of us will have those key defining albums; music that stays with you forever. They seem like the perfect package – great songs, solid musicianship, fantastic recording and mastering quality, and an evocative story to match. Sometimes it can even be hard to pin it down to just a handful. The chances … Read More
The reissue timebomb – Is the music industry too reliant on its back-catalogue?
The internet is absolutely brimming with articles proclaiming that vinyl is back. Articles like this one: The Biggest Music Comeback of 2014 – Vinyl Records – The Wall Street Journal Or this one… Weaned on CDs, They’re Reaching for Vinyl – The New York Times Everywhere you turn, there’s news of blossoming sales and the irony of an analogue renaissance in the … Read More
5 reasons why Vinyl is the only physical format worth owning
The CD is dead – God rest its soul; long live the vinyl record. It’s an outcome that few would have predicted as CD’s became widely available through the 1980’s, but it appears that if current trends continue, vinyl could indeed outlive CD. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers: Last year, digital streaming was up 54% while … Read More
High-resolution audio is a waste of time if the mastering sucks
First and foremost, what I’m about to say is merely my opinion and no doubt many will disagree with me. High-resolution audio is one of those topics that gets people worked up, and that’s cool, music fanatics are passionate and often fiery people – that’s what makes them great. All the same, I’m prepared to stick my neck out on … Read More
The Vinyl experience – Two Turntables are better than one
What I’m about to recommend here might sound strange from a blog that advocates the importance of sound quality, but stick with me here folks; there’s method to my madness. It’s true, I do advocate the importance of high-quality sound when listening to your music, but first of all – and above that – I believe music should be an … Read More
Stop listening to Music on YouTube – seriously!
Seriously, do yourself a favour and stop it – you deserve better. Yes, it’s convenient, and yes, sometimes it’s nice to watch the accompanied music video; it can even be a great way to discover new artists or rare releases. But please, please don’t use it as your primary listening platform.