Vinyl is back! The momentum behind consumer enthusiasm for the vinyl experience shows no sign of slowing, and while streaming offers day-to-day convenience on a mass-market level, vinyl continues to appeal among the most decerning of music fans. Hi-Fi equipment across the board has a reputation for costing a lot of money, but in truth, there are plenty of options … Read More
Best Vinyl Record Storage Solutions in 2024
Owning physical copies of your favorite albums is the best way to experience music. They’re collectible, tactile, and in many cases, beautiful works of art. Best of all, with the right recording, mastering, and production, they sound fantastic. Unlike streaming services, of course, records take up space… As your collection grows, you’ll need to pick the best vinyl record storage … Read More
Best Albums to Own On Vinyl – 50 Essential Records Every Collector Should Own
Compiling a list of the best albums to own on vinyl is no small task. There’s a staggering amount of music history to consider, and at the end of the day, you could ask ten different people and get ten completely different lists. But I can conclude one thing for certain: there’s no better way own music than the beautiful canvas of … Read More
Spartan 15 Review: Michael Fidler’s New Double Stage Phono Preamp
Michael Fidler’s company, Classic Audio Ltd made significant waves across the vinyl community back in December 2021 with the release of his Spartan 10 model phono preamp. By favoring all through-hole original circuit technology in place of cheaper surface-mounted exotically-sourced parts, the Spartan 10 was a breath of fresh air in a world where price and production scalability often take … Read More
HumminGuru Review – Affordable Ultrasonic Record Cleaning?
The relatively new HumminGuru record cleaner promises to deliver ultrasonic record cleaning power at an affordable price. Its compact size and all-in-one design will undoubtedly pique the interest of record collectors far and wide. To see how the unit performs, Sound Matters put the HumminGuru through its paces. Ultrasonic cleaning for vinyl records is an interesting concept. It works by … Read More
Win a GrooveWasher Record Cleaning Bundle this Holiday Season
We’ve teamed up with GrooveWasher in time for the holiday season to give TWO lucky grand prize winner a chance to win a complete record cleaning kit! The lucky winner will receive the GrooveWasher Mondo Record & Stylus Care System. The grand prize is worth $100 in total! VIEW PRODUCT How to Enter: All you have to do is enter … Read More
Soundeck Platter Mat PM295 Review – New & Improved?
I reviewed an earlier incarnation of Soundeck’s unique platter mat a few years ago, and I was so impressed it became one of my go-to platter mats. Having released a new and improved model, is the Soundeck still king? On first glance, a turntable platter mat made from metal sounds like a terrible idea. After all, metal platters are notorious … Read More
Rega Planar 1 Review: Still the Budget Turntable to Beat?
At a time when music lovers shopping for an entry-level turntable have an abundance of choice, is Rega’s Planar 1 still the one to beat? Since its initial release in 2005, Rega’s Planar 1 entry-level option has rightly earned a reputation as the benchmark by which all other affordable audiophile decks are measured. Pros Cons Easy setup Molded phono cable … Read More
Best Christmas Vinyl Records for Festive Cheer in 2024
The temperatures are dropping and the decorations are rising; it’s the most wonderful time of year once again and you’re starting to feel the festive cheer. Perfect… All you need now are some Christmas tunes to set the atmosphere. And what could be better than the warm and comforting sound of vinyl as you deck the halls and celebrate with … Read More
Storing Vinyl Records Safely to Protect Your Collection
Storing vinyl records safely is essential. Whether it’s for day-to-day accessibility or long-term in storage boxes, you must store them correctly to ensure they last a lifetime and beyond. You’ve worked hard to afford your collection, and the chances are, you’d like them to remain in great condition for as long as possible. If you’re anything like me, you’d probably … Read More