Everything you need to know about building and taking care of your collection.
With the advent of the digital era and the rise of digital marketplaces like iTunes, the fervent success of streaming services quickly became inevitable. Physical media managed to prevail despite facing death at the hands of the modern era. Vinyl records experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years, even surpassing CD sales in 2022 for the first time in nearly three decades, as stated in a Recording Industry Association of America report.
Collecting vinyl has become a favourite (and expensive) habit for many college students, with some just starting their journey and others already owning hundreds of albums. With the constant growth of the vinyl industry, there are plenty of things to know about building your collection and, most importantly, taking care of it.
Having a record player is the quintessential first step for all vinyl collectors. Records can look good on a wall, but the full experience comes from listening to them — rather than spending on a glorified poster. Because of its simple and sleek build, third-year Concordia communications student Mathias François recommends the Audio-Technica AT-LP60X BT.
“[It] offers the great quality playback you get with Audio-Technica and has the ability to switch between wired speakers and wireless Bluetooth-connected devices,” he said.
“This is a great example of how turntables can be modernized for new ways of listening to music, plus it is convenient. It comes at about C$280, which is not too expensive for the quality you get out of it,” François added. “There’s a ton of better ‘equipment’ out there, but for a starter turntable, it’s perfectly fine and way better than those suitcase turntables.”
The standard, non-Bluetooth model (AT-LP60X) was also unanimously named as the go-to starter turntable. Third-year psychology student Samantha Vizzi highlighted that its automatic functionality makes it easy to use. Both Vizzi and François agreed that while better and higher-performance models exist, this $200 model is the perfect place to begin.
François also advised against suitcase players. Vinyl pressing plant The Vinyl Factory notably wrote a feature cautioning consumers against these models because of their cheap needle quality and built-in speakers “causing unwanted interference” due to the proximity of vibrations to the needle.
Records are becoming an increasingly costly hobby. According to a Billboard Pro report, Universal Music Group hiked the prices on over 2000 titles in May 2022. For example, on Urban Outfitters’ website, most titles are priced between $40 and $55, excluding shipping and taxes.
“Don’t go crazy buying every single new release unless it’s your absolute favourite artists,” Vizzi suggested to new collectors, given the steep price points.
Montreal is buzzing with local record stores, many of which have been around for decades. Kailee Krentz, a film studies and communications double major, and copy editor at The Concordian, listed Paul’s Boutique (Mont-Royal), Cheap Thrills (Downtown), and Beatnick Records (St. Denis) as some of her favourites. She explained that she likes visiting different spots to compare prices of the same record before purchasing it and that the option to buy used records has helped her save money.
“I’ll find a used vinyl of an album I didn’t even know I wanted and pay $10 [instead of $40]. That’s part of the fun of it!” Krentz said.
Cheap Thrills and Urban Outfitters are the two locations closest to Concordia’s Sir George Williams (SGW) Campus. Aux 33 Tours and Freeson Rock are two more options on the Plateau Mont-Royal with a wide, modern selection.
Vizzi suggested Discogs as a key player in the search for vinyl. This online marketplace is available as both a website and an app. It also includes crucial features such as identifying vinyl variants by barcode and buying and selling records.
“You can find just about every release in existence and look up the value of a record before purchasing. It’s the best way to keep track of your collection,” Vizzi said.
Vizzi, Krentz, and François pointed out dust and scratches as the main threat to records and the needle. Krentz suggested purchasing a vinyl brush, which helps keep both clean. Vizzi explained that she places her records in static-free sleeves, which helps preserve the lifespan of a record. She added that she also uses outer plastic sleeves to protect the album jacket.
While collecting records can seem daunting and costly at first, it is the process that enthusiasts fall in love with.
“Patience really is key! Don’t spend all your money on records when you first get your setup going; let your collection grow naturally and authentically,” Krentz said. “It’s a super cool progress to see.”
