STACK #225 July 2023

TECH FEATURE

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drop a needle on an album, you’re committed and in the moment; playing vinyl is a ritual. A report published earlier this year by music sales data company Luminate revealed that 50% of buyers in the US in 2022 who bought vinyl didn’t own a record player. While many younger music fans buy records as collectables or wall decorations, there is no substitute for playing vinyl. Traditionally, record player-related hi-fi equipment has often been portrayed as a costly hobby preserved for audiophiles. However, the reality is something entirely different. That high-end market is very niche – most of us play our records on humble setups that are quite accessible to even the most moderate budgets. So just how easy – and cost-effective – is it to get set up and running? And what exactly do you need? The basics Like anything from cameras to TVs, if you’re looking to get the very best photographs or picture resolution, expect to pay a premium, and that’s the same with audio equipment. But if you just want to be in the game and enjoy playing records, then the good news is you won’t need to raid the savings plan to get involved. Often, the perceived complications around required technology and cost have proven to be a barrier for beginners. Gone are the days when you’d need to consider investing in an amp, a pre-amp, pricey speaker wire, and a costly turntable. Now you can be up and running with just a Bluetooth turntable and a pair of bookshelf speakers.

Records are for the cool kids, don’t ya know! And the good news is you don’t have to spend a fortune anymore to enjoy playing them. Here’s how. Words Paul Jones W henever you walk into any JB store with a vinyl section, you’ll always find a diverse bunch of folks eagerly

sifting through records in search of that next album to add to the collection. Nine-year-olds with their parents saddle up next to teenagers or over 50s – the appeal of vinyl in this modern era transcends age and musical genre. The stereotypical grouchy 30-something record buyer, as hilariously depicted in High Fidelity (2000), has been replaced; the modern vinyl shopper is impossible to profile. It doesn’t matter if you’re coming to vinyl for the first time or are returning to the medium after a 20-year-long absence, the enjoyment of holding an album in your hand is universally understood. It’s the appreciation of the artwork, the liner notes with lyrics or messages from the band, and the feel of fresh wax as you pull it from the sleeve for a first play. This is the track playing order that the artist first envisaged, and there’s no temptation to skip songs. When you

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