Ditch the iPod and go Vinyl

Give the gift of music.


This phrase so overused during the holiday season has become more of cliche than a convincing pitch.

Nevertheless this phrase certainly entered my consciousness when unwrapping my prized holiday gift–A Crosley CR49 Stack-O-Matic Traveler Turntable.

This is a brand new player designed to look like the 1950’s retro style record players. One of many new makes of turntables entering the market.

Since a trip to the thrift store the past summer, the idea of owning this piece of audio nostalgia has been on the top of my list of things to purchase when my disposable income became more manageable. A fact not lost on the lovely gift-giver.

Since receiving my gift my eyes have been open to the still very much alive vinyl market.

After a quick google search, the city is full of players to pick up some records. Here’s a list I found of the top 10 places in Toronto to purchase records.

I found there are a lot of great finds at thrift stores for the old pieces of music history. Just the other day I picked up the famous Depeche Mode 1987 album “Music for the Masses” at Value Village. The price tag-three dollars.

All stores that have records have used records. You’re looking to spend around five dollars for a used classic album. These are the records that were cleared out as record collections were replaced by the compact disc.

They became a waste of space. A remanence of technology whose size was irrelevant, as its function was all that mattered. A large music collection took up space.

Could you imagine what a 15GB iPod collection in record format? I think I’ll do some calculations to figure this out in an update.

The next best source for some cheap used records– middle aged men. Bring up that you have a record player and are assembling a collection, prepare to talk classic rock for 10 minutes or so. Afterwards, take your pick of the litter of Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd. They were just collecting dust anyway. (Thanks Mr. S.)

Artists are still coming out with Vinyl. I purchased the new Killers, The Decemeberists and Weakerthans, among others. Newer records are usually $15-$40.

Coming out with a vinyl album adds prestige to a band or musician. Successful albums are still rewarded with a silver, gold, or platinum record.

Generally speaking you’re not going to find a top 40 pop band with a new record. Under the ‘S’ category you’re much more likely to find a band like Smashing Pumpkins then and artist like Britney Spears.

Some audiophiles will argue the sound of analog (records) is superior to digital. The argument being that music must first be encoded prior to make it to the CD or an MP3 file; whereas with a record the sound is imprinted right into the vinyl. The sound produced is supposedly more accurate to that actual recording.

I much prefer the record player than listening to tunes on my computer or a CD. I couldn’t say for certain any incredibly noticeable differences between the sound, the exception being the all familiar crackle at the start of a record. I love that crackle.

Listening to vinyl is a whole experience. A step back in technology. The process of taking out a record, placing it carefully over the centre, then softly positioning the needle, and listening to the WHOLE album.

This concept of just being engaged in how the musician or band wants to present there art for you, was lost on me. I hadn’t even purchased a physical CD in years.

When I list to my iTunes, I have the habit–as I know many others do– of listening to my whole playlist on random. Often I won’t make it through a song without skipping to the next. Usually after catching the good parts.

This disconnection with the music made my very apathetic towards music. I had no interest to go out and search for what I like. If I heard it on the radio, I’d download it, and added it to the playlist.

There’s something a little more personal about vinyl when comparing it to more modern technologies. It’s a raw piece of music.

Here’s and interesting experiment. If you place a piece of paper of a record and take a cocktail straw and move it slowly around the record, you will be able to heard music. It will be very faint, but all it needs to do is be amplified to act as a record player.

The music is closer to you. It’s not cyber-mystery as to where the music comes from. When you watch a record you can see it slowly and hypnotically spin–this was the original media player visualization.

This piece of late 19th century technology has reacquainted me with the joy of music. It allows me to take a step back and be more engaging with my growing collection of tunes on vinyl.

 It’s also a hit at parties.