Starting A Record Collection – An Introduction To Vinyl
Starting a record collection has never been easier. It is a great time to start when you take in consideration the current resurgence and revival of the vinyl record music format. Many people are abandoning streaming in favour of physical vinyl records and the market for vinyl is currently booming. Some are collecting records in addition to steaming music as well. A lot of the newer releases on vinyl come with a download code or voucher. There are loads of popular or rare records to collect, both new and second-hand. Many songs are still not available as a digital download. These can be still be found of vinyl of course. The act of starting a vinyl collection can enable you to discover many new songs and types of music from a variety of genres, some of which you may never have heard of before. Whether you’re searching for some rare heavy rock music or mainstream pop music, it can all be found on vinyl.
Vinyl records can be collected as albums or 7" singles. Albums operate at 33rpm and singles, 45rpm (revs per minute). A lot of singles are highly collectable, especially those from the 1960s and some were never released on albums. During the 70s a lot of disco and dance 12" singles were issued and played by DJs. These contain extended remixes, club or dance mixes. Some of tracks on these singles are extremely collectable, unique and are not found on albums or digital formats.
It is great to own a beautiful piece of vinyl that you can open and appreciate complete with the majesty of the cover artwork, insert or poster. This is not possible with a digital download, which is clearly a huge disadvantage of the digital format. Some of the artwork is art in it's own right, with albums covers designed by artists such as Peter Blake or Andy Warhol. A great album cover for a beginner is 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' by The Beatles, a classic.
There are many limited edition records that are sometimes hand-numbered or pressed on coloured vinyl. These are very collectable and are treasured by music and record collectors alike. Vinyl records can also be displayed on a wall, with many having some superb or interesting artwork on the cover. Some records come as a picture disc, which means that the artwork will be on the actual record itself. These also make great display pieces.
The sound of a digital file is not the same as a vinyl record. The sound of most downloads is very limited. Vinyl records sound much better than digital files, especially when you get a good quality audio system to play them on. A lot of recent vinyl issues have been released on 180 gram vinyl and the sound quality is unbelievable. Many classic albums have now been remastered and sound crisp and clean. Most connoisseurs prefer the old mono or early stereo pressings which have an original feel and charm. A top quality turntable, amplifier and speakers are essential if you want to get the best sound from your record collection. However, there are a number of many less expensive options currently available. There are also many excellent vintage turntables out there which are very good and recommended. With a vinyl record you can hear all of the instruments and sounds, but this is not the case with a digital file which has been compressed on a computer.
It is very easy to start collecting vinyl. Buying records online is a great place to start with advantageous prices and large stocks of vinyl now listed online that you can purchase via mail order. You can also find vinyl in record shops, at record fairs, car boot sales and sometimes antique fairs. It is great fun to collect vinyl records, however you choose to discover them. Start record collecting today... It’s a great time to start a record collection!
Planet Earth Records stock a wide range of vinyl records from the early days to the present from all genres of musical taste.
Visit Planetearthrecords.co.uk - The UK's well known mail order vinyl record shop with thousands of new and rare original vinyl records available to buy online.