What to Know Before Buying a Record Player?

Vinyl record player, a device that is unique, elegant and high-end, even has a mysterious charm in the eyes of many people.

Why is it mysterious? Because vinyl records, as a music carrier, were popular as early as the 1950s, but with the changes of the times, they were gradually replaced by tapes and CDs.

Today, with the rise of the retro trend, vinyl records have returned to the public's vision again. Because of this, vinyl has gradually been given a deeper emotional value and unique symbolic meaning.

 

"A few things you need to know before understanding the vinyl record player"

As a high-end audio-visual device, vinyl record players are often considered a luxury. To help you better understand the characteristics of this niche device, today we will first take a comprehensive look at its advantages and disadvantages, so that you can decide more rationally whether it is worth investing.

1. Is the sound quality as perfect as the legend?

The sound quality of the vinyl record player is not impeccable. Due to the inherent limitations of technology, vinyl records will encounter many factors that affect the sound quality during the burning and playback process. For example, low-frequency sound waves have large fluctuations and need to occupy more space when burning, while high-frequency sound density may cause the needle to jump.

In order to reduce these effects, the frequency is usually adjusted when making vinyl records, the low frequency is cut and the high frequency is enhanced, and then the sound quality is compensated through the phono system.

2. Maintenance of vinyl records

The material of vinyl records is relatively fragile, and special care is required for preservation and maintenance. The record needs to be placed vertically, and the tilt angle should not exceed 40 degrees, otherwise it will be easily deformed. When taking the record, you cannot touch the part where the sound pattern is burned, otherwise it will affect the sound quality. Dust is also an important factor affecting the playback effect, and regular cleaning is also essential.

3. Composition of the vinyl system

A complete vinyl playback system consists of four main parts: a record player, a phono stage, an amplifier, and a speaker. Home record players usually come with a phono stage, while many people use Bluetooth speakers that are "active speakers", meaning that the amplifier is built into the speaker. For first-time users, a home record player with an active speaker is enough to meet basic needs.

It is worth mentioning that there are many "all-in-one machines" on the market that integrate these four parts. Although the sound quality is compromised, they are easy to operate and beautiful in appearance, suitable for users with limited budgets or who want to experience vinyl music.

 

"Since it's so complicated, why listen to vinyl?"

Many people may raise similar questions. In this regard, I think vinyl records have their own unique charm.

1. Unique sense of art

Vinyl records are not only a carrier of music, but their binding design is often full of artistic sense, especially limited edition records are more collectible. Compared with digital music played through the mobile phone screen, the touch and visual experience brought by physical records are more ritualistic. In this regard, the touch and visual impact of CDs are similar to those of vinyl, but not as pleasant as vinyl.

2. Vinyl makes people more focused when listening to music

Listening to vinyl requires a large amount of free time, a quiet room, and a peaceful state of mind, so that people can patiently take out the record, put it on the record player, watch the needle fall, and listen to the sound. This process will make people more focused, and doing a small thing solemnly is a rare experience for us Internet people.

3. There are always people who like this "warm" tone

Vinyl records bring a unique listening experience through their unique sound quality defects, which is one of the reasons why it attracts audiophiles. When talking about sound quality earlier, I said that the warm feeling brought by vinyl is caused by inaccurate mid-frequency restoration. But it must be admitted that many people just like this inaccuracy. If you like this kind of sound, it is worth buying a vinyl record player.