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6 September 2024Vinyl revival
Some might argue it never really went away, but it seems more and more people are falling under the spell of a diamond stylus kissing a grooved disc
V inyl records are back. The world may become more technologically savvy by the day, but there is a growing minority that likes nothing more than touching a stylus onto a grooved disk, thrilling in anticipation as speakers crackle into life.
Indeed, many music lovers and experts would argue that vinyl never really went away. Although the format was eclipsed in the 1980s and 1990s by the cassette tape and the CD, it endured in the affections of collectors and dance DJs.
‘Vinyl essentially skipped a generation,’ says Darrel Sheinman, a drummer and vinyl collector who owns his own vinyl label, Gearbox Records. ‘There’s still an older group that’s pretty much stuck on CD, but newcomers are looking for something different. I think younger people are also interested in something tangible in this intangible world.’
Ian McCann, editor of Record Collector magazine, agrees: ‘These are uncertain times. People are seeking authenticity, something solid and traditional and which reminds them of what they perceive to be better days to hold onto. For many folks, records are emblems of an uncomplicated era and a guaranteed pleasure you can touch and look at.’
Vinyl’s ritualistic appeal is important. This begins with the attraction of a particular cover, is augmented by the unwrapping of the smooth disk from its crisp inner sleeve, the sense of anticipation as the turntable arm swings out and the sound when the stylus kisses the record’s surface. Even more crucial, though, is the music that emerges. ‘Sonically vinyl’s better,’ Sheinman says. ‘Records are produced with an analogue process. With digital there’s always another step in the conversion procedure compared to vinyl. Even so, you can hear the difference quite clearly. Vinyl gives a warmer, bigger sound.’
That’s not to say he has anything against digital, he just sees the more modern format as fulfilling a rather different function.
‘Going to a rock concert is one level of music. Digital streaming in another level – and it’s great in that it allows you to listen to tracks on the go. Another level is enjoying music with a glass of wine after a hard day’s work – and that’s where vinyl comes in. I equate it to food. You can go for a pizza if you’re in a rush, or you can go to a Michelin-starred restaurant to really savour something special.’
‘If exact sound is your thing then it’s preferable to have a record pressed early in a production run, while the stamper is fresh.’
As with haut cuisine, considerable sums of money are involved at the top end of the vinyl market, with the most collectible LPs potentially changing hands for tens of thousands of dollars. A recent survey conducted by NME magazine suggested that an original 1958 LP by the Quarry Men (the precursors of the Beatles) would be worth in excess of £100,000, while the single of God Save The Queen, of which there were just 300 pressings before the Sex Pistols were ditched by A&M Records, could fetch £12,000.
Condition means everything to serious vinyl collectors. This creates a strange conundrum. The most sought-after records are those in mint condition, which means that a stylus has never touched them. Collectors, therefore, if they want their investment to hold or increase in value, can never listen to their precious purchase.
McCann says: ‘If you can find classic albums such as David Bowie’s 1970s records or old Small Faces LPs in mint condition [unplayed], they are a definite investment. But if you want to play them then they’re not really an investment, they’re a pleasure. My advice is to decide what you like and buy it.’
‘Collectors will always go for records that were the first pressing,’ adds Sheinman. ‘It’s a bit like first edition books. Often they were issued in smaller numbers because the producers were testing the market so they’re rarer. They were also pressed from the first stamper.’
He is referring to the grooved metal plates that are used to press the hot vinyl into a record. Over time, these moulds start to show signs of wear and tear that results in a slow but steady decline in the audio fidelity of the finished product. If the exactness of sound is your thing then it’s preferable to have a record pressed early in a production run, while the stamper is fresh.
‘The big companies help people start their vinyl collection and, once they’ve done that, I think they’ll notice us as well.’
Tom Port, owner of US-based Better Records, has created a business based on finding (and then selling) records that he terms ‘hot stampers’; early pressings in outstanding condition. ‘No two copies of a record sound the same. That’s the undeniable reality of the analogue LP,’ he states on the firm’s website. ‘We’re unique in that we’re the only record dealers who base the price of their records on the quality of their sound.’
What that translates to is a copy of a mass-produced album such as Pink Floyd’s The Wall on sale for $650 or the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet for $600 – way more than lesser versions might sell for on auction sites.
Labels are also a big draw for collectors – especially those that produce (or produced) excellent-quality music in small numbers.
‘Blue Note is a good example,’ says Sheinman. ‘Some of their records are highly collectible – one by [famous jazz saxophonist] Hank Mobley sold for $5,600 a couple of years ago. Stax and Impulse are also labels that generate high levels of interest among collectors. But people are cottoning on, so the more collectible items are becoming rarer and rarer.’
It isn’t only collectors who are taking notice, either. The major record labels have realised the extent of the vinyl market and are getting in on the act. Their interest is understandable given the figures involved. Vinyl is predicted to comprise around 20 per cent of all physical-format music sales in 2019.
We may, however, be reaching peak vinyl. Recent booming sales for example, were fuelled by works by the likes of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, and Prince, all of whom died in 2016, with Bowie’s Blackstar album topping the charts.
The music giants’ interest may well benefit the small, independent labels that have stuck with vinyl through thick and thin.
‘I think it’s good for us,’ says Gearbox Records’ Sheinman. ‘The bigger labels are releasing their own catalogue that we wouldn’t have got hold of anyway and their marketing power is helping the overall vinyl cause. People are now more aware of the medium than they have been for decades.
‘The big companies’ involvement helps people to start their vinyl collection in the first place and, once they’ve done that, I think they’ll begin to notice our catalogue as well.’
McCann, for one, doesn’t see interest waning, although he does throw in a caveat. ‘Currently, it’s overhyped: there’s barely an ad on TV that doesn’t feature a record player, so there’s a risk that it may burn out and become a cliché.
'But rock played from vinyl on a decent record player really does sound better than an MP3 or streaming. If the young people buying vinyl upgrade their record players after a while, they’ll become fans for life.’
In a challenging era for the music industry, that could be a win-win scenario.
Words: DH
Star turntables
The steady rise of the vinyl record has also witnessed a renaissance in the turntables on which they are played. ShinolaInnovative US brand Shinola hand-builds turntables in Detroit. The machines, says the company, ‘are designed inside and out for the discriminating audiophile’ and retail for around $2,500.
shinola.com Gramovox
Chicago-based Gramovox produces the Floating Turntable; on first glance this features a relaxed, retro look, except it plays records in an unconventional vertical position. It is priced at $550.
gramovox.com Clearaudio
German firm Clearaudio produces a range of upscale turntables. Among them is the Innovation Compact. Supported by three small ‘feet’ and made from aluminium and ‘Panzerholz’ (compressed wood) this sleek machine sells for around $6,000.
clearaudio.de Gearbox
London’s Gearbox Records recently launched its own turntable to accompany its numerous vinyl record offerings. With a footprint smaller than an LP, this also has Bluetooth capability and will be able to send track details to a user’s other devices. It costs around $500.
gearboxrecords.com For more about the availability and costs of different vinyl albums, check out the encyclopedic Discogs website.