Vinyl sales a going through the roof.

The US has recorded a 41% jump in the first half of this year and the UK a 55% increase.

I can’t find reliable Australian data yet but if the number of successful independent record stores is any measure, then I'm confident sales have risen markedly here too. That’s certainly been the trend for the last 10 years.

Why?

There are a few reasons:

1. They’re fashionable with inner city hipsters. This is by far the LEAST IMPORTANT reason but can’t be discounted, as it is a genuine market force.

2. They’re a tactile experience. This is VERY IMPORTANT. There’s something almost ritualistic about spinning the disc between your fingers whilst choosing which side to play, placing the disc on the platter and oh so gently moving the tone arm into position. Then you get to read full sized sleeve notes, I do love a gatefold. I think this aspect is ever more important and playing a big part in the resurgence of vinyl. As more and more people are ingesting their digital content through downloads and players of convenience (ipods et al) they crave a more involved experience. And I believe the people in this category will continue to consume both formats. A good balance really.

3. The sound. MOST IMPORTANT. I very often hear people say “Oh it sounds better on vinyl”.
Now I do love vinyl and I love the way it sounds but does a dirty old op shop record sound better than a highly produced SACD. No. So it’s a bit nostalgic to say it always sounds better on vinyl but if you get your vinyl set up right, there is something intangibly beautiful about the sound of vinyl. Just the addition of surface noise from the dirt on the record adds a little something to the experience.

There are some logical arguments surrounding vinyl vs CD. The most prevelant being that your ears hear analogue so an analogue source will sound better. I’m not sure how true this is anymore. If you look at the path the sound takes from a man singing in a studio to a man singing through your home speakers, there is almost certainly a point where that signal was digitized. Most commonly during the mixing. In that case, is vinyl really pure analogue???

Why am I writing all this?

Well I’d like to sell you a turntable of course!

We have turntables ranging from $299 to $6000 and about 15 models between.

We have a range of cartridges to choose from as well as phono stages and accessories.

All are in store and available for demostration at any time.