Is it time to stop buying vinyl records?

Is it time for me to slow down or stop buying vinyl records altogether?

*Illustration Credit:* Harvey Pekar

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My mission here at the Joy of Vinyl is to bring together a community of vinyl record enthusiasts and to introduce a new generation to the "joy of vinyl".

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[signalvideo]

I am listening to my collection A-Z to slow my roll when it comes to adding more.

[greyhoundude]

I'm picking up used CDs for $1-$5 these days. Since I still love physical media, it's an economical way to continue to build my collection. $30-$40 for new records is not within my budget. And CDs, played on a decent system, sound at least as good as vinyl, if not better, to my ears. But if you can afford the price of new records these days, go for it and enjoy yourselves. And yes, take care of those records you just spent a fortune on!

[keirhardman]

Interesting thoughts and I have had most of them myself many times. I have another way to reduce the number of records I buy, which in my case was due to running out of space to store my records safely and tidily.
My nerdy solution was as follows:
Carry out a detailed inventory of your record collection asking yourself all these questions and more:
How often do I listen to each particular album?
How much do I really like this music?
How good is the sound quality?
How much pleasure do I get from listening to this album, compared to all the others in my collection?
Do I keep this for purely sentimental reasons, or do I still like it?

So I started a process which took over a year and helped get me through the various lockdowns and beyond, and is still informing my listening habits.
Now every record in my relatively small collection of c. 700 albums is listed on my spreadsheet with 2 scores (musical quality and sound quality) and a date when I last listened to the album.

So now I have a very clear idea of my favourite records and the ones I like much less and rarely listen to. Which means I can operate along the lines of "one in, one out" and every potential new purchase is looked at very critically:
Will this really give me more pleasure than something I already own?
Do I really need another album by X?
Can I get rid of an album by an artist if I have a large number by him/her?
Do i listen to this album often enough to justify a place in my music room?

For most of us, our musical taste changes over the years although many favourites of course last a lifetime.
In my case the "heavy" rock albums of my early twenties (I was 70 last year) are being replaced by 50's jazz albums. So out with Led Zeppelin, Groundhogs. etc and in with Art Pepper, Ben Webster and Serge Chaloff.

Also this is a never ending process, and although my record collection remains around the 700 mark it is constantly changing and staying fresh and exciting to me. I look forward to every listening session with anticipation.

Thanks for your videos they are always enjoyable and often thought provoking, and hopefully you find these remarks of interest.
Also have a look at my favourite you tube hi fi channel Cheshire Audio, who happens to trade from just around the corner from me in Crewe, Cheshire and is always posting interesting stuff for music and hifi lovers.

Cheers.
Keir.

[jewelbell]

I love the sound of vinyl and I have all my albums from when I was a kid, and I'm 56. My first album was KISS Love Gun given to me by my cousin, and I still have that copy and it's all in great condition. The main draw of vinyl to me is the beautiful cover art.

[andyshacks]

I’m trying to slow down my buying. Not only is it the expense but also I’m running out of space. So I’m avoiding buying on Discogs in favour of record shops. It’s more fun finding records in the wild plus it saves a fortune on postage!

[HowToHomeLife]

I've always hated vinyl records, even when I was a kid, that is why I tried to make a tape recorder in the fourth grade, I didn't succeed obviously, but at least I tried! The ticks, and pops, plus surface noise, and the eccentricity of vinyl records drove me (when I had enough money), to purchase a used teak A1500U, reel-to-reel tape recorder, but I could easily still hear the difference between "source and tape", the dreaded tape hiss. In 1978 as an engineering consultant for the "Great American Sound Co., I traveled to Japan to visit GAS dealers and the Tokyo Electronics Show. In the Sony booth at that show, I saw for the first time, a model PCM-1, 12-bit digital processor playing music from the video track displaying thousands of black and white, undulating bits on the monitor, from the same SL-8200 Beta max VCR I had at home, I had to own one of these! In 1983 I attended an AES meeting featuring Marshall Buck who was presenting his new "coaxial two-way" loudspeaker he had designed for Cerwin-Vega! In his demonstration he was utilizing a "vocal-only" recording of a female singer that sounded fantastic with an incredible "dynamic range" and no background hiss. Immediately after Marshall's demonstration, I walked up and asked him what equipment was playing back his recording of this singer? He pointed to this diminutive silver box, and said I'm using a Sony PCM-F1, 16-bit Digital Audio Processor and a VCR. I said how much for the PCM-F1. He said $1, 500.00, and I said sold! I built a portable recording rig that included the PCM-F1 and other custom-made equipment that I utilized for various musical performance recordings made on location and I won an Emmy for an outdoor performance of the opera Faust! I've been a digital advocate ever since, if you wish to learn more about my current endeavors, search YouTube with the following: "JBL SYNTHESIS CREATOR", and ALSO: "HOWTOHOMELIFE". If you have questions, feel-free to call me @ 818-314-7275 Pacific time. David Riddle

[offthebeatentracks]

I have over 35, 000 Lps. My buying habits have definitely changed in the past year. A few more high ticket items (filling in major artist holes or buying their new releases), fewer blind buys. For new record collectors - there should be a list of great albums that can be purchased for under five bucks. The first three Willie Nile albums, the first four Graham Parker albums. Joan Armatrading & Linda Ronstadt have albums that are amazing for almost nothing. Bruce Cockburn has some stunning albums for under five bucks. Major label classical music in mint condition for a buck. Bargains are out there.

[kevinsetiawan]

Thanks for the great video! I just got my turntable a month ago and now I’ve purchased 50 records… it’s crazy how addictive it is to get a new sealed records, unwrap, clean and hear it plays… I am now trying to slow down

[ESJAY]

I started in 1975. Had so many triples and still sealed lps. Sold 200 lps for 3K. So I'm glad I was an addict in the 70's & 80's when they were under 5.00

[Kalprog]

I think the major issue is the cost of new vinyl for most of us. I have cut back drastically on new vinyl and have even skipped the last several RSD days. The fun for me is crate digging the used sections now which can be rewarding and financially feasible. We all know there is plenty to revisit in our own collections to keep us busy and I bet I'm not alone with the still sealed waiting to be played pile too. Even if one were to stop buying records there will always be that previously amassed collection to fall back on with plenty of items to revisit. If we can find the time to shop for more whats stopping us from listening to what's already there? Great points and another fine video.

[mostynf]

My buying has calmed down a lot, gone are the days of going into a shop and leaving with eight albums. I started buying vinyl again three years ago and that was right from scratch as I had none of the vinyl that I originally had in the 1970s and 80s. So I bought a lot at first just to build up a sizeable collection again, but now I have a pretty decent collection of a few hundred albums and plenty to choose from without getting bored of what I’ve got. If I never bought another album I’d be satisfied enough with what I’ve got already, but of course I can’t resist adding more when I see something I really want. I will continue to add stuff but it’s at a much slower rate now, and I’m stronger willed now to put a record down in a store and say “no, I don’t need this” and walk away.

[tcbrshow]

love this! awesome delivery. I think I actually need to buy more records

[SuperSagedal]

Yes Sir I'm an addict 😂 Today I received 5 albums with the band Blackfield (Steven Wilson & Co) Number 6 in their collection was already in my hands. On Monday I will receive 2 albums with Saxon. Judas Priest and BÖC is of course pre-ordered 👌👍 Thanks again for a fantastic video 😁😁😁 In Norway we say : Tusen takk... that means : a thousand thanks...👍👍👌

[bacarandii]

When I was a teenager I used to have to sneak records I'd bought into my parents' house (I'd stash them under the front passenger seat of the car and then retrieve them when nobody was looking). I no longer have the need to do that (though I do still have anxiety dreams about it), but I've recently cut WAY down on my LP purchases because I realize that, using a vintage amp/receiver and a warm, punchy-sounding DAC (I like my 2010-vintage Cambridge Audio) I can get sound that's just as pleasing to me as the LPs in my collection -- without the fragility (so easy for dust or scuffs to damage them, even with careful handling) or the surface noise. I'll never get rid of my library of LPs, but I have CD/FLAC/ALAC digital backups of everything -- not just because it's more convenient but because in many cases they actually sound better to me -- even with a somewhat spendy turntable, cartridge, stylus and phono stage. I now have to seriously consider whether I want to spend money on a new SACD copy of an Acoustic Sounds remaster of a classic Blue Note (or Riverside or Impulse or Prestige or Verve...) title or get the more perishable vinyl version. But the vinyl still has the better artwork!

[charlesleon]

Great show all I can say collecting makes me happy yes I have to reel myself in but at the end of the day I know it's hard to control 🤔

[redcomusic]

I've actually stopped! The new albums I receive nowadays are complimentary. And when I do shop, it's usually at a thrift store and it's usually CDs.

[williamgroemminger]

Think it's great getting to one of local stores Record Archive. Was there last week and purchase several used records along with a couple new. Same with C Ds new and used. Found a couple surprises including a Europe version of Deep Purple with photos and news paper clippings in Dutch. Always fun finding these special items. Buying on-line and delivered to your home is ok but building relationships at the local retailers isore fun.

[retirementainteasy]

My first Judas Priest was Sin After Sin. Quickly followed by going backwards and finding Sad Wings of Destiny. I was hooked. I played in a band that did a lot of JP songs (Victim of Changes, Beyond the Realms of Death) that I had to sing. Also a BOC fan. from way back, first heard On Your Feet or On Your Knees. I have the addiction again. Been rebuilding my collection of many albums that were sold in garage sales. but also buying new stuff.

[theslivehere]

Great video, Rick! 👍. New sub here. I have slowed my roll on vinyl buying. I want a killer mountain bike. Buying bargain CDs has effectively quelled my vinyl bug. I have always had more CDs than vinyl though. They both have a proper place in my life. Both sound fabulous on my system. The sad abandoned CDs glow with love when I disinfect, clean, crank, and then add them to my collection with my spreadsheet and Discogs. By contrast, vinyl owns me by the necessary care, safe storage and the high unit cost. But I am definitely going to spend some dough on RSD. 😃☀🌴🌊. Rock Always!
- Heather

[piet]

Hi Rick, great Video!
I only buy selected releases that I really like and albums of my favorite artists on vinyl. Otherwise, I still get copies on CD, especially used CDs from the 80s and 90s (for 1 or 2€!!) which are often have a great sound. But vinyl will always be my No. 1 🙂