They always say that everything comes back in style sooner or later. In the case of the vinyl record player, it happens to be true. With all of the digital electronics available today for playing our music, not many people would have bet on the record player making a return. It seems that a lot of music lovers kept their old LP and 45 collections from when they were younger and the lucky ones still have a player they could use.
Collecting the old vinyl has become a hobby for many younger people that grew up listening to a walkman with cassette tapes or the youngest generation that has only known CD’s, digital downloads, or streaming music from an app on their phone tablet, laptop or PC. While going back to the old vinyl record player might not be for everyone, there are many that think it’s the best way to enjoy their music.
You can’t exactly call the new record players old. They are new and modern and are compatible with many forms of wired audio sound, in some cases, even Bluetooth technology.
The really great thing is that much of the older music on vinyl has been digitally remastered and you can buy them brand new, but with better sound than when they were released originally years ago. In fact, vinyl record sales surpassed CD sales in 2019. Unforgettable vinyl albums such as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or The Beatles Abbey Road and even newer artists like Adele and Lady Gaga can be purchased on vinyl.
How Do Vinyl Record Players and Turn Tables Work Today?
It used to be that you either had a portable record player with a small speaker encased inside it or you might have had a larger stereo in a huge cabinet that had larger speakers that gave out a much louder sound. Perhaps you had a turntable that was part of an entire music set up that included a separate cassette player or even a CD player.
Today you can purchase just the record player or turntable and can adapt it to older audio choices like a set of wired speakers or newer audio choices like a soundbar. The process of hooking a new record player to Bluetooth headphones or wireless speakers can be a little more complex. When you are choosing a record player or turntable, it’s important to determine beforehand exactly what else you want to hook it into if anything.
Once it became clear that vinyl records were definitely making a comeback, it didn’t take long for the market to be completely flooded with all kinds of options. If you are not someone that has a lot of knowledge or experience with hooking up sound systems, you can always choose to go with a record player that has the amplifier built-in and speakers that are built-in or external.
If you want a greater sound, make sure the record player or turntable you choose can have extra speakers added and be able to be upgraded in case you want a more elaborate set up later.
If you choose a turntable instead of a record player, you will need to purchase the extra components you will need to achieve the sound you want. These components usually include a preamplifier, an amplifier, and speakers. A phono preamp may be a standalone component. It may also be built into a turntable, a receiver, or a set of powered speakers.
Turntables can be purchased today with Bluetooth technology so that they can connect wirelessly with Bluetooth headphones and speakers.
What Vinyl Records Can You Play?
Just in case you are new to the whole vinyl record experience, you should know that in years gone by they were made in different sizes. Different sized records played on different speeds. For example, an LP or album, was generally 12 inches, but they were also made in 7 and 10-inch. A 12-inch vinyl played on 33 speed. So when you choose a record player or turntable, make sure it has all of the options needed to play any type of vinyl record including 45’s.
You will need the adapter to play those. Many of the newer record players and turntables may not play the 10-inch vinyls.
How Much Do Record Players and Turntables Cost?
As with most things, the price can be determined by the quality of the product you buy. While there are new record players on the market today that can range anywhere from around $60 or $70, they can be more expensive if you choose one that can be connected to Bluetooth items or one of higher quality.
As for stand-alone turntables, the prices can range wildly from less than $100 up to $300, $400, even $500! It all depends on the features you want it to have. If you are a novice to record players and turntables, you might consider starting out with something a little less expensive.
You can always upgrade to something more elaborate once you get the feel of listening to vinyl and gain a little more knowledge about what all of the sound possibilities you can get from them are with various added equipment.