Record Players: Why to Buy and How to Use
CDs are a thing of the past, as record player sales have been skyrocketing for the first time in 40 long years. In case you haven’t noticed this previous fad on the rise again, it’s clear now that record players are back for real, and they’re here to stay. For older vinyl lovers, it’s a blast from the past that brings comfort and pure enjoyment. For vinyl newcomers, it’s a fun and funky way to enjoy your favorite albums on repeat and will give your home a retro look—not to mention that it gives you the excuse to head over to your local record store to brag about your old and new music favorites on vinyl!
With so many styles and brands, it can be a bit stressful to choose the right record player for you. But whatever your reason for buying one, here are a few things you should know about before you buy your next record player.
How To Use Your Record Player
This may seem like a simple one, but there are some important things to note, especially if you’ve never owned a record player before.
The first thing is not about the record player itself, but the vinyls you’ll use with it: be sure to handle these records with care. It’s true that they’re bulkier than CDs, so they look like they can take a beating, they are still just as fragile, and are susceptible to dust and dirt that can disturb the sound quality if you’re not careful. Put them back in their proper sleeves when you’re finished using them to ensure that they’ll stay clean and well-stored for your next use.
Manual Vs. Automatic Systems
Depending on the type of record player you have, you may have to do different things to place the needle on and remove it from your record to start playing and to stop your music. In an automatic system, you may just need to press a button and watch the tonearm come down with the needle, or you’ll need to place it down yourself in a manual system, as well as a semi-automatic system, though those will eventually lift the needle off by itself.
If you don’t want to have to worry about the possibility of scratching your records, then an automatic version might be best for you, but otherwise, most record players in a mid to high-end range have manual systems.
Record Speeds And Sizes
There are three different sizes that coincide with three speeds of a vinyl record that it will rotate at while playing. There are seven-inch records that play at 45 RPM (revolutions per minute) with about five minutes of music on each side, usually used for singles; the 12-inch records play at 33 RPM, and can store about 22 minutes of music on each side as the most common form of vinyl; and then there’s a 10-inch that plays at 78 RPM, which is the rarest disc size.
What you’ll need to know is all record players can play your 45 RPM and 33 RPM records. Other players that are classified as “three-speed” are the ones that support 78 RPM records. These will likely be very old models with wider grooves since it’s so rare that it’s as so widely used anymore, but be aware that you may have to have the right model handy for these records, or you may have to replace your needle to match up with the grooves.
Speakers And Private Listening
If you’re thinking of setting up your record player to allow for private listening through headphones or alternate speakers, you should make sure your model has a preamp, or you may have to buy a separate receiver with a phono preamp. This will allow you to plug in your headphones to an audio jack, which may also be a large size, so you could even need an adapter from your headphones to the jack to ensure that it corresponds.
Finding The Best Place For Your Record Player
This may be something you hadn’t thought of before, but there is the best place in your home for your record player to get the highest sound quality with less chances of strange reverb, or those unwanted skips in your music.
Because record players create sound through vibration, they can also turn external vibrations into sound that might produce a background hum that you’ll hear with your music. And too much vibration can cause your needle to jump and skip.
To avoid this, place your record player on a steady surface, cleared away from any other objects that could cause potential disturbances. If you still find something funky going on with your sound quality, you can always buy an isolation system, or set up a suspension shelf to ensure that your record player has its own space to allow for the best quality it can provide. Then you'll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the rich sounds of your new favorite household item.
Resources— Make Use Of, Victrola
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