Well, you’ve thought about it forever and finally have some money to kick this Vinyl-thing off?

The resurgence of Vinyl is not just a ‘New fad’ it has proven to be a strong indication from people that they want more quality, and a physical product, than simply going online.

We love Vinyl and we would love to hear about your journey of discovery, as well.

We are living in a time where it’s a bit tough financially but the music, for many of us, is our comfort and true joy. Our hard-earned money can be turned into a lovely record, a physical item that we will cherish and enjoy for many years.

But it does require a reasonable investment in some gear to maintain and truly enjoy the records.

A few things to consider:

Turntable- A big question but my advice is buying the best turntable you can afford. You are better to save for a bit longer and get a turntable/cartridge/stylus that will not damage the fine grooves holding all the music on the vinyl. By this I mean a turntable badly setup may cause issues, non-maintained or worse have a dodgy stylus that may damage the delicate grooves. Stick to the budget and do plenty of research. New Rega, Project, Technics are all good starting points. You will also get a guarantee from the manufacturer to ensure no surprises!

Second hand turntables are a bit of a risk unless they have been refurbished/serviced by a professional. We saw a lovely vintage turntable recently (from Trademe) that seemed to work fine but the stylus was chipped and ripped chunks on the records surface. A service tech can replace the cartridge/stylus for not a huge amount of money. They can also adjust the weight of the cartridge to ensure no damage on the surface, Speed check, bearing oil and check on the electronic components are important. A second-hand turntable is a bit like a classic car, great to look at but usually has issues.

Essentials- There are a few things we would recommend up front.

-Site the turntable in a vibration free spot and out of the sunlight.

-A spirit level or download an app. Your turntable needs to be dead flat.

-A carbon fibre brush to remove any dust and debris before each play to gently sweep the surface.

-A stylus cleaning fluid and stylus brush are recommended- avoid anything with isopropyl alcohol, as this may damage the bonding products in the cartridge/stylus. Carefully clean before each playing session.

Record Cleanliness  

When handling records hold the edge and the label underneath as to avoid oil and contamination, from your hands, to mess up the record.  Put back in the inner sleeve once played.

Vinyl Cleaning- an important part of record buying and enjoyment. This applies to both New and Used. Read my FAQ here for ideas.

Use new high-quality no-scratch inner sleeves to protect the LP once clean. You don’t need the contamination from the old inner sleeve carried over. We recommend the Mofi Inner sleeves.

Storage.

Store records vertically. Keep them out of direct sunlight and warm spots like under heat pumps. This is a significant investment here and you need to baby them. Suggest you also store in plastic outer sleeves to reduce dust, messy hands, the cat licking the sleeve, and a host of other things.

Summary- buying Vinyl and sharing the listening experience, with other people, is one of the great joys in life. ‘It’s all about the music’ as we like to say at OnVinyl.

Before making the investment research articles from Audio magazines and reputable Youtubers. There are plenty of good information in articles online to take in. Don’t rely on an Ai bot for the whole picture.

We would love to hear your thoughts, and if you are on that journey then please let us know how you are getting on. We are happy to provide further ideas and advice if needed.

All the best,

David and Otis

P.S- Part Two to follow soon!