What Hi-Fi? ’s 2025 Vinyl Week A special event is currently underway, and as part of the celebration, I've spoken with three proprietors from independent record stores. They’ve shared their best advice to assist newcomers who want to explore analog formats.
If, similar to my expectations, you thought this would be yet another set of guidelines to assist you in steering clear of purchasing defective vinyl records or managing them after bringing them home, think again.
Since all three of our record shop proprietors decided to leverage this year's Record Store Day event (on Saturday, April 12th) to encourage enthusiasts to consider the equipment they're utilizing. After all, not every high-fidelity system is made alike.
Start with the turntable
Drift Records manager, Rupert Morrison tells What Hi-Fi? The key step when diving into vinyl records is ensuring you have a reliable turntable.
"Morrison advises investing your funds in a sturdy turntable. Should the cost appear too low, expect poor performance. Utilize resources such as blogs and music streaming websites for discovering new interests, and purchase vinyl records once you genuinely enjoy them," he states.
Even better, dedicate some time to visit the record store and familiarize yourself with their offerings. These shops appreciate customers who stop by, socialize, and help foster community spirit. You could discover something remarkable every single hour thanks to the music playing inside these stores; this is precisely what Record Store Day on April 12, 2025, aims to commemorate.
Although we highly recommend also considering our best turntables For reliable purchasing guidance, the same principle applies.
Each year, we conduct comparative tests on turntables and discover significant technical and sonic variations among different models, particularly noticeable at the upper and lower price ranges.
No matter what your budget is, we strongly advise you to investigate the particular model you're considering purchasing.
This holds particularly true in today’s market; just offering higher sums doesn’t guarantee getting the most value for money. Numerous excellent sounding choices within an accessible price range start from approximately £199/£200, catering well to those with financial constraints.
These include the Award-winning Pro-Ject Primary E , which is at the pinnacle of our best budget record players guide.
Flashback Records Owner Mark Burgess concurs, emphasizing that new purchasers should steer clear of extremely affordable all-in-one systems. Based on his experiences, he notes that these systems often deliver poor audio quality and have the potential to damage vinyl records.
"The top recommendation for those new to vinyl should be to avoid purchasing a low-quality turntable that includes everything in one unit," he advises. What Hi-Fi? The audio quality will likely be poor, and you might damage your records. It’s worth investing a bit more money to acquire an introductory turntable, a standalone amplifier, and individual speakers.
The subpar experience during our review of the Crosley Keepsake and Crosley Cruiser serve as a prime illustration of his point regarding more affordable vinyl systems, as they both have unusually high tracking weights which can rapidly cause damage to your records.
Editor’s note: As a person who I ruined a copy of my dad’s Yes, Close to the Edge album on a low-quality vinyl player when I was young. I can personally vouch for the insight found in Burgess' counsel.
Give the same attention when selecting your hardware as you would when choosing your music.
12-Bar Blues and Society Sam Tame, the founder, emphasizes that it is crucial to pay close attention to the equipment being used, considering how personal vinyl records are as purchases.
"One of my favorite quotes goes, 'My vinyl collection narrates the tale of my life more accurately than I ever could.' Each album acts as a snapshot from various points in time, enabling me to revisit those memories with each play," he explains.
My suggestion? Begin with a high-quality turntable and speakers (avoid those retro briefcase imitations – though they might seem stylish, their audio performance tends to fall short). There’s no shame in seeking assistance when selecting vinyls. Each record contributes to your personal narrative, so savor the experience, browse extensively, and relish the journey of assembling your collection.
If you're enthusiastic about following the counsel of these three specialists and putting money into a good system for playing vinyls, be sure to continue exploring. What Hi-Fi?, Where we continually put the newest equipment through its paces to ensure your vinyl records receive the appreciation they deserve.
Furthermore, if you have a particular query, feel free to reach out to us at nosso forums , social media pages , shared solusikaki.com@futurnet.com Email address or right beneath our articles within the sleek new comments section.
MORE:
How to Select the Perfect Turntable for You
Our picks of the best budget record players
We've selected 9 of the top Record Store Day 2025 releases. - Sam Fender, De La Soul, Waxahatchee, and others
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