How to buy vinyl, for a newbie

[Freestone]

I am going back to vinyl.

How and where do I buy vinyl?
What should I look for or lookout for?
How can I recognize the higher quality recordings and pressings?

Thank you

[Jerome W]

ILS seems to be a great place for both new and used LP's !

Sent from my iPhone using A.Aficionado

[Still-One]

Hmmn
Shouldn't you be looking for LPs's of music or artists you enjoy rather than higher quality recordings or pressings? Purchasing "Audiophile Quality" recordings of performances of any format when content is not the goal, is wrong in my opinion.

Jim

[Josquin des Prez]

Originally Posted by Freestone

I am going back to vinyl.

How and where do I buy vinyl?
What should I look for or lookout for?
How can I recognize the higher quality recordings and pressings?

Thank you

I buy vinyl mostly from

• Acoustic Sounds (new and used)
• Music Direct (new)
• Audiophile USA (mostly used, some new)
• eBay (mostly used)
• Amazon Marketplace (mostly used)

Some great reissue companies are (just offhand, there are more):

• Speakers Corner (all genres and labels)
• Music Matters (Blue Note)
• Analogue Productions/Quality Record Pressings (same company as Acoustic Sounds)
• MFSL

Watch out for so-called "audiophile" reissues from non-legit sources. They will be on 180-gr vinyl but are mastered from CD sources. A clue is if the vinyl LP has the CD "bonus tracks." Don't buy used vinyl that came from library collections. Those records tend to be beat up and defaced with library labeling. There's an eBayer selling a bunch of these, and at high prices.

[Josquin des Prez]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Hmmn
Shouldn't you be looking for LPs's of music or artists you enjoy rather than higher quality recordings or pressings? Purchasing "Audiophile Quality" recordings of performances of any format when content is not the goal, is wrong in my opinion.

Jim

I think it's a legitimate question. Nothing wrong with seeking out high quality and then choosing content from that. There is an abundance of high quality music to choose from on premiere pressings.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by RaceTripper

I think it's a legitimate question. Nothing wrong with seeking out high quality and then choosing content from that. There is an abundance of high quality music to choose from on premiere pressings.

All three of his questions were legitimate. It is just that most music released from 1990 to 2010 is not on vinyl, so non Baby Boomers or Gen X's are very limited.

Whether LP or CD I would have little to listen to if I was forced to choose music from the catalogs I receive in the mail.

Jim

[Josquin des Prez]

Originally Posted by Still-One

All three of his questions were legitimate. It is just that most music released from 1990 to 2010 is not on vinyl, so non Baby Boomers or Gen X's are very limited.

Whether LP or CD I would have little to listen to if I was forced to choose music from the catalogs I receive in the mail.

Jim

I don't shop from catalogs. I think the situation with vinyl for younger listeners is changing. It seems to me much is now coming out on vinyl. At least I see a lot at the Acoustic Sounds site.

Besides, nothing wrong with exploring older material. There is an abundance of great stuff out there.

No matter, I answered the OP's post. Maybe it will help that person get started.

[Antonmb]

Another great source for used is recordsbymail.com. Gradings are reliable and you can list requests as well. Also check the iphone/iPad app Vinyl District for listings of record stores.
As for buying used in person, while there are no guarantees for quality of recording, look for the obvious signs of wear and scuffing, embedded dirt in the grooves that can indicate deeper wear or damage, and reissues on thin, floppy vinyl with no depth to the grooves. There are a lot of 70's and early 80's reissues of great earlier recordings that sound like crap - seek out the originals if you can.

Welcome back to vinyl. For some of us the hunt can be half the fun.

Tony

[AudioNut]

New and used records (LP's) from the sources named above are usually so expensive that it would be difficult and very costly to put together a representative collection, purchasing from those places.

I occasionally purchase a single LP or two at the exorbitant prices that those places charge, but this is a major exception for me rather than the rule.

I find that the best places to find a large numbers of records at affordable prices are from individuals or businesses that really don't have any idea of what they have or what they are selling, and certainly no idea of their worth.

I've found that almost all classical records found in the places I name are "like new", as are most good jazz records. Easy listening, soundtracks, etc. records my be more "iffy" but have usually been taken care of by previous owners. Pop/rock in good condition are harder to find.

1. Thrift stores - Good Will, Salvation Army etc. These establishments have been the beneficiaries of people who no longer have room for their record collections and just want to give them away, claiming a tax write-off in the bargain. I have bought hundreds of LP's from these places at $1.00 each (sometimes even less). You must look at each record to determine condition before buying, but many, many are mint or even brand-new.

2. Individuals - again these are usually people who just want to get rid of the things that have been taking up space for years. Often they will just give them away, or charge extremely low prices. I remember the largest lot of records I ever bought, was from an audiophile friend, who had decided that digital was his future and offered me his whole collection of over 2,000 "near mint" LP's for the princely sum of $500.00. Didn't take me long to decide on that particular purchase!

3. Yard Sales - I've bought whole "great big" boxes of records from yard sales - often for $5.00 for the whole box - you can sift through the box to see if there are any worthwhile LP's before you purchase, and if there are even 4 or 5 "good ones", you can buy the box and just give the remainder away (give them to a thrift store and write them off) our just let the friendly trash man haul them away for you. I've found a huge number of "good" records at yard sales.

4. If you are looking for either classical or jazz records, I find that used cd/record stores specializing in "rock", often are willing to "dump" the boxes of classical or jazz records that they have sitting in their store-rooms, never having been classified or priced. You can often get these at rock-bottom prices. (again $5.00 - $10.00 for the whole box)

5. Want Ads, Craigs List, etc. Usually individuals who just want to get rid of the things.

6. eBay & Amazon (used vinyl) - never for collectable records, but often you can get good "regular" records at fairly reasonable prices. Problem here is that you are buying "one at a time" and shipping drives the cost up.

Over the years, I've amassed a large number of very good LP's (14,000 ±) and I suppose a large number of the really good ones have come from the sources I've named. I suppose I was fortunate in the fact that I was looking for LP's during the years that folks were "discovering" digital and just wanted to get rid of their LP's. But you can still find thousands of good records from such places.

Remember - Land Fills and trash dumps all over the world are full of LP's that people have thrown-out - so find a way to get the things before they are put in the garbage!

Every month or so, someone who has learned that I collect LP's will tell me that they have some boxes of records in their storage room that they will be happy to give me if I'm interested - and I always am interested and will go pick them up before the person can change his mind.

Good Luck!

[Freestone]

I am not sure how you read that into my questions?

I went on line and saw several different recordings of albums I liked and didn't know which one to purchase or whether there was an even better recording. Or to get the original or a reissue. The 200g version or an import, etc. Or if there were some I should absolutely avoid.

After I get all my favorites then I would like to branch out - but I want high quality.

If there was a review site as well...

Originally Posted by Still-One

Hmmn
Shouldn't you be looking for LPs's of music or artists you enjoy rather than higher quality recordings or pressings? Purchasing "Audiophile Quality" recordings of performances of any format when content is not the goal, is wrong in my opinion.

Jim