Vinyl Rules & New Blogs Rising

In this nice piece, Arlen Schweiger, managing editor of Electronic House, describes the great amount of fun he’s enjoyed while getting back into vinyl. Even on a modest analog rig ($50 Technics turntable and $100 Cambridge Audio phono preamp), Arlen has had no trouble noting vinyl’s virtues, which in his experience include wider soundstages, better focused images, and tighter bass. Most of all, it seems, Arlen is enjoying hunting for outstanding bargains on used LPs and sharing his discoveries with friends and family. Be sure to check out the slideshow.

Arlen also gives Stereophile and this blog a big shout-out. So, thanks, Arlen! I’m happy to know I may have helped in some small way. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have wonderful, supportive friends. Through this love of music and vinyl records, I have met many fascinating, beautiful people, have enjoyed unforgettable conversations and experiences, have discovered more than a lifetime’s worth of amazing music, and have learned so much. (Extra-special thanks will always go to a couple of dudes—you know who you are—for kidnapping my sorry ass, shoving me into the Princeton Record Exchange, and forcing a Rega P3 on me.)

There is a truly special community of vinyl-loving music fans out there, not only championing the experience of listening to music on a big, black disc, but also working to preserve an outstanding art form, while eager to pass on their unique understanding of the good life. But it’s not something that’s really thought about like that: It’s done because it’s fun. Something wonderful happens just about every day, and it’s all because of music.

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Speaking of friends and wonderful things, two of my friends have new blogs. Nina Myers brings us Fashionopolis, “a window into the world of NYC style,” while Al Bjornaa offers Poop Or Not Poop, “a music review site for people too busy to read, hate reading, or can’t read.”

So, check those out.

COMMENTS
Arlen Schweiger's picture

Thanks Stephen! The analog's modest, for now - rest is Paradigm/Anthem that sure helps the sweet sounds :) Perhaps my next pickup will be a colorful Rega. We'll have to find a record store in Connecticut to meet halfway and go hunting.

David Lord's picture

As someone who does not have a turntable, I am wondering if audio enthusiasts could invent some happy retro name for my beloved small shiny discs (after all, it seems CD is almost obsolete so its OK if they become retro now). 'Plastic' and 'digital' does not have the same cachet as 'vinyl'. However my CD player works nicely, and new CDs are usually much cheaper than new vinyl, and when you have a child around, are a little more durable - I know, as I was a child once and all my parents LPs are a bit scratched.

Ridfan's picture

I've been in the vinyl fraternity for 2 years now and it still hits me at the right spot when I drop that needle after work. Nothing like it. On my side of the world (South East Asia), vinyl collecting and listening requires abit of money though (even second-hand products have inflated prices), which is why I'm appreciative of companies like REGA(GO REGA!) that make it possible for someone like me who doesn't earn that much to enjoy vinyl too.

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