Are turntables and records worth it financially?

[Ice White]

You can easily fall vertically down the rabbit hole hemorrhaging money on upgrading equipment and sourcing alleged EX/EX first pressings.
Or you can keep things simple and gradually improve on things as you learn.
For me,in the long run the best investments are a stylus brush,a digital scale and something on the lines of a Spinclean.Without those three records will never sound as they are intended to.
As for investments,I bought this sealed for a fiver,unsold stock clearance.

https://www.discogs.com/release/6770050-Marina-And-The-Diamonds-Froot

Why it commands so much money is beyond me and I'm glad it only cost a fiver as it has a click running all the way through one side.I would have been mightily floored if I had paid the going rate for a sealed copy.
In fact it did do me a huge favour as the white vinyl clearly showed how much a felt mat sheds it fibres,so in the end it was a fiver well spent.

 

[Metalownz]

Turntables like mentioned will hold value. Original pressings of albums will sell to those that want them. But you can't get into this hobby for that. Its all about enjoying the music first and gear second. They go hand in hand. I got into vinyl for the sound. Yes, that's right, the sound. I grew up where my family had a console and it sounded ok. But later on in life i got to hear a real turntable and never looked back.

 

[muovimies]

If you don't abuse your records they last practically forever and while the quality might degrade with very heavy use overtime, it's a gradual process and it really does take a lot to wear down a record, again without abuse.

I have never experienced vinyl records going bad on their own but I have had that happen with several CDs.

Not everything is available in streaming or even on CD, or the CD might be rarer than the vinyl.

If everything you want to hear is available digitally and you don't mind not owning a physical copy/are happy with cd-r for that, no reason to bother with vinyl unless you want a hobby with potential for endless tweaking and bottomless pit for money if you so decide.

 

[jsisk]

I started buying records in the 70's and never stopped.

If I was 30-something, I doubt I would start buying vinyl for the first time. Not because of cost. When you adjust for inflation, the prices haven't really changed. It is more about the availability. During the peak of my record buying years from 1978 to 1988 you could walk into a Tower Records and find almost everything. Back then records would get re-pressed for eternity. If stocks started getting low, they would stamp out more. You did not walk into a record store with money in your pocket and leave with something.

Today, most of what I would like to buy is not currently available new on vinyl.

 

[curtisw99]

Im fairly new to audio enthusiasm and I've just been thinking about records from a purely financial point of view...

With the high cost of turntables, styluses and records is it worth starting a collection? It seems to me as an outsider looking in that price affects everything, from the quality of music to the selection. Also, everything eventually wears out with the frequency of using...records and styluses get worn, so much that it seems you don't want to use your rare records for fear of ruining them.

I know CDs and FLAC files may have a while to go before they get the same characteristics as vinyl but they have their advantages. You can access almost anything via the internet...

Doesn’t have to be expensive
I buy vintage Duals for ~$100 and refurbish them myself.
AT91 great cartridge for $30
ATVM95C great cartridge $50
A soft sponge and soapy water works fine for cleaning used records.
I don’t care what pressing I get, my records are usually less than $15

 

[joel27]

I think I would think none of our audio equipment is financially worth it from a gain perspective but it is 100% financially worth it as far as enjoyment goes.

 

[Mr Boochie]

I think I would think none of our audio equipment is financially worth it from a gain perspective but it is 100% financially worth it as far as enjoyment goes.

There are some things in life that you just can't put a dollar sign on. And those are sometimes the best things!

 

[doctor fuse]

I think I would think none of our audio equipment is financially worth it from a gain perspective but it is 100% financially worth it as far as enjoyment goes.

The OP might not be talking about gaining a profit by investing in a vinyl playback system; I am interpreting his question as “is it good value”? As in, is it relatively low-cost.

That’s why I would advocate for anyone interested in HiFi but not particularly drawn to analog formats over digital formats, to go for a digital system. You can put together a digital system that is light years better than a $10,000 digital system in 1986, for a few hundred dollars (if you are open to great sounding gear but not after particular specific “cachet” brands and models).

 

[joel27]

The OP might not be talking about gaining a profit by investing in a vinyl playback system; I am interpreting his question as “is it good value”? As in, is it relatively low-cost.

That’s why I would advocate for anyone interested in HiFi but not particularly drawn to analog formats over digital formats, to go for a digital system. You can put together a digital system that is light years better than a $10,000 digital system in 1986, for a few hundred dollars (if you are open to great sounding gear but not after particular specific “cachet” brands and models).

If that is what the OP is referring to then I agree with you 100%

 

[Greenie]

I'm always amused by some friends "horror" at the current price of new vinyl.

These were the same people paying £15 for CDs in 1985, almost double the price of vinyl in the uk back then.

 

[gadget73]

if you adjust the price of records 50 years ago to today's prices, it stops seeming so absurd. Honestly most things stop seeming so expensive if you do this.


Now that we've all gone on about how terrible records are, let me relate another story from not long ago. Several of us were at @Blue Shadow 's place demoing a Marantz 7 and Marantz 8b that I had finished working on. We put on a record, something classical, I forget what exactly. Then we switched to the same recording through my DAC from a lossless streaming service. Don't ask me which, it wasn't my account. The conclusion was that the streaming was technically superior while the record was more musical.

There is also just something about the whole process of messing with the media that I find satisfying. I also enjoy fixing fiddly mechanical things, and record players are absolutely that.

 

[stereofanboy]

I have to say that although physical media matters to me, I probably wouldn't go with records if I were starting now.

I bought the bulk of my records when most people were dumping theirs and I paid pennies on the dollar. Records are so expensive now that I couldn't justify the cost to start a collection.

You could pick up a decent enough turntable for $2-300, so I guess it'd be worth it if you inherited a record collection.

 

[Gigantic]

I have to say that although physical media matters to me, I probably wouldn't go with records if I were starting now.

I bought the bulk of my records when most people were dumping theirs and I paid pennies on the dollar. Records are so expensive now that I couldn't justify the cost to start a collection.

You could pick up a decent enough turntable for $2-300, so I guess it'd be worth it if you inherited a record collection.

I dunno, I did that after rebuilding from scratch about 3-1/2 years ago. I've bought about 250 vinyls, most of them new since then. I worked in record stores in the late 80's and early 90's and adjusted for inflation, LP's cost about the same or less as they did back in the day. Most of the pressings I've purchased are better than they were 40 years ago, more than 60% of the titles I have are 180g pressing, which used to be relatively rare.

 

[shawnwes]

My experience is that remasters or reissues do not automatically reduce the value or price of good originals. Sometimes, they indirectly raise prices by increasing public awareness of the original pressings.

Also, I don't know Joe Harley's mastering work, but sometimes the remasters aren't as good as the originals. For example — and in my opinion — none of the remasters of Dusty's "Look Of Love" are as good as the original 1967 Colgems (RCA Indianapolis), if it's in good shape.

The OG collecting side of the hobby is a different game altogether and often about protecting the investment by those in the game. Joe Harley has been heavily involved in 3 Blue Note re-issues series over the last 15+ years: Music Matters, Tone Poet & Blue Note Classics. Well worth reading up on, esp the Music Matters series which is mostly sold out now . A decent condition OG Blue Note will start at $250+ and w/o trying hard can easily top $1k if in VG+ condition. These and other re-issue series are a godsend to those who prefer to listen via lp than digital and often equal or at least close to the SQ of the orig. $30-$50 vs $1k is an easy choice for most. I've got a Classic Records pressing of Casino Royale & it's quite good.

This one arrive today. $31 CAD & tax.

 

[enricosonic]

I dunno, I did that after rebuilding from scratch about 3-1/2 years ago. I've bought about 250 vinyls, most of them new since then. I worked in record stores in the late 80's and early 90's and adjusted for inflation, LP's cost about the same or less as they did back in the day. Most of the pressings I've purchased are better than they were 40 years ago, more than 60% of the titles I have are 180g pressing, which used to be relatively rare.

180g, 200g - this means nothing in terms of SQ. Granted you may get more resistance to heat-related warpage if you like to sunbathe by the pool with your portable TT.

The mastering and original source recordings are more important than the thickness of vinyl. Not to mention the quality/reputation of the pressing.

I have some awful “heavyweight” vinyl reissues. So very many that I felt compelled to post this.

 

[Mr Boochie]

180g, 200g - this means nothing in terms of SQ. Granted you may get more resistance to heat-related warpage if you like to sunbathe by the pool with your portable TT.

The mastering and original source recordings are more important than the thickness of vinyl. Not to mention the quality/reputation of the pressing.

I have some awful “heavyweight” vinyl reissues. So very many that I felt compelled to post this.

I have some pretty darn warped-out 180-gram audiophile pressings. These guys don't like to straighten out, either.

 

[enricosonic]

I have some pretty darn warped-out 180-gram audiophile pressings. These guys don't like to straighten out, either.

I, and you and others may too, have Creedence vinyl on Fantasy, early pressings. They almost wobble as you hold them yet sound fantastic. Are they even 100g vinyl? Don’t know, I haven’t weighed them

 

[Mr Boochie]

I, and you and others may too, have Creedence vinyl on Fantasy, early pressings. They almost wobble as you hold them yet sound fantastic. Are they even 100g vinyl? Don’t know, I haven’t weighed them

A lot of early pressings are dead flat. Then some are pressed way off center. It pays to have a tonearm and cartridge that can track these hazards.

Sara Smile.
Off "Daryl Hall & John Oates." RCA PG-130. RVC pressing (Japan). 1980.
Run-out: 〄 Ⓑ RCA 6331 A Ⓢ

You know what is really wild? I know I have several of these off-center pressings that I've uploaded. I never labeled them "off-center" in YouTube's description anywhere.

BUT if I type off-center in YouTube's search box in my account, I get a bunch of songs I uploaded that are off-center.

Man, this AI thing is crazy.

 

[enricosonic]

I really don’t know how freaked out to be about AI. I tend to have a low pulse rate on this sort of thing. But - this is rather unprecedented.

Not a H & O fan except for Sara Smile, I bought the 45 when I was maybe 11-12. Had to be mid late ‘70s not 1980. I don’t know if I’m older or younger than you.

 

[Mr Boochie]

I'm o

I really don’t know freaked out to be about AI. I tend to have a low pulse rate on this sort of thing. But - this is rather unprecedented.

Not a H & O fan except for Sara Smile, I bought the 45 when I was maybe 11-12. Had to be mid late ‘70s not 1980. I don’t know if I’m older or younger than you.

I'm older than the stains on Lizzie Borden's floor.