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SALT LAKE CITY -- In an age of digital music that can be instantly downloaded into you mp3 player, the vinyl record is gaining in popularity.
Graywhale Entertainment co-owner Dustin Hansen said, "Almost every new release comes out on vinyl now. Very rarely is there something that doesn't."
Hansen says there's a collector's mentality that he believes is the main driving force behind the popularity of the old-fashioned record. The records made these days come with specially colored vinyl, limited edition artwork and extended liners, notes and behind the scenes details of how the music was produced. But even if people buy the record, that doesn't mean that they avoid the digital world?
"People will still download (songs) and come in and buy the album because they want to support the band and they want the tangible piece (of vinyl)," Hansen said.
But how is the sound quality?
"The top 40 pop-rock stuff, the Britney Spears, Lady Gaga things that are out now, I've never really noticed much of a difference in the sound from a CD to what's on a record, except for the actual needle sound that is made," Hansen said.
However the newer vinyl might not have all of the subtle nuances records had back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Digital recordings can't match these nuances exactly. Sadly, most new songs are recorded digitally and then transferred to the analog record. If you buy a vinyl record hoping it will have better sound than a digital download, Hansen says you need to research the label and the musicians to see how it's recorded onto the vinyl.
Average retail price for one of these collectible albums is between $14.99 and $29.99. That may sound very expensive, considering a new song on iTunes costs no more than $1.29.
"If it's $29.99, it's usually a higher audiophile grade. So, it will be a heavier vinyl. The recording will be a little bit better on it. It won't be just a digital transfer. It will be a gatefold vinyl and have more artwork to it," Hansen said.
He says many of the more expensive albums will also come with a CD of the music so customers can download it to their computers.
But despite how much technology has improved since the first time records became popular, care for the vinyl is still the same as it was many years ago. Hansen says you still have to clean the vinyl and properly store it so it doesn't get warped. Plus, if you overplay it, the record needle can distort the grooves, so the music quality drops.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
