Independent record shop to open in Bedford’s Arcade: ‘Bedford ticked all the boxes’ for the owner of a new independent record shop set to open in a Victorian shopping arcade next month. Slide Records, owned by Warren Alsop, will take move into the former Kitchenalia unit at the end of September. Mr Alsop, who signed the lease to the property on Friday, said: “I’m originally from the county, I grew up in Dunstable and I was looking for a town which could use an independent record shop and also suited me and my family…Warren says he is a ‘long-time vinyl addict’ and as well as spending many hours trawling through records at shops across his home town of London, the music-buff has also dug through crates looking for vinyl in cities such as Beirut, Lebanon and Osaka.
Avalon Mall-bound Sunrise Records aims to focus on music: When Sunrise Records opens its doors in the Avalon Mall this October, a company spokesman says customers will be reminded of what music retail shops used to be. “We want to bring back that old record shop experience,” says Benoît Trépanier, eastern Canada regional manager for the independently owned and operated Canadian chain that went from nine stores to 81 across the country this year. “We want customers to spend as much time as they want in our store like we were doing 20 and 25 years ago.” Adding to that feeling of nostalgia will be a selection of more than 2,000 vinyl titles, which, Trépanier explains, is experiencing resurgence.
Audio Exchange sees resurgence in vinyl records, turntables: Audio Exchange, a high-end electronics store located in Henrico, is seeing a new wave of customers interested in records. The store, which opened in 1978 as the Golden Gramophone, still sells vinyl records and turntables as well as other electronics. In fact, one of the co-owners said the store is seeing renewed interest in albums and record accessories. “Our business has been on the increase the last five years. The vinyl business has become a billion dollar business again, between the sale of the actual records, turntables and accessories,” David Bandas said. “It’s booming [and] other than streaming services, it’s the healthiest part of the music business.”
The unbearable burden of superior taste in music: British novelist Magnus Mills has a knack for coming up with stories that cast a comically revealing light on human struggle and perversity. In his debut novel, “The Restraint of Beasts,” which was a finalist for the 1998 Man Booker Prize, the subject was fence-building. In “The Scheme for Full Employment” (2003), it was truck-parts distribution with some illicit cake delivery on the side. In his new novel, “The Forensic Records Society,” the “action” — if you can call it that — is obsessive record-listening. The characters talk about 45 rpm discs (LPs are frowned upon), with firm rules on what order they’re played and strict limitations on how one can react to them.
Millennials cause vinyl records to make a comeback: “Young people still want something tangible and real. Vinyl is taking on the role that the CD used to have,” Vanessa Higgins, the CEO of Regent Street and Gold Bar Records, told The Guardian, She also pointed out how an increase in streaming and digital downloads has encouraged the discovery of more music, thus spurring a desire to own a physical copy. The idea of having tangible and real music is also why De’Lon Warren, a senior majoring in animation and digital arts, believes more millennials are buying records. “They buy them for the same reasons why people like [low-fidelity] hip-hop,” Warren said. “The imperfections. It’s what makes the sound relatable and more human. Vinyls feel more authentic. [“Vinyls” is not a word. —Ed.] With all the processed sounding, mainstream music out today, it’s a nice break.”
Follow Up: Klaudio KD-CLN-LP200 Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner: But the best part about the Klaudio is how it transforms the sound of LPs. I was expecting a reduction in ticks and pops, but wasn’t prepared for the way in which it improved the entire sonic presentation. In addition to making surfaces much quieter, the Klaudio cleaner rendered an improvement in clarity, soundstage depth, and transient performance. The reverb around instruments and voices was more apparent, as was the sense of space between images. Depth increased along with the ability to more clearly hear instruments at the back of the stage. Transient information sounded a little quicker and more prominent in the mix, which gave the music more life and verve. Even new LPs benefited from ultrasonic cleaning; the first thing I do after opening a new LP is pop it in the Klaudio.
6 Steps To Care For Your Vinyl: First of all, any records that you have should be stored properly, this means in an upright position as pictured above. If you leave your records in a flat pile, they will start to warp over time. You can still mix with warped records but is is not ideal as the needle is always prone to jump out of the groove because the record is no longer flat. If the record becomes “dished” (exactly as it sounds) then one side will be difficult to cue as there will be less friction between the record and the slipmat. Warped records also lose a lot of their value should you ever need to sell.
