Up until the late 1950s, commercial music was mixed in mono. Even then, it took some time for stereo to take off, and it wasn’t until the late 1960s that stereo went mainstream. In the early days of stereo, many engineers took the opportunity to experiment and play with the format. It’s not uncommon for the stereo version of a … Read More
How to Clean Vinyl Records by Hand
In an ideal world, we’d all be able to clean vinyl records with a fancy, purpose-built device, such as a vinyl vacuum system or an ultrasonic cleaning setup. Unfortunately, however, many of these advanced cleaning methods are either cost-prohibitive or impractical for the average vinyl record collector. Consequently, many of us must settle for good old fashioned hand cleaning. I … Read More
Albums for Winter – Five Fire-Side Records for the Season
Just a couple of months ago, as the leaves turned a fiery golden red, we began a series exploring the effect seasons have on our musical palette. We listed our top cozy albums for fall/autumn, and then asked you, the readers, to share your personal favorites. With winter now upon us, and Christmas just a few days away, it’s time … Read More
Mastering Vinyl: Alchemy’s Barry Grint on What Makes a Great Record, and the Importance of Quality Control
When it comes to producing and releasing a vinyl record, much of the final outcome hangs on the mastering process. During this final polishing stage, a great mix can either be sent to the stratosphere or drowned in a ditch (figuratively speaking). Any mastering engineer worth one’s salt will take a great deal of care in ensuring the hard work … Read More
Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU Vacuum Record Cleaning Machine Review
Sound Matters test Pro-Ject’s new and improved flagship vacuum-powered record cleaning machine: Keeping your vinyl records clean is essential if you want them to sound great for a lifetime and beyond. For this reason, vinyl record cleaning remains one of the most-read topics on Sound Matters. For those on a tight budget, you can achieve great results cleaning records by … Read More
Hate Dust? These Premium 4-Mil Inner Record Sleeves Could be Just the Ticket
Canadian-based company, Vinyl Storage Solutions (VSS) made a big impact on the vinyl community earlier this year when their innovative take on the humble outer record sleeve began flying off the shelves. Company founder, Mike Sarazin set out to improve on existing designs by incorporating 100% North American materials, and by introducing an innovative dual pocket design. (Check out our … Read More
The Vinyl Alliance – Why Co-Founder, Bryan Ekus Wants to Unite the Record Industry
As 2019 draws to a close, Vinyl records continue to thrive. Just a couple of months ago, new figures released by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) revealed that vinyl sales figures could surpass CD for the first time since 1986. In our digital age, the rebirth of vinyl is nothing short of spectacular, but, for momentum to continue, … Read More
Albums for Autumn – Four Cozy Records for Fall
As the seasons change, so does our desire for music, food, drink, and many other pleasures that make life worth living. As spring passes to summer, and summer to autumn (or fall depending on where you live), we’re encouraged into a state of reflection that reminds us of our own humanity. Put more eloquently, in the words of Yoko Ono: … Read More
Are Vinyl Download Cards Dead?
Just a few short years ago, vinyl download cards were considered fairly standard practice. They were part of the package, part of the appeal of buying vinyl – if only as a bonus. And at the time, it made sense. Digital downloads were still a mainstream format for music consumption, and a downloadable copy made the physical vinyl more appealing … Read More
Black Circle Radio Interview – Ten Years of All-Vinyl Broadcasting
Now in its tenth year, Michigan-based Black Circle Radio (BCR) is celebrating a full decade of all-vinyl programming. Their eclectic display of music and impeccable dedication to music on wax has earned them a strong reputation across the vinyl community. To mark this significant milestone, and to see what the future holds, we caught up with BCR founder and host, … Read More