Every so often, an album comes along that changes everything. Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is one of those albums and a classic landmark body of work within the hip-hop and rap genre. When VMP (Vinyl Me Please) announced the album as their September Essentials Record of the Month, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate another classic album. … Read More
Top Vinyl Record Collecting Tips & Life Hacks
Every vinyl record collector has a few tricks up their sleeve, a few hacks to make life easier and help them get back spinning records. In the following article, we share our top vinyl record collecting tips and some of the hacks we’ve learned along the way that help you preserve your collection, save money, and even avoid potential disasters … Read More
Parts of a Record Player – Turntable Anatomy Explained
Record players and turntables are outstanding feats of engineering. I hear all the time from new vinyl collectors about how amazing they find the playback process of a vinyl record. It’s little wonder folks find the mechanics of how a record player works so fascinating. After all, it’s a miracle the process even works at all! In the following guide, … Read More
Turntable Phono Preamps Explained – Do You Need One?
If you’re new to the world of vinyl records, it may surprise you to learn that you can’t simply plug your turntable into most sound systems, just as you might do with any other piece of audio equipment. (Or at least not without a phono preamp). The good news is, you might already own one… In this article, you will … Read More
Is it safe to clean vinyl records with alcohol?
There is much debate among the vinyl community around the use of alcohol to clean vinyl records. Isopropyl alcohol, in particular, is popular with many collectors as a key ingredient in homemade record cleaning solutions. But is it safe? Some collectors swear by it, others warn of potential hazards. To help shed some light on the topic, we’ve done a … Read More
Fall Giveaway: Win a Sound Matters Designed Hoodie and T-Shirt of Your Choice
As we start heading into the cooler months, we’re giving Sound Matters subscribers the chance to win one of our popular hoodie and t-shirt designs. The lucky winner can choose one hoodie and one t-shirt from the Sound Matters store. Our designs celebrate the continued resurgence in vinyl records despite the relentless progress of our digital age. Show your support … Read More
Guard Your Records Against Moisture with Desiccant Cards
When considering how to store our vinyl records for the long term, it’s essential to consider the humidity of your environment and the subsequent exposure to moisture. If the humidity of our storage location starts to exceed around 55% or higher, we run the risk of mold growing on the record sleeve (or worse, on the vinyl itself). If practical, … Read More
How to Fix Split Seams on Record Jackets
If you buy a lot of used records, you’ll surely have encountered a record jacket or cover with a ripped or split seam. Aside from looking unsightly, split seams pose a real headache for collectors as the record can easily fall out of the sleeve, causing damage. Split seams are extremely common, and there are several ways to approach fixing … Read More
Speaker Placement Best Practice for Optimal Sound Quality
For the best possible sound quality, the location of your audio equipment matters. Even the most affordable set of speakers will benefit from proper speaker placement. You’d be surprised just how much you can improve the performance of the most humble setup by getting your speakers positioned just right. So before you reach for your wallet and consider upgrading your … Read More
Record Cleaning Machines vs Cleaning Records by Hand
There is undoubtedly more than one way to clean a vinyl record. Collectors will debate until the end of time about the best methods and tools, but in the main, there are two core approaches: either manual cleaning by hand or using a record cleaning machine. But which method is best? Should you invest in a record cleaning machine? Given … Read More
