Crafting the perfect album is a true art form. There’s a certain level of skill required in taking a collection of individual songs and compiling them into a finished body of work. When everything comes together, an otherwise ordinary handful of tracks become something extra special, capturing the heart and minds of music fans for decades to come. So what … Read More
Opened in 1976 by Geoff Travis, the original Rough Trade store based in West London would eventually spawn a series of record stores and a record label responsible for some of the most loved acts to immerge from the British independent music scene. Sound Matters visited the iconic Rough Trade West to explore what makes this place historically important and a … Read More
Guest contributor Brandon Stoner tells the story behind Let it Bleed the 8th British and 10th American studio album from The Stones. A huge thank you to Vinyl Pursuit who provided the album for this Classic Albums feature. Learn how you can get vintage vinyl for 15% less at the bottom of this article. Gimme Shelter In 1969 the world … Read More
As the industry continues to feel the strain of long production times and frustrations with quality control, could this be a sign of more things to come? In a recent major statement, the leading vinyl record subscription service, VMP (Vinyl Me, Please), announced plans to open its own pressing plant in Denver, Colorado. In the statement, VMP CEO, Cameron Schaefer … Read More
Getting the best possible sound from any vinyl record collection requires a significant amount of discipline. Unlike digital music, it requires lots of time and maintenance to keep the music flowing and the sound quality sharp. As vinyl collectors, we like to think we possess the patience necessary to reap the rewards – but come on, be honest, you’ve been … Read More
Owning physical copies of your favorite albums is the best way to experience music. They’re collectible, tactile, and in many cases, beautiful works of art. Best of all, with the right recording, mastering, and production, they sound fantastic. Unlike streaming services, of course, records take up space. As your collection grows, you’ll need to find more spaces in your home … Read More
Back in 2020, Hungarian innovators HEXMAT turned the platter mat market on its head with the truly unique Yellow Bird record isolator. The new Eclipse model promises further improvements on the initial concept. Can it deliver? Sound Matters put the HEXMAT Eclipse through its paces. Platter mats are often overlooked in the turntable accessory market. After all, why would a … Read More
GrooveWasher now has not just one but three different record cleaning pads. The two additional cleaning pads are said to have distinct advantages and serve very specific purposes. The topic of how to clean vinyl records is fairly contentious. After all, each record collector has their preferred method and products for maintaining clean records that sound great. As the saying … Read More
In a recent feature, we explored the weird and wonderful world of run-out groove messages. From mastering engineer signatures to hidden messages and inside-jokes, there is a whole world of interesting etchings to explore. Closely related to this topic is the world of audible locked grooves. Standard records have a locked groove at the end of each side, usually in … Read More
We’re delighted to provide you with a chance of winning GrooveWasher’s Mondo Record and Stylus Care System. The Mondo bundle is their top-of-the-line care package and comes complete with GrooveWasher’s beautiful solid walnut handle and display block. You will also receive an SC1 Stylus Cleaning Kit, the vibrant splash landing towel, and a sizable 8oz refill bottle. With all this … Read More