Groovalo Ethical Record Subscription Review

Marc HenshallReviewsLeave a Comment

Inspired by the concept of a more sustainable future, Groovalo are seeking more renewable sources of new music. In doing so, they hope to support artists while rewarding fans with outstanding music for many years to come. As vinyl sales look set for another record-breaking year, it’s perhaps no surprise to see the popularity of record subscription services traverse a … Read More

Sound Matters Supports the Making Vinyl Conference

Marc HenshallCulture & Industry, NewsLeave a Comment

We are proud to support this year’s Making Vinyl conference. A virtual event with a physical feel. Each year, the Making Vinyl conference takes place across the United States and Europe, helping to bring together a collective voice of experts, icons, and industry legends that are passionate about the vinyl record industry.  Making Vinyl brings together representatives from the world’s … Read More

Festive Giveaway: Win a GrooveWasher Record Cleaning Bundle

Marc HenshallNewsLeave a Comment

By anyone’s standard, 2020 has been a challenging year. So as we head into the final month of the year, we’re bringing back our competition series to help spread a little joy around the festive season. 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 … Read More

How is the Vinyl Record Industry Weathering COVID19?

Marc HenshallCulture & IndustryLeave a Comment

The vinyl record industry, and the wider music business, is a passionate industry led by devoted people. It’s a labor of love while at the same time providing a genuinely fulfilling livelihood to thousands across the globe. So what happens when an unexpected and unprecedented global crisis hits the industry you love? To learn more about the impact of COVID19 … Read More

Technics SL1500C Review

Marc HenshallReviews8 Comments

When I needed a realistically priced utility deck for my new studio office, I turned to the Technics SL1500C. Designed to sit alongside the ubiquitous SL1200 models, the 1500C sports all the performance you’d expect from Technics with a stripped-down feature-set and user-friendly design. The Technics SL1200 series is considered a classic across the DJ circuit as a long-running success … Read More

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo Review

Marc HenshallReviews5 Comments

The Debut Carbon we all know and love, with just a little extra class and sophistication. What’s not to like? We explore the latest addition to Pro-Ject’s prominent entry-level turntable range. The Debut Carbon DC is admired across the vinyl community as a minimalist deck that nails all the essentials. For many, it still represents the standard in what it … Read More

Automatic vs Manual Turntables

Marc HenshallNew to Vinyl, Vinyl 1018 Comments

When choosing a new turntable, there are many factors to consider. In most cases, your final decision will come down to a balance between price, features, quality, and personal preference. One aspect that is often misunderstood is the choice between automatic and manual turntable designs. After all, if you can remove effort and work by purchasing an automatic deck, why … Read More

What’s the best turntable for beginners?

Marc HenshallNew to Vinyl16 Comments

Due to the continued growth in vinyl record sales, the demand for entry-level turntables and records players is greater than ever. Increasing numbers of consumers are rediscovering physical music formats, with vinyl now outselling CD for the first time since 1986. Naturally, as demand grows, more manufacturers are offering entry-level turntables designing to appeal to new collectors. So which turntable … Read More

New Vinyl Quality Control – I’m Running Out of Patience

Marc HenshallCulture & Industry67 Comments

Considering vinyl records are pitched as a premium or luxury product, the quality control of some new vinyl releases leaves much to be desired… Pressing faults and the quality of new vinyl is a topic we’ve covered before. Sadly, there are several common faults to watch out for, which can be a cause for headache for many record enthusiasts.  To … Read More

Right cover, wrong record. The perils of buying used vinyl

Marc HenshallCulture & Industry8 Comments

During a recent impromptu trip to an out-of-town record store, I stumbled across one of my personal ‘holy grail’ albums… Or at least that’s what I thought… The record in question was an original 1969 copy of Unicorn by Tyrannosaurus Rex (later known as T-Rex, of course) on the British Regal Zonophone label. I’m not old enough to remember the … Read More