With the advent of the ever expanding Internet, it has become possible to listen to any music you want at your convenience. Ever since the introduction if the iPod, we are able to easily stream most music wherever and whenever we want. Most of these devices, however, still need to be coupled with a very good headset or earphones.
Due to the nature and size of compressed digital music, most of it that’s hard over a set of earphones, for instance, does not sound as good as it should be. Music enthusiasts have gone a step further to equate music to art as well. These so called audiophiles would not settle for anything less than a high-end stereo system or even an archaic record player system.
The question here is: are vintage record players able to beat the modern high-end speaker systems that we have today? The answer really depends on what type of music you enjoy. For most people of the younger generation, music really means anything fun and full of beats that you can dance or bob your head to. The older generation, on the other hand, might prefer slower and softer music that is of a relaxing nature. Think along the lines of Mozart or Bach. In such instances, record players are generally preferred, but if you still find these devices too old for your taste, there are also the modern turntables that you could consider getting.
Although these two terms are interchangeably used, turntables are actually quite different. These are used by DJs in clubs or parties wherein the records or discs can be spun to create an entirely different musical style. Record players are more for music listeners that enjoy the rustic and relaxing pieces of smooth, flowing music. Although most record players nowadays have been modernized to a certain extent to cater to the younger crowd, you might still be able to find some really good, old vintage types of such players around, including some of the top record players that are still relevant and selling well up till now. Granted, the list has both record players and turntables mixed together, these are essentially the best that you can possibly get your hands on today if you’re feeling nostalgic.
You might find that you’ll prefer these devices than the modern stereo systems these days. In short, if you’re considering getting either a record player or a speaker system today, here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons of both of them.
Pros of record players/turntables:
- have a vintage feel to them
- collectible items that could potentially rise in value as there are lesser numbers of these around
- rustic, scratchy bits that just feel authentic as opposed to modern studio-produced music nowadays
Cons:
- much more expensive than a piece of CD or downloadable music online
- can scratch easily and thus, get damaged
- your record player may get damaged if the records playing on it are in bad shape
Whichever it is you opt for, both are fine choices. It’s just a matter of whether you’re willing to spend a little more care and effort in preserving your record players and vinyls after you’re done using them. As to the age-old question of whether music can be equated to art, my answer is yes indeed, it can.