Back To The Future
I began listening to records in my parents living room in the late 50’s. My father was a “jazz” fan so I was treated to all kinds of instrumental jazz, with the occasional vocalist making his play list. I started buying my own records when I was nine years old after having ruined my father’s new copy of Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” by playing it in my bedroom on a cheap, suitcase “stereo.” The “needle” of my little turntable literally ground down the grooves of Dad’s prized album. To say the least, he wasn’t too happy with me. This was, as it turned out, fortunate as it prompted me to have to earn enough money to buy Dad a new copy of “Kind of Blue.” I think my allowance at that time was fifty cents/week so Dad suggested I buy a used lawn mower, as well as get a paper route. I was able to get a 19” Lawn Boy mower for the grand sum of $25, and this got me started. Thus, I began to understand the concept of productivity, and I’ve never looked back. Dad got a new copy of “Kind of Blue,” and I bought one for myself as well. In fact, I’ve had at least one, “good” copy of Miles’ masterpiece ever since…….
Listening to music is truly one of life’s great pleasures. Listening to music on our own schedule is now the norm, not the exception. In the digital age, we’re able to employ streaming, CD playback, digital radio in our cars, etc., etc.. Despite this reality, the most exciting trend, in my opinion, is the very real comeback of the vinyl LP. This is a trend that I’ve noticed for over ten years, and the sales numbers continue to prove the point - vinyl playback is not a passing fancy. There’s meat on those bones, so-to-speak. Vinyl record sales have continued to improve year after year for the last ten years despite the “record industry” trying to kill off the format over forty five years ago! You see, vinyl records cost more to manufacture than their digital (CD) counterparts - in fact WAY MORE! I know because I’ve produced recordings in both digital and analog formats. Based on actual costs, CD’s should sell for a tenth of the price of LPs so it’s small wonder why the record companies tried to kill vinyl in favor of CD. Despite this simple reality, there’s been a real love affair with producing and selling LPs by companies who care. Thus, Acoustic Sounds and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, to name a couple of the quality companies, make the effort. And the buying public is paying attention.
At Glenn Poor’s Audio Video there’s been a real emphasis on offering turntables, cartridges and phono pre-amps as long as we’ve been in business. Since we genuinely believe in selling the best value products in all categories of systems, we try to offer turntable/cartridge combinations that exceed expectations. We have a real passion for this “analog category,” and that passion is demonstrated whenever we put together a turntable-based system. We even invested in a $6500 Clear Audio record cleaning machine for cleaning our own, and our customers’, LPs. “Why?”, you may wonder do we place so much importance on a format that the recording industry tried to kill off over forty years ago? Is it because of the ritual of buying and playing collectibles? Or, is it because it’s fun to peruse your shelves of LPs in search of nostalgia? Maybe, it’s because you love to read the cover art on something large enough that it doesn’t require magnifying glasses. Some people think it’s the “warm” quality of vinyl playback, but that intimates a loss of detail. I think a good analog playback system just sounds natural. So natural, in fact, that I feel compelled to keep listening.
And that, my friends, is what it’s all about.
Geoff
