The turntable and old school headphones. Why are they popular again?

1. It’s Really Fun.

First there is the novelty of it, especially for the younger music lovers that grew up “digital”. Discovering new music and playing it back on a magic spinning vinyl record is loads of fun.

2. Better Quality Sound.

Second is the higher quality sound that you get from vinyl when playing it back on a well set up turntable. The only reason that the CD and then digital music became so popular was not for its superior sound quality, it was for the convenience.

3. It forces us to slow down.

We lead a busy and distracted life. From your house to your car to your phone, you can’t go far without running into some electronic device that needs your attention and requires input. Playing a vinyl record on a turntable forces you to slow down – even if only long enough to clean the vinyl record. Once you place the needle of the turntable in the groove of the record, there is little else you can do besides listen – when was the last time you listened to an entire album?

4. Intimacy.

To play a vinyl record you have to physically walk over to the turntable, clean the dust off the record, put the record on the turntable platter and stay in close proximity so you can flip the record over when it finishes playing. This ritual gives listeners an intimate listening experience. Playing a vinyl record on a turntable allows you to feel as though you are a part of the music you are listening to. You feel connected to the music, and rewarded for the effort you put in to make it play.