By Erika Kuehl | Staff Writer
I’ve recently been graced with a record collection in my childhood home. From Led Zeppelin to Fleetwood Mac, my house is constantly filled with the warm sound of vinyl records.
Even though I have excellent headphones, listening to vinyl on a record player is still the best way to listen to music.
The technology of vinyl has mostly stayed the same since the 1930s. Listening to music on Spotify or Apple Music is convenient, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. The sound of vinyl is much closer to what you would hear at a concert or a live show.
According to The Oregonian, the analog format allows artists to transport their music from magnetic tape to LP to speakers or headphones without the complications of digital conversion. This, ideally, is the closest one can get to what the artist intended.
“I think this is what people like about it: It pins very closely to the way that human beings hear music organically,” Adam Gonsalves, a mastering engineer specializing in CD, vinyl and download projects, said in the article. “It’s very mid-range-y and very warm, a sound that flatters the fuzzy guitars of rock ‘n’ roll.”
You’re also forced to listen to an entire album when listening to vinyl. Most of the time, people hear one or two songs they enjoy from an artist and move on. In my experience, listening to vinyl has enabled me to understand musical theory and style in a way I couldn’t before. It allows me to comprehend the message of the music rather than passively listen.
Listening to vinyl is a tactile experience — picking out a record, placing it on the turntable and putting down the needle. Having a record collection is a time capsule into your musical journey that you’ll have for a lifetime. This process becomes much more intentional than pressing shuffle on Spotify or turning on the radio.
The crackle and pop heard from a turntable is what makes it so special. There are more convenient and reliable ways to play music, but vinyl delivers music with the charm of a live show and the emotion of slow-dancing in the kitchen.
