New to the world of vinyl? Just getting started? Here are some of the common vinyl record mistakes made by beginners and how to avoid them.
Buying all-in-one vinyl player
One of the most common record player mistakes made by beginners / newbies is to buy an all-in-one vinyl player. I understand for someone who is getting into vinyl might find it intimidating with the myriad of options available. A person may way to get an all-in-one solution in order to dip their toes in the water. While it may be a good idea at first, it can definitely make the wrong first impression on their mind.
The all-in-one vinyl players usually have built in speakers, radio, CD player (sometimes), Bluetooth and more. These players are usually more decorative in look for nostalgic purpose. These players are usually made from cheap material and do not replaceable components which is why they cost so less. My advice is save some money and get a better player to have a good experience and cherish the music on vinyl.
Never touch the grooves
Another common mistake made by beginners is the incorrect way to hold the record. While placing or lifting the vinyl record from the platter there is a tendency to hold the record by the grooves – like holding a paper. This way of holding the vinyl record causes smudging of the record and leaves fingerprints on them. Also, the grooves start collecting dust and dirt from the hand causing playback problems.
The correct way to hold the record is by the edge of the disc using your thumb and fingers of both hands. Using the fingers on either side place or lift the record from the turntable. This way the grooves are clean and sound is not affected. While holding it the same way, insert the record into the inner sleeve for storage.
My vinyl sounds like chipmunk
I am sure many of us have faced this situation before where we are too excited to play the latest vinyl only to realize the playback setting was incorrect. The vinyl records comes in different sizes and have different playback speeds. Depending the record, the player will provide an option to switch between the speed usually 33 and 45 rpm. If you set the wrong speed, your record is going to sound like a chipmunk singing.
Another mistake which could happen is not selecting the correct size of the record (7 inch vs 12 inch) before the playback. If the setting says 12 inch and a EP or 7 inch record was placed on the platter, the needle can get damaged as it will play against the platter or slipmat. So, before playback make sure the settings and record match to avoid damages.
Why does my vinyl sound so quiet
This is one of the more common vinyl record problems everyone runs during the first time when setting up their vinyl players. The music coming out of the turntable is very weak. You need an external device to amplify the sound before it can be heard on speakers. If you connect your turntable to speakers, you will not be able to hear any music.
This makes it important to have an external preamp or amplifier to connect the player to speakers. Modern vinyl players may or may not include a preamp. The vinyl players usually have 2 options available: LINE and Phono. If your turntable has only phono, then you need to connect your turntable to a phono preamp first before connecting to a receiver. The preamp provides an extra stage of amplification of sound. If you turntable has Line option, that means a preamp is already built into the player and can be connected to a receiver. A receiver with built-in preamp has a Phono input as well. Getting the correct setup will result in the proper sound during playback.
Stacking the records
Storage of vinyl records is very important for the longevity of the records. Over a period of time, the records can get deformed, bent and become unplayable if not stored properly. The records need to be flat in order for achieve smooth playback. When the records are stacked over each other like pancakes, the weight of the records with the jacket can cause warping the records at the bottom of the pile. The records may get bent and deformed due to the weight. Warped records do not playback well and can cause wobbly sounds thereby ruining the record
The correct way to store records is to stack them vertically. The records themselves need to be placed inside inner sleeve and then the cardboard jacket. Placing the records inside the jacket can damage them as well.
The plural of vinyl is not vinyls
A very common mistake made by beginners is calling the plural of vinyl as “vinyls“. So, next time someone mentions “vinyls” you know they are probably new to world of vinyl or don’t know what they are talking about 🙂
Conclusion
In this blog post, you learned about some of the common mistakes made by beginners who have just started their journey into the world of vinyl. There are many more I would have listed by maybe save for another blog post. Share some of the mistakes you made when you started out in the comments below.
