David Richard

Let’s start with the obvious. Turn up the volume! Just kidding, I know you already tried that. The truth is: there are a number of things that can cause a record player to be too quiet. But there is one reason that is by far the most common. And it has to do with the […]

Over the past 10 years, prices for vinyl records have been steadily increasing. Well, they were steadily increasing. Until last year. Since the start of the pandemic, prices have actually shot up drastically. Buying a vinyl record now costs much more than it did just two years ago. What is the reason for this? Vinyl […]

Victrola and Crosley are both entry-level brands. They make low cost record players that work well, but they won’t blow anyone away with their quality. They don’t sound amazing and they generally only have basic features. But they’re a good value. So which brand is better? To be honest: they’re very close. In the end, […]

If you play enough records, it will happen eventually. The tonearm suddenly slips out of the groove while the record is playing. It skates across the surface of the record and potentially leaves behind a vicious scratch. Why does a turntable stylus suddenly slip out of the groove and skate across the surface? Keep reading […]

Both Jensen and Crosley are known for entry-level turntables. That means low prices, but also some quality issues. Their turntables generally work well, but the sound quality is lacking. As long as you are aware of that, their record players offer good value. But which one is better? That’s impossible to answer. They are pretty […]

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. Playing a USB turntable through computer speakers is far from ideal. Those tiny speakers are never going to give you the sound quality you want. But sometimes, they might be your only option. Or perhaps you have some other reason to play your music though them, […]

Some vinyl records seem ridiculously short. In some cases, an album is even broken up over two separate vinyl discs. But then there are other albums on a single record that are actually longer. What gives? Why does the amount of music on a vinyl record vary so drastically? It turns out there is a […]

Some receivers have built-in phono preamps. The same goes for some record players. Is it a problem if both have preamps? Do you use them both? Or do you not use either and get an external preamp instead? The best answers to these questions depend on a few things. Keep reading to get the answers […]

Crosley turntables have a bit of a reputation. And it’s not a good one. They make low cost record players that are quite popular with first-time buyers on a budget. As usual, you get what you pay for. But do Crosley turntables really ruin records? Or is that just an exaggeration. The truth is: they […]

You only have two options. It should not be that hard to choose. But both belt drive and direct drive turntables have distinct advantages. That makes it a bit more difficult to decide on one over the other. The good news is that there is a definite favorite. But it depends on how you plan […]