Vinyl Renaissance: who releases records in Russia and who listens to them. How much is old vinyl worth?

33 rpm

Until recently, only collectors and DJs who used records for their reckless scratching were interested in “vinyl.” Now the good old format is returning to people. Over the year, according to the same Nielsen, sales increased by at least one and a half times. And this is only data for stores, without taking into account sales at concerts, free print shops and indie chains. According to most experts, taking into account independent players gives a figure showing what kind of Last year The vinyl market has grown significantly and exceeded the level of 10 million units per year. And although in the overall ranking of media, black LPs (long play) are much inferior to rainbow CDs and make up barely 2 percent, the picture is impressive. Whatever you say, the vinyl trend is an objective reality. Moreover, apparently, the trend promises to be stable and long-lasting. In New York, for example, the hunt for “vinyl” has already turned into a fashionable type of shopping. Pretentious and advanced youths wander in droves through the music stores of Manhattan. The lazier ones “shoot” the rarities they find on numerous sites. Through their efforts, the owners of the famous Amazon.com portal are selling 250 thousand units of musical “black gold” for an average of $20. Interestingly, an envelope with the artist’s autograph raises the price approximately 25-30 times. Collectible records are becoming more expensive every year, and if you use them as an investment, you can make 30-40 percent per annum.

Last but not least, reissues of the once famous albums of Jimi Hendrix are in demand (remember the one with a record amount of nudity on the cover, Have Your Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland), The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper... with a crowd of celebrities) , Red Hot Chili Peppers and so on and so forth. More and more people are playing according to the new rules. Stores that previously only had CD departments are introducing vinyl departments.

Of course, both record labels and the musicians themselves are keenly responding to this retro boom. Demand creates supply. In England and the USA, some people are simply starting to release a new record on vinyl. This, for example, promises to be the new joint album of two hard rock legends - Metallica and Black Sabbath. Often musicians do the following. The album is posted on the Internet, but it is not released on compact form. But they make a limited edition on black records. For the advanced.

Marketing director music company"Soyuz" Oleg Pavlov told "Itogi": "Today, there are 20 times fewer vinyl discs in the music we distribute than plastic compacts - about 1000 CDs for 50 vinyls - but the gap is gradually narrowing. In "vinyl" we new records by singers Sade, Depeche Mode, Metallica were sold.Last year there were Keith Emerson, Ian Gillan, Nazareth, Rummstein with latest albums". There are already similar examples in Russia. For example, “Time Machine” and Makarevich with Time Machine. “They recorded on the famous Abbey Road, - continues Pavlov, - why not release it on vinyl? The album was released in a collector's edition of 1000 copies. I myself have a “vinyl” number eight hundred or something.” In general, in the fashion for “vinyl” we do not lag behind the world VIP zone.

By ear and color

The question that inevitably arises is: why is the old regime format now in favor? Because of the invasion of sound files? Or, the more accessible musical fast food is, the more you want eternal values? As they say now, the current trend is the oven. In any case, the reduction in music budgets is rather a benefit for fans of black “pancakes” in large colorful envelopes. Record labels are trying to recoup lost CD profits on LPs. Releasing the latter more and more and playing, of course, on nostalgia. Like, in those days when tube amplifiers ruled the roost, everything was better. The grass is greener, the water is wetter, the overtones are richer and the frequency range is wider. That’s why digital recording can’t hold a candle to analogue recording. This approach is reminiscent of the film industry’s frenzied promotion of the 3D format, designed, under the pretext of super technology, to once again lure the lost flock into the halls, too carried away by home theaters. Only in in this case Instead of “progress,” the bait is, on the contrary, “conservatism.” And little by little, the former audience is expanding: now vinylophiles are not only collectors, but also music gourmets.

Fans of vinyl are confident that its sound is more natural than that of a compact, due to the lack of electronic “compression”. In their opinion, “vinyl” “breathes”, instruments are better placed in the stereo stage space. "Stereoscene" is a virtual concept. The above means that the sound picture, the ratio of instrument voices here are more detailed and convex, and have a greater perspective. The CD supposedly doesn't have all this. What can we say about electronic files? MP3 is just a bare sound track. Soul without body. “The other day I met with Andrey Tropillo,” Alexander Kushnir, director of the Kushnir Production music agency, told Itogi. “Let me remind you, this is the man who recorded all the St. Petersburg rock of the 80s. And so he said: of course, digital technologies and mastering kills the heat that is present in the studios."

However, Artemy Troitsky has a special opinion on this matter: “Now people mostly listen to music downloaded from the Internet. Both “vinyl” and the public CD format have long lost their main function - to be carriers of music - and have turned into souvenirs. Like scarves , caps, posters... These are products for musicians, journalists and crazy music lovers. Well, talk about what is heard better on “vinyl”, I think, is from the evil one. What is really better is the design. It’s one thing when you take a piece of plastic under called "compact". Another thing is a colorful paper album, a thing much more designer than a CD."

However, it is clear that when compacts appeared, the original natural sound began to undergo significant transformations - ever since sequencers, decoders and other excesses appeared. The sound was compressed by compressors during mastering, extraneous and random noise, clicks and rustles were removed from it. As a result, the progressive part of the population switched to distilled CD. In Russia this happened in 1994-1995. But it was precisely those who were the first to change their musical orientation who quickly became full of compressed sound. “I am a lover of “warm” sound,” admits Alexander Kushnir, “and I have a rather bulky device, an English system from 1932. There is a golden reserve of discs - new wave, synth-pop, lounge. Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones are better, of course, to listen to on "vinyl". Although there is one type of CD that I accept - Japanese. I have no idea how they chemistry there, but they managed to create a sound that is as close as possible to analog. And, say, the band Massive Attack is enough for me to listen to on Japanese compacts ". Japanese CDs are a compromise niche. They are good for professionals who place serious demands on acoustics, but are hesitant to completely switch from a laser turntable to an “igloo”. Japanese compacts cost twice as much as regular ones, about 30 dollars versus 16. But they are worth it.

Why aren't people switching to vinyl yet en masse? Probably, the desire to keep abreast of new products is still stronger than the desire to enjoy sound. After all, only big names can afford to release a new product on vinyl, and the process is long. But a young group in Detroit or Manchester posted a new track on the Internet. It was quickly transferred to Russian music lover sites. And here healthy information greed takes over: listen, don’t wait. And when curiosity gets stuck, there is no time for subtleties.

Of course, collecting is a passion, but those who collect records strive for the rich, clear sound that only vinyl can provide. They are called audiophiles, philophonists. Like any rarity, old records have their own value. The price range is very wide, from 3 rubles to the equivalent of the cost of a good car.

The most expensive vinyl disc is listed at £100,000. This is the first disc by the Beatles when they were still called The Quarrymen and belongs to Sir Paul McCartney. In Russia, foreign disks from the 60s and 70s are highly valued, and depending on its condition, it can cost quite a lot of money.

Many, after first tape recorders and then CD players came into fashion, sent their painstakingly collected collections of vinyl discs, some to the attic, and some to the trash heap. Craftsmen made flower pots from them and Wall Clock. But with the cessation of production of gramophone records, they gradually moved from the category of old ones to the category of rarities. And, as you know, they collect rarities and their collections are worth quite a bit.

Vinyl records have also become a collector's passion.

Of course, real collections are not cheap, and purchasing a modern vinyl disc player also costs a lot of money. The simplest player costs about $1000, and more serious equipment costs $100,000. And the cost of a record that has not been filed in good condition starts from $300.

Today there are stores where you can buy old records. Of course, here you are unlikely to be offered a unique copy, and most people cannot afford it. But for those who are restoring lost collections Soviet period, luck may smile. Collections are often compiled by recording studio labels. VTO ​​studios at one time released discs with music of approximately the same direction.

After vinyl records have ceased to be produced, you can find them either from collectors or in specialized stores.

Stores selling vinyl records mainly sell old records, since there are very few new discs coming out and they are very expensive.

Today such a store can offer up to 50 thousand records, and almost each one is in several copies. Vinyl in good condition from 30-40 years ago or jazz from the 40-60s are in great demand. years. Old Western records are considered the most valuable because of the purity of their sound. Modern records don't sound the same anymore. Sellers have to go abroad to buy such records. Previously, records in the best condition and not too expensive could be bought in Sweden. Now records are mainly imported from England and Canada. They are bought from private collectors and in specialized markets. Wembley Stadium in London brings together vinyl sellers and buyers from all over the world almost every weekend. Lately In London, the sale of high-quality records fell sharply. Catalogs are published in England every year, describing rare records and their prices. It is not possible to buy such records on sale; they are sold only through personal contacts or the Internet.

In Moscow, on average, European records cost from 6 to 20 $, from the UK, USA and Canada from 20 to 50 $. English vinyl from the 60s and 70s is considered the best. years

Soviet records produced by the Melodiya company are not in such demand.

Although there are rare recordings on them classical music, Soviet stage, which were never released on other media. But, nevertheless, the Russian market is oversaturated with Soviet records and their prices range from 100 to 400. Gramophone records with the voices of Chaliapin and Leshchenko, records where the voice of Lenin is recorded passionately making speeches at the Congress of the Communist Party are very valuable.

Now, little by little, the production of vinyl records has begun to revive again. Small factories producing vinyl records appeared in Germany and England.

Now they are gradually gaining momentum, as the largest recording studios, in order to avoid piracy, have again begun to release new songs on vinyl discs.

There are collectors who collect vinyl records solely for the labels. In Russia at the beginning of the 20th century, English records were distributed by the Gramophone joint-stock company. The label of the records depicted a figurine of Cupid with a goose feather in his hand - “Writing Cupid”. This emblem was printed on English records only for distribution in Russian Empire. For distribution in other countries, a label was used with an image of a fox terrier sitting under a gramophone pipe - “The Master’s Voice.” In Gramophone labels, color was of great importance. The records with the red label were used to record the most famous performers, popular artists recorded on a plate with a black or green label. All the rest are on a record with a blue label.

Collectors know how rare the first ones are Soviet records with a label on which a peasant in a military jacket is drawn, standing on the globe in the rays of the rising sun with a huge gramophone trumpet in his hand.

On the labels of pre-war discs you could see the stamp “Not for sale.” It was impossible to buy released records with then-popular performers; they could only be exchanged for broken ones by weight. This was due to a shortage of raw materials for releasing records. And already in the 60s, the well-known Melodiya label appeared on records.
vinyl.ru

Vinyl paradise: America is experiencing a mini-record boom

At a time when residents of Russia, Eastern Europe and other countries of the old world are glued to television screens and watch the Eurovision variety show, young people, and not only those in the United States, buy in small stores that are multiplying in major cities, tons of vinyl records. But they recorded completely different music...

Vinyl record sales jumped 89% in 2008, leading to a mini-boom in Los Angeles record stores.

Neil Shield knows first-hand the brutality of the music business, having been fired from a leading digital music distribution company in May last year.

But last month, Shield returned to the music industry when he opened a record store office in Echo Park, Los Angeles. The shelves contain vinyl discs for real gourmets, and at a high price of $100. And, according to the owner, there is no end to buyers. And this is at a time when “digital audio” rules the roost.

In addition, Shield's Origami Vinil store sells exclusively new vinyl, which not so long ago was considered a fossil.

Moreover, Origami is not the only store that opened in Los Angeles, writes the Los Angeles Times. Its competition is from Vacation in Loz Feliz and Little Radio, operating in business center, under the brand of an internet radio station and concert promoter.

The small boom is the result of the new commercial discovery of vinyl and the fact that it is in price among collectors.

While Shield's team was preparing the store for opening, they received a sign from above that they were... the right way. Legendary The Who guitarist Pete Townshend, having read about the store's opening on a blog, paid his first visit to the store.

The return of small stores was as unexpected as the "resurrection" of vinyl. After the first hits on CD hit the US market in 1983, "LPs" began to seem hopelessly outdated. Subsequently, consumer attention focused on mp3 files and online services such as i-Tunes. Servers like Amazon.com became the leading stores.

From 2003 to 2008, more than 3,000 record stores closed in the United States, including Los Angeles icon Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard. Independent stores such as Rhino Westwood and Aron's Records in Hollywood have lost about half their profits, according to estimates from marketing firm Almighty Institute of Music Retail. There are 185 record stores in Los Angeles today, up from 259 in early 2007.

But despite the decline of the overall market, some listeners are beginning to rediscover vinyl. And we're not just talking about old fans who grew up with the old format and who appreciate it for the work of the designers, for the fact that the record was recorded with love, and due to the fact that, according to popular belief, vinyl sounds better.

Long-playing records have become a real talisman for younger generation music lovers.

"I'm always amazed when 15-year-old kids come up and say, 'Wow, that's an original Doors record,'" says Mark Weinstein, founder of the Amoeba Music chain, whose Los Angeles branch is considered the largest independent record store in America.

"The major labels might have thought of this years ago. They'd make a lot of money now," he says.

Gradually, with the expansion of vinyl record reissue catalogs, new albums by famous groups such as U2 began to appear.

Nielsen SoundScan reports that 1.88 million new LPs were sold last year, up 89% from 2007. And this despite the fact that independent manufacturers do not always provide statistics on their sales!

Of course, to listen to records, you need players - and the market responds to the demand with cheap models that are more modern than analogues of previous years. For example, Crosley Radio specializes in retro-style turntables that cost less than $80. In addition, there are models with a USB port so that music from vinyl can be downloaded to a computer.

To stay on the wave, small store owners are organizing music concerts, it helps pay rent. Thus, in the Little Radio store musicians performing in the style of soul or country bands perform.

And in Amoeba chain stores, where new and old superstars such as Richard Thompson sometimes perform, they even record numbered records. This year, Paul McCartney released a disc called Amoeba's Secret - a concert recording of 4 songs performed at the Amoeba store in Hollywood.

Many collectors believe that the red price of a vinyl record is no more than $25. However, production is extremely expensive, and therefore prices for new LPs will not fall soon.

The equipment used to produce vinyl is largely outdated, which limits competition and, consequently, falling prices.

"I don't think the market will grow big enough any time soon for prices to come down," says Record Technology owner Don McLeans. "Our newest machines were built in 1984. The current surge in interest in vinyl is temporary. People will soon realize that records are... "It's an expensive business. But we can only make money if we raise prices, but we are by no means turning over millions."

Even die-hard vinyl fans are skeptical about the future of small shops. According to music lovers, in order for a product to be bought, it must be exclusive. And the choice in small shops is small.

“Of course, it’s cool to go and buy the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Iron & Wine albums, but in order to hook the buyer so that he will come back to your store again, it’s very important to have something different, exclusive, unknown on the shelves,” he reflects. Scott Tarasco, a Los Angeles collector who spends hundreds of dollars a month on vinyl albums, says: "High-quality used vinyl (usually considered the standard of sound - ed.) flies through the door. There must be something in the store that will make me come back to it again."

Even at superstores like Amoeba, new and used vinyl makes up no more than 20% of sales, says chain founder Mark Weinstein.

Sep 19, 2013

Let's start right away with the “meat”. To understand how vinyl remakes are made, it’s a good idea to remember how vinyl records were made before...

A walk into the past

As now, in the “pre-digital” era of sound recording, magnetic tape (film) with the original release was used to stamp records. This is the basis. It was called (and is still called) the master tape. So, from the tape recorder, the sound signal was transferred to a professional specialized device, which had a needle that cut grooves on a soft, waxy disk (it is still called that way, despite the fact that higher-quality, improved analogues have long been used). It resembled a record player in many ways.

Next came complex electroplating procedures involving various chemical and physical manufacturing processes. And all this was necessary in order to create a hard metal cast from a soft disk. And the wax print, as a rule, died heroically, sacrificing itself for the future edition of its brilliant vinyl counterparts.

So, the metal matrix is ​​ready. It turned out to be completely inverse. From this matrix it is quite possible to start printing the circulation of a new album, but the technologists of the past acted differently...

From the resulting inverse matrix, another, most important iron cast was made, and no longer in the least bit inverse. This is how Her Majesty the Mother Matrix was born. Based on this basic iron plate, they produced a large number of exact copies of this matrix, and sent them to the plant’s workshops, to other plants and countries. Vinyl discs were made from these exact copies.

What tricks lead to...

The creation and distribution of a large number of copies of the mother matrix is ​​rather an ideal case and an exception to the rules within the production of a circulation, so it happened that in practice it turned out differently: huge containers with copies of mother matrices were quite difficult to distribute to all the necessary authorities. Because of this, manufacturers often sent a regular copy of the magnetic master tape to foreign factories so that specialists from other vinyl production plants could tinker with it themselves and create a matrix based on it on their own. And it seems that everything was cleverly invented, but the most offensive thing here is that all these “wisdoms” did not have the most effect on the sound quality in the best possible way. After all, a matrix created only from a copy of the master tape can never have the quality of the original.

Mother matrices were not stored forever. If, for example, after a couple of years, the question of reprinting a vinyl edition was raised, then new matrices were created, and the original master tape was not always used as the basis.

This is how the concept of the original first press arose, which is still endlessly valued by connoisseurs and collectors. Therefore, the very first edition produced initially is the most luxurious edition. Pervopress by its very definition sounds much better than most reissues of the record. You can always verify this personally by taking your favorite vinyl of the first pressing and its subsequent reissues. When the player is set up correctly, you will hear a clear difference.

It is curious that somewhere in the early 80s of the last century, a completely innovative DMM technology at that time began to be used (including in the USSR). It assumed the absence of a soft wax cast, and the metal matrix was cut directly into the metal. Eliminating a link without losing quality is always a plus. And the elimination of the wax disc was no exception.

5 good signs of good quality production:

• In terms of playback speed, 45 rpm vinyl records are better than 33 rpm vinyl records;
• the wider the distance between the grooves (tracks), the better;
• about vinyl sizes - thick discs are of better quality;
• piccha discs and colored vinyl wear out faster;
• The USA, Britain, Japan and Eastern Europe were and are still considered the best producers of vinyl discs.

The era of the remake: through thorns...

The vinyl remake has a number of specific differences from the old records. If you are reading this material, it means that you are interested in vinyl and know that the word remake means all new vinyl, which began to be produced about 10 years ago.

The era of the vinyl renaissance began after a rather long period of stagnation in record production. In the 80s of the last century, a widespread closure of vinyl factories began in Japan - one of the world's leading producers of vinyl records. Around the mid-90s, there were almost no such enterprises left either in the United States of America or in Europe. There was a tight silence. The lifeless figure began to conquer the market with zeal...

But literally 10 years ago the factories began to be restored. This came as a surprise to many. A wonderful surprise. And now there is a lot of branded, licensed new vinyl on the market - fresh, beautiful and high-quality remakes.

Interestingly, the vinyl remake has a number of differences from old-school records. Let's start with benefits:

• In pre-digital times, a large number of vinyl discs were produced from recycled materials, as factories often had to fit within strict budgets allocated for the production of copies. For example, the Soviet State Order did not suggest otherwise. And now only the best and chemically pure production mass is used (by the way, we talked in detail about the specific composition, raw materials and additives for creating modern vinyl records in the article “Making vinyl records: what are they actually made from?”);
• new records are heavy and massive vinyl, which means they are of higher quality than their lighter counterparts;
• Most modern circulations are completely small, that is, a limited number of copies are cut from one mother matrix.

And now a few words about shortcomings new vinyl:

• the main disadvantage, in fact, is only one - the incomprehensible and often dubious origin of the master tape used for production, but other problems arise from it...

It is important to know what exactly is the sound source when cutting new vinyl. It could be an ancient, well-preserved master tape, digitized in accordance with the strict rules and regulations of the modern technological process, or a compact disc.

When creating an edition, they now do digitally restored mastering, which exactly duplicates the remastered CD editions that are relevant in our time, but, naturally, with greater resolution and bit depth. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, now the presence of an original master tape is not always the key to super-quality sound. Why? The fact is that tapes of bygone times, arriving on dusty archival shelves, in addition to being eaten with good appetite by cockroaches, they also dry out and wear out. It happens that the best and perfectly preserved copy is not the first, but, for example, the third or fifth, but superbly “preserved.”

As for professional computer restoration - remastering, then a lot depends on ... the directness of the hands of the restorer himself. Good specialists extremely little, so their work is worth its weight in gold.

Source differs from source: older means better?

As we have already found out, using the original master tape is not always a good thing. If the material is already crumbling from old age, then you yourself understand what level of sound it can provide... Therefore, the main thing for a vinyl sound recording source is not the originality of the material, but its integrity and physical condition. For example, on the covers of some new jazz and blues reissues there is the following phrase: “restored from the best surviving sources.” An inscription of this kind may even mean that a cassette was used to create the edition, but with excellent recording quality.

“The phenomenon of honest politicians”: good or bad?

Imagine that you came for an interview at your dream company for a very cool vacancy or position. But you, like any even mega-class specialist, have shortcomings - someone is not ready to work in the situation increased stress, others do not know how to properly organize subordinates, or, for example, someone is frightened by activities related to high level financial liability etc. But it’s unlikely that you will be able to boldly declare all your professional shortcomings to your future boss’s face at the first meeting. Is it true? This is not beneficial to you and is detrimental to your potential career. Therefore, you would rather prefer to keep silent about the minuses, flaunting only your own in all its glory. strengths. Is this a lie? Controversial issue. This behavior is usually called the “phenomenon of honest politicians” (we are sure that you have already guessed why this expression is used)... Stop! Our readers probably don’t quite understand what this information has to do with vinyl production. In fact, it’s direct.

It is extremely important for many record lovers to know what type of mastering is involved in the process of releasing a particular remaster. Album publishers sometimes like to remain silent about the shortcomings, extolling only the merits of their products. This is fine. This is the “phenomenon of an honest politician.” These are the rules of the game and blah blah blah... In general, let's not talk about it. But what can a vinyl lover do in such a situation and independently determine for himself the quality of production of a brand new record?

An experienced audiophile can learn about the type and specifics of mastering only by comparing the year of publication and the manufacturer. A super-professional (there are few of them) will understand everything after hearing the release. Let's just say that collecting a remake is an adventure within the framework of total chaos. No one will tell you the honest truth, but it is still very difficult to understand the costs of quality on your own. And sometimes you don’t want to at all, so as not to be disappointed. In order not to suffer from guesswork, it is worth remembering one axiom: the best is only the first press, and everything else is not bad, good, sometimes very good, but not the best. And here, perhaps, the most honest question naturally arises: does the owner of an ordinary, not the most first-class and far from branded and not super-powerful audio equipment (and the majority of vinyl lovers are such) need a fabulously expensive record from the first press?

Good quality is sometimes more than enough to enjoy the sound. Therefore, we will not criticize remakes, and even more so modern publishers, because their product, their work gives us, music lovers, concentrated joy, a real buzz. And let the first presses be collected by those who can easily afford it and those who really need it.

Modern records have a bright future ahead of them. We know this.

Have a good mood, friends! And let music give you wonderful moments during these days of September bad weather.

Tell your friends:

Any assessment, including vinyl records, is initially subjective, but the application of generally accepted criteria makes it possible to make it more or less objective and reliable (corresponding to the true state of the object being assessed).

To assess the condition of vinyl records, an international grading system has long been used, which allows a fairly accurate description of the condition of any record. At the same time, both its sound and appearance, including the appearance of the envelope.

It is worth noting that the sound rating directly depends on the level of quality and correct settings of the equipment used.

Below are the internationally accepted designations for the quality of vinyl records, as well as abbreviations in the comments to the description of vinyl records.

Indications for assessing the quality of records and sleeves

SS (Still Sealed): sealed record.

M (Mint): new, but printed record. The record was not played or played several times.

The record and sleeve are in perfect condition.

NM (Near Mint): almost new record. The record was played more than 2-3 times, but this did not affect its condition. A “natural” slight “superficial rustle” in pauses is acceptable (rare, but found even on new records). Externally it is either perfect or there are minor abrasions from the inner envelope, but they are practically inaudible.

The envelope may have minor creases or defects that do not detract from its appearance.

EX (Excellent): The record has been used but is in excellent condition. There may be minor, not very audible extraneous sounds, such as rustling, crackling or “fine sand”, which do not at all spoil the overall “sound picture”. How audible such defects are also depends on the condition and type of needle. Vinyl may have some surface scratches and scuffs.

The sleeve may have abrasions in the form of minor circles (typical of American records), small defects on the corners or bends.

VG (Very good): The record was in active use, but overall it was in satisfactory condition. There are scratches and abrasions on the vinyl that produce soft clicks when listened to; Occasional jumps (springboards) are possible (extremely rare). As a rule, there is “sand” of average audibility.

The envelope is quite well preserved, but has noticeable abrasions, the corners may be bent, the seams are frayed, there may be cracks on the seams, the spine and along the perimeter of the envelope, partial divergence of the seams, the round outline of the plate may have obvious worn outlines. However, in general the image on the envelope is clearly visible

Good: You can still listen to the record if you really want to, but the sound quality is very low, there are frequent jumps. The vinyl has significant scuffs and scratches that greatly detract from the sound.

The envelope is very worn, but functional, and the outlines of the images are still quite visible. There may be tears, significant bruises, and stains.

P (Poor), F (Fair): The condition of the record is very poor. Listening without the risk of damaging the needle is not recommended. It makes sense to store only rare specimens or if you really want to.

The condition of the envelope is very poor.

[+] or [-] next to a gradation means that the record/sleeve is in slightly higher or lower condition than the specified gradation.

Abbreviations in comments to the description of vinyl records

2 LP"s: two records included.

7"" : A seven-inch "little" record included with a particular album.

Archive copy: a record from the private archive of a collector, almost always in top copy condition. Can be used when selling both rare and regular editions, but in a unique condition.

Audiophile sound/edition: Audiophile sound. That is, the sound is very high class, achieved by various technical methods. Records with this mark are almost always valued higher than regular editions.

Autograph: artist's autograph. Often increases the price of the record.

Book/Booklet: book/booklet included with the album. Often contains photographs and interesting additional information about the album. It also increases the cost of the record.

Bonus tracks: additional tracks not included in the original version of the album.

Box: A box in which records are placed. As a rule, these are expensive gift editions.

Calendar: Calendar included with the album.

Cards: postcards, cards included in the album set. They also increase the cost of the record.

Catalog list: catalog of records from the manufacturer, usually with prices and ordering conditions. Commonly found on independent label records from the early 80's.

Compilation: A selection of songs from previous albums or singles.

Club edition: a record published by advance subscription for members of a club. Often has a simplified design. It is valuable for collectors.

Color vinyl: A record made from colored vinyl. Vinyl color does not affect sound quality. But, visually assessing the quality of colored vinyl is often quite difficult. Colored vinyl - additional argument to increase the price of the record.

Complete: complete album.

Cut-out: an envelope (usually in a corner) has a slit, a hole punched, or a corner cut off. Typical for American records. Sometimes found in European publications. There is an opinion that this is how manufacturers or stores marked discounted goods. A sealed record may also have a cut-out.

Flexi disc: flexible disc included with the album.

Heavy vinyl: General name for vinyl records weighing more than 150 grams. Often on records there is an indication of 180 gr vinyl. Such records often differ more high quality sound.

Generic, generic sleeve: The record comes in a standard sleeve. Sometimes records are released without sleeves and supplied in standard sleeves.

Gimmix cover: “surprise” cover, with various “tricks”, surprises, jokes, etc.

Inner sleeve: Inner paper sleeve included with the album. The record is stored in it. Often the envelope contains lyrics, photographs and useful information. The presence of this sleeve (if the record was originally supplied with one) increases the value of the record.

Insert: tab. A sheet of paper with text or some other information directly related to a particular record. The presence of this sheet (if the record was originally equipped with it) increases the value of the record.

Limited edition: Limited edition record. As a rule, they are of interest to collectors.

Maxi: maxi single. The record is a standard 12-inch size, recorded at a speed of 45 rpm, as opposed to the traditional 33 rpm. The sound quality of maxi singles is higher than the sound quality of regular records. Maxi singles are often valued due to the presence of rare compositions that are not included in the full album.

Mono: The record was released in mono. Often, for high-quality playback of a mono record, you need to use a special cartridge (head) for playing back a mono recording. A regular cartridge (stereo) also plays a mono record, but is worse than a special cartridge. Sometimes mono copies can cost several times more than stereo copies. Sometimes it's exactly the opposite. At the same time, the sound quality of a mono record is not inferior to the quality of a stereo recording, but is different.

Obi: paper tape, encircling the Japanese record sleeve. Obi is translated into Russian as a belt for a traditional Japanese kimono. The inclusion of Obi is a uniquely attractive addition to the record and adds value to the record.

Outer bag: Outer bag (paper or plastic) included with the album.

Picture disc: a plate with a pattern or photograph applied to its surface. Sometimes it has quite a high value for collectors.

Postcard: postcard included with the record. The presence of postcards increases the cost of the set.

Poster: Poster included with the album. The presence of a poster almost always increases the cost of the record. Sometimes several times.

Private press: a record published with the money of the musicians themselves. As a rule, such records are quite rare and expensive.

Promo copy: a record released for promotion, advertising, etc. Typically has a black and white label instead of full color. More common in the USA and Japan than in Europe. Many people believe that the sound quality of these editions is higher than that of standard records.

Promo list: an additional sheet containing additional information about the performer. Can be found in promotional copies.

Quadro: records recorded for playback on quad equipment. Regular stereo cartridges also work great with this vinyl. Prized by quad audio enthusiasts.

Radio station copy: record from the radio station archive. They often have a radio station stamp or an additional sticker with song titles placed on the envelope.

Remastered: A record contains a recording that has been re-mastered, resulting in a different sound. There are both lovers and opponents of remastered sound.

Round cover: The record sleeve has rounded corners.

Sealed Old Stock: records published in the 60-70-80s, still in sealed condition. These records have a special value among buyers. They are purchased for serious collections, as well as for investment, in anticipation of their increasing price. Since when the envelope is printed, such records usually drop sharply in price (sometimes several times), collectors often do not open them after purchase. However, when purchasing such a record, there is a slight risk of a manufacturing defect or damage to the disc itself over time. Due to unique qualities Sealed Old Stock, we do not open such records in the store and do not accept complaints about them.

Spoken words: a record of speeches, recitations, etc.

Sticker: Sticker included with the album.

Still sealed: sealed record. Usually costs more than the printed version. In some cases, it can increase the cost of the record tens of times.

Top copy: record in perfect condition (mint). The expression is usually used when selling rare edition in unique condition.

Unofficial edition: unofficial publication. Typically a rare edition concert performances or re-release of popular albums that have not been officially released for a long time. There is no guarantee of sound quality. The price is often below average.

Until a couple of years ago, vinyl releases were mainly made by independent small labels and alternative artists to the mainstream. Today, Jack White and the Black Keys are the first to announce record releases, and even pop stars like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé also want to hear how their music sounds under the needle. And they all want to be pressed in Nashville - the largest vinyl factory in the USA.

“It's a metal matrix,” says Jay Millar, examining the dazzling silver disk in the machine room of the United Record Pressing plant outside Nashville, Tennessee. “That’s where it all starts.”

Fifty years ago, this plant produced the first single in the United States by The Beatles, and then in the 70s and 80s, hundreds of hit records on 33 and 45 revolutions from the Motown recording studio, famous for its signature sound. Today, the old presses show no sign of stopping, churning out hissing, buzzing records that are seeing a resurgence in sales. Nashville claims to be the vinyl capital of the world as the city's music industry struggles to keep up with the growing demand for vinyl records.

United Record Pressing - largest company for vinyl production in the USA. By the way, it is located not far from Third Man Records - an independent label founded by Jack White, who recently managed to release modern times.

Nashville claims to be the vinyl capital of the world

Next year the company plans to install 16 new presses, which will increase daily production volumes to 60 thousand records. Jay Millar did not specify where exactly they managed to find these machines - the production of machines for working with vinyl records closed in the eighties, and the competition for the remaining production capacity is enormous - because the demand for vinyl is growing rapidly. The last few metal master presses (the stamps used to make vinyl records) were bought at an auction held by the Church of Scientology, whose followers sincerely believed that the best way to preserve the performances of their guru Ron Hubbard for posterity was to record them on 33⅓ records.

Scientologists are not the only ones who have decided to bring vinyl back to life. After years of audio format wars that have seen overall physical media sales halve, consumers appear to have made up their minds. Demand for CDs and MP3 downloads is down, while sales of streaming audio and vinyl are up.

We now have a convenient digital option and high quality vinyl

“We now have the convenience of digital and high-quality vinyl,” says Millar. “Our production runs 24 hours a day, six days a week, but we still can’t keep up with growing demand.” As of mid-June 2014, vinyl sales in the United States were up 40% year-on-year. Turnover is likely to reach 6 million records this year. It is worth noting that in 2007 only about 1 million vinyl media were sold.

Analog audiophiles like Jack White and the Black Keys have long been producing their music in Nashville. However, for some time now, stars of the pop scene who previously were not particularly fond of vinyl, such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, have also joined this company. The demand from musicians is so great that the wait time for a batch of discs to be produced has increased to 12 weeks. Record labels do not announce a vinyl release date until the pressing of their particular release begins.

The top seller this year was Jack White's album The Lazaretto, which sold 40 thousand records in its first week. This is a recognized record - not a single vinyl release has sold so well since 1991. By the way, sales of this album are still ongoing, and, according to statistics, they amount to 2000 per week. In the Third Man Records studio located at the entrance to the United Record Pressing factory, Neil Young recently recorded the album A Letter Home. There's a vinyl cutting machine from King Records in Cincinnati, donated by James Brown; glass cabinet with a dancing monkey toy. One half of the studio is painted red, the other half yellow. Girls in signature yellow and black colors move between the rooms of Third Records. The corridors are decorated with stuffed animals, one of which resembles a yak.

Third Man Records slogan: “Your record player is not dead”

“It's actually tar,” said Ben Swank. He and Ben Blackwell are the heads of Third Man Records. They came up with the slogan “Your record player is not dead” and offered a direct subscription service that included monthly delivery of all new vinyl releases. Since White's move from his native Detroit to Nashville in 2007, the label has released about 300 records, mostly singles. “Jack puts out more Americana, and Ben and I put out more rock 'n' roll and punk. We mainly replicate forty-fives. We try to be spontaneous: did you get the master? Let's release him! " - Swank comments.

The Black Keys of Dan Auerbach and Brendan Benson had already worked at the studio. Ben Swank believes that Nashville with its historical connection with country music becoming a new center of attraction for musicians. “The local community is the mother of pop music too,” he says. - We do not run away from modern technologies. We just think using a ribbon microphone or analog tape is much more romantic. On the other hand, it’s harder to work this way - and this, on the contrary, is good, because it adds value to the final result.”

Using a ribbon microphone or analog tape is much more romantic

Nashville's success may also be due to the city's innate conservatism. Country music, for example, is still recorded in the classic eight-track format - recording studios working with musicians on this equipment today seem like relics from a nuclear war. “We're in a really cool place,” Swank adds. “People still crave individuality.”

But there is little concern that the analogue resurgence is only temporary. "Everything comes back, but one day it's gone forever," says VH1 director Bill Flanagan. - If it's just nostalgia or a high-end hipster thing, will it disappear in the next 10 years? This resurgence may be the last gasp of a dying culture before the cloud [audio streaming services] consumes everything.”

If vinyl is a high-end hipster thing, will it disappear in the next 10 years?

At the same time, the demand for vinyl continues unabated. Every year on the third Saturday of April, Record Store Day is held - gathering great amount people who want to release their release. They swear, try to jump the line and accuse each other of wanting to sabotage. Production is a tight end, and it's great that big artists are seeing strong sales of vinyl releases. The physical limitations of the record (two sides are approximately 20 minutes each) force a return to a format lost in the era of 70-minute CDs and the endless iTunes format. Chris Mara, who founded the analog studio Welcome in 1979, says that if an artist wants to create music in album format, he has to go back a step.

Mara’s side business - restoring 24-track analog tape recorders - has never been idle: “People come to me to make a recording in the most difficult way. They want to tell themselves and their fans - this is our music, our product. We hit every note on this track."

Vinyl will live on

The question arises: can vinyl stay in the market and keep pace with high technology? Jay Millar thinks implementation high technology in the technical process is possible - master disks, machines, varnishes, etc. “The revival has happened. We are moving to a new stage. Vinyl isn't going away. Demand may level off at some point and stop growing so quickly. But here it is not so much a matter of form as of content. Vinyl will live on,” he concludes.

P.S. If you would like to visit the United Record Pressing factory, you can do so if you find yourself in Nashville. The company conducts tours weekly on Fridays, details.