Filling out and listening to your record collection is always enjoyable, especially with resources such as Alison’s Record Shop in Nashville, TN, at your disposal. While stacking your shelves with brand-new records will certainly look impressive, you’re missing out if you’re listening to reissues instead of vintage vinyl records.

Better Quality

The quality of recordings and vinyl material varies through the decades. In the early 70s, vinyl was the top choice. This caused manufacturers to put a ton of effort into every pressing. As the years went on, vinyl material and recording methods changed the quality and durability of albums. By the 80s and 90s, vinyl records were not the same. Overall, albums from these eras are noticeably worse in both sound and production quality than earlier decades.

Proper Duplication 

While the loss in material quality can be traced back to dwindling production funds and a shrinking market, the reduced audio quality of modern records is a product of improper duplication. In the early days of vinyl, copies were made using the original master of the record. As time went on, access to the masters changed due to switches in ownership—meaning the record label doesn’t have legal rights to use the master—or because the originals were simply lost.

Because of these factors, many reissues are sourced from later versions of an album such as a CD master. Using these sources as the master greatly reduces the audio hallmarks of vintage vinyl records. This is why hunting down vintage vinyl ones is much better than opting for reissues. You get all the warmth and range of the original recording as opposed to the digitized and compressed audio of new presses.

Thankfully for fans of quality audio, Alison’s Record Shop has a wide selection of vintage records. If you can’t find a particular album on the store’s shelves, the helpful and knowledgeable staff will help you track it down. For more information on the advantages of vintage vinyl records, call (615) 356-0108 or visit the website today.