Recently, everything vintage has been making a comeback. It’s all evident from fashion trends to media. Even much of today’s music has been influenced by and incorporated with retro samples. And many old gadgets are being revamped to cater to the current trends while still giving the oldies aesthetic.
One of the said gadgets is the turntable. The iconic vintage record player now has a modern counterpart which is sleeker and more high-tech. But which one is better? To find out, let’s take a look at their features side by side.
Price
If you’re looking into getting a turntable with a tighter budget in mind, you’re most likely going to end up getting a vintage one. Modern versions come with higher technology and more advanced features that can either replicate the vintage atmosphere or produce one more relevant to current preferences.
Vintage record players can play quality music for a lower price, but you can also get an even better experience by upping the price range just a little. Low-end modern turntables, on the other hand, start at a very hefty price point already. So, to ensure you get an excellent new model, you’d have to pay an even bigger amount of money as well.
Convenience
In this round, we have to give it to the modern record player. Vintage ones are commonly depicted as chunky and tedious to set up. However, there is a lot of thought and precision that comes with the art of older turntables, and because much of its functionality is due to its structure, it is, by default, more complicated. Although, it does have a more user-friendly interface and is easier to use.
Its advanced technology and compact features are to thank for their convenience. New models of turntables are relatively sleeker and smaller compared to older ones. Modern record players are also more equipped to adapt to the demands of these times, which makes them last longer and make them less vulnerable to phasing out.
However, this doesn’t mean that vintage turntable pieces are hard to find. There are still many accessories for old record players, such as the Nagaoka turntable cartridges.
Sound Quality
Because of their unique built, the sound new record players produce is just as distinct. Moreover, given that they reached a level of top-notch modification to play current music, it plays the songs closely to their original quality. As a result, the sound of modern turntables feels crisp and clear Fractal Beat.
Vintage turntables give you that whole vintage experience and produce a warmer sound, with occasional crackles and less pronounced tones. For certain music buffs, this could be a disadvantage. On the other hand, an old soul looking to fulfill their nostalgia could find peace in olde-worlde turntables.
Both are strong contenders, but the title of the better turntable has to go to the vintage one. You can’t beat the fact that old is gold. Investing in vintage turntables is the premium choice for those who are considering this as a hobby. While it does have fewer features and disadvantages, in the end, the authentic quality it produces gives users the whole experience, and that can’t be replicated by the newest models out there.
