I think records are way overpriced - yet I buy, It does hurt every time though - a slight jab in the chest. And then there's all the disappointing near mint buys from Ebay and Discogs - seldom are they near mint. On the bright side, there are occasional surprises from the local used record store - such as Van Morrison's His Band and the Street Choir and Wilco's Wilko Schmilko. Even the used decent records cost above $20. I usually pay anywhere from $25-$35 for regular new albums.
What will you pay for a new LP?
When I started collecting LP’s in the 60’s I paid $2 to $4, choosing from a bin at the neighborhood market. Considering the limited space, they had a surprisingly good selection including Rock & Roll, my preference at the time. A kid then, I had decent cash flow from a paper route.
Records (I don’t care for the term “vinyl”) have gone up in price since then like everything else. In today’s dollars, those $2 or $4 Long Play records cost $17 to $35. You can get unlimited streaming for less than that. Used records can be cheap(er) but collector grade are expensive.
New releases seem to range from $17 to $25 for a standard 150gram and $35 and up for 180/200g reissues. Audiophile labels can go much higher, the Mobile Fidelity One Step 45rpm series list for $125. Colored vinyl too.
I have an ample LP collection and only buy a few new releases each year. I like to play what I have and don’t hear much new music I want to own. I buy a reissue occasionally to replace a noisy record but it’s a gamble on fidelity, sometimes the sound is not as good as the original was.
I did get a wild hair and bought a 45rpm One Step, kinda choking on the $125 price. I wanted to see what the fuss is about and determine if it was worth it. It does sound impressive-and quiet! I was disappointed to find a noisy patch on one record, which the vendor replaced without question and without requiring me returning the bad sample. Will I buy another one? Maybe, if they offer something I really like.
What are your thoughts on album purchases?