When I was teen I'd buy used from the Princeton Record Exchange and steal new albums from the big box store.
Prices of Records/Vinyl in 2025
Is it me or have prices of vinyl recently surged to an average of $35 or more ? Just a couple of months ago the average seemed to be around $30. I bought around 30 records to play on my exorbitantly expensive turntable and its multi thousand dollar cartridge, its hundred of dollars of cables, the $1000 phono preamp etc and immediately had 7k invested before buying any records. After buying 50 albums or so and finding about half to be shitty recordings I had $1500 invested in realistically 25 playable, great quality recordings. I just went back online to look for a few more and I'm certain prices have jumped from $30 average to close to $40. WTF ??? More gouging I assume. Is this industry truly sustainable when people are expected to have close to 10k invested to play some records? Insane. I protest, with my wallet. Let's see, hmmm....stream a million tracks for $20 a month with perfect sound, no cleaning, snaps, pop or crackle and hiss and- jump tracks and artists the second I don't like what I hear- or- invest $40 in a crappy recording on vinyl, suffer through it or toss it in the trash because the recording or the music suck. I could literally light two $20 bills on fire instead of bothering to gamble on ordering a record online.
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Thank you for this discussion. I wasn't going to buy the re-issue of Joe Pass "Portraits Of Duke Ellington" due to the price prior to reading this thread. It reminded me of paying $5 for LPs in 1973. When I compared the cost to income, I realized that $47 was still totally wild, yet this particular music justified the cost due to cost comparisons. I already own a copy of this, yet it was purchased used and it's chock full of noise. The music is EXCEPTIONAL (for those who go in for this sort of thing) and I doubt I'll ever find a prestine copy if I don't buy new and return it if it's not. By the way, it has my favorite version od Duke Ellington's "CARAVAN" . |
Trolling for responses. So you got me. The original UHQRs were $50 back in the early 80s and they were the absolute reference standard. Now, the standards are Mofi One Steps and Acoustic Sounds UHQRS which go from $100-150, and they are made on 45s, which all else being equal, sound better. Inflation adjusted prices would conservatively equal about $200, so stop complaining. Even regular MOfis are $40 and the 45 versions from AS or Mofi, if available are $60. They are usually incredible. If they made the One Steps and UHQRs without the fancy packaging, I'd buy more of therm for $60. I mainly buy new vinyl - mainly remastered reissues, but not for a collection. FOR LISTENING. I have around 400 records and very selectively add. What is the point of having thousands of records and listening to them less than once a year? Looking at them? Or having multiple pressings of the same album? Listen to the one that sounds best! I've upgraded several records when new reissues that sound better come out (sometimes the new ones don't sounds better, so wait to hear the reviews) and then sell the old one. That being said, if I was back in college starting out, I would probably stream. |
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