Where do you buy your vinyl?


Just getting in to this hobby and have a small collection some bought from garage sales and more inherited, but I am beginning to understand the immense difference between a great recording and one that is just ok and as I look to build my collection further, I am thinking of buying some new/unused records. I am not looking for collectibles, only for high quality sound and I am interested in where the best places are and how to figure out which pressing to get.

Here are the outlets I know of so far:

Acoustic Sounds    https://store.acousticsounds.com/
In the Groove    https://www.theingroove.com/
popmarket    https://www.popmarket.com
The Sound of Vinyl    https://thesoundofvinyl.us/

Are there other good places to look? How do I distinguish between versions? Do some stores have better quality s.t. I can rely on them to stock the best copies?

saulh

I have 2 good record shops the next town over.  One is a bit overpriced but has a lot of rare and obscure records, and the owner is an ass.  The other is very reasonable, has high inventory turnover, and the owners are great.

My son recently moved to South Brunswick, about 20 minutes outside of Princeton.  Three words

Princeton

Record

Exchange

😁

 

By all means, search out a local Record Store and support small business.  Most if not all used record stores can also order you new releases from just about any label.  On the occasion that I buy online, I buy direct from the independent labels KScope and InsideOut Records.

When you talk about “great” vs “ok” recordings, are you referring to the same title released at different times by different labels?  For instance, the original release vs one’s done later by Classic Records, etc?

Or are you talking the same musical piece performed by different orchestras on different labels (this mostly in the classical genre)?

Regarding "best copies". You need to read the forums and familiarize yourself with writing styles that gel with your connection to music. Then seek out the recommended copy