Quote:
Originally Posted by Razor
Now when I trip past one of these record stores and see these cork sniffing collectors gingerly thumbing through all these same albums that we misused I can't help but think to myself. "Were there really that many browsing meticulous music aficionados then, or did I just miss them because I was just an inattentive kid?"
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The market has changed, is all. What was once a ubiquitous consumer product has become much rarer, especially old 45s or less-popular LPs that may never be pressed again.
I like record stores, as a place for meeting other fans and discovering new music. Halifax is blessed to have a few good-to-great stores, notably Taz Records, Obsolete Records, Black Buffalo (great for used stuff), and a new shop that Joel Plaskett opened up (combined with a hipster barbership and cafe) called New Scotland Yard.
When I moved from Toronto to Halifax, I left behind my crappy record player and stereo with the intent to start fresh with a better system here. A few house repairs delayed the purchase of a new system, during which time I mainly listened to digital downloads on headphones or computer speakers.
Eventually I just cobbled together a decent home system with a mid-level receiver and a decent turntable. I don't go in for fussy audiophile stuff, mainly because I can't afford it, but even with mid-level equipment, when I finally put a record on after seven or eight months away from the format, it was like, "Oh shit, right. Music sounds like
this." A record in reasonable condition, played on decent equipment, really does sound great.