VINYL 101

Your turntable is the heart of your vinyl setup, and choosing the right one depends on your listening preferences and budget.

For Beginners Looking for Quality

Audio Technica LP120

• Price range: $250-300

• Includes needle and slipmat

• Solid entry-level turntable with good sound quality

• Link to product

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon

• Price range: $400-500

• Comes with high-quality needle

• Great middle-ground option with excellent sound

• Link to product

For Dedicated Enthusiasts

Technics Direct Drive 1200MK2

• Price range: $500-700 (used)

• The gold standard for DJs and audiophiles

• Built like a tank with superior stability

• May require separate purchases of slipmat, cartridge, and dust cover

• Can be found on eBay or Craigslist

A Note on All-in-One Systems: While convenient, all-in-one systems like Crosley briefcases sacrifice sound quality to accommodate multiple functions. They're fine for casual background listening, but if you're interested in experiencing vinyl's full potential, we recommend investing in separate components.

Your receiver or amplifier converts the turntable's signal into sound for your speakers.

Key Considerations:

• Ensure it has a PHONO INPUT specifically for turntables

• Consider your space constraints and needed features

Recommended Options:

For Home Theater Setups

• Pioneer receivers (5.1 or 7.1 channel)

• Great if you want to integrate with your TV system

• Link to example

For Dedicated Vinyl Setups

• Emotiva BasX TA1

• Slim profile that fits in record cabinets

• 2-channel with Bluetooth capability

• Clean, crisp sound quality

• Link to product

Your speakers determine the final sound quality of your system. Quality speakers are worth the investment.

Recommended Brands:

• Klipsch

• Polk

• Bose

• B&W (Bowers & Wilkins)

Pro Tip: You can often find quality used speakers on Facebook Marketplace or eBay for around $100. This is a great way to get high-end sound at an affordable price.

For Modern Setups

• B&W 600 Series

• Slim, floor-standing design

• Clean, precise sound profile

• Link to product

For Vintage Warmth

• Vintage Bose 901s (1980s)

• Warmer sound profile

• May require more maintenance

• Can be found used for $400-600

The right accessories can enhance your vinyl experience and protect your investment.

Essential Accessories:

• Big Fudge Cleaning Kit - Includes velvet brush, spray, and stylus cleaner

• Premium Stylus Cleaner - Extends the life of your needle

• Record Weight - Improves stability during playback

• Anti-static Brush - Reduces dust and static before playing

• Slipmat - a rubber or cloth slipmat will help stabilize your record without damage.

• Speaker Wire

• Record cartridge with needle

Proper storage extends the life of your records and makes your collection accessible.

Popular Options:

• IKEA Kallax - The standard for many collectors

• Custom Record Cabinets - For a personalized touch

• Record Cabinet and Storage (@record.cabinets in Glassell Park, CA)

  • Custom woodworking

  • Can include custom drawers and features

  • Link to their Instagram

Proper care ensures your records sound great for years to come.

Recommended Cleaning Routine:

1. Use an anti-static brush before and after playing

2. Clean with a velvet brush and record cleaning solution monthly

3. Keep your stylus clean with dedicated stylus cleaner

4. Store records vertically in proper sleeves

5. Handle records by the edges and label

Atwater Village/Los Feliz

• Record Safari -Website

  • Run by Alex Rodriguez (Coachella Record Stores)

  • Extensive selection across genres

  • Great prices on rare finds

• Jackknife Records

Glassell Park/Eagle Rock/Cypress Park

• Permanent Records/Permanent Records Roadhouse -Instagram |Website

  • Bar/venue with record shop

  • Specializes in metal, goth, psych, and hard rock

  • Great Instagram feed with frequent updates

• Pop Overbite Records (Eagle Rock) - Website

Hollywood

• Amoeba Records - Website

  • LA's iconic record store

  • Massive selection across all genres

• As the Record Turns -Website

• The Record Parlour -Website

• Counterpoint Books and Records (Franklin) -Website

Silver Lake

• Mount Analog - Website

• Rockaway Records -Website

Echo Park

• Sick City Records -Website

  • Formerly on Sunset Blvd

  • Known for punk, goth, and new wave

Highland Park

• Estuario -Website

  • Puerto Rican-owned

  • Focuses on world music and ambient

  • Original pressings of seminal Latin albums

• The Artform Studio -Website

  • Run by Adrian Younge of Jazz Is Dead

  • Rare jazz, funk, soul, and Brazilian

  • Regular DJ performances

• On Maritime -Website

  • Wide genre range

  • Great finds and hat selection

• Arroyo Records -Website

  • Great dollar bins

  • Impressive wall selection

• De La Playa Records

• NowAgain x Rappcats - Website

• Gimme Gimme Records - Website

Pasadena Area

• Commune Records -Website

• Sibylline Records -Website

• Healing Center of the Universe -Website

• Canterbury Records -Website

• Poobah Records -Website

• Spinning Plates Records (Covina) -Website

• Str33t Records (Alhambra) -Website

The Valley

• CD Trader -Website

  • Only dedicated record store in the Valley

  • Extensive selection for crate digging

• Run Out Groove (Burbank) -Website

• The Midnight Hour (San Fernando Valley) -Website

• Yes Baby Vintage (Burbank) -Website

• Atomic Records (Burbank) -Website

• Hear Me Out/Licorice Pizza (Ventura Blvd) -Website

• Freakbeat Records (Sherman Oaks) -Website

Pop-Up Vendors

• El Marchante -Instagram

  • Latin American and Caribbean music specialists

  • Great source for Fania Records

• WeShare Records -Instagram

  • Japanese-owned

  • Specializes in city pop and funk/soul

  • Frequent ISC Record Fairs at Homage Brewery

Downtown LA

• In Sheep's Clothing/ISCHiFi -Website

  • Started as an audiophile bar in Arts District

  • Hosts listening sessions & sonic events

• Going Underground Records - Website

• CommonWave HiFi -Website

• The Last Bookstore -Website

• Music Plaza (K-Town) -Website

West Side

• Dusty's Records -Website

• Revolution Records (Melrose) -Website

• Nivessa (Pico) -Website

• The Record Collector (Fairfax) -Website

• Quality Electronics x DJ Repair Shop (Santa Monica Blvd) -Website

• Record Surplus (Santa Monica) -Website

• Headline Records (Melrose) -Website

• Supervinyl (Melrose) -Website

• Deadly Wax (Chatsworth) -Website

• Asteroid Vinyl (Inglewood) -Website

• Soundsations (Westchester) -Website

• Angel City Records -Website

• High Fidelity -Website

  • Latin-owned

  • Classic rock, funk, and jazz

Long Beach

• Twelves Long Beach -Website

  • Run by Hector Waluyo of Funky Sole

  • Specializes in funk, soul, jazz, and Latin

• VIP Records -Website

• Third Eye Records -Website

• Vintage Urbana -Website

• Recordbox -Website

• Toxic Toast Records

• Fingerprints -Website

• Dizzy's -Website

Other LA Area

• Sanfords Vintage (Pico Rivera) - Website

• Moonshine Records (Whittier) - Website

• Lovells (Whittier) - Website

• Rhino Records (Montclair) - Website

• Record Recycler (Torrance) - Website

• Boogie Maru Sounds (Torrance) - Website

• Black Hole Records (Torrance) - Website

• Bionic Records (Buena Park) - Website

• PM Sounds (San Pedro) - Website

• Dr. Strange (Rancho Cucamonga) - Website

• Spinning Plates (Covina) - Website

• The Good Stuff (Santa Fe, NM) -Website

  • Record shop and coffee joint

• Headsounds NYC (Brooklyn, NY) -Website

  • Barber shop and record store combination

• Sweat Records (Miami, FL) - Website

  • Specializes in club music

• Brewerytown Beats (Philadelphia, PA) -Website

  • Crate digger's paradise

  • Plan to spend hours exploring

• Discodelic (Bay Area, CA) -Website

  • Latin-owned store in Latino Cultural District

  • Specializes in Latin American and Caribbean vinyl

  • Sources from abandoned radio stations in South America

• Legacy Dumbo (Brooklyn, NY) - Website

  • Black-owned shop

  • Exceptional dollar bins

  • Features Black Girls Love Vinyl curated selection

• Mono Records -Website

  • Run by John

  • Affordable vinyl and rare African finds

  • Local pickup available off the 110

• Paradise City Records -Website

  • Disco, house, world music

  • Specialty in unusual finds

• Driptone Records -Instagram

  • Specializes in punk, metal, Japanese imports

  • Appears at Los Feliz Flea

• Kultura Ink -Instagram

  • Latin-owned

  • Rare Latin music at reasonable prices

  • Appears at LA record fairs

• Light in the Attic Records -Website

  • Independent label specializing in obscure reissues

• 818 Records -Website

• Latin Gold Records -Website

• Stellar Remnant -Website

• Shaka Sounds -Website

• Econojamsounds -Website

• Straight Wax Homie -Website

• Vinyl Me Please -Website

  • Monthly vinyl subscription

  • Includes art print and cocktail recipe

  • Focuses on classic, out-of-print albums

• JB's Record Lounge -Website

  • Based in Atlanta

  • Deep soul and funk selections

• Brittany's Record Shop -Website

  • Based in Cleveland

  • New hip-hop releases and more

• Funktrunk Records -Website

  • Based in Virginia

  • Rare grooves of funk, soul, jazz, and disco

• Turntable City -Website

  • Based in South Carolina

  • Fast shipping and competitive prices

  • Exceptional funk and soul collection

• Discogs - Website
  
  

  • Track your collection

  • Create want lists

  • Buy and sell vinyl

• Women in Vinyl - Website
  
  

  • Directory of women-owned record stores

  • Non-profit supporting women in vinyl culture

SPAIN

• Barcelona City Records (Barcelona, Spain) -Website

• La Viniloteca (Palma, Mallorca) -Website

  • Natural wine bar and record shop combination

• Discos Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain) - Website

Other cities coming soon:

• MEXICO CITY

• SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

• GREECE