How to put together your first Vinyl Record Listening Room
Vinyl is back and it’s here to stay. Sales have surged over the last ten years and brought the industry back from the dead, easily surpassing sales of compact discs (the very format that killed it off).
Why are vinyl records so popular?
Although the digital music revolution brought high fidelity, ease of use, and convenience to the recording industry, it also sacrificed a very important aspect: the physical touch of playing an album. Hitting "play" or asking your smart home to play an album just doesn't have the same effect as flipping through a record collection, pulling the record from its sleeve, and dropping the needle on a groove. Many people attest to the warm sound of vinyl over digital, and for some, the crackles and pops are an experience all their own.
Plus, record collections are an inherently visual format. 10,000 albums on a playlist just doesn't have the same impact as a a bookshelf full of your favorite albums that you can hold in your hand and interact with.
So, on to the list!
The basics:
Turntable
Turntables (or record players to today’s generation) are a delightfully physical way to listen to music. Spinning a vinyl record on a platter and transmitting the vibrations of the record’s grooves through a metal stylus, every record played feels like a magic trick.
And just like everything else, turntables come in many forms, with a wide variety of price ranges.
The cheaper end will use an abundance of plastic in all of its components, while the higher-end varieties will favor steel and aluminum. As a general rule, those cheap plastic units with vintage looks are all made from the same barebones design, and will result in a pretty underwhelming experience. They also typically include very tinny built-in speakers and no way to output the sound to anything better, so we recommend avoiding them.
These compact combo units are cute, but compromised. We recommend avoiding them.
In general, a good starter turntable will run you around $180. This avoids the pitfalls of the cheap units and their lack of adjustment, while also adding some substantial heft for sound dampening. Cheaper units also lack adjustments like anti-skating settings (controlling how much the stylus “pulls” toward the center of the record while playing, which can lead to skipping) as well as tracking force adjustments (the amount of force pressing the stylus down in the record. Too light, the record may skip during playback. Too heavy, it could prematurely wear out your collection.)
Looking to get started? You may see some very expensive sets when you start shopping. Don't worry, though, you don't need a $1000 turntable to get into playing records.
We recommend the AT-LP60. It's budget friendly but without the budget sound. It pretty much has everything you need to get started and nothing you don't. For a mid-range upgrade, try the AT-LP120. It's a surprisingly well-featured unit for $250 and is basically a direct clone of the legendary Technics SL-120. It features Anti-Skate and Tracking Force adjustments, stylus storage, a quartz lock as well as speed adjustment, and a built-in phono preamp for those on a limited budget. Used models are plentiful, and the newest model even supports Bluetooth for wireless audio.
And if you're looking for a decidedly more aesthetic look, U-Turn and Pro-Ject are extremely popular for their minimalist tables.
For the thrift seekers out there, consider a used vintage turntable! There are many high-quality units just waiting for a chance to spin again, and in most cases, may only require a quick clean and a new belt and stylus. Replacement stylus needles can be found at site like and in many cases, belt replacements can be performed by your average DIYer.
Stereo Amplifier/Receiver
In the 1970’s and 1980’s, the HiFi was a centerpiece of the home. Whether built from separate components or sold as an all-in-one system, nearly every home had a setup for playing records.
In simple terms, a stereo is an amplifier with input/output connections for distributing audio to other components. The audio source is fed into the amplifier via a record player, smartphone, tape player, or radio, and is amplified to a louder signal and output to either a set of speakers or another component in the system (such as a tape player for recording.)
A “receiver” is just a stereo amplifier with a built in FM tuner. Most units you’ll find will be receivers for the added benefit of the tuner, but dedicated amplifiers will be separate. There isn’t really a downside to choosing a receiver over a dedicated amplifier unit, but typically the higher-end units will be separate as a matter of practice.
Decent quality vintage receivers are plentiful and easy to find, and can be dated by their appearance. Silver-faced units with toggle switches, backlit or fluorescent displays, and VU meters were popular in the 1970s, while the 1980s ushered in a futuristic “digital” appearance, typically with black color schemes, graphic equalizers, and rectangular buttons. The 1990s took the 80s look and softened it some, bringing even more plastic into use. A quick search of brands will give you some idea which to avoid and which to covet.
The main issue to consider with vintage equipment is age of the components: the internal capacitors are prone to leaking and causing havoc on the internals, dirty switches and jacks may introduce noise or outright cause your audio to disappear, and internal belts may have broken down. Vintage equipment can be renewed and restored, but it’s an added cost you may want to consider.
Phono Amp
If you forego the stereo amplifier/receiver route, you’ll want to pick up a Phono Preamp. These are small devices that only include the preamp equipment with simple in/out connections. These can be had for a range of prices and can save quite a bit of space compared to a full receiver unit. Whether you decide to go with a receiver with built-in phono amp or a separate unit (or if your turntable happens to have one built-in, as some models like the Audio Technica AT-LP120 do) you’ll want to make sure have something, as the signal coming from the record won’t be enough to be audible.
Speakers
Where to start? Whether you have a simple set of unpowered stereo speakers (requiring an amplifier of some sort) or powered speakers like the monitors you’ll find in a recording studio, you’ll need something to send all that music to. Speakers come in a large variety of sizes, from tiny bookshelf speakers to huge standing floor speakers. The Sony floor speaker set pictured here was found in a local Goodwill for $20. We removed the original black cloth covers and discovered the gorgeous wood grain face behind them.
One thing to keep in mind: bigger speakers doesn’t necessarily mean bigger sound. If the amp you have powering those speakers can’t keep up with their draw, you’ll be worse off than you would with a smaller set. Additionally, a large set of cheap speakers will always sound worse than a smaller pair of high-end cones.
Optional:
Custom Slipmat/Platter Mat
A standard felt platter mat commonly included with most turntables
A colored acrylic slipmat
Looking to give an old record player a face lift? Try a custom slip mat. Most mid-grade and higher quality turntables come with a black felt mat included, while some older budget sets came with a rubber mat. They provide cushioning for the record to dampen any nearby vibrations from interfering with the movement of the stylus, and also serve the added benefit of trapping dust and lint and helping to reduce static electricity, which vinyl records are prone to.
There are a ton of custom aftermarket mats available, from the tried-and-true cork mat to a trendy translucent colored acrylic mat. Or stick with felt in a variety of colors and different graphics. Just make sure you have something to protect the surface of the record from the steel platter.
Listening Room Rug
The Dude knew what he was talking about: no listening room is complete without a groovy rug to like, really tie the room together, man. Whether you go a high-pile shagadelic option or a lower pile choice, an area rug is actually a pretty important addition to your listening room. If you have hardwood or tile floors, an area rug will help dampen noise and unwanted reflections, with the added benefit of keeping the dust down when moving around the room. A completely empty room with hard floors can turn into a completely different listening experience with nothing but an area rug laid down. Looking for that new rug for your room? Good news! Not only do they ship free, our rugs are listening-room approved for great tone 😉
Storage Cabinet/Milk Crates
Eventually, your record collection will outgrow the flat surface you store them on or the bookshelf you squeezed them onto and you’ll need to expand. The best method for storing records is vertically, on their bottom edge. This prevents the weight of other records pressing down on them and deforming the jacket and vinyl record itself. The classic milk/wood crate method is classic for a reason: it keeps them upright, loose enough to flip through, and makes transporting them easy. One of our favorites is this simple Pillowfort crate from Target. Just make sure that if you have records leaning forward or backward, you flip them the opposite way to help prevent any weight damaging them.
Vinyl Cleaning Kit
The achilles heel of any record collection is dust. Vinyl records are a wonder of science, but they are extremely susceptible to three things: heat, pressure, and static electricity. It’s important to clean your records every time you play them to keep them sounding like new. We really like the Boundless Cleaning Kit for its ease of use and value. It includes a velvet brush for cleaning the surface and grooves of a record, a smaller stylus cleaning brush, and an alcohol cleaning solution for built-up grime.
Another great option is the Boundless Carbon Fiber Record Cleaning Brush. It’s sleek, compact design is perfect for a quick maintenance clean between plays, plus its folding handle design makes it self-cleaning. And to top it off, it’s electrically conductive to help remove static charge build-up.
Archival Record Sleeves
Premium record inner sleeves with archival paper backing
Most commercial record albums are packaged in cheap paper inner sleeves. These don’t do much static build-up, and the paper used isn’t acid-free, so it can yellow and react over time with the record, label, and jacket. A better (and much less frustrating to use) option are these archival paper and plastic inner sleeves. They help control static electricity and are much easier to slide the record in and out of to boot.
Display Stand
Now Spinning Vinyl Record Stand
Now that you’ve got a sweet record playing setup, you’ve got to show off what’s on that turntable! Etsy is a great source for a cool display stand for what you’ve got spinning on the platter. From a simple piece of wood to an elaborate frame, there are a ton of options. We love the stand above from Etsy seller InversivLaser for its beauty and simplicity.