We interviewed owners of record players and vinyls to learn what it means to them, and what they associate with the experience. Other than the obvious (a more tactile enjoyment of music and sound), it also meant a certain lifestyle and status.
People associated it with whiskey and cigars, James Dean and the Beatles, and an old-school, anti-establishment vibe. They loved the scratchiness of the acoustics and the tactile nature of taking a vinyl out of its sleeve, placing it onto the turntable, and moving the stylus to begin playing music.
However, the cost of a record player varies greatly (the cheapest can cost under $50, and the most expensive $650,000) and the acoustic quality corresponds to the price.
