Top 4 Vinyl Myths

While vinyl is not the default music medium it once was, it has never fallen completely out of favor and has even seen a resurgence in recent years. As such, discussion on vinyl has been going on for decades. This has resulted in a lot of claims about records that seem to have become accepted as fact, even when there is little evidence to support them. Here are a few of our favorite vinyl myths.

Vinyl sounds better than CDs

Let’s get this one out of the way early on. This is the most pervasive myth for those whose passion for vinyl borders on the fanatical. The plain and simple truth is that some vinyl sounds better than the equivalent on CD. However, the reverse is also true.

Sound quality of vinyl vs. CD depends on how the album is mastered or recorded and the medium which you are listening to. If something is recorded in analog, then you should listen to an analog source and similarly if something is recorded in digital then chose a digital source. Ultimately, vinyl vs CD comes down to personal preference and what sounds best to your ears.

Belt Driven (or Direct Drive) turntables are better than Direct Drive (or Belt Driven)

Similar to the previous myth, this is an argument where it seems most people have picked a side and there is little, if any, room to budge. The truth is that both turntable designs have positive and negative factors on their side. Direct drive systems have better consistent spin, but the motor tends to add an unwanted vibration. Belt Driven systems avoid vibration, but their playback speed slows as the belt wears down, and it will require regular replacement. Pick your poison.

Stylus/vinyl friction can get so hot you need to stop listening

Rubbing any two surfaces together causes friction, and friction causes heat. So, yes, listening to a record causes heat and listening to the same record nonstop will build up some amount of heat. However, the idea that the heat buildup will be so great that you need to give your record a multi hour break to “cool down” is crazy. Listen as much as you want.

Vinyl wears out

These are vinyl records, not wax cylinders. The idea here, apparently is that your photograph stylus will, as it runs through the grooves of your record, continue to wear the groove down to the point where, eventually, it will make the record unplayable. Maybe it bores a hole through the record over time? Has this ever happened to anyone in this history of time?