Would buying Vinyl/records + Decks & audio equipment on a single website be popular?

As an avid record collector, I have a simple but effective sound system to play my Vinyl on a mid range deck but initially found very little information on how to set up a decent system with the right and appropriate audio equipment. It took me far too long and money to work out what did and didn't work.

I wished there was a easier way to collate all the information together and buy the right equipment. As a potential business idea would a website that supplied said information and a way to purchase the equipment be useful?

So it's basically a website to buy all things vinyl related including the vinyl themselves...

Yay or Nay?

Comments

  • hazydayzhazydayz Posts: 6,909
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    Definately yes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
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    If I could help with the set up,, I would. It's great that people like yourself have a passion for 'old' stlye technology (I STILL read physical books and watch DVDs and still walk into shops and deal with staff face to face)* and there's something on the 'net for everybody. I see the internet as a massive archive of preservation.


    *I'm gradually going onto Ebooks and films on my mobile mostly due to lack of space, price (four books/films a tenner from Google Play Store but it was just to see what the fuss was about on and a trial basis first (Playing Old Gameboy games, watching The Rescuers/ reading The Three Musketeers {blame the makers of Dogtanian and The Three Muskehounds/Around The World With Willy Fogg for this- I only downloaded the books because I watched the cartoons duing the '80s]^^] in a pub with a pint of Kronenbourg on the table.

    ^^
    Now, about The Mysterious Cities of Gold...
  • BastardBeaverBastardBeaver Posts: 11,903
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    Of course it would. But surely there are already some big sites out there doing exactly that?

    I don't buy into this so I have no idea tbh. But it would seem weird if it didn't already exist?!! Otherwise you're onto a winner.

    Unless I get there first... No seriously... :D
  • wilehelmaswilehelmas Posts: 3,610
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    Definitely. Good resource for the public, general enthusiasts and even budding djs imo. The appeal of vinyl will hopefully last a long time. Sounds a good idea. If you did it you could make a banner and advertise across social media, etc, maybe trade mags.
  • Chris FrostChris Frost Posts: 11,015
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    As an avid record collector, I have a simple but effective sound system to play my Vinyl on a mid range deck but initially found very little information on how to set up a decent system with the right and appropriate audio equipment. It took me far too long and money to work out what did and didn't work.

    I wished there was a easier way to collate all the information together and buy the right equipment. As a potential business idea would a website that supplied said information and a way to purchase the equipment be useful?

    So it's basically a website to buy all things vinyl related including the vinyl themselves...

    Yay or Nay?

    The web is stuffed to the gunnels with forums offering advice on all manner of Hi-Fi; this includes some very active sites either partly or almost wholly dedicated to all things vinyl. Even this very site has a sub-forum for TV and Home Entertainment Technology,. Google finds these sites easily enough, so it's a little puzzling that it took you "a long time and a lot of money to get your system sorted.

    Should the question then should be focused on searching rather than making a site?

    i.e. Why is it that you had a hard time finding information when a simple Google enquiry based on the words "vinyl record player advice" brings up 43.8 million(!) hits and 80% of the first page alone include beginners guides?

    Making a site is a great idea if a) you're the first, or b) you're doing something unique that has value, or c) people can find your site the easiest in a search

    "a" has already been done. "b" and "c" are still possibilities though "c" can be rather expensive to achieve.

    Something unique is perhaps the best angle. The next question then is about customers:

    1) Are there enough people interested in buying vinyl that are happy to come to a dedicated site that sells gear and media rather than go in to a local Hi-Fi shop?

    2) If you are a one-stop shop then you have to be able to cater to those seeking the rare as well as the common? So, how do you offer customers access to all the records ever made?

    3) After you've spent all the time putting this together, what's to stop someone taking your advice and then buying elsewhere either more conveniently locally, or online at lower prices? In short then, the commercial question is Why will they complete a sale with you rather than elsewhere? This is key to your whole funding model.


    I'm sure there's no shortage of people who can't work a search engine, or just find the whole thing too overwhelming. I do wonder though how many of these high maintenance prospects have the commitment to complete the process that results in putting money in your till.
  • OvertheUnderOvertheUnder Posts: 4,764
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    The web is stuffed to the gunnels with forums offering advice on all manner of Hi-Fi; this includes some very active sites either partly or almost wholly dedicated to all things vinyl. Even this very site has a sub-forum for TV and Home Entertainment Technology,. Google finds these sites easily enough, so it's a little puzzling that it took you "a long time and a lot of money to get your system sorted.

    Should the question then should be focused on searching rather than making a site?

    i.e. Why is it that you had a hard time finding information when a simple Google enquiry based on the words "vinyl record player advice" brings up 43.8 million(!) hits and 80% of the first page alone include beginners guides?

    Making a site is a great idea if a) you're the first, or b) you're doing something unique that has value, or c) people can find your site the easiest in a search

    "a" has already been done. "b" and "c" are still possibilities though "c" can be rather expensive to achieve.

    Something unique is perhaps the best angle. The next question then is about customers:

    1) Are there enough people interested in buying vinyl that are happy to come to a dedicated site that sells gear and media rather than go in to a local Hi-Fi shop?

    2) If you are a one-stop shop then you have to be able to cater to those seeking the rare as well as the common? So, how do you offer customers access to all the records ever made?

    3) After you've spent all the time putting this together, what's to stop someone taking your advice and then buying elsewhere either more conveniently locally, or online at lower prices? In short then, the commercial question is Why will they complete a sale with you rather than elsewhere? This is key to your whole funding model.


    I'm sure there's no shortage of people who can't work a search engine, or just find the whole thing too overwhelming. I do wonder though how many of these high maintenance prospects have the commitment to complete the process that results in putting money in your till.

    Well in my case, I didn't know the first thing about setting an appropriate budget for the equipment so decided to buy from Amazon and got a very low quality all in one turntable with inbuilt speakers. The original turntable broke after 4 months and then the second was replaced from a low 'entry level' Turntable.

    I didn't know what speakers to buy so ended up buying a set of computer speakers to do the job. My current turntable has an inbuilt pre-amp so went to straight to the amp and sub via a Aux port.

    I probably had just enough knowledge to budget for the Turntable but not enough know how on setting up an effective speaker system and getting value for money out of it.

    I still find it hard to work out the specific requirements to upgrade my sound system from the Turntable. For example I am thinking about buying a new and far higher quality 5.1 speaker system but found it hard to match up extra costs required i.e AV receiver or a pre-amp (not needed for my particular turntable). So effectively I knew enough to buy equipment but not enough to get the most of out the vinyl i have.

    Hence I would loved to have found a website providing a breakdown of the specific parts required for a sound system. diagrams and flow charts would be great to have seen. Having the site as user friendly as possible will add value to the customers experience

    Pick a Turntable - Does it require a Pre-amp?/What Pre-amp would you recommend?. > pick a pre-amp - What do I need next? > A receiver/Amplifier - What receiver is compatible/appropriate for my Turntable/Pre-amp? > Speakers - Are my speakers appropriate for the Turntable? etc etc
  • Chris FrostChris Frost Posts: 11,015
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    Well in my case, I didn't know the first thing about setting an appropriate budget for the equipment so decided to buy from Amazon <SNIP>................. </SNIP> Are my speakers appropriate for the Turntable? etc etc

    I can see where your coming from, but I do wonder if turning Hi-Fi buying in to a tick-box exercise would ultimately be self-defeating.

    By 'self defeating' that I mean that if you give people a choice based largely around steps in price range then a very large proportion will just pick the lowest cost solution. That could be from choice, which in itself is okay if the prime requirement is simply to find the cheapest solution. But it has been my experience that if you talk to a potential customer and uncover their real needs and aspirations then they often buy something better suited to their needs and expectations because they make a far more informed choice. They might still decide to be the cheapest product, but at least they'll be more prepared for the performance - or lack of it.

    If you want proof of that just look at the market for TVs. How many people buy a TV from a supermarket without much more description than an edge of shelf label. They walk out thinking they've got a bargain when in reality they got exactly what they paid for.

    I have to say though, there are sites that don't take too much trouble to find using Google, and that already breakdown various systems in to components, and use diagrams and pictures to help:

    http://turntablelab.com/pages/beginners-guide-to-turntables

    and there's sites that talk in an easy to follow way about the beginner's choices for equipment:

    http://www.buzzfeed.com/perpetua/things-you-should-know-before-starting-a-vinyl-collection#.ebdNM1Xnv

    http://secretstashrecords.com/beginners-guide-to-vinyl/

    https://www.iamthejeff.com/post/10/how-to-find-the-best-turntable-and-how-to-set-up-a-turntable

    As good as all the above are at getting folk up to speed to a basic level of knowledge, once there's an understanding of the various bits and what they do, then the conversation becomes far more detailed than can be handled by a static site or even one with some kind of dynamic automatic response based on flow diagrams. For example, you bought computer speakers because at the time you thought they'd do the job for the money you had available. You wouldn't make that same choice now though with hindsight. That's where shops and forums come in. You benefit from the knowledge of people who have been there and bought the tee-shirt and so avoid making the same mistakes as those who went before. So in your situation you could have sought out the forums and got advice from real people and so made a more informed purchasing decision.

    As it stands right now, you're in the same position again regarding a speaker upgrade. Have you asked in this forum what the recommended choices might be?

    FWIW, unless you particularly need surround sound for something else (TV, DVD/Blu-ray, gaming etc) then it's usually accepted that you'll get better sound quality from a Hi-Fi amplifier and stereo speakers rather than an AV receiver and 5.1 kit. There's a whole bunch of reasons why that's the case, but without knowing your specific requirements than it's probably inappropriate to launch in to why that's the case.
  • MenoetiusMenoetius Posts: 1,138
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    In my previous job in hi-fi sales, I was tasked with expanding our vinyl product range.

    I added dozens and dozens of cartridges, from the cheapest Audio Technica to carts from the likes of Grado, Clearaudio and Roksan, costing well over a grand.

    The same with pre-amps, from a budget phono stage to a three thousand pound Lehmann.

    Same for turntables and tonearms.

    There are a million combinations of kit.

    But the listening experience is so subjective. Down to the listener.

    I've seen people with a huge smile on their face, who for them have found the perfect system, but one that I find to be not so good. Be it shouty, screamy in your face or dull as dishwater.
    One mans meat and all that. I'm not going to be sitting at home listening to it.

    That's what dem rooms are for. But in reality, not that easy to demo stuff like a big cartridge selection in a session. Far easier to compare a few pre-amps and turntables.

    Yes, you could say that technically, X works with Y works with Z.
    But will that work for you?

    I'd recommend vinylengine for turntable advice, should you need it. Let's say you want to upgrade from a basic cartridge. Do you go for a quality MM offering, a HOMC or a MC? This would be the site I'd ask the question. Let them know the deck, the pre-amp etc and I'm sure you'll be pointed in the right direction.

    But ultimately, use your own ears before you buy, if you can.
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