Birthday Gift, Part 1

For awhile I've been wanting to get a record player. I have a small stack of old 45s I took from my sister from when she was in high school (that would have been early '80s - and they are AWESOME!). But I haven't had a way to play them, since I haven't had a turntable since I started buying CDs when I was in high school (that would have been the late 80s - and they were AWESOME!). But, for two other reasons I've been wanting to get a turntable:

1. Nostalgia's Sake
2. Increase in Vinyl Production

But those reasons were never enough to really push me over the edge into buying one. That is until I read something from my cousin Ashley (who is quite a bit younger than I am, and a lot smarter)... she said that she prefers the sound of vinyl over CD. After I read that, I started looking for a turntable. But there is one problem... I don't listen to music much at home, mostly only in my car or on my iPod while I'm walking, so if I start buying records, how will I be able to listen to them more than just every once in a while. The answer: a USB turntable that will record to computer.

I was looking at a Crosley that I came across on the Urban Outfitters Web site. But these turntables weren't getting good reviews from the Web sites I was looking at. However, this one did. So, I decided to go for it. I didn't buy it from Urban Outfitters, however. I found it much cheaper on eBay, and it was new!

The package arrived last Thursday at my office, and I was actually able to control myself enough to wait until I arrived home to open the box.



I quickly removed it from the box and took the cover off. Yep, it looked like a turntable.



Then I pulled out the 45s I had taken from my sister and found "Delirious" by Prince. What better way is there to try out a new turntable than with a Prince record?



After listening to that classic, I pulled out the first album I had purchased since junior high school, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" by Amanda Palmer.



And I gave it a spin.



One of the cool things about new albums and reissues is that many record companies are including coupons with codes that will allow for free downloading of the songs in MP3 format from the Internet.



But because not every new album does that, and of course old albums purchased used don't offer that service, the USB-enabled record player will allow me to make digital copies of those albums.

I'm pleased with this gift to myself, and looking forward to years of enjoyment of new material and reminiscing with old material.