[This competition has now ended and is no longer open for entries. To find out about our latest competitions, please visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.]
REJOICE – THE COMEBACK OF VINYL!
This week we’re delighted to bring you a prize that will have music lovers dancing for joy – a beautiful Roberts RT100 turntable. One lucky winner will win this fantastic turntable, read on to find out more about the great prize and why it’s got our reviewer, Ria, very excited …
I’ve been privy to some amazing comebacks in my time. Robert Downey Jr, fired from Ally McBeal in 2001, came back to become one of the highest paid actors in the world. Lego, the current bane of my life (and feet), was struggling as recently as 2004; now they’re worth an estimated £11 billion! Our cinemas, too, are full of comebacks & prequels and who can forget the recent re-emergence of 80’s fashion styling on catwalks and high streets?! For me, however, the greatest – and most welcome – comeback is that of the humble vinyl record.
Vinyl first started making a comeback in 2008 and it has continued to grow. While it’s unlikely to ever reach the sales it once had in the 70’s and early 80’s, the sales of vinyl have been increasing year-on-year, for almost a decade. Why, ask many of those who’ve always listened to music via digital downloads, CD’s or online. Here are my reasons why vinyl is so great.
- Sound Quality. For me, the sound of my favourite music on vinyl is second to none. An 80’s child, I’ve evolved from vinyl, to cassettes, to CD’s, to MP3 & digital streaming. Vinyl has a more omni-dimensional sound that fills a room a lot better. LPs sound warmer, and you are more likely to notice subtle sounds that you might usually miss. It helps, of course, that vinyl’s pressed today sound better than those pressed in the 60, thanks to recording equipment that is far more advanced.
- Surface Noise. Part of the vinyl experience is the steady hum of the needle along the grooves and the occasional crackle. Romantic, poetic and artistic; this adds texture to the whole listening experience.
- Although my first independent foray into choosing my own music was both on cassette (and a disaster 1985, Rock Me Amadeus by Falco) , I fondly recall my Dad’s awesome LPs.
- Sometimes you can ‘lose’ the music if there is no real physical interaction with the music you’re listening to. It’s just music and nothing more. Vinyl has you physically EXPERIENCING the music. From flipping through a stack of LPs, checking out the artwork, to opening the wrapper and actually touching the record and setting it to play – these are what I pay for when I buy vinyl records.
- Vinyl record sleeves are great to look at and have more aesthetic appeal compared to CDs or a media player with loads of music files. Often, there are sleeve notes, lyrics or printed content done by or in collaboration with the artist, that you just don’t get with digital files.
- Of all the music formats, vinyl has the most value retention. With a healthy buyers’ market, it’s time to get into the attic, dust off the LPs and see what you have.
Whether you’re a vinyl fan of old, or a newcomer, you’ll find that the Roberts RT100 is the perfect way to enjoy your favourite new music or vintage vinyl. Despite the great price, this turntable captures Roberts’ premium appearance and feel, thanks to great styling and real-wood veneer on the plinth.
There is a built-in phono stage so it’s plug-and-play, easily partnering with anything else from the Roberts range to give you the full range of vinyl-playback solutions. You can even use audio recording software, like Audacity, to record your vinyl to your ‘phone, for the times you can’t cart a turntable with you! Just connect your computer to your turntable (easily done, thanks to the USB port & cable) and you can digitally record in a range of audio formats. Genius!
Roberts have kept the design and spec simple, stylish and intuitive. There’s a push-button speed change, allowing a no-faff change from 33 to 45rpm and back again. The Roberts RT100 also has auto-start and auto-stop, so your record begins to spin as the needle is moved towards the record and stops spinning when the needle reaches the last groove. This combines all the nostalgic elements I love, with a machine that looks incredibly good but it’s the whole effect – the sound, the styling and the romance – that has me contemplating adding “another stack of vinyl” to my Christmas list!
One lucky winner needn’t worry Santa, however, as they’ll be getting a Roberts RT100 delivered to their door. To find out more and to be in with a chance of winning just head over to our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages to find out how you can enter our brilliant FREE competition.
If you’re not lucky enough to win our competition you can buy the Roberts RT100 turntable online and enjoy free delivery or use our Click & Collect service to pick one up from a local store in as little as one hour. Browse our Roberts range online or ask your local store about a demonstration.
[This competition has now ended and is no longer open for entries. To find out about our latest competitions, please visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.]
