What is the best vinyl label?
In previous posts I have referred to the vinyl labels that can be trusted – Analogue Productions, Music Matters, Sundazed etc. to provide high quality pressings on virgin vinyl from an original analogue source (i.e. not from a CD. However, it has been my experience that there is tremendous variability in the price paid for vinyl, and what you get for your money. For example – I was in HMV in Dublin last week and bought Paul Heaton/Jaqui Abbott’s album – “What have we become” for €29 on vinyl (the CD was €13. I note that the same record debuted on amazon.co.uk for £26 but is now £19. Inside my expensive vinyl package there was no sign of a CD or MP3 download card. The Horrors have a new album out – 2 versions on vinyl – both contain 2 x LP, but one is gatefold and the other is not: a £16 for the standard version, £27 (on amazon.co.uk today) for the “deluxe” version. The only difference is the gatefold sleeve: we call this “taking the piss.” Perhaps, some day, the Horrors will become very collectable and you will see a >£10 premium for “Luminous,” but, on the other hand, pigs might fly. Message to XL records – if you call something a “deluxe edition” you need to add something – outtakes, a poster, a CD, some badges, other crap paraphernalia – a gatefold sleeve doesn’t cut it.
In any case, I am making a list, below (it will be filled in – in time and placed on the pages section), or record labels that are “generous” with downloads, or inexpensive in price. Here is my criterion: if a new release LP comes out on vinyl, and the package contains and LP + CD – I think the package is worth up to €30. If the LP costs €16.99, but comes without DL or CD, then it is good value – because you can buy the CD + LP separately for <€30. The base price for an LP should be <€20 (unless it is a true double, which I will set, arbitrarily at €25). A download code will upgrade the price to, maybe €23.
One of the problems with buying new vinyl online, such as at Amazon (who are quite expensive, incidentally), is that you are never sure what you are getting in the package. For example I bought Chuck E. Weiss’s “Red Beans and Weiss” last week for >€20 (€18 I think), and on the cover there was a sticker stating that a CD was enclosed. Great value. The same record is available at Amazon.co.uk – with no evidence that you will get the CD.
So here is the start of my list:
RECORD LABELS THAT INCLUDE (USUALLY) A CD WITH THE VINYL LP
Bella Union
Nonesuch
Turnstile
ATO
RECORD LABELS THAT INCLUDE A HIGH RESOLUTION DOWNLOAD CODE WITH THE VINYL LP
Naim
RECORD LABELS WHOSE VINYL IS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE (and you can buy the CD separately)
Rhinovinyl
Sundazed
RECORD LABELS THAT INCLUDE A MP3 DOWNLOAD CODE WITH THE VINYL LP
Sony Legacy
Back to Black
Universal vinyl
Domino
Amazon – If you buy an LP from Amazon they will provide you with a free “auto-rip” (unless you live in Ireland, for some reason).
RECORD LABELS THAT GIVE YOU NOTHING WITH WITH THE VINYL LP (moderately expensive)
Music on vinyl
RECORD LABELS THAT INCLUDE A HIGH RESOLUTION DOWNLOAD CODE WITH THE VINYL LP (very expensive)
Music Matters
Analogue Productions
Audio Analogue
audioexchange 