Vinyl Subscription services - the new trend!

[aditya.d]

Guys, it seems that vinyl resurgence is finally reaching the Indian shores. Sourcing vinyls in India nowadays is becoming slightly easier with websites like,

Grammy's 2015 Buy online Indian and International CDs, LPs, Blu-rays, DVDs and VCDs | Rhythm House

The Revolver Club

Online Shopping: Shop Online for Mobiles, Books, Watches, Shoes and More - Amazon.in

*Pls add any other websites from India which you guys use for sourcing vinyl records*

For the records/genres which are not easily available in India, I have been sourcing them vinyls mostly from Amazon (UK) & Discogs until now, but this has its own disadvantages - shipping charges & the wait. Sometimes the records are misplaced, sometimes there are customs issues etc.

With the resurgence of vinyl, another new trend has started - Vinyl subscription services. Many such subscription services are being introduced and this is becoming quite a rage amongst hipsters and audio enthusiasts alike. One of such really good service is

Vinyl Me, Please |

They send you a package each month (neatly packaged! Check out the unboxing videos of Vinyl me subscribers). The package includes a curated Vinyl + artwork + a cocktail recipe to go with the Vinyl. The reviews are really good and it costs 120 USD for 3 months for international customers. This is ~7700 INR by current exchange rate. Pretty steep!

The Revolver Club in Mumbai has recently launched their own Vinyl Subscription Service in India (First of its kind in India). They are also offering a similar package (with a twist). This is what the website says about what we will get each month.

"
) 12'' LP
2) One Cocktail recipe by Yael Vengroff.
3) One Surprise( we're still not telling, youll just have to find out for yourself)
"

The cost of subscription is 6900 INR for 3 months. Thats pretty close to the Vinyl me subscription! The most important question is - Is it better to 'experiment' in new music and spend your hard earned money on the selections done by the curators of these subscription services or just buy the records you want instead?

Any thoughts? Have any of you guys have had any experience of such services? In general, are there any other good places in India (mostly online) to source vinyls from all genres (not only Indian film music pls).

 

[peace_sells]

Guys, it seems that vinyl resurgence is finally reaching the Indian shores. Sourcing vinyls in India nowadays is becoming slightly easier with websites like,

Grammy's 2015 Buy online Indian and International CDs, LPs, Blu-rays, DVDs and VCDs | Rhythm House

The Revolver Club

Online Shopping: Shop Online for Mobiles, Books, Watches, Shoes and More - Amazon.in

*Pls add any other websites from India which you guys use for sourcing vinyl records*

For the records/genres which are not easily available in India, I have been sourcing them vinyls mostly from Amazon (UK) & Discogs until now, but this has its own disadvantages - shipping charges & the wait. Sometimes the records are misplaced, sometimes there are customs issues etc.

With the resurgence of vinyl, another new trend has started - Vinyl subscription services. Many such subscription services are being introduced and this is becoming quite a rage amongst hipsters and audio enthusiasts alike. One of such really good service is

Vinyl Me, Please |

They send you a package each month (neatly packaged! Check out the unboxing videos of Vinyl me subscribers). The package includes a curated Vinyl + artwork + a cocktail recipe to go with the Vinyl. The reviews are really good and it costs 120 USD for 3 months for international customers. This is ~7700 INR by current exchange rate. Pretty steep!

The Revolver Club in Mumbai has recently launched their own Vinyl Subscription Service in India (First of its kind in India). They are also offering a similar package (with a twist). This is what the website says about what we will get each month.

"
) 12'' LP
2) One Cocktail recipe by Yael Vengroff.
3) One Surprise( we're still not telling, youll just have to find out for yourself)
"

The cost of subscription is 6900 INR for 3 months. Thats pretty close to the Vinyl me subscription! The most important question is - Is it better to 'experiment' in new music and spend your hard earned money on the selections done by the curators of these subscription services or just buy the records you want instead?

Any thoughts? Have any of you guys have had any experience of such services? In general, are there any other good places in India (mostly online) to source vinyls from all genres (not only Indian film music pls).

Before subscribing, I would like to know a good deal about the music taste of owner (or whoever decides what goodies/LPs to send to me). Only if his/her taste is extremely interesting to me, I'd subscribe. Otherwise I'd rather use that 7.7k to buy stuff that I really like..even if that means more waiting waiting time.

And talking about Indian sources for LPs..you missed out Flipkart (though 99.999% of the LPs on sale there seem to be out of stock). Another physical store in India (bangalore) for LPs is:

Mahatobar Distribution
19,Ground Floor, Public Utility Building,
M.G.Road, Bangalore -01

 

[navinsinha]

I would also prefer to buy the records rather than access through these sources.

 

[reubensm]

Its a great trend.

Seeing vinyl make such a comeback is really heart warming. Reminds me of the good old days when Dad used to drop by the local American Library and borrow records (just as how we borrow books from the library these days).

However having said that, it is much more effective to just buy vinyl, listen to it and if you don't like it, just pass it on to someone else

 

[akd]

Time and again it has been said that "vinyl is coming back". I have always felt that is a remark without any merit at all - vinyl is not coming back, at least in India, at least in Bollywood music unless one of the manufacturer comes forward and invest on pressing in India itself which is extremely unlikely. Let me tell you a few facts

1.If one remember SONY,HMV started "manufacturing" LPs simply by using digital sources and getting pressed in Germany and the result was quite a few average sound producing records which are only hype without any content.

2. What is this digital source to LP pressing?? thats stupid, and selling LPs at 900/- is simply robbing the innocent listener, it is bound to be a disaster

3. Now where are those records and LENCOS is Saregama site?? they have disappeared because a better sounding original "CALL OF THE VALLEY" LP is still available at less than 200/-

4. I know a few person who have risked everything by continuing selling original old LPs. Most of them say the LPs which are manufactured and marketed with loads of lies are highly overpriced.

5. Those who bought mostly these records hardly appreciate quality because they have not listened to the original pressing, and sooner or later they will quit seeing every record costs close to 1000/-

6. If I am to believe HMV, SONY are not going to produce any more LP because they have understood its not going to work.

All my comments pertain to Bollywood OSTs and not western as I am not into that. By the way I myself have purchased all the newly released records and none of them sound as smooth,natural like the original pressing.

Moreover, don't you think in India if you love vinyls and keep buying them there is only one consequence - bankruptcy

Thus, my opinion is in India exercise extreme caution buying and indulging into records.

 

[paras0710]

Its a great trend.

Seeing vinyl make such a comeback is really heart warming. Reminds me of the good old days when Dad used to drop by the local American Library and borrow records (just as how we borrow books from the library these days).

However having said that, it is much more effective to just buy vinyl, listen to it and if you don't like it, just pass it on to someone else

Delhi public library still have records section and i think they have collection of 9-10k records.

 

[Shylo]

Forget all the frills -- I think it would be a great idea to have a plain vanilla "LP lending library" just like you have for books and dvd's/bluray's

Benefits :
1. One can try a genre, artist, album before going ahead and buying it for a fraction of the price
2. This lending library could be a great place for members to either buy, sell or trade their existing LP's
3. The library could also be a nice place to catch up with like minded souls and a place for knowledge sharing
4. Could also be a great place to buy pre-owned audio gear
5. The icing on the cake would be if this library had a Caf attached hyeah: .... No, no I am heading in the direction of adding a watering hole

Idea worth considering .. Bangalore could do with one

What's the line -- If wishes were horses ..........

 

[vnmathur57]

Imo, Vinyl & audio tape (spool/cassettes) will never come back. Both are so inconvenient to manufacture, store & carry around that they will never be able to compete with the digital media and, especially, with todays mobile (smart phones) oriented entertainment. Though they will continue to carry their antique value and enjoy their places of pride in our homes, I wonder if any orgn will venture into large scale production of vinyl or tapes. But yes ! I do love to watch those discs spinning in dim light, making great music and make those evenings really enjoyable.
--vnmathur

 

[VinylShakti]

Guys,

Just a small word of caution- a friend of mine has been ordering from Vinyl, Me Please http://vinylmeplease.com/ and most of the time his LPs are delivered warped in transit. He has written repeatedly to them and asked them to pack the LPs better, but there has been no response or change in the packaging.
Now, absolutely frustrated with the last shipment of warped LPs he has decided to discontinue his subscription.

Thought I'd share this experience.

All the best.

 

[Fantastic]

The two CD shops in The Adelphi in Singapore are FULL of vinyl ! Strangely some Mobile Fidelity albums are around S$40/- !
There is also a new vinyl only shop in Burlington Square next to Sim Lim Square.
Old albums are around S$20 and new pressings are S$20+. Usually 35 or 40 !
The shopkeeper says most buyers are youngsters !

Vinyl will not go away in a hurry . No matter what anyone says and no matter how good digital audio gets. There is a 'psychological factor involved in playing a vinyl disc'. Many new discs are also 180 gm versions of the old discs. Makes them thicker , heavier and harder to carry around !

Lots of tube equipment also ! Some will enjoy it while it lasts !
I do ! .............I'm not getting into it. I was always in it !

As for tubes: New manufacture Small signal tubes are about Rs 750/- ( and more) each and in the early 70's they cost Rs 18/ in India ! New production does look much better finished than the old Indian tubes !

 

[sughosh]

I'm not too enthused about this kind of service - seems targeted more at a moneyed "wannabe" segment than genuine vinyl enthusiasts. Steeply priced and assumption that every music lover cares for "cocktail recipes". Still, if it nets them enough money to run regular business, who am I to complain?