What do you buy someone who collects vinyl like it’s 1975? A hi-fi digital player to bring them to the 21st century. Since you’re not crazy enough to buy an expensive music player for someone who may not even want it, it may be more prudent to just get them a 2021 calendar instead. Of course, if you want a gift that will actually be appreciated, you may want to get them something that will feed their arcane hobby.
Buy them a new turntable? Sure, but they probably won’t even use that unless you get them a fancy rig that your wallet won’t appreciate. Buy them a new LP? Maybe, but it’s hard to know which one to get, unless you’re intimately familiar with their collection. If you’re not sure which records to pick up, these accessories should make for gifts they’re very likely to appreciate.
Twelve Inch Original Invisible Wall Display – $20
Screw this round disc up your wall and you can use it to hold an LP cover while the record spins on the platter, giving you a way to better show off the artwork of whatever music you got playing at any moment. Sure beats leaning the cover up a wall or tossing it in the coffee table. You can also put up multiple mounts if you want to use it as a way to showcase the most prized albums in your collection. Just get your friend one and let them buy the rest if they actually want more.
Hudson Hi-Fi Premium Swiss Leather Turntable Mat – $32
Turntable mats can serve a variety of functions. Some people use them strictly for protecting their turntable platters (they keep dust away), while others use them to upgrade sound quality when listening and alter the sound when DJing. Either way, this thing will get used by whoever receives it, especially since it looks so good in its premium leather construction. It supposedly sounds good, too, with its ability to dampen resonances more effectively than felt.
Behringer U-Phono UFO202 USB Audio Interface – $38
No matter how much your friend loves their analog music setup, chances are, they’ll want to digitize some of their music at some point. You can carry a turntable around town, after all. That’s why a USB audio interface is likely to be an appreciate gift, as it allows them to transfer any of their archaic vinyl recordings into a more contemporary digital format, allowing them to use it on their laptops, phones, and other electronic devices.
GrooveWasher Record Stabilizer Weight – $50
This 1.2-pound weight sets down at the center of a record while it spins on the platter, clamping it down to the turntable platter, which can cause improved tracking and reduced vibrations during playback. It can also reduce wow and flutter, making all your records sound a whole lot better. Granted, there’s argument out there whether clamps are necessary or just frivolous nonsense, but we doubt your friend will mind receiving it as a gift, regardless of which camp they’re on.
IsoAcoustics Iso-Puck Isolation Pucks – $59
Every audiophile will never mind having more acoustic isolators in their stash. If you’re unfamiliar, they’re these tiny pucks that you place under speakers, turntables, amplifiers, and any other type of audio equipment that can vibrate while playing sound at high volumes. Place these under the devices to have them soak up those unwanted vibrations instead, which should help eliminate any dissonant sounds produced during the playback.
Flipbin Model 33 – $79
Chances are, your friend also has a way of stashing their record collection. With this gift, they can have another option in the form of an all-steel tabletop rack that stores their 12-inch record with the covers out front. It’s freestanding, so they can place it in coffee tables, side tables, and anywhere else, with felt feet, so it doesn’t scratch any surface it touches. Up to 33 LPs can fit in one Model 33.
Pro-Ject Audio Phono Box DC Preamplifier – $79
A phono preamp raises a turntable’s output to make it compatible with modern amps, essentially beefing up the signal so they deliver a much better sound than what the built-in phono stages inside a turntable will allow. This preamp from Pro-Ject can make the most pedestrian turntable sound a whole lot more impressive, altering the sound in a way that even untrained listeners will appreciate. Your friend love the compact size, the substantial weight, and the easy set up. You, on the other hand, will absolutely love the affordable price.