NL
About my music collection
My name is Sander, and my passion for collecting music began in the 1970s, when I started building my first vinyl collection. In those early years, my collection grew at a modest pace, largely due to the limited income available to me at the time. Nevertheless, those first records laid the foundation for what would eventually become a lifelong passion.
Over the years, my collection expanded to include CDs and other digital formats. As a result, vinyl purchases became less frequent for a period of time. In recent years, however, the balance has shifted once again. Vinyl has regained its central place in my collection, while purchases of CDs and other digital formats have become more selective.
The heart of my collection consists of vinyl albums and compilation records. I continue to expand these collections with both new and carefully selected second-hand records. Condition is important to me, and I generally look for records in at least VG+ condition, both for their listening quality and for their value as physical music carriers.
Although vinyl is the main focus, CDs, DVDs, SACDs and Blu-rays still have their place in the collection. These formats are occasionally added, particularly when a new or interesting release complements the existing collection. However, they no longer represent its main focus.
The sound of vinyl
For me, one of the greatest attractions of vinyl is its warm, natural and engaging character. There is something special about sitting down and listening to an album as a complete musical experience, rather than simply playing individual tracks.
The occasional click or crackle does not bother me. On the contrary, I regard a certain amount of surface noise as part of the character and authenticity of the vinyl experience. It reminds me that I am listening to a physical record rather than a purely digital reproduction.
My most recent analogue upgrade was the replacement of my Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge with an Ortofon 2M Bronze. I also added a dedicated iFi ZEN Phono 3 phono preamplifier, replacing the phono stage built into my AV receiver. These upgrades have further enhanced my enjoyment of the analogue side of the collection.
The digital collection
A future development of this website will be the addition of all individual tracks within the digital part of my collection, including CD singles, DVDs, Blu-rays, SACDs and the tracks from all other CD albums.
This will be a major undertaking, but once completed it will make the collection considerably more comprehensive. It will also provide much more detailed and versatile search capabilities, allowing individual tracks and releases to be found across the entire collection.
For me, collecting music is not simply about owning records and discs. It is about preserving music, discovering great recordings, appreciating the artwork and physical formats, and above all, continuing to enjoy the music itself.