"The four building blocks of the universe are fire, water, gravel and vinyl" – so says American humorist Dave Barry, and we have to agree. What Hi-Fi? is celebrating our 50th birthday this year, and vinyl and turntables have been the building blocks of our publication ever since we started in 1976.
It's also time for Record Store Day 2026, which lands on Saturday 18th April. To coincide we're running our now-annual Vinyl Week to celebrate this enduring analogue format, along with turntables and related paraphernalia.
Vinyl Week 2026 will be running from today, Monday 13th to Sunday 19th April, and we'll be bringing you reviews of exciting new turntables (including Audio-Technica's classy-looking premium deck), exclusive interviews exploring vinyl’s popularity and buying habits, and insight into how record shops are evolving beyond simply selling vinyl to become thriving community hubs.
Article continues belowOur editorial team dives deep into the past half-century to reminisce about forgotten turntables, explore the new trend of vinyl listening bars, test out some record cleaners, and even revisit Dire Straits' seminal album Brothers in Arms – in both vinyl and CD.
We also get our hands on the Rega Planet – the brand's first-ever turntable – and, proving there are still surprises in this world, test a modern turntable that has a CD player built inside. One to appease fans of both physical formats...
Reviews
- Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 review: classy-looking turntable with a wonderfully clear, insightful sound
MORE:
How to set up a turntable correctly and get the best sound
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