Blog

By David Solomon

Pre-2004, vinyl was my best and most trusted source. Although CD was introduced in 1982 and billed as “Perfect sound forever.”, It took a solid 15 years before digital started catching up in a meaningful way.

The belief in digital’s potential was at the heart of Peachtree Audio, which I co-founded in 2004. Our goal was to make digital sources sound better, but we never ignored where it all began. Most Peachtree integrated amplifiers included a phono stage because vinyl was still relevant and central to how so many of us listened. Even as we pushed the digital experience forward, we made sure records always had a place in the system.

My time at Peachtree set the stage for what came next. When I later helped launch Tidal in the U.S., and then Qobuz, it felt like the moment I had been preparing for. Suddenly, we could stream millions of albums in lossless and Hi-Res quality. For the first time, digital didn’t just promise convenience—it delivered sound that could finally stand right alongside physical formats. But there’s something to be said for not constantly drinking from a never ending hydrant. The intimacy and relationship I have with my records is not the same as my favorites are on my streaming services. It’s much deeper.

That’s why it was so exciting for me to walk into Gramophone and World Wide Stereo and see a huge display of records again. Even better was watching how much energy and enthusiasm people had toward vinyl. The format isn’t just back, it’s thriving, and it’s inspiring to see how many listeners, young and old, are discovering or rediscovering what makes it special.

And that’s the point, I never walked away from vinyl.

Pulling a record off the shelf, sliding it from its sleeve, and setting the needle down is still the ritual that grounds me. It slows me down. It makes me listen with intention. Vinyl isn’t built for convenience, and that’s exactly why I love it. It’s a ritual that I’ve missed with any format since.

And the sound? That’s what keeps me hooked. A good turntable doesn’t just play music, it fills the room with it. Vinyl has a warmth and presence that feels alive. I don’t think of it as better or worse than Hi-Res streaming. They’re different experiences. Streaming gives me discovery and I’ll never buy an album again without knowing that I love it, but that record will certainly give me a deeper connection. I feel privileged to have both.

Either way, buying albums helps support the artists, which has always been important to me.

Through every shift—cassette, CD, MP3 and streaming, I’ve held onto my records. I never boxed them up or sold them off. They remind me why I fell in love with music in the first place.

So yes, I’ve spent the last two decades pushing digital forward, and I believe in it wholeheartedly. But now, as I step into my role as ambassador for Gramophone and World Wide Stereo, I get to bring those two worlds together. The excitement of Hi-Res streaming and the timeless experience of vinyl aren’t competing—they’re complementing each other. And that’s exactly the kind of balance I want to share with every listener who walks into a store, visits online, or joins us for the shows and conversations we’re building.

Some things remain timeless—and some things, like vinyl and streaming together, are only just beginning.

David Solomon
Director of Content Innovation & Brand Engagement
Gramophone :: World Wide Stereo