Vinyl Week 2026

"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 – turning 18 this year! – which lands on 18th April, and to coincide, we are running our now-annual Vinyl Week to celebrate this enduring analogue format, turntables and related paraphernalia.

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Our editorial team dives deep into the past half-century to reminisce about forgotten classic turntables, explores the new trend of vinyl listening bars, tries a couple of record cleaners, and even revisits 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 it. One to appease fans of both physical formats…

Whether you’re queueing up for one of those special RSD 2026 editions, or simply enjoying your vinyl collection at home – do get involved and drop us a comment to share your favourite vinyl album, the best record stores, what turntable you’re listening on, or what new releases we should all be checking out.

MORE:

How to set up a turntable correctly and get the best sound

How to choose the right record player for you

A brief history of the turntable and vinyl records