Records and the Kolkata monsoon
Humidity, mould and warping: how to protect a collection from June to September.
What a ₹60,000 system buys, and what ₹2 lakh adds
An honest breakdown of two systems we put together often, and where the extra money goes.
Most people who walk into the shop have a budget in mind and want to know what it buys. Here are two systems we set up often, with what each part costs.
At about ₹60,000: a restored 1980s receiver at ₹28,000, a refurbished belt-drive deck at around ₹18,000 with a fresh cartridge, and a pair of restored bookshelf speakers at about ₹14,000. Add cables and a brush. This plays records well in a living room and can be upgraded one part at a time.
At about ₹2,00,000: our Deck One turntable at ₹46,000, the Phono One preamp at ₹21,500, a pair of KC Six speakers at ₹54,000, and a solid-state or entry valve amplifier at around ₹75,000. The extra money buys a quieter background, a wider sense of space, and detail in quiet passages. It does not make the music better; it makes more of it audible.
In both systems, the speakers and the room matter more than any one box. We always suggest spending on the speakers first, then the deck and cartridge, then the amplifier. Whatever you spend, keep about ₹5,000 for stands, a shelf for the turntable and a few records. A good system with nothing good to play on it is a sad thing.
