For some music lovers, that tiny mp3 player just won't do.
"The purest form of music is on vinyl," said Nate Leblanc, an employee at Streetlight Records in San Jose. "I probably have about 4,000-5,000 pieces of vinyl. It's what keeps me going."
The LP has survived the introduction of 8-tracks, audiocassettes and CDs. And it's still here despite the massive success of digital music and portable media players.
Tyler Narciso, 21, of Salinas said he shops for vinyl records at least once a week since obtaining his grandparents' vacant turntable.
"Vinyl feels more intimate because it forces me to listen to the whole song. You can't fast-forward, rewind or skip a song like the way you would with CDs and just look for a single," he said.
"I feel like I'm more involved when I play vinyl," Narciso said.
Vinyl records, sound recordings consisting of a disk with a continuous groove, are still being mass-produced by record labels, with the most up-to-date singles and album releases, whereas 8-track cartridges and audiocassettes have been discontinued. According to the Associated Press, Nielsen SoundScan reported that 858,000 LPs were sold in 2006.
There are numerous record stores in the Bay Area such as Streetlight Records, Amoeba Music and Rasputin Music that specialize in selling modern and classic vinyl records, as well as CDs and other music products. The distinct album covers for vinyl records are also coveted. Many collectors frame them as they would works of art.
Yet, vinyl is not just purchased by music collectors. It is also used by DJs, who say the presence of an actual record at their fingertips makes the entire music experience more worthwhile.
"Using vinyl is so much more hands-on," said Jonathan Lewis via-email, a mobile DJ from Wales, United Kingdom. "By messing about and touching the vinyl, you almost feel like you are being a part of the music."
Lewis is more known as the "DJ Tutor" on the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube. Since October 2006, Lewis has been creating step-by-step tutorial videos on the techniques of DJing.
For the past five years, Streetlight Records employee Leblanc has also been working as a part-time mobile DJ, running local events in art shows and museums in the Bay Area.
"The older people at these events are surprised when they see me DJing with vinyl records on turntables. They tell me how they haven't seen a vinyl record in ages," Leblanc said. "It already establishes a good relationship with the crowd because they are able to connect with the DJ through the equipment he or she is using."
There are other advantages in using vinyl records for DJing purposes. The analog recording found in vinyl sounds infinitely better than CDs because the structure and waveform of the recording is literally engraved into the source, allowing no sound to be lost.
Additionally, vinyl records aren't prone to the technical errors of computers, which can crash or freeze.
"If you purchase a download and use it from your hard drive, your hard drive can stop working and you are left with nothing," Lewis said. "At least with vinyl, you are able to record the song onto your computer and even burn it to a CD while still having the original piece of music."
But one drawback is the price of vinyl records. A sealed vinyl album can range from $20-$30 while the same CD can be bought for $10 -$15.
Perhaps the main reason that disc jockeys continue to use vinyl comes with the mental aspect of knowing that the vinyl record stands as a recognized trademark for anyone who labels himself or herself a DJ.
"I feel like a true DJ when I'm using vinyl," said Isaias Sernas Jr., 30, of Hollister. "I hardly buy any CDs because there is so much originality on vinyl."
Sernas has been working as mobile DJ for nine years and recently started getting work in clubs.
Nevertheless, because there is so much gear to transport from event to event, some mobile DJs who use vinyl records are digitalizing their music collections. This means they will now have to purchase CD-capable turntables, also known as CDJs, but they gain the convenience of carrying just a binder of CDs with the same amount of music as abundant crates of vinyl.
"I prefer vinyl for home use, but CDs are more practical for mobile work," Lewis said. "A set of mp3s burned to CDs is a lot lighter to carry."
But Leblanc refuses to ever DJ with CDs.
"I never understood digital mixing," he said. "It just never felt right."