The Calcutta Records Journal
Stories from the
Record Room
Vinyl culture, music history, collector stories & more — straight from India's largest record store.
HMV 101 Gramophone: How It Works, WW1 History & Why It Still Plays Today
We’re used to a certain kind of sound. High-end amplifiers.Audiophile-grade speakers.Clean, digital perfection. So when this old, worn-out box landed in front of us… we didn’t quite know what to expect. It looked like a suitcase. Nothing more. But the moment we opened it, everything felt… different. Our First Reaction We stood there, staring at […]
Latest Posts
CRC Podcast Episode 2: Neelanjan Bhattacharya
CRC Podcast Episode 2 | The Pride of Owning Music with Vinyl Heads Introduction to the Episode The second episode of the CRC Podcast continues its journey into the world of vinyl by diving deeper into the emotional and personal connection people have with music. This time, the conversation focuses on the idea of ownership—what […]
CRC Podcast Episode 1: Garrincha Gonsalves
CRC Podcast Episode 1 | Exploring the Analog Soul of Music CRC Podcast Episode 1: Exploring the Analog Soul of Music with Vinyl Heads Introduction to the CRC Podcast The first episode of the CRC Podcast sets the tone for a series dedicated to vinyl lovers, audiophiles, and music enthusiasts. The host introduces the idea […]
Comic Con Kolkata 2026
Comic Con Kolkata – Vinyl Culture Experiment (2026) | Record Room Ep. 3 🎵 Comic Con Kolkata – Vinyl Culture Experiment 🎙️ Introduction Welcome back to Calcutta Records – Record Room, where we explore iconic albums and vinyl culture beyond the studio. In this episode, we step into Comic Con Kolkata 2026—a space filled with […]
Eric Clapton “Unplugged” Vinyl Record Review
🎙️ Introduction Welcome back to Calcutta Records – Record Room, where we explore legendary albums through the warmth of vinyl. In this episode, we take a closer look at Eric Clapton’s “Unplugged”, one of the most celebrated live acoustic albums of all time—and ask a simple question: 👉 Is this the best acoustic vinyl record […]
Nazia Hassan & The Birth of Indian Pop
Nazia Hassan – Disco Deewane Vinyl Review (2026) | Record Room Ep. 1 🎙️ Introduction Welcome back to Calcutta Records – Record Room, where we explore iconic albums on vinyl. In this episode, we’re diving into Disco Deewane by Nazia Hassan, a record that changed the face of Indian pop music forever. 👉 But the […]
Cassette Tape Revival in India: Why Cassettes Are Coming Back
Something unexpected is happening in India’s music landscape. Cassette tapes — declared dead in the early 2000s with the rise of CDs and then streaming — are quietly, steadily coming back. At Calcutta Records, our Hindi cassette and English cassette sales have grown year-on-year. Here’s why. India’s Unique Cassette Heritage To understand the revival, you […]
Indian vs Import Vinyl Pressings: What’s the Difference?
Two copies of the same album sit in front of you: one pressed in India by HMV, one a Japanese import. Same music. Different everything else. For Indian vinyl collectors, understanding pressing origins is essential — it affects both sound quality and price significantly. Here’s the complete comparison. What Is a Pressing? A “pressing” refers […]
Top 10 Cassette Tapes That Sound Better Than Digital in India
Streaming is convenient. But is it always better? Many audio enthusiasts — and a growing number of Indian millennials rediscovering their parents’ cassette collections — insist that certain albums have a unique warmth on tape that digital cannot replicate. Here are 10 titles where the cassette genuinely competes with (or beats) the digital version. Why […]
New vs Used Vinyl Records: A Buyer’s Guide for India
New vinyl or used vinyl — it’s the eternal debate for every record collector entering a shop or scrolling through an online store. In India, the dynamics are slightly different from Western markets. Here’s the complete comparison to help you decide what’s right for your collection. New Vinyl Records in India The market for brand […]