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Has anyone ever wondered what people did with audio and video before YouTube and Spotify? Everyone grew impatient with the fluctuating radio waves, seeking a more selective and refined enjoyment, and that's when CDs, DVDs, and stereo systems were invented.
In reality, CDs and DVDs have passed their golden age, but people still seek to rediscover the enduring appeal of sound and visuals. Fundamentally, it's a lifestyle, a perspective that seamlessly connects thousands of emotions, creating a sophisticated, innovative hobby that requires careful research and investment.
CDs and DVDs may have passed their golden age, but people are still searching for the enduring appeal of sound and visuals.
Watch - Play - Listen - Reflect
"Even hobbies require a lot of effort" - Audio and video now offer the convenience and speed of integrated modern devices, with pre-programmed applications that spontaneously generate settings with default adjustments, replacing the old-fashioned fumbling of buttons and knobs.
Victory – a store whose name evokes a bygone era, the heyday of record players and bulky vintage speaker systems – is located at 110 Yen Hoa, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
But in truth, turning the physical knobs on speaker systems is also a way of shaping the sense of sound, and that brilliance is only clearly conveyed through the art of vintage audio. This hobby, now found throughout the city, is mostly hidden away in small alleyways, leaving room for the hustle and bustle of the streets, seeking only peaceful spaces for sound to flow.
Victory – a store whose name evokes a bygone era, the heyday of record players and bulky vintage speaker systems – is located at 110 Yen Hoa Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi. It's truly luxurious. To acquire them, money alone isn't enough; buying without research and understanding is like playing music to a deaf ear. Therefore, the luxury extends from the materials used in the equipment to the character of the collectors. Collecting high-quality items requires time, effort, and a corresponding budget to acquire pieces that are pleasing to the eye and ear.
According to the shop owner, a collector of vintage audio equipment, those who hunt for vintage audio are also known as "sound hunters." This hunt requires both passion and meticulous effort; it's not as easy to obtain as the readily available downloads on platforms today.
The small shop, with its shelves arranged at right angles, is filled with CDs and DVDs from the old days to the present, catering to every taste from nostalgic to modern.
These kinds of shops are rare in Hanoi now. The owners, who were once trendsetters, don't try to innovate their style to cater to current tastes. Fundamentally, they're not chasing the latest trends; instead, they've become keepers and promoters. They maintain the original signage, wording, and style of the small café in front. For young people, it's like a café owned by their parents, while for those who were once young, it's a place to return to. Preserving the old style isn't about being rigid; it's because some things are meant to be that way. Innovating would be like turning things into something half-baked and unoriginal, a true disrespect.
Young producers and singers also release albums in CD and DVD format.
The small shop, with its shelves arranged at right angles, is filled with CDs and DVDs from the past to the present, catering to every taste from nostalgic to modern. Previously, it only offered overseas CDs and DVDs, or the voices of older generations, but now, producers and young singers are also releasing albums on CD and DVD. Why? Because CDs and DVDs are a form of archiving, while MP3s and MP4s are formats that cannot be recovered. Therefore, new singers are also using this method to ensure their recordings endure through generations.
When voice is the shape of personality
CDs and DVDs are also stories, or a whole era to grow up in, because music, in every era and every period, creates a ton of different emotions, surprising, whether they remain unchanged or even after they have changed somewhat. People listen to tapes and discs with less discussion, focusing instead on the deep and high bass tones of the specialized speakers, allowing the auditory senses to concentrate on the musical experience rather than getting caught up in gossip. Listeners translate their mouth movements into synchronized listening, so that when both ears catch a harmonious passage, both heads nod in agreement. Sometimes no one speaks, because at that moment, their souls are whispering to each other.
CDs and DVDs also contain wonderful stories and represent a time to grow up.
Despite its unusual and elaborate nature, this hobby attracts many audiophiles. Audio enthusiasts come from all walks of life, from young students still in school to retired veterans. From intellectuals to businesspeople, they all share a common love for music.
When audiophiles meet, their conversations naturally don't revolve around genres of music, playing styles, or speakers and equipment. Each person has their own preferences, musical tastes, and ways of enjoying music. Some prefer listening to mellow classical music, others are captivated by vibrant rock melodies, and some enjoy assembling their own perfect sound system.
The shop has a space where old-timers can reminisce and newcomers can wander around and learn.
The store dedicates a space for old-timers to rediscover their roots, and for newcomers to explore and learn. The older folks say this musical space gives them a much more positive work ethic and inspiration than the chaotic atmosphere of modern music brands. Young people, on the other hand, believe that their souls are enriched by classical jazz music on tapes and CDs. Sound is indistinguishable, undefined; sound is the essence of the soul, shaping the form of personality.
Sound is the essence of the soul, shaping the form of one's character.
The more you listen, the more addicted you become; the more you play, the more captivated you get. The most enjoyable part is sipping coffee while listening to music, watching the reels spin and the needle of the electronic tube flicker in time with the rhythm... Those who love vintage audio not only have a nostalgic soul, longing for the past, but more importantly, they "live slowly" with each golden song and melody through a radio that is often considered old-fashioned…
