PASSIONS: Let the music play or pay

DJ Victor Rodriguez prefers the warmth of vinyl to the crisp, clear sound
of digital music.

When was the last time you dusted off classic Elton and put him on for a spin?

Or cranked Michael Jackson so loud the music bounced "Off the Wall"?

Remember allowing Richard and Karen Carpenter to get "Close to You"?

Unless you've downloaded digital versions, it's probably been awhile since you've heard this music. For many fans who fell in love with it when it was released on vinyl, their favorite albums now accumulate dust in storage.

Ever wonder what to do with all of those albums you never play anymore?

DJ Victor Rodriguez has a few ideas. Music has been his passion and profession for years, and he has a collection of 10,000 LPs to support them.

* “You can just keep them and play them and give them love” is Victor's first suggestion for anyone hoarding albums. 

He can't imagine parting with his collection, which he started at age 7 when he got his father to buy disco diva Donna Summer's latest for him.

As a youth "all of my money went for records," Victor said. "Vinyl wasn't cheap."

* Another option for accidental collectors is to turn their vinyl into Mp3s. "There's a turntable you can buy that you can connect to your computer," he said. "It will digitally download them."

* For those who are technically challenged, there are stores such as Amoeba Music in LA that buy albums to resell, Victor said.

* And don't forget about eBay. Victor advises checking the website to see how much albums are selling for.

“The English market and the Japanese market have been really really strong for vinyl collection for many years," he said. "Records sell for thousands of dollars.”

You could gain a lot of cash but you might miss the audio effect of records.

“Vinyl definitely has a warmer sound," Victor said. "If you think about it, it’s an actual recording. It’s a real sound.

"Digital recording is bits of data -- it's not a natural sound -- just bits of information that tell the audio source what it’s supposed to sound like.”

Younger DJs have noticed the difference and now use vinyl when they work. In fact, Victor said, they tease him about being a "computer DJ" when he uses his computer and controller to work.

His comeback is that he was playing vinyl before they existed. The self-described "'70s soul person" has been a DJ since 1983.

"For them it’s a cool factor and sometimes the kids, they want to try to be a little bit too cool for school."