Axpona 2026 Panel: Is it The Best Time EVER to Be a Record Collector?

Is this the BEST time ever to collect vinyl… or are we just living through the most complicated era the hobby has ever seen?

Fresh off the floor at the 2026 AXPONA North American Audio Expo, this episode features a panel discussion moderated by Jim Kaplan of Record Collector News— featuring Concert Buddie, Louie V (Vinyl Latte), and David Bianco (Safe & Sound Texas Audio Excursion) — as they tackle the state of vinyl record collecting in present times.

From explosive growth and mainstream popularity to rising prices and reissue overload, this conversation pulls no punches. Is vinyl more accessible than ever, or is the barrier to entry quietly getting higher? Are collectors thriving in a golden age of availability, or drowning in a sea of variants, represses, and FOMO-driven buying?

The panel dives into:

The reality behind today’s booming vinyl market
Whether scarcity still matters in the age of endless reissues
How apps, online marketplaces, and digital tools are reshaping crate digging
Why Gen Z could hold the key to the future of the hobby
Is Classic Rock now becoming the easiest to find genre?
And tips, tactics, and best practices aimed at making your collecting better for using them!

Ultimately, the panel doesn’t give a simple yes-or-no answer—but instead paints a nuanced picture: this may be the most active era in vinyl history, but whether it’s the “best” depends on what kind of collector you are.

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For more on moderator Jim Kaplan of Record Collector News:

https://recordcollectornews.com

For more on Concert Buddie:

https://www.youtube.com/@ConcertBuddie

https://concertbuddie.com

IG: @concertbuddie

For more on David Bianco (Safe & Sound Texas Audio Excursion):

https://www.youtube.com/@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion

IG: @audio_excursion

For more on Louie V. (Vinyl Latte):

https://www.youtube.com/@VinylLatte