Eric Suttman, professor of audio

production here at the University

of Dayton, posed a question to his students: "How many of you guys know what an LP is?" To his surprise numerous students in the class raised their hands. So I ask this question, are record players old fashioned, or are they in use just as much as CDs and cassettes? If I were a betting man I would say there are easily more record players

on this campus than CD players

or Walkmans.

What is it that people find enjoyable

about listening to LPs? I believe it is the feeling of, regardless

of how clich? it sounds, an easier time. Whether it is a record that you listened to as a kid or maybe a record that one of your parents enjoyed listening to, the record puts you in a different state of mind.

You could easily make the argument

that it is a hassle to have to get up and flip the record over every four or five songs, but come on, it's a small price to pay.

Looking back at my years at UD some of the best memories I have were either having a record on during a party, or just relaxing on a week night playing darts and going through our collection of records.

You could even make the argument

that if America was still listening

to and buying LPs the music industry would not be in the situation

they are in today. With programs

such as iTunes and Ruckus, music fans can now download individual

tracks. What this does is limit the musician to only being able to sell singles. When they put on concerts all fans want to hear is the radio single.

Recently Jenny Eliscu of Rolling

Stone sat down with Jason Mraz and asked him if he felt that once you had a hit single, such as Mraz did in 2003 with "The Remedy

(I Won't Worry)", that all the fans wanted to hear was the hit, he had this to say: "it's happening with "I'm Yours." Especially when you're just doing radio and TV, you've only got time for one song, and of course, it's going to be "I'm Yours" right now.

This limits the listeners experience,

if they had bought the entire album they would be able to hear every track as the artist intended not just the hit single.

If I were asked if record players

were a dying breed I would easily

respond with a "be serious." I would also recommend for everyone

to go buy a record player, you can find used records at any store such as Half Priced Books and any small town music store. Maybe the best part of records is being able to find such great records for such a cheap price.

So sit back, listen to the crackle of the record and listen to the record

the way it was meant to be played.