Streaming services have enabled people to instantly access music on their devices – but they’re also normalising substandard audio quality. In their quest for high-fidelity experiences, some audiophiles are now seeking venues that put music first, prizing purity of sound over all other factors.

Research has found that the vast majority of vinyl purchases are made by self-professed super-fans of the medium. This suggests that its resurgence is being driven by a niche group, rather than by music consumers en masse who are motivated by nostalgia, as previously believed.

Despite Japan’s reputation as a world leader in technology, the nation’s audiophiles have been slow to embrace music streaming, with many people still craving vinyl and making regular trips to CD stores. What’s got the world’s second-largest music market stuck on physical media?

These days, vinyl collecting is assumed to be the penchant of music-obsessed Gen Yers after a more ‘authentic’ experience; it’s meant to sound warmer and more dynamic than any digital recording. But new data suggests it’s actually Xers who are driving sales, in part because of nostalgia.