Analog fans turn back digital clock

There is also new interest in vinyl from music fans who have only ever known CDs or digital, says Mr Chan, owner of Collectables, a record shop in Central district.

Chan's collection spans hundreds of classical, jazz, rock and Cantonese pop records.

"If you have always listened to digital, you may not have experienced the audio characteristics (of a vinyl record) before," Chan says. "When you listen to the vocals, you realise there is something more in the recording."

Browsing through the vinyl section at the HMV music store, which also sells vintage records and reprints, 15-year-old high-school student Alvin Fan said analog albums have given him an alternative way to listen to music.

"It creates a different atmosphere, a different mood and a very different feeling," said Fan, who was introduced to vinyl records by his grandparents.

Zachary Chan, 21, who works in a music store, says it is becoming increasingly fashionable for young Hong Kongers to turn to records over digital.

"The value of a vinyl record is stronger in a subjective sense - holding a record in your hands, rather than seeing the digital albumon iTunes. There is a difference."

The resurgence of film cameras and vinyl is part of a growing determination to experience simple pleasures in the face of a quick-fix digital lifestyle.

Some teens have reverted to sending postcards to their friends as a more satisfying alternative to email.