Setting up VRT used to require navigating the app manually — finding the right menus, adding equipment in the right order, working out which preferences to set before you started. That friction is gone.
VRT now launches a two-phase setup wizard the first time you sign in. The whole process takes around five minutes, and by the end of it your equipment is configured, your preferences are set, and you’re ready to log your first play.
What the wizard covers
Phase 1 — Equipment walks you through your playback setup: naming your turntable or record player, identifying the tonearm if it’s separate, and adding your cartridge with its installation date and stylus service threshold. If you have more than one deck, you can add each in turn and nominate a default. A quick-create option lets you name a tonearm or cartridge inline — no need to set them up separately first.
Phase 2 — Preferences covers two optional settings: storage location labels (for collectors who want to assign shelf or room codes to their albums) and acquisition details (whether source and purchase price fields appear when logging a play). Both can be changed later, so if you’re unsure, accept the defaults and move on.
What to have ready before you start
The wizard is fast if you have three things to hand:
- Your deck name and manufacturer
- Your cartridge name and installation date
- Your stylus service threshold — the number of hours before cleaning or inspection is due; 1,000 hours is the default if you’re not sure
That’s it. Everything else in the wizard is optional or can be filled in later.
Getting your collection in
Once equipment is set up, you have three paths for adding albums:
If you use Discographics, VRT imports directly from a Discographics CSV export — no reformatting needed. Artist, title, label, catalogue number, format, and Discogs release ID all map automatically.
If you have a spreadsheet, the CSV import tool takes any spreadsheet with at minimum an artist and title column. Everything else is optional.
If you’re starting from scratch, add albums one at a time by searching Discogs — by artist and title, barcode scan, or catalogue number — and the release details fill automatically. Or enter them manually; only artist and title are required to create a record and start logging.
If you want to start logging plays before your collection is fully entered, the Quick-add button on the Play Log screen creates a minimal album entry on the spot.
Already using VRT?
The wizard runs on first access only. Existing users don’t see it — your setup is already in place. If you want to review or update your equipment configuration, everything is accessible from the Equipment menu as before.
Written by Stephen Price, founder of Secret Chord Analogue.