Originally Posted by
Sherwood
Yes, but if you are starting out from scratch without a sizeable vinyl collection would you really choose to invest in analogue. Whilst I recognise that vinyl sounds better, it takes precision engineering to get the "music" off the disc. I recently had my 30 year old Linn LP12 services and upgraded with a 3rd party sub-chassis and armboard and it sounds great though I am acutely aware that I would have to spend big bucks today to get the same quality. That it without taking into account the costs of a good preamp and cartridge (I think my AT Moving Coil and EAR 834P would cost the best part of £1500 today). What really tips the scale is the limited amount of new music issued on vinyl and its premium price over digital. I have come to this conclusion reluctantly and only recently. For the first two decades I could barely listen to cd's. However, digital is getting better (note the recent demise of the dreaded MP3 format) and it is possible to buy a digital streamer today for very little that can outperform hugely expensive flagship cd players of recent vintage.
Clearly this forum comprises a biased sample of music listeners. When I went to Uni back in the late 70's it was the ambition of many young people to get their first "proper" hifi and to invest heavily in vinyl. That is no longer the case. It still surprises me when I come across a "youf" who has never heard an album played (start to finish) on a proper hifi let alone bought a complete album, but I would suggest that is the norm. The resurgence of "vinyl" seems to me to be as much a fashion statement as an interest in quality and tied in to the "hipster" movement. Yes, vinyl will survive but it will remain a niche product for enthusiasts, much like valve amps are today.
Anyway, I was expressing my own preferences. I would expect a 10k system to be my last investment in hifi so would be looking for something to see me through for the next 20 years or so. I daresay there will still be devices around then that are compatible with FLAC or WAV format!
Geoff
i don't have a sizeable vinyl collection but don't see that as a disadvantage, I know many have thousands of albums but I guess will never listen to them all more than once or twice. I like to have my all time favs on vinyl where possible and those get played regularly. The rest of the time is Spotify and rarely cd, I must have more cd's than records.
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