Originally Posted by
Andrei
A pretty emphatic No from me. I have gone down that track and here is what I have blown in approximate pounds
1000 turntable with arm
500 cartridge
500 phono stage
200 interconnects
30 turntable mat
100 record cleaning machine
30 antistatic sleves
75 record shelf
60 granite slab for tt
10 carbon fibre brush
75 dust cover
200 worthless "near mint" LPs
1000 good to great LPs
you will also have to replace your stylus or cartridge every so often as well.
In quality terms it beats a CD on my Cambridge Audio 650, but it is behind SACD and well behind computer audio system. In money terms CDs and CD quality downloads are vastly cheaper.
I do enjoy my LPs and the turntable looks really cool in the lounge, but this money could have been better spent elsewhere. With all I have spent on the TT, vinyl, and accessories I could have purchased a top Audio Reference Amplifier. I think I have spread myself too thin. I have three sources but a savvy audiophile will have one source or two at the most.
There is another really compelling reason not to go down this route. If you want that gorgeous analogue sound then invest your funds in a high class valve amplifier. There is more of that beautiful holographic sound in a well fettled Amp than in vinyl.
That said, I have about a dozen LPs that can't be had for love nor money in the digital domain. I have only been into vinyl for less than two years and I make rare purchases of vinyl only if it is 45 rpm, or 180 g or something I want but can't find digitally. I enjoy following the Tecchie threads in this forum and there is definitely more to it than 'turning on the music'. So I reckon that if you have the passion, then go for it. All I'm saying is that if you want good sound: be aware of the many costs, not just TT.