Once you get the equipment issues settled - phono preamp, turntable and cartridge, pull out your absolute all time favorite records from your archives if you still have them, or go and buy the cleanest used copies of them. If hearing them gets you excited then keep going as I think part of your interest is to recapture some memories of great performances and to hear greater audio glory given the current state of electronics (and your access to it). In short, this trip is part nostalgia and part audiophidom.
I would avoid jumping into buying any of your old favorite recordings in the revitalized vinyl market of overpriced reissues as they are of questionable dollar value. Better, IMHO, to find very clean original issues at a used record store to start with. E.G., I always loved the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers lp in my teen youth when it first came out in the early 70's and when I got back into vinyl a few years ago I bought an overpriced reissue and it was nothing as I remembered the original to be as the reissue was dull, highs muffled, with no snap - like listening to a bad vhs tape. When I found an original 70's first pressing (and paid a little more for it), it sounded glorious and it satisfied my original memories and expecatations of this favorite classic. Furthermore, in my random purchases of other classic reissues, I've not had much luck and not impressed to justify buying more. Others may disagree and I'm sure others here will rave about particular reissues. Nonetheless, if you're "getting back to vinyl after an hiatus" I suggest you listen/buy some old favorites to hear if it's worth it to you before you get on that slippery slope of better equipment for better analog sound. Laughingly, many an Audion'er have lost their souls to these black disks, or at least thinned out their pocket book because of them.
Welcome back and see you at the Vinyl Seven Step Meetings.
I would avoid jumping into buying any of your old favorite recordings in the revitalized vinyl market of overpriced reissues as they are of questionable dollar value. Better, IMHO, to find very clean original issues at a used record store to start with. E.G., I always loved the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers lp in my teen youth when it first came out in the early 70's and when I got back into vinyl a few years ago I bought an overpriced reissue and it was nothing as I remembered the original to be as the reissue was dull, highs muffled, with no snap - like listening to a bad vhs tape. When I found an original 70's first pressing (and paid a little more for it), it sounded glorious and it satisfied my original memories and expecatations of this favorite classic. Furthermore, in my random purchases of other classic reissues, I've not had much luck and not impressed to justify buying more. Others may disagree and I'm sure others here will rave about particular reissues. Nonetheless, if you're "getting back to vinyl after an hiatus" I suggest you listen/buy some old favorites to hear if it's worth it to you before you get on that slippery slope of better equipment for better analog sound. Laughingly, many an Audion'er have lost their souls to these black disks, or at least thinned out their pocket book because of them.
Welcome back and see you at the Vinyl Seven Step Meetings.