Lately I have thought about selling my entire analog set-up: Turntable, phono preamp, and vinyl collection. It's a good system, but my digital system sounds good enough that I don't listen to the analog system any more.
For purposes of illustrating my dilemma, my system is as follows:
Analog system: Linn Sondek LP12, upgraded with Lingo II power supply, Karousel bearing, and trampolin suspension. Loci Psionic Tonearm with practically new Clearaudio Maestro cartridge. PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamp. Plus, about 450 records, mostly popular stuff from the late 60s, 70s and 80s.
Digital System: Metrum Acoustics Streamer (Roon endpoint) plus Metrum Onyx DAC.
Just curious if any of you have thought about selling your entire analog rig, because you don't listen to it. What did you finally decide? Interested in your experiences.
You are certainly not alone. Those of us with thousands of records are sort of stuck.
Although your vinyl playback system is lack luster, getting to something that can give digital a little bit of a run for its money requires a substantial amount of money over what you have already spent. People with no records or small collections may well be better off maximizing their digital systems ditching the vinyl. I routinely recommend that people not get started in vinyl. They are much better off sticking with digital, spending the money on speakers and amps where it really counts.
Well done LP playback is a joy and LP's can be passed on to future generations. They have a provenance that streaming lacks. The streaming user has no way of knowing what generation was used, how the mastering was done.
I have owned two of them and I would think everyone knows by now my opinion of that turntable and I am certainly not alone in that opinion. That is also not the only component in the OP's vinyl compartment. My overriding point is, if I might explain it better, great digital is far less expensive and less problematic than great vinyl.
A new Pioneer PLX. 1000 TT ($700), Denon 103R ($340) and a Schiit Mani 2 phono stage ($160) is a reasonably affordable LP playback system not at all embarrassed by streaming. The idea that one must spend thousands more to equal streaming is ridiculous!
I sold my analog setup about 20 years ago, after I found a DAC that I really liked. That’s not to discount the pleasure one can get from LP, but we had moved many times, and my remaining LP collection was < 200 by then, almost all available on CD; I needed the space my analog setup took up; and I’m interested in exploring newer music all the time. Finally, pitch instability of slightly warped or slightly eccentric LPs was kind of driving me nuts.
Since then, I’ve been digital only. Do I miss the LP system? No! I don’t miss the fiddling, the extra wires and adjustments and electronics. I do miss an album or three that are not available digitally, and I did find that some older material was transferred but the transfers didn’t sound so great. But for me that was far outweighed by the convenience, lack of noise, lack of wow and flutter, and huge repertoire of the digital catalog.
I agree with @mijostynthat digital is way more affordable to get started with: a $70 Wiim streamer, $90 DAC and a Tidal/Qobuz subscription will sound fine!
I listen to vinyl 90% of the time. I listen to music twice as much since I went back to analogue. My system is a joke compared to @hifinut51's but it's still pure joy, I can't wait to put on a record, from my again, way smaller (~100) collection.
When vinyl sounds good, it's magical, when the quality is crap it's it's no fun just like any crap digital
Do we need yet another one of these threads? Why not just dig up one of the old vinyl vs digital threads and add on to it? That is if one has anything new to say on the subject.
I continue to enjoy both, nothing beats hi-res digital for finding and exploring new music but I still turn to my analog setup for some in depth enjoyment. Just the other day I was playing the UHQR version of Jimi Hendrix "Are You Experienced" and was just enthralled. I have some playlists on Tidal that will keep me engrossed for hours.
I should add that my system is not in the esoteric or ultra hi-end variety.
Over the last five years I upgraded both analog and digital ends. Finally my digital end jumped about five levels to parody with my great analog end: contemporary near Klimax LP12 (not the phonostage), a custom Silent Running Ohio class isolation platform, Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge, Audio Research Reference 3SE phonostage. My system has never sounded better, digital is at the same level of sound quality. I have 2,000 albums in outstanding condition, many audiophile pressing.
I listen to my turntable maybe once a week. I feel a bit guilty… I want to. But give it up? No, I don’t think I can do that. I have the very first album I bought in the 1960’s. When I use it, it reminders me of the long history I have with vinyl.
My audio guy has instructions to sell my system… and my vinyl collection as a collection when I die. So, I guess, over my dead body.
Sell? No. I gave mine (and record collection) to my grandson in law who is enjoying the hell out of it. Most of the music I want to hear was in my CD collection and I rarely used it, although I'd have to admit a great record on it was simply outstanding. I've never regretted this.
Try to buy a vinyl of persian music or of Indian music ? Just try...😁
I dont listen pop/rock at all ...
I own 10,000 files mostly transfered lossless or bought as files ...
It takes a room with his 4 walls to kept 10,000 cd...Imagine vinyl now which are larger ...
I listen music all days from all non commercial genre , classical , jazz, persian, Indian and near east ...
Half of them are impossible to buy in vinyl ...
Most people who like vinyl i guess listen mostly rock and pop ...or they have a very limited collection of music .. ( There is a very good offering in classical vinyls though it is true, but here in audiogon classical music are rare birds it seems )
My gear/room serve my music listenings; i dont need to upgrade to be in ectasy ...my money go for music not for any upgrades i did not need anyway ... 😁😊😉
Digital well done rival vinyl now anyway especially if vinyl system are not high end or well embedded as most are ...
I don’t think that I’m really qualified to offer an opinion because it’s many years since I have owned a turntable, but from the viewpoint of someone who has been using digital since the beginning, I would say that it is definitely alright to go all digital if it works for you. The sound quality in the beginning was so poor, but it has improved by leaps and bounds, and I am now very satisfied with a modes system, and a @mijostyn said, it is less expensive to get a great digital system than it is to get a great analog system.
Well done LP playback is a joy and LP's can be passed on to future generations. They have a provenance that streaming lacks. The streaming user has no way of knowing what generation was used, how the mastering was done.
This is not true, you can also stream local digital files, then you will know what generation was used and how the mastering was done, just like LP's.
My music listening is about 95% streaming. I have an old Philips AF 877, that I refurbished, playing through an inexpensive NAD phono preamp. My LP collection is limited to however many can fit in my stereo stand. I still have a TT because I am old fart Boomer that believes any stereo system has to have a turntable. That being said, my modest analog components still give me joy, when I have the patience and time to listen to LP's.
Digital playback is simple when it works. LP playback is physically difficult and getting harder every day for us old compromisees. Digital usually requires no walking to a TT and then performing routine to play music. Besides I’ve heard my records already, repeatedly. Changing cartridges is like adjusting dynamic EQ with finite plays.
Seldom worth it. Don’t worry yourself, you will get there soon enough. I have already spent lifetime hours cuing vinyl and hanging tapes.
I can’t see why an end user would be concerned about "provenance" unless he is overpaying for tracks. Any proof of value lies in the listening not the "blockchain."
I am emotionally attached but would probably not miss it all too much. I may do it someday when the time comes to downsize and space is limited but no rush at present.
Ironically I bought an ultrasonic record cleaner earlier this year then added Qobuz and Roon and haven’t touched a record since.
I do have to admit as a daily user of redbook CD'S though that they can be as sensitive to dirt as LP's. I can play a CD several times in a month, handling it carefully by the edges etc., and the next time I play it, there will be two skips which disappear when I clean the disc. It can be just as frustrating as vinyl.
Zero desire to sell my analog side. Listen pretty much every night. My digital side is good, but more for “household duties” and casual listening. The analog side is the primary.
Yes all the time. There is an emotional attachment to my years growing up with lp’s.. Already sold all my CD’s, CD transport and most of my lp’s. Only getting a few dollars each. Problem is for the few hundred dollars I would get for my turntable, phono pre and remaining 60 lp’s I have kept, I might as well just keep them. It is just way too much $ to get vinyl to sound as good as streaming. Not to mention the pops/clicks and flipping lp’s every 20 min and unable to skip past undesirable tracks. Streaming for good…
If I was starting over, I would be digital only because of the convenience. Probably ninety percent of my listening is digital
Even though I think I have a high quality digital setup, I still like the sound of my vinyl setup better and probably always will. I think that if you grew up with vinyl, like I did, and a lot of other folks on this forum, you become conditioned to thinking that's what music is supposed to sound like, and no matter how good the digital rig is, I think I'll always prefer the sound of vinyl. But the difference is not enough to overcome the convenience and the ability to have an almost limitless selection of music at your immediate disposal.
I sold my LP playback system last May, I used the funds to buy an Aurender N200. I just never used it, I also sold my 450 LP collection. It bothered me that it sat for months getting no use. I still have my CD playback system and 1000 + CD collection. that is staying. I just prefer the convenience of an all digital system. MY digital front end just sounded better to me. Back in the early 2000’s I spent about $3000 on the LP system so it was decent quality.
@OP No. But I do keep upgrading my vinyl playback system to keep pace with my digital playback systems. However, if I didn't have a large legacy vinyl collection, then I would happily live with digital.
I don’t actually own a ’streamer’. Aside from a few LP’s, the upgraded 2 tb SSD in my Sony HAPZ1ES holds every single track I own. I run a toslink feed from my Spectrum receiver to my system for their music channels for when I want the random ’radio experience’. When I hear an artist or cut that I like and am not familiar with, I go on iTunes and listen to the tracks on the album and buy the whole album or just the singles I like. It downloads to my laptop and then automatically transfers to the Sony. That’s probably about as close to streaming as I get. I like being the sole proprietor of my music collection.
Like several of your responders, I gave up vinyl years ago and haven't missed it. Most seem to give up vinyl for purposes of lifestyle or convenience, and particularly once digital achieved a level of SQ that is IMO as good but different from vinyl. The Metrum stuff sounds pretty good but you are nowhere near the best of digital with your gear, it can get even better.
It all comes down to whether you have the room to fit them both. If so, keep the vinyl. I am in the same boat listening now through streaming 90% of the time. I do have over 2k vinyl and hundreds of CDs. I keep them all because they all sound equally good and I made the room for all 3 systems. Options are always nice, even if it's only 10% of the time.
I am about to turn 75 and got back into analog about 4 years ago. I had sold my vinyl collection back in the early 90's. I thought cds were the answer. For 30 years my cd collection sat in boxes and I decided to play them again. I really do not like most of the modern music so I ventured back into vinyl. It has been a fun journey collecting what I really like to hear. I have a very nice analog setup.
Whenever anyone takes a look at my setup [Thorens] they aske to hear some vinyl and I am happy for the interest. I stream 90% of the time, but I do enjoy the old-fashioned stuff too.
I forgot to say out of the convenience factor , there is no romanticizing the material format for me at all ... I was moved or not by the music not by the front cover of a vinyl ....😊
Twenty minutes anticipating the end of a LP side and feeling in the obligation to disturb my meditation by the idea that i have only 5 minute left at most eyes closed was too much for me ... The annoying clicking noise too was much ...
Since I don't have an analog system, it is much easier to decide not to acquire one. Listening to other people's audio system, I don't get the urge to get one, perhaps because I am accustomed to digital sound. But IMHO, I don't find analog superior.
I do all formats but could easily live with just streaming. I have moments where I want to streamline and then moments where I like the accumulation of the physical media. I'm not as adamant as some on their belief that record playing is superior to streaming. There is something to be said for listening uninterrupted.
I don't think of it as an either/or; why not both and anything new that comes along (and a hybrid and EV parked next to my inline twin turbo six).
As far as succession; my daughter has claimed my rig, vinyl and CDs in their entirety. Also, I'm ok with transitioning between mediums; sometimes one then the other depending on mood or circumstances.
And I totally get simplification and streaming stuff. There's much enjoyment in simplicity. So this dilemma is good to have in retirement, something to think about today and solve tomorrow.
but i am emotionally invested in my records, yes they and the analog gear are just things, but those things represent tremendously wonderful memories and experiences, hard to let go for that reason
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