I have close to 2,000 CDs and about 800-900 LPs. I catalog all my music into various periods, and artists etc. To me, you can never have enough of good music.
Ben, I agree with you. Sometimes when you get rid of something, you may end up regretting it because it takes a lot more time to replace it.
After all, our musical tastes sometimes changes over time. I used to dislike the works of Mahler and Shostokovich in Classical, but later on, I discovered elements that I like about the music. Age changes our perceptions- things we did not like when we were young- perhaps because we have little patience during that time- becomes more highly valued and appreciated down the road. Therefore by keeping a recording, and playing it later may help one to appreciate it (not all the time) over time. Music just grows on you. To me, there are good and bad recordings- either way- I never sell any of them. Why? Because being a music lover as opposed to merely being an equipment lover, collecting music is a fun way to pass the time. It is part of history and one can learn so much just from being able to differentiate the different types of music, in addition, to appreciating it. Even though if I only play a recording once in my lifetime, I still have a sense that it is there, and since it is a part of my collection, there is a feeling of pride of ownership and satisfaction. It is better to collect music than junk.
Happy Listening!
Zenaissance