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Is It Time To Sell My Vinyl Rig?

Hey All,
There once was a time when I looked forward to shopping for arcane mono classical and jazz vinyl. The anticipation of hearing a newly cleaned recording from 1957 that I didn’t realize existed until just a few hours prior. The satisfaction of owning 200 plus records. But now since I’ve upgraded my DAC and Transport, I’ve become disenchanted with vinyl. It still sounds musical but not nearly as close to a live performance as my digital setup. So I’m now I’m thinking about selling my ASR Mini Basis Exclusive MK 2 phono preamp and my modified Thorens TD 145 with AT 33 mono anniversary cartridge. I could put the money towards a surgical procedure that I’ve been putting off. Will I regret this afterwords? I don’t even know how much to ask for the equipment or whether someone would even take an interest in it. Any ideas out there?
goofyfoot

Showing 5 responses by keegiam

keegiam
731 posts
 
If you're considering a uvulectomy, save your money.  I had one 15 years ago and it didn't help much with sleep.

If that's not what it is, I can't give you any advice.  It's a shame your analog and digital systems are apples vs. oranges.  There is little debate amongst most serious audiophiles that good vinyl playback is best.
keegiam
731 posts
 
I would bet that we older audiophiles spent more time enjoying live music played by humans using real musical instruments than those who consider digital superior.

I grew up playing music in the middle of school orchestras.  Surrounded by flutes, trumpets, baritones (which I played), french horns, violins, cellos, tubas, tympani, oboes and snare drums for many years (11 to be exact).  When I hear instruments reproduced on an audio system, I can quickly tell whether they're convincing or not.

Vinyl does the best job of doing that, as long as the turntable/arm/cartridge combo is up to the task.  Therein lies the rub.  It's expensive to get great vinyl playback.
keegiam
731 posts
 
One factor in this debate I rarely see discussed is HOW folks listen to the music.  Are they sitting still and focusing or busy doing other things?  The way I listen is a solo endeavor - it's not really socially acceptable behavior I can share with friends present, i.e., I sit alone in the sweet spot with my head inclined toward the floor to get the best imaging.

Do I need psychoanalysis?  Yikes!
keegiam
731 posts
 
$2,000 would pay for many concert tickets, or one record?  Lots of folks out there should do some self-audit.  If you're in podunk and live music doesn't make it to you, maybe there's some justification for it.  I just don't get it.
keegiam
731 posts
 
@ghdprentice

Thanks for sharing your lifetime pursuit of hi-fi.  We agree on vinyl, and I've invested only 25% of the amount you have.  The idea of converting sound into a long groove on a flat rotating disk is well over a century old, but considering the advances in analog recording and playback equipment in the mid-1900s, humans still haven't come up with a superior medium.

Rewarding, isn't it?

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