I'll chime in here. I got my first record player (Garrard changer) in 1957, when I was 12. I believe I bought my first CD player in 1982. I enjoy both formats, but I recognize that they are two different animals. Best that you don't try to "beat" the sound of CD with a budget analog rig--you'll only frustrate yourself by trying to wring CD virtues out of vinyl. Vinyl will never be as quiet as digital, it will never be as easy, never achieve the frequency extremes, and (arguably) never be as transparent. CD will never give you the palpability of analog, nor the density, rhythm and drive. The "you are there" experience is really just a mental trick we perform on ourselves--we can get that from both formats. But surface noise can hinder that feeling for some listeners new to analog.
I think Tgrisham gave you a good description of the sonic qualities of the two formats, and good advice. I would probably change his numbers a bit by buying used: a Lehmann Black Cube can be had for $300, and some pretty good entry-level table/cart combos for well under $1000. Used records are cheap ($3-$5 at used record stores here in Minneapolis) and you can wash them with mild detergent (rinse well!) and dry them on a dishrack. Give yourself 6 months to get accustomed to the sonic and mechanical demands of vinyl replay--if by then you still haven't found a place for it in your heart, you can easily resell the equipment here at Audiogon for what you paid. It's virtually a free trial.
But if vinyl moves you the way it moves me, then I think the first response from Tvad said it best...
I think Tgrisham gave you a good description of the sonic qualities of the two formats, and good advice. I would probably change his numbers a bit by buying used: a Lehmann Black Cube can be had for $300, and some pretty good entry-level table/cart combos for well under $1000. Used records are cheap ($3-$5 at used record stores here in Minneapolis) and you can wash them with mild detergent (rinse well!) and dry them on a dishrack. Give yourself 6 months to get accustomed to the sonic and mechanical demands of vinyl replay--if by then you still haven't found a place for it in your heart, you can easily resell the equipment here at Audiogon for what you paid. It's virtually a free trial.
But if vinyl moves you the way it moves me, then I think the first response from Tvad said it best...