I wonder why so many vinylphiles seem to go out of their way in order to discourage prospective new "members". I've owned high-end turntables, tonearms and cartridges for twenty years now, and have rarely ever needed more than my trusty walnut-handled Discwasher record brush, a few seconds dust-removing treatment when the LP is first spun up. For those very infrequent used LPs or new "sticky" LPs which need it (maybe a few times a year), I use my budget Nitty Gritty record-cleaning machine, something like a couple of hundred bucks new. Too busy listening to the music to have the patience for more than that, too impatient to lay on the next LP :-). So, I have to disagree, vinyl need not be particularly time-consuming (though you do have to get out of your chair to flip sides) or expensive, and excellent results can be had at a budget price, especially considering the various superb used deals out there.
The problem of ticks and pops as well is exaggerated, a decent tonearm takes care of that (sloppy bearings exaggerates/amplifies the effect), and a cartridge which does not emphasize such things (some are noisy, some are quiet in the groove). Amazing results on a budget, $200-400 used including tonearm, can be had from such trusted names as Thorens, Ariston, Rega and others. And thinking outside the box, old-time receivers such as a MARANTZ 2220 had superb phono stages for a fraction of today's sonic equivalents (about $100 used these days, and with superb tuner section), just use the tape output and use it strictly as a phono stage or tuner! Preamps such as the older C-J PV-series can be had for about $400 with decent tubes, and have high-end phono stages it would cost well over a grand to match today, if not more, and can also be used as outboard phono stages via the tape outputs. With the low low price of used LPs, some serious fun - AND sound quality - can be had on a budget.
Experimenting is fun, satisfying curiosity is fun, and the music from good ol' vinyl is entrancing and rewarding. Vinyl is also a lazy and relaxed music-lover's medium (the dust on my Nitty Gritty is a 1/2" thick), not only the preserve of masochists ;-).
The problem of ticks and pops as well is exaggerated, a decent tonearm takes care of that (sloppy bearings exaggerates/amplifies the effect), and a cartridge which does not emphasize such things (some are noisy, some are quiet in the groove). Amazing results on a budget, $200-400 used including tonearm, can be had from such trusted names as Thorens, Ariston, Rega and others. And thinking outside the box, old-time receivers such as a MARANTZ 2220 had superb phono stages for a fraction of today's sonic equivalents (about $100 used these days, and with superb tuner section), just use the tape output and use it strictly as a phono stage or tuner! Preamps such as the older C-J PV-series can be had for about $400 with decent tubes, and have high-end phono stages it would cost well over a grand to match today, if not more, and can also be used as outboard phono stages via the tape outputs. With the low low price of used LPs, some serious fun - AND sound quality - can be had on a budget.
Experimenting is fun, satisfying curiosity is fun, and the music from good ol' vinyl is entrancing and rewarding. Vinyl is also a lazy and relaxed music-lover's medium (the dust on my Nitty Gritty is a 1/2" thick), not only the preserve of masochists ;-).