it all sounds good, but.....

I've even heard $70k systems with digital front ends... its sounds great/good/pleasing/almost 3d/etc., but not real.

You obvioulsy prefer Vinyl. Nothing wrong with that. All audio reproduction is limted to what the studio engineer can achieve on a given format. And it never perfectly equals real live music although both Vinyl and Digital can sound good (but different) - given a great mix and great master.

Your choise of speaker indicates that you prefer a certain type of sound. Nothing wrong with that. Just recognise that very few of the Vinyl records that you buy will have been mixed and mastered on single driver speakers ...so how all these LP's can end up sounding "Real" is either a fluke or it may be you just like the sound of your system compared to others (even those with $70 K systems). Again nothing wrong with that except that I don't see the need to criticise those who have invested $70 K in digital systems (I get the impression that for all their $$$, people with $70 K digital systems have something synthetic, inherently inferior and unreal about them).

IMHO, you are happy and that is what counts! The system suits your tastes perfectly. Enjoy what you have: an awesome system!

"I don't see the need to criticise those who have invested $70 K in digital systems"

not criticising about how much a person spends. just saying it didnt sound real. I dont really care if you spend 200k on a system. like you said, as long as it makes you happy.

Something that sounds real, may not sound good and something that sounds good may not sound real.

Oh well... gonna have to go kidnap the musicians and lock em up in my closet takin them out when i wanna listen.. hehe

Real is sometimes very dependent on room acoustics. Before you start with lp, try playing around with room placement and maybe a little at a time add some acoustic treatments to your room. I would still purchase a budget table, then play around with vinyl. Then GO start collecting vinyl, it really is that good.

You have to get a system that makes you happy. No matter if it sounds real or not. Most mixes on CD' s are not real. Lots of music today is mixed in a studio from different recordings taken at different times at different locations. Anything real about that? But often the sound is fantastic.
LPs do not sound real either , because their frequency response was limited below 50 Hz in order to get all the music on the vinyl (no real deep bass on them) and in order to avoid power line noise sneaking in. All that was corrected for with the RIA equalisation.
Very little is real real today. Which does not mean that it is no good. Look at all the women with silicone implants. Some look terrific. They may not be real but wouldn't you.?