Since I have a large collection of vinyl (and also digital media) I have continued to own and use high-quality phonograph systems.
If I did not own a large vinyl collection already, I would probably not get into it now as back in the day, I bought most of my vinyl for $5 to $8 per lp, and that was the dominant format of the time. Now, new vinyl records are selling for $20 to $50 per record and I can't bring myself to buy them except in special cases.
That said, my vinyl still gives me something that my best digital has not matched, namely more air in the highs and faster sounding high frequency transients. The faster sounding transients add to the impact and realism I get from high frequency percussion instruments and that increases my you-are-there experience. Digital is not bad by any means, but it does not quite do the same thing that analog does, probably due to the types of digital filtering that are commonly used to roll off "unwanted" high frequency nasties.
I even get this extra air and impact from old cassette tapes I've made from my records years ago... it's definitely an analog thing. So I like having the best of both worlds.
Of course not every vinyl system will provide the kind of speed, air, and control that I get from my system, so many vinyl users will not hear this clear-cut difference in the highs (bass too, come to think of it) I'm speaking of. In fact, dare I say, that vinyl playback through digital amplification is a true blast if you get it right!
If I did not own a large vinyl collection already, I would probably not get into it now as back in the day, I bought most of my vinyl for $5 to $8 per lp, and that was the dominant format of the time. Now, new vinyl records are selling for $20 to $50 per record and I can't bring myself to buy them except in special cases.
That said, my vinyl still gives me something that my best digital has not matched, namely more air in the highs and faster sounding high frequency transients. The faster sounding transients add to the impact and realism I get from high frequency percussion instruments and that increases my you-are-there experience. Digital is not bad by any means, but it does not quite do the same thing that analog does, probably due to the types of digital filtering that are commonly used to roll off "unwanted" high frequency nasties.
I even get this extra air and impact from old cassette tapes I've made from my records years ago... it's definitely an analog thing. So I like having the best of both worlds.
Of course not every vinyl system will provide the kind of speed, air, and control that I get from my system, so many vinyl users will not hear this clear-cut difference in the highs (bass too, come to think of it) I'm speaking of. In fact, dare I say, that vinyl playback through digital amplification is a true blast if you get it right!