Record collecting versus hoarding


At what point does "collecting" records become hoarding? Unless you are in the business of selling records either primarily or even secondarily, why do so many people here talk about having 2,3,4,6,10,000 records and CDs? It's not stamps or coins.

Let's say you listen to records 15 hours a week (a good estimate for me) that equates to about 750 hours a year or 1000 records a year. I like to listen to mine at least once every three months - I have 300 records and change. In the rare instance when I replace one for a better sounding one (I've done it maybe 4-5 times), I immediately sell the old one - with only one exception. The Sgt Pepper UHQR. I already had it on the Beatles Collection and do occasionally listen to it when I want a treat. It does sound better than the regular Mofi one, which sounds great to me.

Why would you have multiple copies of the same record and not just listen to the best sounding one and sell the rest?

Why would you want records you listen to less than once a year?

Maybe some people listen a lot more than me (and replace cartridges/styli pretty ofter or have a bunch of them)?

The reason I bring this up is because Acoustic Sounds is releasing Steely Dan's studio albums from the 1970s on their UHQR brand (not sure how they now own the name and not Mofi, but that is not the point), I am a huge fan and will be getting a few of these overpriced (IMHO) records, which will replace a few of my non-audiophile (except the Aja Mofi) records. I plan to sell the Aja Mofi immediately after getting the UHQR, which I am sure will sound much better. That is worth a few bucks, but the others I sell should be worth $10-15 in trade at a record store.

Anyone with records they play less than once a year or keep multiple pressings of a single album, please let me know your rationale.

Are you a hoarder? Too lazy to get rid of them? Like the way they decorate your room?

sokogear

Showing 6 responses by mijostyn

Humans treasure stimulus variation. We get bored with the same anything after a very short period. We also instinctively are drawn to music. These two factors result in large record collections. He who dies with the most records wins. Collecting is hording. So what? I should be ashamed because I have enough records to feed an orphanage for a year?  I already pay taxes. I trust my government to put it to good use. ( This is where we all vomit.) 

Seriously, records and music are a way of measuring time and history, in some ways better than photographs. Nobody I know has a photograph of the first time they had sexual intercourse but I sure do remember what was playing at the time and my mind will do the rest. I have an audio record of all the important times of my life. Is this hording or collecting? I could give a rat's -ss

@lewm 1++, I buy music. It could be on LP, digital file or, God forbid, CDs. I am a music collector and everywhere I work and play there is music. Garage, shop, office, workout room, everywhere and every moment I am awake in my own environment. Right at this moment The Beach Boys God Only Knows is playing on the Sonos system in my office even in the exam rooms. The audiophile in me will buy multiple versions of the same album looking for the best example. I have three copies of Bill Evan's Interplay. The 45 rpm version from Analog Productions Riverside box set is by far the best. But, I listened to other less stellar versions for decades because....

@sokogear ,You don't sing in the shower? 

As space is limited the inferior versions on vinyl go into storage, the ones in digital files get erased. I'll get a remaster of a favorite and erase whichever one is inferior. I have both digital and vinyl copies of many albums. I like the vinyl but I only play the computer when in the shop or garage for obvious reasons. It is also fun to compare the digital and analog versions. I do not sell anything.

@lewm , in 40 years nobody has complained. Very serious conversations took place in my office with the volume turned off, the ones you never want to have.

I like looking at my records. It gives me a warm feeling inside to see a wall of them neatly organized, ready to play. It is not a feeling you get collecting digital files which I also do. 

@rufusluna , my foundation started sagging years ago and I am still going. I should also mention that I have 5 tons of woodworking machinery😏