The Rapid Rise (& Fall) of the CD

@fleschler  - obviously you are a hoarder or maybe more kindly, an overcollector. What is the point of having a record that you can't possibly listen to more than once in your lifetime? I listen maybe 15-20 hours a week which equates to about 1000 records a year. If you listen more than that, maybe you can listen to it twice in your lifetime (on average).

I listen to records I like and selectively add to my library of 350 or so records so the longest I would go without listening to a particular title (adhering to a fairly tight rotation based on how they are sorted) is 3-4 months. I can understand maybe going to 1000 records and listening once a year - maybe. Beyond that makes no sense to me.

I try to get the best issue/pressing I can (which are coming out all the time thanks to Chad at Acoustic Sounds, Mofi/Music Direct, Blue Note, Speakers Corner and the others) and occasionally replace them if a much better sounding new issue becomes available and I really like the album. Then I sell the old one! These guys who have 6 copies of the same record are a curiosity to me unless they are hoarders or overcollectors. Why wouldn't you just listen to the best sounding one and be done with it?

As long as there is profit in a format, the manufacturers will make them. There is enough support for vinyl to be growing for the past 20 years. They will never go away.  

I am surprised no one is talking about HiRez downloads - they sound like a good alternative for the paranoid out there who don't trust the streamers or streaming quality is not good (I wouldn't know). I don't have that set up - I am vinyl only on my home system. Just make sure you back up your server.

Any HiRezers (if that's what you call them)?

@fleschler - I didn't even think of the term archivist. If you are creating a reference library for others to access, it makes sense, especially since it sounds like you have the space for it and can find a title in a minute or so. As far as listening to them, you can't listen to all of them and get to them all.

I have to expand my storage every 60 records or so and am constantly rearranging them so I don't have to think much on my next selection (with exceptions of course) to maintain a pretty even rotation between artists or types of artist (in the case of jazz where they aren't a top favorite like Trane or Miles).

@sns - at least the ones you don't listen to are stored away and you can listen to the ones you like.

You can't really like everything....or else you really don't like anything.

@facten - why amused? Streaming for exploring is fine (not personally for me), but you have to like something and listen to what you like at least once a year. 3500 records = about 2600 hours of listening. That's more than a full time job if you do it in a year. 

I wasn't having an issue with 3500 records (although for me it is about triple the max I would ever consider manageable), it was 31,000.

I just don't like collecting anything with an actual use. I have no problem with stamps or coins or art or even cars that are investments (although that makes it more expensive for us drivers to get a more desirable car). To me, just because something is rare doesn't make it good (although it could be).

My point is that it is impossible to find the time to listen to 31000 records.