Vinyl or wait for the new stuff??

I just bought a rega 25 w/600 arm and super elyse cartridge. I also bought an ARC ph-3 phono preamp (outstanding!). I chose the rega partly because it is considered 'set and forget' whereas some high end players need constant expert adjustment. On a good album, this thing walked all over my $3000 sony XA7 cd player. The music has considerably more presence and weight. I a/b compared simultaneously played albums, and the vinyl is quite a bit better. There is something to be said for cd's convenience. Also, the newer CD recordings are pretty good. I just ordered a record cleaner, and I expect that to improve my records as well. I figure it is better to get all my records clean now, so my turntable doesn't get contaminants on it. There is a lot of enjoyment in finding an original mono recording of Glen Gould $3.00, 'Lady in Satin'(GREAT RECORD!) $4, or 'The Trinity Session (in perfect condition!)' $4. I really like the fact that I can 'try' music for $3-4. It's great! How often do you have to clean the stylus, and what should you use ?

Merits to both formats. Some of the brand new digital recordings such as 'Pat Metheny and Jim hall', and the diana krall recordings sound excellent on my 44khz player. I would guess that they use tube mics to get that nice warm sound. On my equivalently priced cd/vinyl (about 3K each) systems, I do much prefer the sound of a vinyl recording to a CD. This preference has increased the as I listen to the record player more. I've only had it for a few weeks. Vinyl has won three a/b comparisons with different recordings from different eras (the trinity session, ricky lee jones, and the original glen gould bach preludes). I like the naturalness and sense of presence that a record has. A cd recording feels like it's floating on air, whereas the vinyl feels like its sitting on a concrete foundation. CD's have an ethereal quality to them. You're a little less 'there'. It's a little like driving a windows-up air conditioned 4x4 verses hiking. Easier but more forgetable. I am hoping the newer formats like SACD, and 96khz will bring some of this 'thereness' back. After all, many of the new records are digital recordings. One of my vinyl vs CD preferences, the wonderful 'trinity session' album was made on an RDAT machine w/one microphone. Their recording equipment could probably fit into a suitcase ! Perhaps much of CD's harshness comes from downsampling. Another source of harshness may be cheap cd players. A cheap cd player emphasizes the 'digital harshness', or brittleness. Once you hear it, it bothers you.

And another from 'rainy' Oregon. Our votes almost counted this year !

I agree with david99 that you don't have to spend really big bucks to get good sound on vinyl. I bought my mint condition rega 25 w/super elys from a local dealer for $850.

The real value is access to interesting and new recordings. Especially classical recordings. I just bought a bunch of good quality rca red label and gramaphone records for fifty cents a piece. Quality sh*t like Perlman and Starker. I seem to recall having to spend fifteen bucks for their cd recordings. It also introduces a whole new realm of old recordings that you simply don't have access to if you have cd only. I just bought the Duanne Allman anthology vol II. A weird collection of songs that i would have never paid $15 for. I did pay $4. Discovered a few real gems (like duanne and herbie mann (flute) swapping leads on "push push".) That one's getting played at parties! Also bought a collection of Everest recording Gregorian chants - 4 albums for $1. Never would have bought this on cd. Tried it out. If I don't like it I can use them and save on paper plates. Hauntingly beautiful music. On the 25th, they will go well with my new Supremes and John Denver christmas albums. (50 cents each - did you have to ask?)

I stopped by Goodwill in Sandy, OR on my way home from skiing yesterday. I found an original copy of Dave Grusen's 'Time Out' for $1.99. A little high, for Goodwill. Great Record, and the sound is terrific. Part of the fun of records is finding cool stuff like that.

I think SACD will be a great format, but the media is $25/each. In other terms, that's 40 records for $1000 ! There is just so much great stuff out there on vinyl that will never surface on SACD. That being said, I will probably buy an SCD-1 within the next year. I hear you can get them for under 3K new now. That's a $2000 upgrade over my already excellent XA7ES CD player.