What is your vinyl commitment?

Let us put this question into a more enlightened perspective.  Commitment is not just about dollars and cents.  So no one thinks I am trying to dodge the bullet, my most expensive turntable, a VPI HW 40 now sells for north of $20K, the cartridge, SoundSmith Hyperion is now $9K(?),  the phone stage Conrad Johnson ART Phono is $28K or some such. and that is just one.  I also have an Technics SL1200GAE, several cartridges for it and in a second home another VPI TT, SME arm w/AT20 and PS Audio phono stage all worth a bunch.  All that has nothing to do with my commitment really.  I am looking at a record collection that started with some Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan and Jimmy Smith and and and all bought with paper route money when I was 14 years old.  I am now 77.  That is commitment.  It is not about money, it is about passion.  It is about goose bumps.  In another thread the question was asked what was your first concert experience.  Mine was in the 6th grade band.  I was one of the drummers.  That is commitment.  Guys that spend 7 figures on new systems don't impress me at all.  Money has nothing to do with it.    

Commitment isn’t only money. I slowly upgraded and collected albums for nearly 60 years. My commitment was to vinyl because there was no alternative. Then a few years ago I was able to upgrade my digital rig to sound as good or better than my vinyl rig... so now it only a very expensive dust collector. 

Techics 1200G with Hana Umami Blue and Black Swan phono pre from Austin Audio Works you're looking at about $10K.  This doesn't include, of course, the Degritter, the Stack Audio record "weight" and mat, along with alignment tools from Wally.  Goes with Pass INT-60.  

With my Linn LP12 which is currently on the TT wall mount, I'm at $46,495. If you look at the system in my signature photo, you can see it on the right hand side.

billstevenson

Commitment is not just about dollars and cents ... I am looking at a record collection that started with some Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan and Jimmy Smith and and and all bought with paper route money when I was 14 years old. I am now 77. That is commitment. It is not about money, it is about passion. It is about goose bumps. In another thread the question was asked what was your first concert experience. Mine was in the 6th grade band. I was one of the drummers. That is commitment. Guys that spend 7 figures on new systems don't impress me at all. Money has nothing to do with it.    

I couldn't agree more. It's either a passion, or it isn't. It isn't about money.