I agree with Johnnantais with respect to the silly hand-wringing over cost. The ONLY issue with respect to cost is that if you have no LP's, it will cost a good deal to build a library of music. But, if you also have no CD's, or very few, even building a music library will be cheaper with vinyl, unless all you desire is 50s jazz or rare classical pieces. You can spend what Johnnantais speaks of and maybe be very happy, especially when compared to the same money spent on digital. You can also spend 3-4 times, or more, what he is speaking of and be thrilled - and I'd wager much more thrilled than the same dollars spent on digital. I think most people that say no to this have either bought products that don't mate well, are suspect to begin with, and/or lack the knowledge or are too lazy you do a proper setup.
Taking off on the Johnnantias, I'll toss down the gauntlet.
Say there are two guys who have the same linestage, amp, and speakers. Now, let's deal in retail pricing. I'll buy a Nottingham Spacedeck w/Spacearm ($2,700), Shelter MKII ($700) cartridge, a K&K Audio phono stage ($1,800), a $300 IC of your choice, and let's throw in $500 for a VPI 16.5 vacuum machine and 4 bottles of Record Research Cleaners while were at it since I can anticipate the wailings with respect to cleaning. That's $6,000. NOT chicken feed to most mortal folks, like me.
You go out and spend $6,000 retail on a transport, DAC, IC, and any kind of CD cleaner/Auric illuminator/etc. you want.
We'll butt heads with the same music and let an audience decide. I'll place my money on the big disc. In short, argue all you want with respect to the cost of building a music library from scratch and Ill agree. Trot the same argument out for the price of equipment, and you got just that, an argument! :-) (BTW, I'd also throw down the gauntlet for nearly any price level one might want to select, instead, on a comparative basis).
