Not Enjoying My Turntable


I purchased a u-turn orbit plus six months back to get into the experience of vinyl and collecting again. So far I have enjoyed the process of album buying and the tactile experience of vinyl. However, I just am not happy with the sound. Generally I have always enjoyed playing music with the treble turned up. Maybe because of some hearing loss I don't know. Also, I have had some problems with the turntable. The needle skips and to me the sound is muffled.

I am sure I could fix some of these problems with a equalizer and some troubleshooting with the turntable but am I just chasing the dragon here? In short am I doing something wrong.
128x128brimel1974
I too tried to enjoy vinyl again. But I experienced the same muffled sound and lack of dynamics and my needle didn’t skip.  And Yes, I was comparing a 5k setup to a 1.5k turntable with a not very expensive external phone pre-amp.  But it became clear the additional cost and return of the hated ticks and pops would be an outright ridiculous use of my savings to return me back to my teenage years.  I have finally achieved better sq than I did with my first system in high school.  It costs 20 times more which seems ridiculous, but finally the realization of great music with thousands of albums at my finger tips and no ticks and pops is realized.   

It’s a wonderful hobby and I would own an expensive analog setup if it could afford it, but for now I am more than content and proud of what I have. 
Getting really good sound from a turntable setup requires a level of involvement and effort that in my opinion only pays off if you actually enjoy doing that stuff (the tactile and involvement part of playing records).  I don't think it's so much the amount of $ spent (over a certain minimum) but the care of setup, alignment, record cleanliness, proper electrical matching of components.  Its a delicate chain. I've gotten really good sound from inexpensive turntables and cartridges but its hours and hours spent on alignment, cleaning, tuning etc.  But I love doing it.  Don't enjoy that level of involvement? Just go digital.
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@elizabeth Don't sell yourself short, you ARE recognized genius. At a minimum, acknowledged pragmatic enthusiast.

@gorgeousstyle When it comes to ticks and pops one can't underestimate the impact of super clean records and controlling static electricity via humidification and anti-static brushes. You don't need to spend a bunch of money, but you've got to actively attack those issues. It makes all the difference. Cheers,
Spencer