Unless I'm misreading his post, it appears donbellphd feels that many of the denizens of this site are "retrophiles" that unfairly bash any new technology that comes along and cling desperately to their quaint tubes and tables. Well, first of all, perhaps I'm not seeing the same posts that he is but it seems to me that there are a lot of vocal fans of SS and digital posting on this site. I've seen a fair number of posts that, like his, imply (or emphatically assert) that older technology is inconvenient, user unfriendly and sonically undesirable due to record surface noise, tube noise, reliability (lack of) and various other deficiencies. Of course, there are plenty of analog fans around here - and really, if not here, where? - but it's hardly an oppressive majority.
Second, it seems a bit unfair to imply that what analog "retrophiles" really love is the mystique of their arcane gear rather than the actual sound of the music it reproduces. Being skeptical of claims regarding the superiority of analog is fine, but just because someone else agrees with them doesn't make that person a Luddite. Sarcastic references to "wind-up gramophones" smacks of the same kind of smug complacency that he so deplores.
Second, it seems a bit unfair to imply that what analog "retrophiles" really love is the mystique of their arcane gear rather than the actual sound of the music it reproduces. Being skeptical of claims regarding the superiority of analog is fine, but just because someone else agrees with them doesn't make that person a Luddite. Sarcastic references to "wind-up gramophones" smacks of the same kind of smug complacency that he so deplores.