Analog newby question

Hi Tmitchell-If I were starting over I would have skipped the entry level tables,arms,cartridges,phono-pre.I can almost promise you the vinyl bug will bite you hard.I would buy the best "used" I could afford if I were you.You will save money in the long run too.Keep educating yourself here before you make a purchase.HAVE FUN! analog RULES!!

get some vinyl costs and figure on 50 to 100 pieces and only then consider what you will spend on a vinyl front end. in vinyl the more and the better isolation the better

Listen, i just did what you are looking to do. By the looks of your system i think you are looking for some quality sound since your components are of high quality. To me, i think analog done right is no comparision for a true audiophill. Analog can be sooo-involving something my great sounding digital system was just not conveying properly to these 50yr old seasoned ears for music. I recommend starting off with a better analog set up than suggested. It's not really that hard to setup for a anyone willing to put time into good sound and having good common sense. I would find a good knowledable local dealer who KNOWS analog and get educated and see what is available. It's your ears and taste. Go for it. Analog just does music properly. If you keep thinking about your equipment when listening to CD, than you need a good decent analog setup and forget about the equipment and be amazed at how good your system really is. Don't forget the treatment, very important if needed. Lp is good. Just keep reading and searching. Get the best you can afford and enjoy beautiful music. Let me tell you, the bass just pounds my chest and sounds so natural. Brass sounds like brass. Strings are strings like they use to be. Oh boy, the guitar, so proper. I'm using a BAT vk-p5 tubed phono stage with Telefunken nos and Siemen nos tubes and a 1986 Sota Star with some upgrades and pump/ps and a cheap Dynavecter High output MC and arm i never heard of (AT 1100, anyone?) to start off. I haven't played a CD since and my LP collection is growing like warp speed compared to buying CD. I don't think about the equipment anymore. The only thing is having to get up every 20min or so to change albums or sides. Good-luck

I had a B&OI turntable that looked great and sounded like crap.As I collected jazz CD's obsesively I found that many titles were not availible on CD whereas I'df see them in the record bin.I bought a Rega Planar 3 with one of their cart's.I couldn't believe how much more natural the harmonics were on a good 50's to mid 60's record than on CD.They also sounded more 3-d in soundstage and imaging.With your rig I'd go for at lest a Rega 25 ($1200) with their best cartritdge ($595??).Or what I like is the upgrade route with the VPI 19.You can have fun upgrading it.I went for broke and got a Aries with a 12" arm and a Grado Sonata cart.Go for a used tube phono.Try giving Bes a call at Music direct and tell 'em chazz sent you 1-800-449-8333.He will work in your budget an dis superb at system matching.

Thanks for all the responses. To answer an early question, the reason I am thinking about vinyl is that I accidentally found out I like the way LP's sound. I was visiting a friend back East who has reference quality digital and analog equipment. Just for kicks, I got him to play a few recent pressings and was blown away.

I'm not afraid to spend a bit to get sound that I like. I doubt purchasing low-fi and then comparing it to $13K worth of digital front-end is going to make me quit playing my CD's.

Until recently, I was also using a Sony SCD-1 but recently sold it with the thought of upgrading to the Accuphase DP-85. Since Proceed/Madrigal is talking about potential upgrades to the PDMT and AVP to enable SACD playback, I thought I would hold off on more digital equipment and look into analog. There are many of recordings that haven't (won't?) be released on SACD that are available on high quality vinyl.

BTW, I was wrong before. Amongst the 1200 or so CD's I've amassed in the last 10 years, I found a single solitary album in a box in the attic. "KISS Alive" that I must have bought when I was 13...

Thanks for all the input,

Thomas