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Vinyl lovers I must be crazy

I have been in the hobby for about 40 years and it seems that I enjoyed my simple system back in the 70's more than my high end system of today. My old system consisted of a receiver (sherwood, marantz) a basic turntable (later upgraded ro a B&O) and various speakers. My current system the cables cost 5 times the entire 70's system and the rest of the gear is top notch. I am not saying the 1970's system was better but I think I enjoyed it much better than today's system. The 70's system was a all vinyl system and my current system I strictly listen to Cd's. Is that the problem listening to CD's? For you vinyl lovers what do you think? For those that made the switch back to playing records are you listening more now? Enjoying your system more? What type of vinyl dollar outlay did it cost to reach vinyl nirvana?

Any feedback would be appreicated. Thanks!
bobheinatz
bobheinatz OP
479 posts
 
Elizabeth,

I thank you for your remarks. I actually do enjoy the sound of my system but if my faint memory remembers correctly I just remember enjoying the music instead of worrying about the equipment that I currently have. Was that because back in the 70's I didn't have the money to upgrade or I simply enjoyed my stereo? Proably both! I asked about the investment amount needed for a TT setup simply because my gut feeling is a cheaper setup like a Rega 3 might be good but lacking in many ways and if I do reinvestment in a turntable I want to give it a decent shot. As I suggested in the title of my thread I must be crazy.
maineiac
649 posts
 
Many systems today can be highly detailed (bright) and lack warmth and texture(flat). If you craft a synergistic system around what you want, there is no doubt in my mind that you can have a great high performance system. My experience leads me to tube based system, higher efficiency speakers, and vinyl playback.

I played a CD today for first time in a long time and only because I was listening to a particular artist and didn't have that particular title on vinyl. It was good but not as great as listening to my vinyls.
almarg's avatar
almarg
8,673 posts
 
Are you sure that the problem is not simply that your present high quality system is revealing deficiencies in the recordings that your 1970's system did not reveal? In which case vinyl vs. cd has nothing to do with it.

Just a thought. Regards,

-- Al
bobheinatz OP
479 posts
 
Al,

That is certainly a possibility.
hiendmuse
257 posts
 
I think since I started reading equipment reviews in Stereophile, The Absolute Sound, etc., that I tend to think more about how the equipment is performing and how it's affecting the sound, versus just listening and enjoying the music before I started reading these mags. Other times I just listen to music without regard to how the equipment is performing, but it takes more effort to do so. Reading hifi reviews has sensitized me more to focusing on the equipment and performance, rather than just enjoying the music. I have been into hifi since 1969, with KLH speakers, Scott receiver, and Dual turntable and I enjoyed the music without focusing on the equipment, even though by today's standards that equipment was limited in performance. This was prior to my focusing on equipment reviews.

So, I guess if one just wants to focus on enjoying the music, and not the equipment, maybe stop reading hifi mags and equipment reviews. It may help.
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