The great debate begins.Philo B 93 said:
I have a bunch of records and a few crappy record players. Don't listen to them much. My preferred listening experience includes bourbon, bluetooth, and a good Bose anything (speaker or headphones). I hear "things I never heard before" every time.
But this thread has some great suggestions. My go-tos are ZZ Top, Hendrix, Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones, and SRV.
How important is a high-end record player? Is the sound really that much better than digital?
Forget all the snobbery (from me included). It really comes down to preference. Lots of engineers will tell you that ultra-lossless digital is the only way to fully and accurately replicate what is captured in the studio. They aren't wrong. However, their is an organic warmth that comes with analog sourced vinyl. It provides more staging and depth. The sacrifice is dynamic range and noise. Plus, to really get the full benefit of the vinyl experience you have to drop a lot of coin. You not only need a high-end table (including tone arm and cart), but you also need a high-end pre-amp, amp, and speakers. It can get pretty ridiculous. You can set up a solid digital rig for a lot less that sounds really great. Also, digital is way more convenient. Want to set up a 3 hour playlist so you can melt into the couch? Piece of cake. Getting up every 20 minutes to flip the licorice pizza is kind of a pain in the ass. Which reminds me of this:
