When and how did you, if at all, realize vinyl is better?

In 1974 when I bought my first album... Grand Funk / We're an american band. I've bought over a thousand since and still listen most every day. I did have a few year's off in the mid 80's when cd's saturated the market. Never realized how good vinyl really was until about 1996 when I bought a VPI with a rega arm. Since then I've improved the analog portion of my system 10 fold & now get the musicians in my listening room whenever the record allows. Still have digital & it also sounds awesome, until I put a record on. Then the difference becomes clear. More width, depth, space between instruments, & sense of being there. Can't really say that vinyl is an overall better format than digital, just know it is at my house. That said, the analog portion of my system is about 5 times the cost of the digital portion, so it probably should be... Enjoy what you enjoy.

Very romantic idea, but dragging a rock across bumpy plastic is not ideal to say the least.  Recently went to a HiRez Vault DAC streaming source hooked into my Vanguard Digital via MIT Magnum Coax....extremely dynamic, holographic rounded 3D soundstage, airy and human sounding!  Warm and liquid with zero noise.  Technology is finally surpassing the antique tech of yesteryear:)

Unfortunately after  I had traded in my previous turntable and all my albums. Then heard great vinyl set up. Starting from scratch.

Hawkwind's "Warrior On The Edge of Time" fold-out sleeve pretty much proves the point for me as to why vinyl is so so so superior to other formats (the music's great too). Check this YouTube video at about 3mins...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUbe2K3PLro
Try it for yourself, stand in front of the speakers, with the CD version of the CHAOS shield sleeve open (and pretend to be that mighty warrior of lore, standing on the deserted abyss of time, champion of the oppressed but weary after many glorious battles in the mythic psychic wars of olde) ... it just doesn't work like the full-sized LP version ... :-)

1965
There was no digital back then, only FM, cassettes & RTR decks.
Every LP I would buy would be recorded to either cassette or RTR on the very first play to preserve & protect for the future.
When CD's became popular in the '80's - I couldn't STAND
THE NOISE it produced!
I first got into digital in the mid '90's as it became more necessary & the selection was growing.
I still back then & today swear by vinyl as my main source for serious listening & only play CD's as background music while working or playing pool as I do not have to get back to my system immediately after 1/2 a side.
To my ears VINYL RULES & CD's are convenient.
Yes there are a few CD's that I really like or love, but not one have surpassed the same sound on vinyl!
The best thing I have found about CD's is that they are much more easy to burn & make copies for friends.
YES - There are still flaws in both, but I can live with it as the bass, vocals & true sound still shine on vinyl over CD's/SACD/s.
Just to be fair:
My analogue systems (TT/Cart./Tonearm & Phono amp) never retailed over $70K & when I first started in audio (1965) my first TT  was a Garrard Zero 100 that cost me $169 complete with arm & cartridge.
My favorite CD player - if there was to be one - was the Reyimo & was probably the best redbook player I have ever heard so I cannot compare my vinyl systems to $100K digital systems as I could never spend that much for CD/SACD.
Just my two cents worth for 50 years & a couple hundred grand invested in audio.